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Appeals Court Reverses Ruling Against Publishing DeCSS Code
A California appeals court reversed a 4-year-old order barring the publication of a DVD-cracking tool on the Internet, finding the injunction violated the defendant's free speech rights. The case was closely watched as a test of how much protection companies can expect in California for trade secrets that become widely distributed online.
321 Studios Complies with Order to Revise DVD-Copying Software
The maker of DVD-copying software declared in violation of copyright law met a judge's deadline in rolling out retooled versions, then pledged an ambitious bid for consumers to shower Hollywood and lawmakers with outpourings in its defense. The St. Louis-area company, 321 Studios Inc., hustled out a version of software that removes a built-in tool for descrambling movies, complying with an injunction issued Feb. 20 in California by a federal judge who found certain 321 products in violation of Hollywood studios' copyrights.
Domain Registrars Sue ICANN, VeriSign Over Waiting List
A group of eight Internet domain name registrars has filed suit against the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers and VeriSign in a bid to stop VeriSign's proposed waitlisting service from going live. The registrars claim that under VeriSign's system, people will have to pay four times the cost of actually registering a domain name just to be on the waitlist.
ICANN "Disappointed" by Lawsuit Filed by VeriSign
The nonprofit organization with the task of overseeing the core function of the Internet said that it was "disappointed" by a lawsuit filed by VeriSign, which operates the master database for .com and .net. Mountain View, Calif.-based VeriSign sued the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in federal court in Los Angeles, claiming it was unlawfully prevented from adding new features to the domain name database it has a contract to run.
Proposed Bill Bans Secret Installation of Spyware, Adware
Two champions of last year's Can Spam Act have introduced legislation in Congress to outlaw invasive software such as spyware and adware from being secretly installed on computers. Currently, these type of programs often piggyback on downloaded files without the user's consent, transmitting information about Internet traffic patterns and generating pop-up advertisements.
EU Considered Forcing Microsoft to Change Sales Practices
European regulators considered forcing Microsoft Corp. to change how it sells its Windows computer operating system around the world but decided to limit the draft order to Europe to avoid charges of overreaching, sources familiar with the case said. The possibility was discussed just before the decision was sent electronically to the 15 European Union national antitrust offices for final review, the sources said on condition of anonymity.
UN-Appointed Group to Discuss Internet Control Issues
A debate over whether to allow free-market or government interests to set future Internet policy will be reignited at a meeting of technology officials in Rome. For the past nine months, a movement has been growing from within the United Nations to tackle some of the less desirable aspects of the Internet: torrents of spam e-mail, cybercrime and a "digital divide," where much of the developing world has little access to modern Internet and telecommunications innovations.
Judge Accepts SCO Group's Expanded Suit Against IBM
A judge has accepted the SCO Group's changes to a lawsuit against IBM that now seeks $5 billion in damages for Big Blue's alleged moving of Unix intellectual property into Linux. Because IBM didn't oppose SCO's motion to amend its claims -- a motion that was "subject to IBM's right to move against the amended pleadings" -- Magistrate Judge Brooke Wells accepted SCO's new legal attack, he said in a filing in the U.S. District Court in Utah.
VeriSign Sues ICANN, Focusing on "Site Finder" Service
A long-simmering dispute between the two organizations that control the way Internet domain names and addresses are run became public, after VeriSign filed a lawsuit claiming it had unlawfully been prevented from adding new features to .com and .net. The suit, filed in the central district of California, claims that the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has transformed itself over the last six years from a modest technical coordinating body into the "de facto regulator of the domain name system."
Cybersquatter Zuccarini Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison
The first defendant to be charged under a federal law that makes it a crime to use misleading Internet addresses to lure children to pornography was sentenced to 30 months in prison. John Zuccarini, a Philadelphia-area native who had eluded authorities for years, had pleaded guilty to misspelling Internet domain names like Disneyland, Britney Spears and Teletubbies to lure children to pornographic Web sites.
U.S. Files Antitrust Suit to Stop Oracle's Bid for PeopleSoft
U.S. Department of Justice officials filed a lawsuit to block Oracle's hostile $9.4 billion takeover bid for PeopleSoft, but Oracle vowed to challenge the move. In reaching its decision, the agency said the combination of Oracle and PeopleSoft would hurt competition in the market for software sold to large businesses.
Police Raids in 10 Countries Target Internet Child Porn Networks
Coordinated police raids across 10 countries smashed a number of Internet child pornography networks and several people were arrested, the European Union police agency Europol said. Police seized computers, laptops, videos and other material containing images of child abuse and several suspects were being investigated, Europol said, but declined to give details of how many people had been detained or how many networks were broken.
Teen in "Blaster" Worm Case Has History, Prosecutors Say
A teen accused of targeting Microsoft with a version of the Blaster computer worm had a "long history of causing damage over the Internet," prosecutors wrote in court documents unsealed in Seattle. Jeffrey Lee Parson, 18, of Hopkins, Minn., admitted to investigators that he had previously launched attacks against other organizations, including the Motion Picture Association of America and the Recording Industry Association of America, federal prosecutors wrote in U.S. District Court filings.
Data on 4.5 Million Japanese ISP Customers Reported Leaked
Softbank Corp., Japan's largest provider of broadband Web access, said that information on 4.52 million subscribers to its Yahoo BB Internet service had been leaked due to an alleged extortion ring. It said names, phone numbers, postal addresses, email addresses and Yahoo Japan ID's were leaked, but that no credit card, bank account or password data escaped its database.
Downloading Database Does Not Violate DMCA, Court Says
In the first case of its kind, a federal court in New York has ruled that one company's snatching of a database from a rival's Web site does not violate the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. U.S. District Judge Naomi Buchwald said that Berkshire Information Systems did not run afoul of the controversial 1998 copyright law by allegedly downloading up to 85 percent of a proprietary advertising-tracking database from the Web site of competitor Inquiry Management Systems (IMS).
Japan Investigating Microsoft for Violating Antitrust Laws
Microsoft Corp's Japan unit is being investigated by the country's Fair Trade Commission on suspicion of violating antitrust laws, at a time the U.S. software giant faces similar accusations in Europe. The commission said that it believed Microsoft, the world's largest maker of computer software, imposed unfair conditions on computer manufacturers wanting to license its Windows XP operating system software.
European Antitrust Regulators to Discuss Microsoft Ruling
Antitrust regulators from the 15 member nations of the European Union will gather in Brussels on March 15 to discuss a European Commission antitrust ruling against Microsoft, a diplomat close to one national regulator said. The commission has drafted a preliminary ruling that finds Microsoft guilty of abusing the dominant position of its Windows operating system -- a finding that is expected to be supported by the national regulators, the diplomat said.
China Cracks Down on Internet News Discussion Groups
China launched a major crackdown on one of the most vibrant parts of the Internet, the news discussion groups that have pushed the boundary of free speech in the country and forced greater government accountability. The new rules ban independent reporting that hasn't been approved by the government, discussion of sensitive issues such as economic failures, and Web postings that challenge the Communist Party.
U.K. Customers of MBNA Bank Targeted by E-mail Scam
UK customers of the U.S. bank, MBNA, are being targeted by an e-mail scam. Some of its customers have been sent fraudulent e-mails asking them for their online bank details.
