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Microsoft Claims "Breakthrough" Over EU Antitrust Fines
U.S. software giant Microsoft said there had been a breakthrough in its dispute with the European Commission at a hearing on antitrust fines levied by Brussels, but rivals and critics were skeptical. "As I said in the hearing, I believe that we have had a breakthrough," Microsoft general counsel Brad Smith told reporters after the two-day hearing into the Commission's plan to fine the company 2 million euros ($2.4 million) a day. Justice Department Seeks Files from ISPs to Defend COPA
The Justice Department is demanding internal files from dozens of Internet service providers and other technology firms as it seeks to defend a controversial Internet child protection law. The subpoenas are similar to one given to Google Inc., which waged a partially successful battle over the government's request for data on search engine requests and website domains. Yahoo Official Urges New Laws to Combat Cybercrime
Yahoo has called for "effective" legislation, combined with industry self-regulation, to deal with online fraud, child abuse and other cybercrime. The Internet services giant appealed for policymakers to concentrate on defining illegal use of technology, rather than focus on how an action breaks the law. More Blacks Turn to Internet, Closing Digital Divide
African-Americans are steadily gaining access to and ease with the Internet, signaling a remarkable closing of the "digital divide" that many experts had worried would be a crippling disadvantage in achieving success. The falling price of laptops, more computers in public schools and libraries and the newest generation of cellphones and hand-held devices that connect to the Internet have all contributed to closing the divide, Internet experts say. Hong Kong Lawmaker Complains of Yahoo's Role Against Reporter
A Hong Kong lawmaker said he has complained to a government privacy commission that Yahoo Inc.'s local affiliate provided evidence to convict a Chinese reporter sentenced to 10 years in prison for leaking state secrets. Legislator Albert Ho released a document that he said was a copy of the criminal verdict for the reporter, Shi Tao, from a court in the central Chinese province of Hunan. Democrats Attack Legislation on Net Neutrality
Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives assailed a new telecommunications bill for allegedly failing to preserve Net neutrality principles. The Republican-backed proposal would give the Federal Communications Commission the authority to go after individual violations of end-to-end connectivity principles, but it does not include a weighty set of regulations that all broadband providers must follow. Europe to Take "Several Weeks" on Microsoft Fines
The European Commission said that it will need to spend a number of weeks analyzing the information that Microsoft has presented in its hearing before making a final decision on whether the company will be fined for not complying with a 2004 antitrust ruling. The hearing gives Microsoft an opportunity to argue why it believes it has complied with the ruling. Atlanta Sues Hotel Websites to Collect Unpaid Taxes
The city of Atlanta is suing 18 discount online travel companies -- including Hotels.com, Expedia Inc., Orbitz and Travelocity.com -- claiming that they could owe the city millions of dollars in unpaid taxes. The complaint, filed in Fulton County Superior Court, claims that the online companies routinely charge local hotel-motel taxes to customers who reserve rooms online. House Committee OKs Data Breach Disclosure Legislation
Legislation forcing data brokers to disclose security breaches to the public passed the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee on a 41-0 vote. The Data Accountability and Trust Act would place new requirements on data brokers such as ChoicePoint to notify the public if there is a "reasonable risk" of identity theft associated with a data breach. Patent Office Upholds Earlier Decision Against MercExchange
Online retailer Online retailer eBay Inc. said the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office had upheld an earlier decision that a patent recorded by MercExchange was "obvious" and should not have been issued. EBay and MercExchange are embroiled in a patent battle that reached the U.S. Supreme Court. YouTube.com Blocking, Limiting Some Videos Online
The popular online video site YouTube.com, which lets users upload clips and share them with others, is blocking pirated TV and movies by limiting videos to no more than 10 minutes. San Mateo, California-based YouTube, the Web's top destination for "viral" videos spread via word of mouth, has already been forced by broadcaster NBC to remove clips of the popular "Lazy Sunday" hip-hop spoof, which was originally broadcast on "Saturday Night Live." Beatles' Record Company Seeks to Limit Apple's Logo
Playing a 1970s disco hit to illustrate his point, a lawyer for the Beatles' record company asked a British court to order Apple Computer Inc. to stop using the Apple logo to promote its iTunes music store. Geoffrey Vos, a lawyer for the Beatles' Apple Corps, told England's High Court that Apple Computer had engaged in a "flagrant violation" of an agreement the two sides had reached over use of the Apple name and logo. Virginia Schools Required to Teach Students Internet Safety
