Steve Jobs Heart Attack Bogus Report Sends Apple Stock Reeling

More evidence that the fate of Apple is tied to Steve Jobs and his health, from Silicon Alley Insider:

"Citizen journalism" apparently just failed its first significant test. A CNN iReport poster reported this morning that Steve Jobs had been rushed to the ER after a severe heart attack (story and screenshot below). Fortunately, it appears the story was false. We contacted an Apple spokeswoman, who categorically denied it.

CNN's iReport kept the report up until at least 10:15 AM, about 20 minutes after we published Apple's denial. The story has since been removed.

It's certainly not the first time that Steve Jobs' health has been the source of a lot of Internet buzz. And outlets as large as the New York Times have reported the inevitable denials of Steve Jobs' health problems that result.

MORE ON THE STEVE JOBS HEART ATTACK HOAX:
::Apple Stock Has Heart Attack [Valleywag]
::Steve Jobs Is Still Not Dead, Take II [Epicenter]
::Did Steve Jobs Have A Massive Heart Attack? [BloggingStocks]
::Steve Jobs Heart Attack Rumor Not True [BusinessWeek]

Comments

[research]

Please! Isn't this more proof, if you needed it, that

Short selling should be outlawed!

All it takes is a little rumor...

Regulate Capitalism!

[research]

Can we all agree that SHORT SELLING is a Disaster?

[appleknocker]

OK, so I'm financially naive, but why would anyone even consider buying stock in a company so apparently dependent on one man, especially a sickly one?

[Rule Of Law]

"Apparently" is the operative word here. the MSM loves a meme they can beat to death and they love a cult of personality even more--especially if it's one they've created and fed.

Apple has loads of talented people at all levels. They have a succession plan in place for every top exec, and they have the corner on some serious high tech innovation still to be released. Apple is far more than one man. But the media can't resist this sort of gossip--and when you have unsubstantiated rumor, you certainly don't have anything that remotely resembles qualified journalism--you have gossip.

All this did was provide the psychological push to get the stock to break $100 so that the speculators can continue to whip saw it back and forth in the market. That was the intent here--and it worked.

[appleknocker]

Thank you.

[djreedps]

Can't the source of this bogus information be sued for causing Apple's stock to drop? And can't CNN be sued for failing to verify the credibility of this bogus news story which potentially caused people financial loss if they sold their Apple stock because it was dropping rapidly?

I don't own any Apple stock or any Apple products. But I think when someone makes false public statements which lead to other people losing money, that the people responsible for lying or spreading those lies need to be held accountable.

[realityczech4u]

I would think that both Steve Jobs himself (for disseminating false information about him personally) Apple as a company (for business disruption) and Apple shareholders as a class (for damage to stock value) have an action against this "citizen journalist" and CNN jointly and severally.

This is another reminder of Jobs' irreplacability. His brilliance, his genius as a marketer of things high tech cannot be duplicated. Apple is where it is today almost solely because of his return to the company.

[Rule Of Law]

He has certainly set the company on the right path, and along the way, has trained a Very talented cadre of people from every department to continue Apple's winning ways. This company is no more reliant on one man than any other, and Steve Jobs would not have it any other way!

[Oxfarm]

SEC probably looking into trading records of iReporter, or family or friends. IP address trail to connect the dots.

It's such a stupid thing to do because in this market, geez, just wait five minutes and something will fall out of bed. Or if you just want to get famous, there are so many other ways to do it. Now he can't even be an iReporter! (yes, I'm kidding about the reporter bit)

[VOTER]

Fact- CNN

Corrupt News Network

[joeyfoto]

On the bogus report of Steve Jobs heart attack:

Underlying this terrible fraud is a terrible truth. Steve jobs is the best CEO in America and possibly the best leader of any corporation in the world.. Not even Jack Welch performed repeated turn-arounds of nearly the magnitude of the reversals-of-fortune that Steve envisioned, planned and executed. He is a business man who inspires poets and artists. He's repeatedly pulled off imaginative and amazing projects by demanding excellence from some of the best designers and engineers in the world... Steve Jobs consistently brings great taste to technology.

I am not the first person to proffer effusive praise to Steve Jobs... the fact in discussion here is: it's very hard to replicate genius. The reality is: If there is a problem with Steve's health, short Apple.

[bored2tears]

Steve Jobs has a heart?!

[realityczech4u]

Bozo, do yourself a favour and learn from the wisdom of Ben Franklin: "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt."

[fedupandgrumpy]

Typical stock market response. No matter how much I hear about investment and investors, so much of it is about speculation and speculators. Why is this stuff still taught in high schools? Yes, I know. To encourage participtation, not discourage it with hard facts.

[DFutureIsNow]

CNN = "Fair and Balanced" need I say more?

[Oxfarm]

The bugger who did this will have a heart attack of his own when SEC, CNN, and Apple legal teams catch up with him. Not to mention employees and shareholders.

[AmandaBC]

Apple cult = Scientology.

[Oxfarm]

No comparison. Xcode would pwn Xenu 8 days a week. :-)

[realityczech4u]

WRONG.

Apple = superior technology.

Think of it as fine dining vs junk food, Amanda.

[MagisterLudi]

AmandaBS. A successful experiment in Artificial Stu_pidity.

[KarateKid]

Is iReport owned by Microsoft???

[Rule Of Law]

Now you are asking a serious question...Google how many times microsoft's agents have sued or led charges against Apple for a variety of reasons all of which turned out to be unfounded! These days it is easy to hire assassins.

[Freedum4all]

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=gnbNm6hoBXc

[whsmith]

These stories are being released on purpose to short Apple stock. More greed on Wall Street.

[sandiaview]

Who is after Apple's stock price? This and the last bogus entry on Bloomberg should be investigated. Maybe a board member wants Jobs to name an heir apparent or maybe an heir apparent wants to be named.

[RobinSeattle]

The SEC is not going to be pleased.

But as a news organization, what I want to know is, where idd CNN get this false report and did they corroborate it before going on the air with it?

I know fact checking is pretty much out the window in the media now, but holy moly! Can you say journalistic malpractice?

[thebluecrayon]

iReports are videos and posts submitted by viewers on the CNN website, so it probably didn't air.

[faith]

Something as significant as this statement concerning Steven Jobs should have been investigated by CNN before publishing it. CNN should be held liable for the cost to stockholders and Apple for misrepresentation, maybe fraud. Egregious conduct by CNN. Isn't there any old school journalists/media out there who check the facts before publishing? Do they think that Times v Sullivan applies in all instances?