Yahoo, Google Fighting Over Patent Rights to Bidding System
Web companies are quietly amassing arsenals of search patents, as they prepare for a high-stakes war over the profitable technology that could one day control how most people get information. Yahoo and Google have been tussling for months over a patent for a bidding system -- the money engine that powers search-related advertisements -- that Yahoo inherited after its acquisition of Overture Services last year.
EFF Proposes $5 Monthly ISP Charge for Music File Sharing
The Electronic Frontier Foundation proposed the idea of having file sharers pay $5 a month on top of their ISP fees to compensate artists. The charge would be voluntary and could be levied through the sharers' Internet service provider, software client or university dorm fee.
Microsoft Urges Malaysia to Do More to Fight Software Piracy
Software piracy remains big business in Malaysia and the government must do more to fight the trade or risk stunting the growth of its computer industry, a Microsoft Corp. executive said. Large-scale manufacturing of pirated software discs was rampant and illegal operators still held the biggest share of the local market despite a recent government crackdown, said Butt Wai Choon, the managing director of Microsoft Malaysia.
FDA Official Calls Minnesota Prescription Drug Website Illegal
A defiant Gov. Tim Pawlenty vowed to keep Minnesota's prescription-drug Web site running, despite stern warnings that "it is illegal and it is unsafe" in the eyes of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Peter Pitts, associate FDA commissioner, warned Tuesday that the state of Minnesota is acting illegally by encouraging its residents to buy lower-cost prescription medicines from Canada.
Apple Computer, Beatles' Record Company Fight Over Trademark
Apple Computer and the Beatles' record company Apple Corps went to court in Britain over who gets to use the fruity name now that the computer company has entered the music business on the Internet. The two companies reached a deal in 1991 after a fight over the trademark, signing an agreement that set out who could use the name and logo, and when.
Open-Source Developers Tout Anti-Spam Software Solutions
Open-source spam filter developers are claiming that their software can now block 99.97 percent or more of incoming spam on a network, thanks to new techniques. If the claims hold true, the software could lead to a new generation of antispam solutions and give vendors of commercial spam filters a run for their money.
Consumers Manage Passwords Poorly, Security Company Says
Most consumers do poorly when it comes to password management, making them vulnerable to identity theft, according to a new survey. That's in spite of an increased awareness among consumers about the need to protect their identity online, RSA Security said in the study.
CDNow Pays $3 Million to Settle Downloading Patent Suit
Bertelsmann division CDNow has settled a long-running patent infringement suit with Net company SightSound Technologies, agreeing to pay $3.3 million to the smaller company. SightSound contended that it owned patent rights in the process of selling digital music downloads over the Internet.
Microsoft's Virus Bounties Produce Leads But No Arrests
A trio of bounties Microsoft Corp. placed on the heads of virus writers has generated a variety of investigative leads, but still no arrests, a top security official from the software giant said. In November, Microsoft created a $5 million fund to pay ordinary computer users for tips leading to the arrest and prosecution of the creators of computer viruses and worms that use its ubiquitous Windows operating system to wreak havoc online.
Windows Update Adds Security, Anti-Spam Feature
Microsoft showed off a forthcoming update to Windows designed to make the operating system more secure and proposed a caller ID-like system for e-mail that could help curtail the growing spam problem. Speaking at the RSA Conference in San Francisco, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates previewed several new features that will be added to Windows XP as part of a major midyear update to the OS.
Yahoo, Sendmail Developing System to Verify E-mail Senders
Internet company Yahoo and software provider Sendmail said that they will jointly develop a system for authenticating e-mail, with the goal of mitigating spam. The two Silicon Valley companies announced support of DomainKeys, a proposed system for verifying the identity of an e-mail sender and reducing e-mail forgeries.
Michigan Bill Would Block Some E-mail Sent to Children
Legislation designed to protect children from electronic messages about pornography, gambling and other potentially inappropriate material was introduced in Michigan. The bill would create a children's protection registry to block e-mail, text messages and other material that could be sent to cell phones, pagers, computers and other devices.
Computer Security Companies form Lobbying Organization
Eleven of the nation's top computer security companies are forming a new organization to lobby on cyber-security issues in Washington, breaking ranks with the broader technology industry in hopes that a more cooperative approach to protecting the nation's critical information infrastructure will avert heavy-handed regulation by Congress and the White House. Leaders of the Cyber Security Industry Alliance (CSIA) stress that they remain wary of any government effort to regulate security practices.
FCC Chairman Warns VoIP Rules Could Hurt U.S. Companies
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael K. Powell made his case on Capitol Hill for why a light touch is needed for regulating voice communications over the Internet, arguing that too many rules for the new technology will send jobs overseas. "While Internet voice services offer great potential, they are also extremely easy to establish abroad," Powell said, according to remarks prepared for delivery before the Senate Commerce Committee.
FBI Agents Confiscate Servers Hosting Private Chat Rooms
Federal agents conducting an Internet crime investigation confiscated computer equipment and data files from a company that hosts private Internet chat rooms, an FBI spokesman said. Agents took computer servers from CIT Hosting while executing a search warrant Feb. 14 at a house in the Columbus, Ohio, suburbs, FBI spokesman James Turgal said.
Websites Protest Record Company's Efforts to Stop Downloading
More than 300 Web sites and blogs staged a 24-hour online protest over a record company's efforts to stop them from offering downloadable copies of "The Grey Album." A popular underground collection of music, "The Grey Album" mixes tracks from the Beatles' classic White Album with raps from Jay-Z's latest release, "The Black Album."
Eminem's Publisher Sues Apple for Copyright Infringement
Rap superstar Eminem, who says he could earn more than $10 million for endorsing a product, is suing Apple Computer Inc. on grounds it used one of his hit songs in a TV advertisement without permission. Eight Mile Style, music publisher of the artist whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, filed the copyright infringement lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Detroit.
Robbery Victim Finds Its Stolen Items for Sale on eBay
When an allegedly stolen item ended up for sale on eBay, it led to the arrests of three people for the 2-week-old burglary, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department. After thieves took three new espresso machines -- valued at $13,000 apiece -- from a Sacramento business, the owner thought it was more than a coincidence that one appeared on the online auction site.
Company Plans to Sell Modified Version of DVD-Copying Software
The maker of DVD-duplication software ruled in violation of copyright law is nevertheless pledging to keep selling it -- but without a built-in tool for descrambling movies. In order for the popular DVD Copy Plus and DVD X Copy programs to successfully make copies of DVDs, users will now need to obtain a separate descrambler that is widely available on the Internet, said Robert Moore, founder and president of 321 Studios.
FDA Urges Minnesota Governor to Reconsider Drug Website
The Food and Drug Administration has sent Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty a harsh warning, calling a state program to help Minnesotans buy low-priced prescription drugs from Canada "unsafe, unsound and ill-considered." The letter stopped short of ordering a shutdown of the month-old Minnesota RX Connect Web site, which directs people to state-approved Canadian pharmacies, but urged Pawlenty to "reconsider your action."