Virginia public schools will be required to teach students about Internet safety under a law passed by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine. The law, which takes effect July 1, is designed to ensure that tech-savvy children understand the dangers lurking in cyberspace. More Companies Limiting Employees' Use of Internet Services
Companies are clamping down on employees' workplace use of the expanding range of free Internet services, such as instant messaging and video downloading, to protect themselves from viruses, communications traffic jams and regulatory missteps. As the spread of broadband technology makes it possible for millions of Americans to watch TV on the Web or make cheap phone calls, companies, government agencies and universities are concerned about the possible side effects -- including the threat of a worm or other bit of malicious code sneaking into their computer systems. Intel, AMD Plan Conference in Antitrust Case
Intel and AMD will meet in court in a case management conference, an event that will help the court and the parties put together a time line for the antitrust case. The case management conference in AMD's antitrust lawsuit against Intel will take place on April 20 in the United States District Court for the State of Delaware. Judge Orders Keyword Bidding Case to Go to Trial
A court has ruled that a lawsuit over a company purchasing a rival's trademark as a search keyword should go to trial, in what could be the first case to scrutinize the trademark infringement liability of keyword purchasers. Edina Realty sued rival real estate company TheMLSonline.com, accusing it of false advertising, trademark infringement and trademark dilution. Supreme Court Justices Hear eBay's Appeal in Patent Case
In a dispute that's part of a broader debate over the future of the patent system, some U.S. Supreme Court justices suggested that the patent at the heart of a suit against eBay may be too vague and trivial to even be taken seriously. During oral arguments that lasted about an hour, Justice Stephen Breyer suggested that if eBay's "Buy it Now" feature could be patented, "then maybe A&P could patent its process for a supermarket." Seven People Arrested for Stealing Credit Card Data Online
The Secret Service announced seven arrests in five states and the District of Columbia as part of a continuing crackdown on online forums where credit card data and other stolen consumer information is routinely traded. It is the largest federal law enforcement action taken against the thriving online trade in credit card numbers, bank accounts, passwords, personal identification numbers and other data since an earlier effort, Operation Firewall, broke up the largest black market trading board, Shadowcrew.com, in 2004. Internet Companies Call Net Neutrality Bill Too Limited
Internet companies criticized legislation that would give the Federal Communications Commission only limited ability to stop phone and cable companies from blocking access to Web sites, saying the proposal would endanger the open nature of the Web. The bill, championed by House Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-Tex.), would allow the FCC to decide disputes about Web access only case by case and would bar the agency from writing detailed rules on the subject. EU Official Expresses Concern About Microsoft's Vista
Microsoft faced fresh antitrust pressure from the European Commission, a day before it fights to stave off fines handed down in a previous case by EU competition regulators. The Commission said European Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes had written to Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer to express worries about the company's new operating system, Vista. Court Sees Liability for Employee Who Deleted Files
Disgruntled employees beware. Erasing files on your company laptop as you leave the firm could trigger expensive civil liability under a federal anti-hacker law, according to a recent 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling. Australia Requiring More from ISPs in Fight Against Spam
Australia, which already has antispam legislation in place, has introduced a code of practice that will force Internet service providers to be more proactive in stamping out unsolicited bulk e-mail. The Australian Communications and Media Authority is building on the relative success of the country's 2003 Spam Act to ensure that businesses and consumers are protected from a deluge of unwanted e-mail. Teen Waives Hearing on Charges of Sex Photo on Blog
A southwestern Michigan teenager has waived his preliminary hearing on charges stemming from the online posting of a sexually explicit photo of two teens taken at a party. The photo was posted on a blog and depicted a 17-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl engaged in sexual activity at a New Year's Eve party, the prosecution has said. Iranian Bloggers Face Troubles for Voicing Opposing Views
Dozens of Iranian bloggers have faced harassment by the government, been arrested for voicing opposing views, and fled the country in fear of prosecution over the past two years. In the conservative Islamic Republic, where the government has vast control over newspapers and the airwaves, weblogs are one of the last bastions of free expression, where people can speak openly about everything from sex to the nuclear controversy. Some Officials in Niue Decry Deal Over .nu Domain Name
