Steve Jobs

By +Frank B.
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Grand Master

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Steve Jobs? FBI File Released

The FBI has released, and posted on its web site, Steve Jobs' 191-page FBI file. Read it here. The file consists of a 1991 background investigation conducted when Jobs was being considered for an appointment to the President's Export Council in the Bush I White House, and records of a 1985 bomb threat against him.

We're still reading the files, but here's a taste, from a memo summarizing the background investigation:

Several individuals commented concerning past drug use on the part of Mr. Jobs.

Several individuals questioned Mr. Jobs' honesty stating that Mr. Jobs will twist the truth and distort reality in order to achieve his goals. They also commented that, in the past, Mr. Jobs was not supportive of [redacted] (the mother of his child born out of wedlock) and their daughter; however, recently has become supportive.

And this:

[Redacted] advised that he has been acquainted with Mr. Jobs since [redacted]. He characterized Mr. Jobs as a deceptive individual who who is not completely forthright and honest.

And:

[Redacted] advised that he is no longer friends with Mr. Jobs. He feels bitter toward and alienated by Mr. Jobs based on his association with Mr. Jobs at ACI. He characterized Mr. Jobs as an honest and trustworthy individual; however, his moral character is questionable.

And:

They further stated that Mr. Jobs has integrity as long as he gets his way.

And:

She stated she was somewhat reluctant to discuss the Appointee since she has questions concerning his ethics and his morality.

I've read the files from a lot of background FBI investigations; it's pretty rare in my experience that this much derogatory information gets dredged up. Often the agents only interview employers and people who are suggested by the candidate. It's obviously unclear who these quoted folks are, but if they were among the people Jobs referred the agents to, then he didn't know his friends very well.

In Jobs' defense, many of the people interviewed attested to his upstanding moral character. And even those who savaged him still recommended him for the appointment, which he didn't get. As one put it: "[H]e believed the Appointee has what it takes to assume a high level political position within the Government, which in his opinion, honesty and integrity are not prerequisites to assume such a position."

Another weird thing revealed in the file: Steve Jobs had a Top Secret security clearance. He received in 1988, and it was terminated in 1990. The records aren't clear as to why he needed it, but the "employing agency" associated with the clearance was Pixar.

Source: Gawker

View: FBI file on Steven Paul Jobs

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Spencer R

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My guess with the top-secret clearance is because Pixar did a lot of high-end research and development in processing and parallel-computing that would interest the military and scientific industry. All likelihood they were brought in as consultants on some supercomputer project or another.

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Grand Master

Astra.Xtreme

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Not always true. Jobs was just a douche.

for example, another popular and very successful CEO is Warren Buffet, and he seems like a very nice good guy. so i guess it can go both ways. you can SCARE people into working as jobs seemed to have done, or you can make and inspire them to want to work and do a good job. I think the latter will provide better results.

Those are two completely different worlds. Jobs made his fortune by designing a product and competing head-to-head with Gates to build his empire.

Buffet built his empire by cashing in on insanely good investments. Buffet let his money to the work for him, while Jobs used his knowledge and wit to fight his way up. Two very different tactics.

Even so, I very much doubt that Buffet was always this gentle and kind person that he's seen to be today. I'm sure he's done his fair share of stomping on people on his way to the top.

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Dead_Monkey

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<Snipped>

My other question is... why did they release this? O.o

Specified in the article, Freedom of Information Act request, someone asked, and the government had no good reason to say no. It's the law, at least when Democrats are in the white house.

Clinton had that policy when I was working in DoD. Bush's policy on FOIA was to redact everything and drag your feet on FOIA requests and make them take you to court if they wanted anything. We literally got that memo when he came into office.

Edited by Anaron
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Grand Master

neufuse Veteran

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" Mr. Jobs will twist the truth and distort reality in order to achieve his goals"

Jobs? gawd, I never once saw him doing that on stage during a Apple press event..... never not once

as for Pixar, you know some of the national labs used Pixar's technology to do simulations of nuclear stuff and such.... would be one reason why he needed a TS clearance. Pixar was a 3D software company before they where in the movie business

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Seizure1990

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Specified in the article, Freedom of Information Act request, someone asked, and the government had no good reason to say no. It's the law, at least when Democrats are in the white house.