FCC Chairman Says Internet Phone Service Must Include 911
Emergency call centers must be able to track 911 phone calls made over the Internet, the head of the Federal Communications Commission said. FCC Chairman Michael Powell said the commission would deal with the issue as it develops rules for new technology that converts phone calls to data and sends them across high-speed Internet connections.
Ex-ViewSonic Worker Sentenced for Accessing Computer System
A U.S. federal court sentenced Andrew Garcia, a former employee of monitor maker ViewSonic, to a one-year prison term for using other employees' passwords to break into the company's system, after he had been fired. The 39-year-old network administrator pleaded guilty in October to a single count of accessing a protected computer and causing damage.
83% of British Companies Subject to Computer Crime, Survey Says
British businesses are under siege by criminals and vandals using technology for financial gain or to cause havoc. A survey by the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit found 83% of UK companies have been the victims of computer crime.
European Antitrust Chief May Limit Punishment Against Microsoft
Europe's antitrust chief, Mario Monti, intends to limit any punishment leveled against Microsoft Corp. in order to avoid clashing with judges who have overturned a string of his antitrust decisions, according to a person close to the case.The European Commission still intends to fine Microsoft for past abuses -- but regulators are seeking ways to avoid demanding more proprietary code than Microsoft is willing to give.
Ruling Criticizes Detectives for Obtaining AOL Subscriber Information
A federal ruling castigating two police detectives for using an unsigned warrant to obtain AOL subscriber information is thought to be only the fourth decision where such information was improperly obtained by government officials. The ruling involves a former Fairfield Board of Education member who sent anonymous e-mails last March to members of a rival Republican faction after they lost in their elections complaint against local Republican Town Committee leaders.
SCO Group Launches Site for Ordering Unix Licenses
Controversial software seller the SCO Group has launched an online-ordering site for companies that want to use the open-source Linux operating system with SCO's blessing. The Web site enables companies that use Linux to purchase a license that covers SCO's Unix System V, portions of which SCO claims were illegally incorporated into the source code of Linux.
China Sentences Five to Prison for Internet Postings
In its ongoing repression of Internet speech, the Chinese government has sentenced five Falun Gong members to prison for posting an article to a discussion board that accused authorities of mistreating a jailed colleague. In a terse news story, the official Chinese news agency, Xinhua, stated that a court in western Chongqing found the three men and two women guilty of "vilifying the government's image through spreading fabricated stories on persecution of cult practitioners" and had given them prison terms of five to 14 years.
Bank E-mails Unsecured Data, May Have Violated Law
Southern Commercial Bank may have compromised the privacy of more than 40,000 customers -- and may have violated state and federal guidelines -- by e-mailing unsecured personal data to an independent computer programmer. The information included bank account and Social Security numbers as well as addresses for the customers, who have demand deposits and loans.
Some Governors Oppose Plan to Ban Taxes on Internet Access
Several U.S. governors said they would seek to scale back a congressional effort to ban taxes on Internet access, saying it would cost them billions of dollars in annual revenue. At a conference in Washington, three U.S. governors said their budgets could be devastated by a bill that would prevent them from taxing the monthly fees that Internet providers like EarthLink Inc. charge customers.
Napster Says It Has Sold Over 5 Million Songs Online
Napster, the digital song store and subscription service launched by Roxio in late October, said that it passed the 5 million mark in online song sales. Although that keeps it ahead of other only-on-PC services' announced sales figures, it remains far behind Apple Computer's iTunes, which serves both PCs and Macintosh computers.
Judge Orders 321 Studios to Stop Selling DVD-Copying Software
After eight months of deliberation, a San Francisco federal judge has ruled that software company 321 Studios' popular DVD-copying products are illegal. In a ruling, Judge Susan Illston granted Hollywood studios' request for an injunction against 321 Studios, saying the small software company has seven days to stop distributing its DVD-copying products.
Microsoft Denies RealNetworks' Antitrust Violation Charges
Microsoft denied that it illegally used its desktop computer operating system monopoly to hurt digital media rivals, responding to civil antitrust charges brought by archrival RealNetworks. In a 31-page legal filing, the Redmond, Wash.-based software giant argued that RealNetworks has suffered no injury as a result of its conduct, which it defended as "permissible competitive activity."
Variant of MyDoom Virus Targets Music Industry's Website
A variant of the MyDoom virus has started spreading, albeit slowly, and security experts expect it to target the main Web site of the music industry. The variant, MyDoom.F, deletes several different types of files stored on an infected computer and aims to attack the Web sites of Microsoft and the Recording Industry Association of America with a flood of data, antivirus companies said.
Music File Sharing Hits 150 Million Songs Per Month, Some Say
Some experts and users say that file sharers are only being more secretive, and that file swapping is actually increasing. At least two research firms say more than 150 million songs are being downloaded free every month.
Lawyers in Australia Argue Over Future of Kazaa Website
Lawyers for major Australian record labels argued that a judge should allow their copyright infringement case to proceed against the file-sharing Web site Kazaa, despite a similar case before a U.S. court. Australia's music industry wants the Australian Federal Court to shut down Kazaa, a Web site that lets users swap music, movies and other computer files.
Spam-Blocking to Remain Imprecise, Cost $419 Million, Experts Say
Inadvertently blocking legitimate e-mail is inevitable with spam filtering, and blocking spam is like shopping for cantaloupes, a panel of industry experts said. The costs of such blocking are predicted to soar to $419 million in 2008 from $230 million in 2003, according to a study by Jupiter Research.
Outsourcing Jobs Offshore Raises Data Privacy Risks, Experts Warn
Outsourcing jobs to offshore destinations can sharply increase data privacy risks and the complexity of managing that risk, several experts at the Fourth Annual Privacy and Data Security Summit here warned. As a result, companies need to ensure that overseas vendors are contractually tied to specific conditions regarding how data is transmitted, accessed, used, stored and shared, they said.
California Lawmakers Consider Posting Sex Offender Info Online
Lawmakers in California debate a bill that would allow law enforcement agencies to post information such as names, addresses and photographs of registered sex offenders on the Internet. About 83,000 high-risk and serious sex offenders -- dating to the 1940s -- would find themselves popping up on home computers next Jan. 1.
Technology Companies Form Internet Phone Lobbying Group
Several technology giants have created a lobbying group to ensure a hands-off regulatory approach to the Internet phone market, a source familiar with the plans said. The Voice Over Internet Coalition is among the first regulatory advocacy groups for the VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) industry, which has managed so far without much professional lobbying help to avoid being subject to the thicket of state and federal telephone rules.
Company Settles COPPA Charges with FTC for $400,000
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) collected it largest fine to date for a privacy violation of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) when UMG Recordings agreed to pay $400,000 to settle civil charges brought by the watchdog agency. In a separate civil settlement, Bonzi Software, distributor of the BonziBuddy software, agreed to pay $75,000 in the first COPPA case to challenge the information collection practices of an online service in connection with a software product.
Microsoft Sues Lindows for Trademark Infringement in Canada
Microsoft has expanded its legal battle against Linux seller Lindows, suing the software maker for trademark infringement in Canada. The suit makes trademark claims similar to previous cases filed in the United States and Europe and seeks an injunction barring Lindows from doing business under that name.
