When trying to block information backfires
Internet Security Systems research analyst Michael Lynn was scheduled to speak at the 2005 Black Hat conference about a flaw in Cisco’s routers that was a major security threat.
Just before he was to speak, Cisco threatened him with legal action and his company decided not to give the presentation.
He promptly quit his job and presented the information anyhow. This move earned him a job with one of Cisco’s competitors as well as much respect from his peers.
When AT&T was trying to get the FCC to allow them to acquire Bellsouth, one of the concessions they had to make was to offer a low-end version of DSL for $10/month.
AT&T did as they were told, but tried their best to keep it very quiet. The result was much publicity about the $10 DSL — not only for the price, but for the way they tried to hide it. If they had just been up front about it, the press reporting on it would have certainly been much less.
AllofMP3 is a music store operating out of Russia that (illegally) sells MP3 files for pennies each.
They’re already quite popular, but the people trying to stop them only make them bigger. In particular, US trade representative Susan Schwab has been very outspoken against them.
This recenly led an Allofmp3 spokesman to tell local media “Susan Schwab markets us so effectively – she could already be our press secretary.”