Some officials in Niue -- a tiny, impoverished island in the South Pacific -- charge they were cheated out of what they now see as an important and profitable national asset: the dot-nu domain name. The island's government has locked horns with an entrepreneur in Medfield, Mass., named Bill Semich, who acquired the rights to operate and sell the dot-nu domain name in the late 1990s. More Laptop Computers Being Stolen from Rental Cars
The recent theft in Palo Alto of a laptop containing sensitive data on 196,000 current and former Hewlett-Packard employees appears to be part of a growing local problem with laptop theft, much of it targeting rental cars parked near restaurants popular with business executives. It's become such a problem around Silicon Valley that a dozen law enforcement agencies, including local police departments, the FBI and U.S. Customs Department, met to discuss the issue. Microsoft Reportedly Hires Former EU Judges for Mock Trial
In a sign of how meticulously Microsoft is planning its antitrust battle against the European Commission next month, it hired three former EU judges to stage a mock trial, a source close to the situation said. The software giant has appealed against a March 2004 ruling by a European court that it abused the dominance of its Windows operating system. Intel's CEO Call Company's EU Business Practices "Quite Legal"
U.S. computer chip maker Intel Corp. is confident the way it runs its business is legal, the company's chairman said, commenting on an antitrust investigation by the European Commission. EU officials raided Intel last July as part of a years-long probe into whether the firm was abusing its dominant position. Lawyer Loses Appeal in Antipiracy Patent Suit Against Microsoft
A Texas lawyer has lost a patent lawsuit over antipiracy technology embedded in Microsoft's product activation program. The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has affirmed a district court's decision, which said that Microsoft did not infringe on Kenneth Nash's patent for detecting pirated software by assigning each program a unique ID and verifying it over the Internet. Streamcast Sues Kazaa, Skype Over Internet-Calling Technology
StreamCast Networks, creator of the Morpheus file-swapping software, has filed a lawsuit naming Kazaa and Skype Technologies, among others, as defendants. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California, claims that StreamCast owns the technology underlying Internet-calling provider Skype's software. Search Engine Seeks Dismissal of MPAA's Copyright Lawsuit
The Motion Picture Association of America might just as well have sued Google for copyright violation rather than pick on Torrentspy, the smaller company said in a court filing seeking dismissal of the case. In February, the MPAA filed seven lawsuits against Torrentspy and other search companies that help visitors find content or instruct them how to download it. Married Man Sues eHarmony.com for Rejecting Him
John Claassen wants a date so badly he's suing for one. He's taking eHarmony.com to court, because the popular online matchmaker refused to find him the perfect mate. Why? Because he is married. After Long Delay, Google Quickly Ramps Up Lobbying Efforts
For a company that takes pride in being the quintessential outsider, Google is moving quickly into the ultimate insider's game: lobbying. It has begun ramping up its lobbying and legislative operations after largely ignoring Washington for years, in a scramble to match bases long established here by competitors like Yahoo and Microsoft, as well as the deeply entrenched telecommunication companies. Australian Leader Opposes Creation of .xxx Top-Level Domain
Senator Helen Coonan has weighed into the simmering debate over a new .xxx adult content domain name, calling for its creation to be delayed until the benefits are proven. "This Government takes a strong stand on internet pornography and we would not support any measure which could lead to an increase in offensive content on the internet," Senator Coonan, the Federal Communications Minister, said. Controversies Surround ICANN's International Meeting
Amid brewing controversies, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers' 25th International meeting officially opened in Wellington, New Zealand. The meeting, which runs through March 31, brings together members from the technical community, business and government to discuss the management and future of the Internet. Internet Scam Artists Targeting Car Buyers, Sellers
If you want to buy or sell a car on the Web, watch where you turn. Experts say Internet scam artists are targeting just about every site out there, from eBay to Autotrader, where cars are often bought and sold sight unseen. Israeli Couple Gets Jail Time in Computer Virus Case
An Israeli couple convicted of inventing a computer virus that set off a major industrial espionage investigation were sentenced to jail, court documents showed. Following a plea bargain with prosecutors, Ruth Haephrati was sentenced to four years in prison, the documents said. Microsoft Appeals South Korean Ruling on Windows
Microsoft Corp., appealed against a South Korean ruling that it should unbundle its media player and messaging service from its Windows software. The world's biggest software company was ordered in December by South Korea's antitrust watchdog to make the separation or allow embedding of rival products on its system. FEC Approves New Rules on Political Advertising Online