FBI Announces Anti-Piracy Warning Label for Digital
Music, software, video-game and DVD packages shortly will carry the famous FBI stamp and warnings about piracy, in a move to hammer home the message that stealing copyright materials is a serious crime, industry officials said. The new antipiracy seal, which was announced at a press conference at the FBI's Los Angeles office, will look much like the warnings already seen at the beginning of movies on DVDs or video tapes. Individual companies will decide where to place the seal and if they want to use it at all.
Man Pleads Innocent to Illegally Distributing Movies Online
A man accused of helping to illegally distribute preview movie tapes on the Internet supplied to an Oscar voter has pleaded innocent to piracy charges. Russell Sprague, 51, is set to be tried on charges of conspiracy and copyright infringement on March 30.
Roxio's Napster Losing Money, Lays Off Some Workers
Napster is losing money, and top executives have left the company, including its president, chief financial officer, vice president of programming and head of corporate communications as well a key board member. Roxio began laying off people at its Napster division.
Federal Anti-Spam Makes Little Difference, Poll Reports
An Associated Press poll found that few people noticed any difference in the six weeks since a law against "spam" took effect. Of the e-mail users surveyed, 53 percent said they get a great deal of spam and 24 percent said they get some.
European Parliament to Vote on Intellectual Property Directive
The European Parliament is set to vote on a controversial law that would extend companies' powers to crack down on pirates and song-swappers. The proposed law, the Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Directive, is primarily aimed at strengthening law-enforcement capabilities against organized piracy and counterfeiting in the European Union.
Standard for Internet Voice Commands May Violate Patent
A pending industry standard for voice-activated computer commands is moving ahead, despite potential patent entanglements, dealing a black eye to investigators handling the case's intellectual-property claims. Software developers said they are concerned that a recommendation for VoiceXML 2.0, which the World Wide Web Consortium advanced (W3C) this month, could fall afoul of a Rutgers University patent that was disclosed to the group more than two years ago.
Woman Sued by Music Industry Countersues, Alleges Extortion
A New Jersey woman, one of the hundreds of people accused of copyright infringement by the Recording Industry Association of America, has countersued the big record labels, charging them with extortion and violations of the federal antiracketeering act. Through her attorneys, Michele Scimeca contends that by suing file-swappers for copyright infringement, and then offering to settle instead of pursuing a case where liability could reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, the RIAA is violating the same laws that are more typically applied to gangsters and organized crime.
Microsoft Sends Warning Letters to People Who Posted Code
Microsoft has sent several letters to people known to have posted Windows source code on the Internet, warning them to stop offering the files and erase any copies. The letters explain to the individuals that downloading or using the source code is a violation of the law.
AOL Seeks $1.6 Million in Damages from Spammers in Florida
America Online reported that it has filed a civil suit against four Florida-based individuals who the company believes are responsible for sending massive amounts of spam e-mail to its members. The giant Internet service provider said it brought the case in the U.S. District Court of Florida, Orlando Division, because the so-called "Sunshine State spammers" violated the Virginia Computer Crimes Act, the federal Computer Fraud & Abuse Act and Florida common law, by sending an avalanche of unsolicited e-mail to its subscribers.
EarthLink Amends Complaint Against Spammers, Adds Names
EarthLink contends that "Alabama Gang" members used stolen credit cards to establish Internet accounts, then used those accounts to send the type of spam consumers hate most -- pitches for herbal Viagra, drugs to enhance body parts, even offers to sell spamming software. In an amended lawsuit filed in federal district court in Atlanta, EarthLink began naming names as it tries to put the spammers out of business.
Company Gets Record Fine in U.K. for Sending Sexual Spam
A US-based firm has landed a hefty fine for sending XXX junk e-mails to thousands in the UK. The unsolicited messages came with a sexually explicit attachment.
Spam Sent to Cell Phones Increasing, British Firm Reports
The problem of unsolicited "spam" e-mail messages is spreading to mobile phones and getting worse, according to a British report. London-based technology firm Empower Interactive said 65 percent of Europe's mobile phone users report receiving up to five unsolicited text messages a week on their handsets.
CEO of 321 Studios Accuses Movie Industry of Unfair Influence
A maker of DVD-copying software accused the United States and its movie industry of unfairly influencing copyright and privacy matters overseas, perhaps accounting for the product being pulled off shelves in Australia. Though Australia is a sliver of 321 Studios Inc.'s global market, a distributor's yanking DVD X Copy from Australian store shelves under threats of lawsuits by a movie industry lobbying group reflects Hollywood's troubling reach, 321 chief executive Rob Semaan said.
New "NetSky" Virus Spreads More Quickly Than Earlier Version
The second version of a two-day-old virus, NetSky, has started spreading more successfully than its parent, antivirus researchers said. The new variant, NetSky.b, uses e-mail to sends copies of itself to potential victims -- people with computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system.
New Hampshire Unveils Program to Protect Children Online
A new interactive computer program offers kids a way to protect themselves from Internet predators. New Hampshire Gov. Benson, Attorney General Peter Heed and Education Commissioner Nicholas Donohue unveiled the program known as NetSmartz Workshop to educate children about the dangers of the Internet.
Recording Industry Sues 531 Anonymous Music File Sharers
The Recording Industry Association of America picked up the pace of its legal attack on Net music swappers, filing copyright infringement suits against another 531 individuals. As with the last round of suits, filed in early January, the latest wave comes without names attached.
European Commission Rejects Microsoft's Antitrust Proposal
The European Commission told Microsoft more than a month ago that its plan to put rivals' software on CD-ROMs sold with computers fell short of solving antitrust problems, and negotiations are continuing, sources familiar with the situation said. The Commission's concern was that CD-ROMs distributed with new computers would get little use and would be an ineffective channel for distribution, one of the sources said.
Judge Dismisses Government's Charges Against Rambus
A U.S. administrative law judge handed technology company Rambus Inc. a legal victory, dismissing government charges that it illegally monopolized key computer chip technologies. In a one-sentence order, Administrative Law Judge Stephen McGuire said he had rejected the charges filed by the Federal Trade Commission alleging that the company duped the industry into adopting its own patented computer chip technologies as standards.
Group Sues to Stop California's Electronic Voting Machines
Two weeks before California's March 2 primary, a group alleging widespread potential security glitches in electronic voting machines is asking a judge to make counties install new safeguards before voting begins. Citizens from Solano, Sacramento, San Diego and Stanislaus counties filed their request for a temporary restraining order in Sacramento County Superior Court.
Belgian Woman Charged with Writing Viruses, Faces 3 Years
A female Belgian virus writer who has allegedly been waging a public and protracted war against an antivirus expert has been arrested and charged by the authorities. Over the past few years, the woman, who goes by the name "Gigabyte," allegedly launched a number of viruses, all identified by their antipathy toward Sophos antivirus expert Graham Cluley.
Variant of Bagle Virus Spreads, Faster Than Original
A variant of the mass-mailing Bagle virus started spreading, as U.S. businesses returned from the long weekend. Like the original virus, Bagle.B spreads by sending an e-mail message with an attached copy of its code; a PC is infected when the recipient opens the attachment.
