It’s been a long time since I’ve seen so many people speak out over an issue, but Gizmodo seems to have split the Internet on whether or not it should have posted its story on the iPhone 4G. Some people have said they will boycott the site, while others were glad to have the information. For some long time journalists, the choice is clear.

Gizmodo was wrong to acquire a lost iPhone prototype — quite likely a nearly finished version 4 design — let alone pay to obtain it. Perhaps this marks the distinction between bloggers and journalists. I would have contacted Apple about returning a device so obviously stolen. There is grave difference between obtaining secret information for the public good and what Gizmodo did: Obtain property containing trade secrets belonging to a public company. Gizmodo has violated the public trust and broken the law. Free speech isn’t a right to pay freely for something clearly stolen.

Apple should sue Gizmodo over stolen iPhone prototype [Betanews]