Federal regulators approved new rules that take a largely laissez-faire approach toward governing political speech and advertising on the Internet, at least for now. In a 6-0 vote, the Federal Election Commission adopted 107 pages of rules detailing long-awaited final regulations that primarily focus on paid political advertisements appearing on Web sites. Apple Headed Back to Court Over Beatles Dispute
Apple Computer will meet the Beatles' Apple Corps in court in London, where a judge will determine whether Apple Computer's iTunes online music service violates a 1991 agreement between the two companies that, the Beatles' Apple claims, blocked the computer maker from selling music. Apple Corps, which represents the Beatles' business interests and markets their post-1968 recordings on disc, wants the computer firm to stop using the Apple trademark to sell recordings online, along with unspecified damages. Google Seeks Patents on Ads for Wireless Access
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has published three wireless-related patents filed by Google employees as the search giant seeks to delve deeper into the wireless market. The patent applications, filed by Google employees Wesley Chan, Shioupyn Shen and former Google product management director Georges Harik, propose lowering the cost of wireless access by offsetting the costs via advertisements on the service. BT Contacts Internet Customers for Excessive Usage
BT is cracking down on heavy Internet users who are habitually breaking its monthly download limit, suggesting that they either pay more or shop elsewhere for their Internet access. BT has agreements in place with users of its ADSL broadband service that limit them to up to 40GB of downloads per month. Cybersquatters Target Relationships with Celebrities
Cybersquatting the domain name of a celebrity and selling it for a king's ransom was one of the great get-rich-quick schemes of the early internet. But since courts now tend to favor the star over the squatter, a new kinder, gentler cybersquatting tactic has emerged. These days, cybersquatters seek to register a star's domain before that person becomes famous, and then develop a business relationship with the new celebrity, offering website hosting or design work. Supreme Court to Hear Arguments in eBay Patent Case
The United States Supreme Court will hear arguments in a protracted, closely watched patent case that pits a small company called MercExchange against eBay, the online auction and marketplace. While the grounds in the case appear narrow -- the court will reconsider the rules under which courts grant injunctions against a company found to be infringing another's patent -- it has attracted enormous attention because of the public rancor between the two companies, the supporters enlisted by both sides and the growing issue of how large technology companies deal with the constant threat of patent challenges. Washington Post Blogger Quits After Plagiarism Charges
A 24-year-old conservative blogger hired by The Washington Post Co.'s Web site resigned, three days after his debut, amid a flurry of allegations of plagiarism. Ben Domenech, an editor with Regnery Publishing, relinquished the part-time position hours after a liberal Web site posted evidence that he had plagiarized part of a movie review he wrote for National Review Online. Detectives Use MySpace Profiles to Find Rape Suspects
Detectives used profiles posted on the MySpace social networking website to identify six suspects in a rape and robbery that began when a party turned violent, leaving blood "in almost every room of the house," officials said. Six men were arrested in connection with the Feb. 23 rampage, and a seventh suspect was being sought, Detective Ali Bartley said. FEC Releases Regulations for Online Political Advertising
The Federal Election Commission released a 96-page volume of Internet regulations that have been anticipated for more than a year and represent the government's most extensive foray yet into describing how bloggers and Web sites must abide by election law restrictions. The rules say that paid Web advertising, including banner ads and sponsored links on search engines, will be regulated like political advertising in other types of media. Toshiba Wins Flash Memory Patent Case Against Hynix
Toshiba Corp. won a patent infringement case against South Korean rival Hynix Semiconductor Inc., which was ordered by a Tokyo court to halt sales of NAND flash memory chips in Japan. The Tokyo District Court also ruled that Hynix, the world's second largest memory chip maker, should pay damages of 7.84 million yen to Toshiba, a court spokesman said. China Shuts Down Websites Offering Porn, Pirated Movies
Chinese authorities have shut down dozens of websites that carried pornographic material or offered pirated movies or online games, the government announced. Among several people arrested were two accused of making the equivalent of about $145,000 Cdn by running a pirated version of a game made by Chinese online game giant Shanda Interactive Entertainment, China's Xinhua News Agency reported. Telecom Companies Lobbying for "Network Neutrality"