Many Video Game Rating Labels Insufficient, Study Says
Many teen-rated video games contain material that is not listed on the label, including sexual themes, alcohol and profanity, a study found. Given the results, parents should be aware that popular T-rated video games might include a wide range of unexpected content that could have a negative influence on their children, said Harvard University researchers Kevin Haninger and Kimberly Thompson.
Rural Internet Use Grows But Still Lags, Survey Reports
Despite steady gains, rural Americans are still less likely to use the Internet than their urban and suburban counterparts, a survey showed. Internet use has grown steadily among rural residents over the past several years to the point where 52 percent now say they are online, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, a Washington-based nonprofit group.
Lindows Changes Name in European Countries After Trademark Loss
Following court orders barring the Lindows name, Linux vendor Lindows.com Inc. has changed its name in several European countries to Lin---s, pronounced Lindash. By changing its name, Lindows.com can continue to offer its desktop Linux product to citizens of those countries where Microsoft Corp. won injunctions banning the Lindows name, Lindows.com said in a statement.
Group Sues 321 Studios for Infringing DVD-Protection Patents
The DVD Copy Control Association, a Hollywood-backed technology group, filed suit against software company 321 Studios for allegedly infringing patent rights on its DVD copy protection. The suit is the fourth set of claims to be filed against 321 Studios, which markets the most popular DVD copying software commercially available.
Canadian Music Industry Seeks Identities of File-Sharers
Canada's biggest music producers asked the courts to order Internet service providers to identify customers who swap songs illegally on the Internet as the Canadian firms try to match a U.S. crackdown on music piracy. The music companies, including the Canadian units of giants Universal Music and EMI Music, asked the Federal Court of Canada to order the providers to disclose the identity of 29 large-volume song swappers as they try to stem the illegal downloading of music.
U.S. Regulators Warn Canadian Officials About Internet Pharmacies
U.S. regulators said they had alerted Canadian authorities about safety problems uncovered at some Internet pharmacies that ship medicines across the border. Officials from the state of Minnesota, which runs a Web site that directs consumers to sources of cheaper medicines, visited eight Canadian pharmacies that supply prescription drugs to Americans.
Hackers Break Into California Employment Development Department
Hackers broke into a California agency's server containing the sensitive personal information of tens of thousands of people who work as nannies, butlers, and gardeners, and those who employ them. Evidence of a computer break-in at the Employment Development Department was discovered Jan. 20 during a routine check and immediately shut down the server that holds information on household workers and their employers, spokesman Kevin Callori said.
Software Company Probed in Leak of Windows Source Code
A small San Jose-based software company emerged as a focus of the investigation into how parts of the secretive, underlying software code for Microsoft Windows were leaked and circulated on the Internet. The theft of Microsoft's closely guarded source code -- which provide blueprints that make the ubiquitous Windows operating system work -- raised computer security concerns to a new unsettling level, security experts said.
Company Creates Anti-Spam "Router" to Slow Unwanted E-mail
TurnTide Inc., a private technology company, is unveiling a new way to attack the problem of spam, or unsolicited commercial e-mail. The Philadelphia-area company has developed a way to monitor e-mail traffic so it can flag known or likely sources of spam and slow down the flow of e-mail coming out of those sources.
Open-Source Advocate Encourages Sun to Reveal Java Code
A day after Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy said open-source software is his company's friend, a prominent advocate of the collaborative programming philosophy has called upon the server maker to open the code of Java. Eric S. Raymond, president of the Open Source Initiative, said in an open letter that Sun needs to choose between controlling Java and seeing it spread as widely as possible.
Congressional Candidate Tries to Sell Campaign on eBay
A self-proclaimed carpetbagger who brought the Web savvy from his surfside home south of San Francisco to take on a Central Valley congressman has put his campaign on the virtual auction block. Jeffrey Vance, a carpenter by trade and political neophyte, is selling out -- literally -- offering shares in his fledgling campaign on eBay, the online marketplace.
FCC Exempts VoIP Provider from Telephone Regulations
Handing a partial victory to Internet phone providers, federal regulators said that voice communications flowing entirely over the Internet are not subject to traditional government regulations. The Federal Communications Commission, in a split decision, approved a request from voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) provider Pulver.com to be immune from the hefty stack of government rules, taxes and requirements that applied to 20th-century telephone networks.
FTC Officials Warn Consumers to Avoid Do-Not-E-mail Website
Consumers should not submit their e-mail addresses to a Web site that promises to reduce unwanted "spam" because it is fraudulent, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said. Though the Web site found at (http://www.unsub.us) promises to reduce unsolicited commercial e-mail, those who sign up could end up receiving more spam than ever or even fall victim to identity theft, the FTC said.
Federal Appeals Court Rules Against Internet Wine Seller
A federal appeals court upheld a state law barring out-of-state wineries from shipping wine directly to New York consumers, overturning a lower court that found the ban unconstitutional. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the law falls within the scope of the 21st Amendment, which repealed the nation's prohibition on alcohol but left states with the power to regulate delivery of alcohol within their borders.
Microsoft Investigating Possible Windows Code Posted Online
Microsoft is investigating the possibility that a file posted to several underground sites and chat rooms contains some protected source code to Windows 2000. The 203MB file contains the code that appears to be from Microsoft's enterprise operating system, but the code is not complete, said Dragos Ruiu, a security consultant and the organizer of the CanSecWest security conference, who has examined the file listing.
Criminal Charges Sought After Movies End Up on Internet
Federal authorities are expected to seek criminal charges against three employees of a Los Angeles motion picture postproduction facility, alleging that they illegally copied prints of movies such as "The Passion of the Christ" and "Kill Bill: Vol. 1" that eventually ended up on the Internet. Sources said the complaint alleges that three employees of Lightning Dubbs, which handles video and DVD duplication and Internet design for a Hollywood clientele, illegally copied prints of the movies.
European Patent Office Revokes Rambus' Memory Chip Patent
The European Patent Office revoked Rambus' patent on a computer memory chip. Several European semiconductor companies had filed challenges to the patent, questioning the ability to patent the invention and whether it was sufficiently described in the application.
Microsoft Obtains Another Patent on XML-Related Technology
Microsoft has been granted another U.S. patent for XML-related technology, one of the first in an expected flood of filings surrounding the fast-growing standard. The method uses the XML (Extensible Markup Language) to combine multiple software scripts, including ones written in different languages, into a single file.
Novell Waives SCO's Rights Against IBM in Unix Code
The tag team wrestling match among software makers the SCO Group, IBM and Novell has entered another round, with Novell invoking its presumed right to clear IBM of any contract violations. In a letter it sent to SCO, Novell lawyers essentially say that since SCO hasn't conceded to Novell's demands to drop its claims against Sequent, a server company IBM acquired several years ago, Novell will do it for them.
Intel Wins Appeal in Patent Lawsuit Against Intergraph
Intel has won an appeal in a long-standing suit with Intergraph, raising the possibility the chip giant can recover some of the $150 million it has already paid the rival chipmaker to settle the dispute. A federal appeals court vacated a district court verdict in the case that revolves around Intel’s Itanium processor.
