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by efa 2407 days ago
So copying Coke's secret formula is not stealing?
2 comments

I'd say that it really depends on what you do with the information.

If you find out that Coke products secretly include arsenic and you share that with the general public, I don't think anyone (besides Coke) would be calling you a thief.

If you steal their secret formula so that you can profit off of it, or just because you want to share it with the world to break their monopoly of their own product, I would consider that stealing.

Stealing a "secret" is a weird notion

I do not think so, no. Especially not if it was released to the world for free.