Telecommunications providers like AT&T Inc. intensified their efforts to persuade U.S. policymakers to avoid imposing regulations on the Internet for services like streaming movies and unfettered Web access. The "network neutrality" battle in Washington pits high-speed Internet operators against content and application providers. State Department's Purchase of Lenovo PCs Criticized
A State Department purchase of more than 15,000 computers built by the Lenovo Group of China is starting to draw criticism in the latest sign of American unease about the role of foreign companies in the American economy. The computers, worth more than $13 million, are coming from factories in Raleigh, N.C., and Monterrey, Mexico, that were part of the personal computer division that Lenovo purchased from I.B.M. last May. Russian Website Offering Stolen eBay Customer Info Closed
EBay helped to shut down a Russian Web site that was offering to sell stolen customer account information for as little as US$5 each. Security vendor Sunbelt Software detected the site Tuesday and reported it to eBay, which worked with the local Internet service provider to have it taken offline, an eBay spokeswoman confirmed. EBay Seller Sues Game Maker for Stopping Sales of Guide
Makers of the wildly popular "World of Warcraft" online game now face a lawsuit from an eBay seller who claims he was improperly barred from selling copies of his own unofficial gaming guide. Filed in a California federal court, the complaint alleges that Blizzard Entertainment, its parent company Vivendi Universal, and the Entertainment Software Association were wrong to order eBay to terminate auctions of "The Ultimate World of Warcraft Leveling & Gold Guide," a book penned by 24-year-old Brian Kopp of Bronson, Fla. Police Chief Wants Union to Take Down Online Message Board
Montgomery County Police Chief J. Thomas Manger called on the department's union to take down an online message board that some police officers have used as a forum for disparaging, and sometimes racist, remarks about colleagues, supervisors, immigrants and other members of the community. The union said it would not shut down the board, saying that it serves a legitimate purpose and that doing so would curtail officers' right to free speech. Groups Step Up Efforts to Kill Russian Copyright Bill
Business and anti-piracy groups stepped up calls for the Russian government to kill a controversial copyright bill that they say would set back efforts to tackle counterfeiters. The draft bill, which would replace all existing legal safeguards, is riddled with holes and would further hamper Russia's already woeful enforcement record, said Olga Barannikova, of the Coalition for Intellectual Property Rights. Man Pleads Guilty to Charges of Using Another's Wi-Fi
David M. Kauchak, 32, a former Machesney Park (Illinois) resident, is the first person in Winnebago County to be charged with remotely accessing another computer system without the owner's approval. He pleaded guilty to the charge and was fined $250 and sentenced to one year of court supervision. Four Charged in $1.2 Million E-mail Fraud Scheme
A quartet of suspected e-mail scammers -- three of them Nigerian citizens -- could face scores of years in prison if convicted on fraud and conspiracy charges, the U.S. Justice Department said. A grand jury in Brooklyn, New York, charged Nnamdi Chizuba Anisiobi, Anthony Friday Ehis, Kesandu Egwuonwu and another unnamed defendant with one count of conspiracy, eight counts of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud. Company to Pay $900,000 Fine in CAN-SPAM Case
An Internet marketer will pay a $900,000 fine, the largest ever on spam-related charges, in a consent decree announced by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Jumpstart Technologies LLC, based in San Francisco, is permanently prohibited unlawful practices related to the U.S. CAN-SPAM Act as part of the decree, entered in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Internet Company Sued for Selling E-mail Addresses
New York's attorney general sued an internet company over the selling of e-mail addresses in what authorities say may be the biggest deliberate breach of internet privacy ever. Attorney General Eliot Spitzer accused Gratis Internet of selling personal information obtained from millions of consumers despite a promise of confidentiality. Fidelity Laptop with Data on 200,000 H-P Employees Stolen
A laptop with information on almost 200,000 current and former Hewlett-Packard employees was stolen, putting them at risk of identity fraud. The stolen computer belongs to Fidelity Investments, which provides services to HP, a representative for the Palo Alto, Calif., technology giant said. U.S. Pushing China for "Measurable Progress" on Piracy
The government wants China to show "measurable progress" on piracy and other issues straining trade relations at a high-level meeting next month, the top trade official said. Trade Representative Rob Portman said Washington also is pressing China to open its market to more US goods and to respond to concerns about domestic industrial subsidies by the April 11 trade meeting that precedes Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Washington nine days later. British Politician Wins Libel Case Over Internet Postings
A woman who waged an abusive internet campaign against a politician has been ordered to pay him £10,000 in damages. UK Independence Party member Michael Keith Smith brought the libel case against Tracy Williams over remarks she made on a Yahoo! discussion board. Kazaa Owner Faces Contempt Proceedings in Australia