California Moves Toward Regulating Internet Phone Industry
California's Public Utilities Commission decided to move forward with plans to regulate the Internet telephone industry. In a unanimous vote, the commission tentatively assumed jurisdiction over any Internet phone call that connects with traditional phone networks, what's known as voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology.
Senators Favor Two-Year Extension of Internet Tax Moratorium
Four U.S. senators are trying to derail a permanent ban on Internet access taxes by breathing new life into a recently expired moratorium. The legislators, including Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., threw their support behind a two-year extension of the moratorium, which expired in November and had only temporarily prevented state governments from slapping new taxes on DSL (digital subscriber line), cable modem and dial-up Internet connections.
Court Allows Writer's Copyright Claims Against America Online
A science-fiction writer who sued America Online three years ago after his short stories were widely posted on an Internet news group will finally get his day in court. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals partially reversed a lower court ruling that dismissed Harlan Ellison's copyright infringement case against AOL.
Spammers Offering Free Video Games Settle Charges with FTC
Internet "spammers" who secretly billed victims $3.99 per minute after luring them with promises of a free video-game console have agreed to settle deceptive-business charges, the U.S. government said. The spammers have refunded more than $25,000 and have agreed to federal oversight of their business activities, the Federal Trade Commission said.
Instant-Messaging Program Turns Users Into Spammers
A surreptitious program is turning AOL Instant Messenger users into advertising spammers. The problem starts when users receive an instant message that appears to come from someone on their Buddy List (a list of friends and co-workers who also use the AOL Instant Messenger service).
Anonymous Postings Online More Damaging, Canadian Court Rules
Anonymous electronic postings magnify the damage of defamatory comments made online and can lead to higher damages being paid by those who libel others over the Internet, an Alberta judge has found. "Because an e-mail is anonymous, a reader is not readily able to discount comments that are made. There is a greater risk that the defamatory remarks are believed. That aggravates the defamation," Madam Justice Adéle Kent of the Court of Queen's Bench wrote.
Novell Asks Court to Dismiss SCO Group's Slander Suit
Business software-maker Novell is asking a U.S. District Court in Central Utah to dismiss SCO's "slander of title" lawsuit against the company, which also involves Unix V copyrights that are part of SCO's $3 billion lawsuit against IBM. SCO slapped the lawsuit on Novell on January 20 accusing Novell of "slander of title" and alleging a "bad faith effort in an effort to "interfere with SCO's rights with respect to Unix and UnixWare."
Antispyware Companies Deceive Consumers, Complaint to FTC Says
Some antispyware companies are using deceptive practices and "hijacked" Web browsers to scare Net consumers into buying their products, a leading Internet public interest group told federal regulators. In a complaint filed with the Federal Trade Commission, the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) said software developer Mail Wiper and its marketing affiliate Seismic Entertainment Productions have misled consumers in promotions for antispyware software.
New Software Allows Users to Makes Copies of Computer Games
A company whose DVD-copying software prompted copyright and piracy-related lawsuits from Hollywood is expanding into the realm of computer games, rolling out a system that lets game buyers make backup copies. With 321 Studios Inc.'s Games X Copy software, users can burn PC games onto a hard drive, CD or DVD. The company says parents requested those options to safeguard original discs from rough-and-tumble handling by young gamers.
Judge Forces Microsoft to Jury Trial on Windows Trademark
Microsoft Corp. suffered a setback in efforts to enforce its Windows trademark when a Seattle federal court ruled that a jury must consider whether the word was a generic term 20 years ago. The software giant, which is suing Lindows.com for trademark infringement, had argued that the present-day usage of the word should be considered in determining whether it is generic.
Microsoft Urges Windows Fix to Avoid Quick-Spreading Worm
Microsoft released a fix for a networking flaw that affects every computer running Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003. If left unpatched, the security hole could allow a worm to spread quickly throughout the Internet, causing an incident similar to the MSBlast attack last summer.
Three Percent of E-mail Complies with U.S. Spam Law, Company Says
Only a fraction of the unsolicited e-mail slipping into in-boxes complies with a federal antispam law, according to new research. Only 3 percent of bulk commercial e-mail includes a valid U.S. postal mail address and a valid link to opt out of future messages, according to data released by MX Logic, a maker of mail-filtering software.
Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Illegal Movies on eBay
A Minnesota man has pleaded guilty to selling pirated copies of movies on eBay, in the first such criminal copyright case brought by federal prosecutors. According to the Department of Justice, 20-year-old Andre Pnewski testified that he downloaded the films from the eDonkey file-trading service and sold them on CDs through eBay.
Twenty-Five Percent of U.S. Workers Use Internet for Sex, Romance
Nearly one in four U.S. workers with Internet access at work has used company computers to visit sexually explicit Web sites, participate in steamy chat rooms or swap romantic messages, according to a poll released by employment and labor law attorneys. Forty-three percent of respondents said they believed sex-oriented online activities hurt work productivity, but 24 percent said they had used a company computer in pursuit of sex or romance.
Registrant of whitehouse.com Domain Name Wants to Sell It
Whitehouse.com, the pornographic Web site that features nubile "interns" rather than middle-aged presidents, announced that its domain name is up for sale. The site claims 85 million visitors since 1997 -- many of whom doubtless intended to visit whitehouse.gov, the official Web site of the president of the United States.
Small Semiconductor Company Files Patent Suit Against PC Makers
Patriot Scientific, an eight-employee semiconductor designer, has filed lawsuits alleging that five computer makers infringed its patents by selling Pentium-based computers, a move that has drawn a suit in response from Intel. The struggling San Diego-based company, which reported revenue of $52,000 and a net loss of $873,000 in the quarter that ended Nov. 30, has filed lawsuits against Japanese PC manufacturers Sony, Matsushita, Fujitsu, Toshiba and NEC, alleging they infringed Patriot's patents by selling computers containing Pentium chips that run at 120MHz or higher.
Lawsuits Against Apple Target Battery Life of iPods
Apple Computer Inc. faces five class action suits filed in December claiming it misrepresented the battery life of its iPod digital music player, the company said in a regulatory filing. The lawsuit's complaints include unfair competition and claims of false advertising, fraudulent concealment and breach of warranty, Apple said.
Open-Source Group Criticizes SCO's Linux Campaign
The Open Source Development Lab is wading into SCO's Group's legal campaign over whether Linux contains copyrighted code, arguing in a new white paper that the company's legal case is "headed for a wall." In a position paper, the OSDL said Linux users are likely to ignore SCO Group's copyright-themed lawsuit over select parts of the Linux kernel until the many issues surrounding the case are decided in court.
Copyright Office Publishes Royalty Rates for Internet Broadcasts
The U.S. Copyright Office has published long-awaited royalty rates for Web music broadcasts, ending a year-long process marked by legal and financial wrangling, the group named to handle the royalties said. Regulations published on Feb. 6 essentially rubber-stamped a resolution reached last April between online music broadcasters and the Recording Industry Association of America, the industry trade group for big record labels like Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Music and Vivendi Universal's Universal Music.
Congressional Panel Broadens Probe of Internet Pharmacies
A congressional panel investigating Internet pharmacies has broadened the inquiry with letters to three doctors requesting information about their association with various online drug stores. The letters follow a January letter to a Montclair, N.J., physician who has written more than 100,000 online prescriptions.
