RIM CEO terminates BBC Click interview

#1

Post by sdfx » Wed, Apr 13, 2011, 3:31 PM UTC

RIM CEO terminates BBC Click interview
news.bbc.co.uk

Re: RIM CEO terminates BBC Click interview

#2

Post by tomelders » Wed, Apr 13, 2011, 4:02 PM UTC

Sounds to me like he misunderstood the question and assumed the Beeb were implying there's a serous security issue with the Blackberry device itself, when the question was actually about the "security" concerns of certain countries in which Blackberrys are sold.

Re: RIM CEO terminates BBC Click interview

#3

Post by pedalpete » Wed, Apr 13, 2011, 4:03 PM UTC

I strangely want to give kudos to both sides. The phrasing of 'the problems you've had in terms of security' is seriously misleading and very poorly worded. I guess I've never seen the behind the scenes legal voices jump in before, but clearly, that question is baiting (unless RIM has some security issues I'm unaware of).

On the other side, cool that the BBC posts this for all to see, rather than just hiding it away somewhere.

Though for the general public who don't know if RIM has a security flaw or not, what effect does something like this have??

Re: RIM CEO terminates BBC Click interview

#4

Post by samstokes » Wed, Apr 13, 2011, 4:03 PM UTC

Ironically for Lazaridis, this is the first I'd heard of RIM's "security problems in India and the Middle East" - anyone have a link to the original story?

Re: RIM CEO terminates BBC Click interview

#5

Post by jasonlotito » Wed, Apr 13, 2011, 4:12 PM UTC

tomelders wrote: post #2

Sounds to me like he misunderstood the question and assumed the Beeb were implying there's a serous security issue with the Blackberry device itself, when the question was actually about the "security" concerns of certain countries in which Blackberrys are sold.

No. He knew exactly what the question was about, and what it was regarding. Their was no misunderstanding there. He didn't appreciate the word choice because characterizing it as a security issue implies certain things. But no, he knew exactly what he was being asked.

Sure, the initial question was poorly worded, but he's not a stupid man.

Re: RIM CEO terminates BBC Click interview

#6

Post by hubb » Wed, Apr 13, 2011, 4:13 PM UTC

samstokes wrote: post #4

Ironically for Lazaridis, this is the first I'd heard of RIM's "security problems in India and the Middle East" - anyone have a link to the original story?

googling "rim india" while give you a pretty broad range of stories covering the topic -- here's a sample: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-31/rim-s-agreement-wit...

basically some middle eastern governments want easier access to BB users emails.

Re: RIM CEO terminates BBC Click interview

#7

Post by pedalpete » Wed, Apr 13, 2011, 4:15 PM UTC

tomelders wrote: post #2

Sounds to me like he misunderstood the question and assumed the Beeb were implying there's a serous security issue with the Blackberry device itself, when the question was actually about the "security" concerns of certain countries in which Blackberrys are sold.

I thought the way the first question was worded was intentionally misleading. The interviewers second try was better, but at that point, I think they had already soured the interview.

I also think that the issue was dealt with, and the countries who had threatened to shutdown RIM, are no longer posturing, so it is kind of like bringing up old bad news for no reason, when the company is really there to promote the Playbook and show of their tech, not delve into an old issue that has been resolved, and answer questions that have been answered already.

I'd feel differently if this was an ongoing issue, but a google search shows that this was an issue last summer, and doesn't appear to really have come up since. That's just bringing back bad news which has no bearing on today.

Re: RIM CEO terminates BBC Click interview

#8

Post by jasonlotito » Wed, Apr 13, 2011, 4:15 PM UTC

samstokes wrote: post #4

Ironically for Lazaridis, this is the first I'd heard of RIM's "security problems in India and the Middle East" - anyone have a link to the original story?

Basically, these countries are requiring companies to provide backdoors so they can read encrypted emails.

http://www.google.ca/search?q=blackberry+india&tbs=nws:1

Re: RIM CEO terminates BBC Click interview

#9

Post by jeroen » Wed, Apr 13, 2011, 4:18 PM UTC

pedalpete wrote: post #3

I strangely want to give kudos to both sides. The phrasing of 'the problems you've had in terms of security' is seriously misleading and very poorly worded. I guess I've never seen the behind the scenes legal voices jump in before, but clearly, that question is baiting (unless RIM has some security issues I'm unaware of). On the other side, cool that the BBC posts this for all to see, rather than just hiding it away…

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-07-29/india...

"The [Ministry of Home Affairs] has asked the [Department of Telecommunication] to tell [RIM] in no uncertain terms that its emails and other data services must comply with formats that can be monitored by security and intelligence agencies."

The Indian government has threatened to cut off Blackberry services if RIM doesn't comply. I don't think calling that a security issue is off the mark.

Re: RIM CEO terminates BBC Click interview

#10

Post by gloob » Wed, Apr 13, 2011, 4:21 PM UTC

tomelders wrote: post #2

Sounds to me like he misunderstood the question and assumed the Beeb were implying there's a serous security issue with the Blackberry device itself, when the question was actually about the "security" concerns of certain countries in which Blackberrys are sold.

It's entirely possible I'm in the minority on this, but the following (theatrical, paraphrased, artistic-liberty-ized) conversation implies that there is a serious security issue with Blackberry devices:

  India: Give us access to your secure messaging service.
  RIM: Okay.