The owner of the Kazaa file sharing network will have to fight on yet another front in its long-running legal battle with Australian record companies. A judge has given the record companies the green light to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the company after it chose to block access to its network in Australia rather than implement keyword filters. Company Agrees to Stop Using Data from Competitor's Site
A competitor of ShopLocal LLC has agreed to stop using the Chicago company’s information for its own business, settling a lawsuit filed four months ago. ShopLocal claimed Cairo had been raiding its computers and Web site and repurposing ShopLocal's proprietary content. "Hacker Camps" Teach Tech Pros How to Defeat Threats
Some 30,000 technology professionals around the world have received training as part of a "certified ethical hacker" program set up in late 2001 by the International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants, an organization for e-business professionals. This and other "hacker camps" offer programs to train network-security professionals in the same techniques used by the hackers they are trying to thwart. Samsung Executives to Plead Guilty to DRAM Price-Fixing
Three executives of Samsung, the largest supplier of computer memory for consumer electronics, have agreed to plead guilty and serve prison sentences in the United States for their roles in a price-fixing conspiracy, federal prosecutors said. The plea agreements are the latest development in the Justice Department's three-and-a-half-year investigation of the volatile market for dynamic random access memory chips, the most common type of computer memory products, used in personal computers, printers and electronic devices like cellphones and digital cameras. Microsoft Offers Free Tech Support to Avoid EU Penalties
Microsoft Corp. said it is taking new voluntary actions to comply with European Commission sanctions, as it seeks to avoid fines of up to 2 million euros ($2.43 million) daily. The Commission found two years ago that Microsoft used its dominant position with the Windows operating system to damage rival makers of server software used to run printers, password sign-ins and file access for small work groups. Kazaa, Other Programs Criticized for Deceptive Practices
A corporate-backed watchdog group that monitors software for deceptive and abusive practices named a widely used file-sharing program and three other applications as violators of its guidelines. Kazaa, which its producer Sharman Networks claims is the most popular program for sharing files over the Internet, "misleadingly advertises itself as spyware-free, does not completely remove all components during the uninstall process, interferes with computer use, and makes undisclosed modifications to other software," according to a report from the group StopBadware.org. Claria Says It Will Stop Delivering Pop-Up Advertisements
A pioneer of software that delivers pop-up ads based on Web sites that Internet users browse said it will exit that business by June following persistent criticism from online publishers, consumer groups and privacy advocates. Claria Corp. had said last summer it was phasing out its adware business in favor of new personalization services, but it did not commit to a timeline or promise to drop such ads entirely. AT&T's CEO Dismisses Internet Concerns in BellSouth Merger
Ed Whitacre, the chief executive of AT&T, dismissed criticisms that its planned merger with BellSouth will form a near-monopoly for Internet access and give it the clout to dictate terms to websites if they want to remain reachable. At issue is the current principle of "network neutrality," under which all traffic is treated equally on the Internet. Dutch Court Upholds Creative Commons Copyright License
A court in the Netherlands has ruled that a Creative Commons license is binding, in a case brought against a Dutch gossip magazine by an ex-MTV star. This is one of the first times that the license -- which offers more flexibility than traditional copyright licenses -- has been tested in a court of law, according to legal Web site Groklaw. Law Students Protest Professor's Ban on Laptop Computers
University of Memphis law students are passing a petition against a professor who banned laptop computers from her classroom because she considers them a distraction in lectures. On March 6, Professor June Entman warned her first-year law students by e-mail to bring pens and paper to take notes in class. French Assembly Approves Law Against Copy-Protection
French lawmakers approved an online copyright bill that would require Apple to break open the exclusive format behind its market-leading iTunes music store and iPod players. The draft law -- which also introduces new penalties for music pirates -- would force Apple Computer Inc., Sony Corp. and others to share proprietary copy-protection technologies so that rivals can offer compatible services and players. Supreme Court Affirms Case on Obscentity on Internet
The Supreme Court turned back an appeal from a photographer who claimed a federal decency law violated her free-speech rights to post pictures of sadomasochistic sexual behavior on the Web. Justices affirmed a decision last year by a special three-judge federal panel upholding the 1996 law which makes it a crime to send obscenity over the Internet to children. In Copyright Case, Judge Orders Stem-Cell Website Shut Down