FCC Expected to Issue Decision on Internet Phone Regulations
Federal regulators this week are expected to issue their first major decision on Internet phone services, in a closely watched decision that could reshape the telecommunications industry. The Federal Communications Commission is widely expected to contend that companies that sell phone services based on voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology aren't subject to traditional telephone rules.
Microsoft Facing Patent Trial Over "Autoplay" Feature
Microsoft Corp. faces a trial in a patent infringement suit over the "autoplay" feature in Windows that automatically starts an application after storage media is loaded into a PC. Little-known TV Interactive Data Corp. (TVI) of Los Gatos, California, sued Microsoft in May 2002, seeking damages and an injunction barring Microsoft from further infringement.
New Internet Worms Exploit Computers Already Hit by MyDoom
Two worms that take advantage of computers whose security has already been compromised started spreading, antivirus software companies warned. The two opportunistic programs -- dubbed Doomjuice and Deadhat -- threatened only those users still infected with a version of the MyDoom virus, and didn't pose a major problem for businesses, which had previously cleaned systems infected with the virus, the companies said.
Court Rules for eBay in Fight Over Negative Feedback
Be careful when reading feedback left in online auctions: eBay and similar Web sites are not required to remove information that's false or even libelous, a court has decided. A California appeals court ruled that eBay cannot be forced to remove allegedly defamatory information posted to the popular auction site by users.
N.C. Electronic Voting Machines Lost Votes, Company Reports
Six electronic voting machines used in two North Carolina counties lost 436 absentee ballot votes in the 2002 general election because of a software problem, raising increasing doubts about the accuracy and integrity of voting equipment in a presidential election year. Election Systems & Software said problems with the firmware of its iVotronic touch-screen machines, used in a trial run, lost ballots in two North Carolina precincts during the state's early voting in 2002.
Arkansas Official Criticizes Website Charging for Voter Registration
A Web site that charges people $9.95 for voter registration drew criticism from Arkansas Attorney General Mike Beebe and Secretary of State Charlie Daniels. "The fact of the matter is, you don't have to pay to register to vote in this country," Daniels said at a state Capitol news conference.
Sharman Networks Plans to Challenge Raids by Record Labels
Lawyers representing Sharman Networks informed the Federal Court of Australia they intend to challenge the validity of the court order that resulted in raids at several locations across Australia. Describing the Anton Pillar order as "the legal equivalent of a nuclear bomb," lawyers representing Sharman Networks allege that the record labels did not disclose all relevant matters to the judge when applying for the order.
Mozilla Avoids Trademark Dispute, Renames Browser
Ten months after landing in a fierce trademark dispute with a fellow open-source organization, the Mozilla Foundation has changed the name of its standalone browser from Firebird to Firefox. The new browser -- meant to be a streamlined version of the present Mozilla browser, which has been criticized because of its size -- has gone through three names before even reaching Version 1.0.
Security Problems Rise as E-Commerce Grows, VeriSign Reports
A report released by VeriSign, the company that maintains the Internet's .com and .net domain registry, indicates that attempted site hacks, online fraud and identity theft are growing rapidly, as e-commerce proliferates. In delivering VeriSign's Internet security intelligence briefing, company executives observed that online commerce rose by some 59 percent during the 2003 holiday buying season, compared with the same period in 2002.
VeriSign Considers Relaunching Controversial "Site Finder" Service
A company that plays a key role in managing the Internet's domain system is considering whether to restart a controversial search service that makes money off Web users' typos, a move that threatens to reignite a debate over who controls key segments of the Internet. Stratton Sclavos, chief executive of VeriSign Inc., told investors in a conference call last month that the company might relaunch its "Site Finder" service as early as April.
Louisiana Senator Loses Some Duties After E-mail Investigation
The Louisiana Senate's top administrator lost a portion of his duties after an investigation determined that he appears to have lied about how he sent a racy e-mail to hundreds of government employees. "I feel like, by law, this is the maximum I can do," Senate President Don Hines said of the heavy restrictions placed on Senate Secretary Mike Baer.
Ex-Intel Engineer Sentenced for Aiding Terrorist Groups
A former Intel engineer who pleaded guilty to aiding terrorist organizations was sentenced to seven years in prison. Maher "Mike" Mofeid Hawash, a naturalized U.S. citizen, entered a guilty plea last August, admitting to traveling to China with five suspected terrorists and attempting to enter Afghanistan in order to fight against American military forces in 2001.
Democrats in Michigan Use Internet Voting System
Thousands of Michigan Democrats have cast ballots for caucuses using an Internet system that security experts say shares some of the risks found in a just-scrapped Pentagon effort. Party officials insist they have safeguards and note that these particular ballots, unlike those in the $22 million Pentagon program, are not meant to be secret.
SCO Group Expands Claims Against IBM Over Rights to Linux
Linux antagonist SCO Group is seeking to add $2 billion to its legal claim against computing giant IBM while changing the scope of the suit. In an amended complaint submitted shortly before a hearing in U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City, SCO lists two new causes of action against IBM, both of which include claims for damages of at least $1 billion.
Music Industry Group Raids Sharman's Offices in Australia
A music industry group raided the Australian offices of peer-to-peer companies Sharman Networks and Brilliant Digital Entertainment, along with the homes of key executives and several Internet service providers. Music Industry Piracy Investigations obtained a so-called Anton Pilar order from Justice Murray Wilcox, and began raiding premises in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria searching for documents and electronic evidence to support its case against the peer-to-peer companies.
European Parliament to Debate Criminal Law for File Sharing
Sharing music over the Internet could become a criminal offense if some members of the European Parliament get their way in a debate. The Parliament is set to debate a draft law designed to stamp out mass pirating and counterfeiting of digital products such as music and movies.
Hilton Sues Internet Company for Distributing Sex Tape
Reality TV star Paris Hilton has sued a Panama-based Internet company for $30 million, claiming that it illegally distributed a now-infamous tape of her having sex with an ex-boyfriend. Hilton, who describes herself in the Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit as a model and actress, sued Kahatani Ltd. for violation of privacy, illegal business practices and infliction of emotional distress.
Defense Department Drops Test of Internet Voting System
The U.S. Department of Defense backed off plans for a large-scale test of a voting system designed to let Americans who are overseas cast ballots in the coming election over the Internet. The Pentagon will scrap the Secure Electronic Registration and Voting Experiment (SERVE) until the current system can guarantee the security of the voting process or a new system is designed, a Defense Department spokesperson said.
Washington Post Fails to Renew Corporate Domain Name
The Washington Post Co. neglected to pay the $19 annual registration fee for its corporate domain name, an oversight that caused the company's internal e-mail system to crash for part of the day, a company official said. According to a company representative, the newspaper arm of The Washington Post Co. is responsible for updating the record for Washpost.com with domain-name registrar Network Solutions.
Trade Group Proposes New Fee Model for Music File-Sharing
Internet users could collect paychecks rather than lawsuits when they share music through "peer-to-peer" networks like Kazaa, under a proposal outlined by an industry trade group. Rather than losing millions of dollars in potential sales to online song swappers, the recording industry should give them a cut of the revenues when they distribute songs in a protected format, the Distributed Computing Industry Association said.