Clinton had that policy when I was working in DoD. Bush's policy on FOIA was to redact everything and drag your feet on FOIA requests and make them take you to court if they wanted anything. We literally got that memo when he came into office.

Oh... well I thought FOIA required some sort of reason to make a request "ok" but I guess I was wrong.

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Dead_Monkey

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Oh... well I thought FOIA required some sort of reason to make a request "ok" but I guess I was wrong.

Nope. The government theoretically needs a reason to tell you no. You can ask for anything you want, but you have to pay the cost for accessing and copying the data.

Most states and localities have similar "open meetings" or "open records" laws.

Exceptions (per wikipedia because I'm lazy):

  1. (A) specifically authorized under criteria established by an Executive order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy and (B) are in fact properly classified pursuant to such Executive order;[4]
  2. related solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of an agency;[4]
  3. specifically exempted from disclosure by statute (other than section 552b of this title), provided that such statute (A) requires that the matters be withheld from the public in such a manner as to leave no discretion on the issue, or (B) establishes particular criteria for withholding or refers to particular types of matters to be withheld;[4] FOIA Exemption 3 Statutes
  4. trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential;[4]
  5. inter-agency or intra-agency memoranda or letters which would not be available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with the agency;[4]
  6. personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;[4]
  7. records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes, but only to the extent that the production of such law enforcement records or information (A) could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings, (B) would deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial adjudication, © could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, (D) could reasonably be expected to disclose the identity of a confidential source, including a State, local, or foreign agency or authority or any private institution which furnished information on a confidential basis, and, in the case of a record or information compiled by a criminal law enforcement authority in the course of a criminal investigation or by an agency conducting a lawful national security intelligence investigation, information furnished by a confidential source, (E) would disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions, or would disclose guidelines for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions if such disclosure could reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law, or (F) could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of any individual;[4]
  8. contained in or related to examination, operating, or condition reports prepared by, on behalf of, or for the use of an agency responsible for the regulation or supervision of financial institutions;[4] or
  9. geological and geophysical information and data, including maps, concerning wells.[4]

6 and 7 might have reasonably prevented release while Steve Jobs was alive, but now he's dead, so no reason not to release it.

Everyone knows Steve Jobs was a pothead when he worked for Atari anyway.

Seriously, what's with all the police haters in Neowin? This topic isn't even about something bad... Every time I see a comment like this, I imagine the poster as either a) a criminal, or b) ignorant hood trash.

Good question, it's not like the FBI had a file on him for no reason or considered him an enemy of the state, he was suggested to have a government appointed office and they investigated him to see if he had some kind of background issues. It's pretty routine. Mostly the info in the government background checks won't disqualify you unless it shows you lied about something in your application. Usually it's to ensure they know everything that could possibly be held against you.
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Grand Master

Seizure1990

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Good question, it's not like the FBI had a file on him for no reason or considered him an enemy of the state, he was suggested to have a government appointed office and they investigated him to see if he had some kind of background issues. It's pretty routine. Mostly the info in the government background checks won't disqualify you unless it shows you lied about something in your application. Usually it's to ensure they know everything that could possibly be held against you.

People like you and I realize that, but for whatever reason, we have posters who's hatred for cops is so deep-rooted and irrational, they'll just spew garbage wherever they can, regardless of how irrelevant it is. I find it REALLY odd.

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Grand Master

techbeck

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First off, these comments here about **** the FBI, or FBI are idiots should be removed. They are troll posts and serve no purpose.

With that said, this is standard practice when people are considered for high end government positions. Its not like the FBI was looking for dirt on jobs just because they had nothing better to do. My sister was once considered for a job with the CIA and several members of my family were interviewed as well as an Uncle who works with the government and has high level top secrete clearance. So the FBI will dig through your life to make sure you pose no threat to them, or the country. Jobs is no exception.

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