Appeals Court Favors Microsoft on Voice Digitization Patents
Microsoft has successfully fended off a lawsuit over a set of controversial voice digitization patents, in a case that could have roiled the computer and Internet telephony industries if the patents had been upheld as valid. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said in a 2-1 ruling that Multi-Tech Systems' patents were not violated and "we conclude that the district court did not err" in its earlier ruling that sided with Microsoft.
Florida Bill Would Ban Sale of Violent Video Games to Minors
A bill that would make it a felony to sell violent video games to minors was introduced by a Florida lawmaker who discovered her teenagers watching a profanity-laced game where the winner was the most successful at killing. Rep. Sheri McInvale brought along two videos, Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, that she said young children could obtain at video stores.
Many Children Ignorant of Risks on Internet, Study Says
Children are still arranging face-to-face meetings with people they talk to online despite warnings about the dangers of Internet chatrooms. And 60% of children do not know that people they chat to online might not be who they say they are, a study shows.
FCC, Law Enforcement Agree on Internet Phone, Wiretaps
The Federal Communications Commission reached an agreement with law-enforcement authorities that allows it to give an Internet phone company the green light to offer service before the agency updates its wiretap rules to include Internet calling. While the agreement clears the way for the FCC to approve a request by Pulver.com's Free World Dialup to offer free Internet telephone service, it also will require the agency to move quickly to develop the new wiretap rules.
Microsoft Attorney to Lead Lawyers' Group on Antitrust Law
Stung by earlier court rulings, Microsoft Corp. has positioned one of its top lawyers to run a legal committee to influence how much oversight U.S. courts exercise in antitrust settlements like the one the company negotiated with the Bush administration. The debate over how aggressively federal judges should scrutinize these settlements is pivotal in the next major ruling in Microsoft's long-running antitrust case.
Company Launches New E-mail Service to Stop Spam
A start-up is offering a Web-based e-mail service that aims to stop spam dead in its tracks without blocking out potentially useful e-mails. New York-based ZoEmail launched its spam-free e-mail service using technology licensed from AT&T Labs.
Army Threatens Group for Republished Document from Site
The U.S. Army has apologized for threatening to prosecute an open-government advocacy group after it republished a document copied from a military Web site. An official with the U.S. Army Services and Operations Agency accused the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) of publishing a secret government document about acquiring military hardware -- before backing down a few hours later.
Bill Increases Jail Time, Fines for False Domain Name Data
U.S. lawmakers touted a bipartisan bill that would increase jail time and fines for identity thieves, cybersquatters and other online fraudsters who register Web sites under false identities. Reps. Lamar Smith and Howard Berman, who introduced the bill, said it would improve the accuracy of Web-site registration records that investigators use to track down those suspected of breaking the law.
Amazon.com to Begin Collecting Sales Taxes in Kansas
Online retailer Amazon.com will begin collecting sales tax on Kansans' Internet purchases starting April 1, company officials told legislators. Rich Prem, the company's head tax official, said Seattle-based Amazon.com has been working toward compliance with Kansas' new destination-based sales tax law since it took effect last July.
FDA Warns of Counterfeit Birth Control Patches Sold Online
An overseas Internet site is shipping counterfeit versions of a popular Johnson & Johnson birth control patch, versions that won't provide any protection against pregnancy, federal health officials warned. Do not use Ortho Evra patches -- or any other drugs -- ordered from the Web site www.rxpharmacy.ws the Food and Drug Administration warned.
Some Spyware-Killing Programs Also Install Spyware
Web surfers battling "spyware" face a new problem: So-called spyware-killing programs that install the same kind of unwanted advertising software they promise to erase. Millions of computers have been hit in recent years by ads and PC monitoring software that comes bundled with popular free downloads, notably music-swapping programs.
Company Wins Domain Name Dispute After Transfer Fails
A Sussex-based not-for-profit organization has won its dispute with cybersquatters after the UK domain name registry Nominet ruled in its favor and awarded it two domains. Wired Sussex, a new media business development agency, registered the wiredsussex.com domain and launched its Web site in 1997.
CD-Copy Protection Company Buys Another to Battle Piracy
CD copy protection company SunnComm Technologies said it has agreed to buy another firm to help move music antipiracy efforts to a new level. The company has struck an agreement to purchase the United Kingdom-based Darknoise Technologies, which claims to have technology that can guard against people copying CDs in even the most old-fashioned ways.
Microsoft Website Withstands Attacks by MyDoom Virus
The start of a data flood by PCs infected with the MyDoom.B virus had little impact on Microsoft's main Web site, according to Internet watchers. The virus, which has spread less widely than the original MyDoom program, tries to connect to the Microsoft home page 10 times every three seconds.
Court Upholds Ban on Internet Access for Child Porn Convict
A man convicted of possessing child pornography on his computer can be barred from Internet access as part of his sentence, a U.S. appeals court ruled. Brian Francis Joyce was convicted of having more than 600 child pornography pictures on his computer.
FBI Investigates Porn Surfing at Texas Health Science Center
Accusations that physicians and other employees at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston regularly accessed teen-porn Web sites are reportedly under investigation by FBI agents. An audit manager at UTHSC who conducted an internal investigation into the allegations has resigned, telling UT-Houston President James Willerson in memos obtained by the Houston Chronicle that the center's failure to take stronger disciplinary action against the employees and what she called retaliation against her had created a hostile work environment.
Appeals Court Hears Arguments in File-Sharing Case
In a landmark case over online piracy, a federal appeals court heard arguments over whether Napster-like Internet services should be kept from allowing unauthorized song and movie copies to be swapped online for free. Lawyers for the entertainment industry told a three-judge panel for the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena that file-sharing services Grokster and Morpheus should be ordered to apply software filters that would prevent the online trading and copying of copyrighted songs and films.
FTC Approves AOL Consent Decree Over Subscriber Practices
The Federal Trade Commission approved a consent decree requiring America Online to change its practices involving its subscriber cancellation policies and late rebates. The consent decree finalizes a settlement reached between the FTC and AOL in September 2003.
Microsoft Security Patch Fixes "Phishing" Scam in Browser
Microsoft Corp. released a security patch that fixes a flaw in its Internet Explorer browser that online scam artists are exploiting to trick unsuspecting computer users into divulging sensitive information like Social Security and bank account numbers. The patch, available at Microsoft's Windows Update site, fixes a vulnerability that helps hackers to carry off "phishing" scams, in which they try to lure victims onto what appear to be trusted Web sites but are actually on cleverly designed forgeries set up to steal their data.
Microsoft Faces $125 Million Fine in Europe, Newspaper Reports
Microsoft will face a fine of about 100 million Euros -- roughly $125 million in U.S. dollars -- for its alleged anti-competitive behavior, a German newspaper reported. The software giant says it continues to negotiate with European regulators to settle the overseas antitrust case, but the 100 million Euro fine is part of a draft decision issued last week, according to Die Welt, a major daily Germany newspaper that cites unnamed sources in its article.
Spam Scaring Some Internet Shoppers Away, Survey SaysThe exponential growth of unsolicited junk e-mail -- spam -- is shaking consumer confidence in t |