A federal judge ordered a stem-cell research opponent’s Web site shut down after ruling that the site illegally copied a Web site that supports such research. U.S. District Judge Gary Fenner of Kansas City issued an injunction against the Elliot Institute for Social Sciences Research for violating copyrights. Some States Consider Legislation for Internet Dating Sites
For most of the 40 million people using Internet sites for dating and socializing each month, a disastrous 15 minutes over coffee at Starbucks is the worst they will suffer. But there is enough danger out there that some U.S. states are considering legislation to force Internet dating sites to police themselves, while companies that do background checks say business is booming. Ashcroft Lobbying for eBay, Other Tech Companies
As eBay heads to the U.S. Supreme Court for its closely watched patent case, the Internet giant is receiving help from a lobbying firm run by former Attorney General John Ashcroft. eBay is not the only tech titan to call on the lobbying firm run by the nation's former top cop. Virus Spreading Through Popular Japanese Computer Program
With almost daily reports of more private information being pumped from personal computers and splashed over the Internet, there is a growing unease that Japan is under insidious attack from within. The culprit is a digital worm that infects computers using the file-sharing Winny software, a Japanese computer program that, like the infamous Napster, was designed to allow people to easily swap music and movie files. Budget Constraints Keep Some FBI Agents Off E-mail
Budget constraints are forcing some FBI agents to operate without e-mail accounts, according to the agency's top official in New York. "As ridiculous as this might sound, we have real money issues right now, and the government is reluctant to give all agents and analysts dot-gov accounts," Mark Mershon said when asked about the gap at a New York Daily News editorial board meeting. Online Crime Fighters Learning How to Beat Botnets
Botnets are the workhorses of most online criminal enterprises today, allowing hackers to ply their trade anonymously -- sending spam, sowing infected PCs with adware from companies that pay for each installation, or hosting fraudulent e-commerce and banking Web sites. By stripping out some links, others can begin to build a map of the attacker's network, information which is then shared with several other botnet hunting groups, security volunteer groups, federal law enforcement, and any affected ISPs or Web site hosts. New Service Helps Businesses Monitor Online Attacks
VeriSign Inc. introduced a new broad-based security service that helps businesses monitor cyber threats and warns companies where they are most vulnerable to a crippling attack. The Security Risk Profiling Service gives organizations a way to quantify threats and decide what immediate measures they need to take to plug specific security holes that could lead to loss of financial or other sensitive information. Verizon Gets Exemption from Broadband Regulations
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin confirmed that Verizon Communications' request to exempt it from numerous regulations on its business broadband data services had been approved by default. Martin, speaking at an industry conference, said he had proposed an order to the three other FCC commissioners allowing much of the relief Verizon had sought, but "the commission didn't end up adopting the order" and as a result Verizon's petition was granted "by an operation of the law." Website Sues Google for Dropping It from Index
Google Inc.'s mysterious methods for ranking Web sites came under attack in a lawsuit accusing the online search engine leader of ruining scores of Internet businesses that have been wrongfully banished from its index. The civil complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in San Jose by KinderStart.com, seeks to be certified as a class action representing the owners of all Web sites blacklisted by Google's Internet-leading search engine since January 2001. Microsoft Increases Legal Action Against Phishers Overseas
Microsoft has begun waging a war overseas against "phishers," perpetrators who steal money by using the Internet to trick people into giving up their personal information. Neil Holloway, president of Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa, said at an Interpol technology debate in Brussels, Belgium that by the end of June 2006 it will have initiated legal actions on more than 100 cases in EMEA against individuals suspected of committing online fraud. Amazon.com Changes Search Results on "Abortion"
Amazon.com modified its search engine after an abortion rights organization complained that search results appeared skewed toward anti-abortion books. Until a few days ago, a search of Amazon's catalog of books using the word "abortion" turned up pages with the question, "Did you mean adoption?" at the top, followed by a list of books related to abortion. Chinese Journalist Behind Closed Blog Stays Mum
A Chinese journalist whose Web log temporarily closed down in an incident that sparked criticism of how Western media cover China declined to confirm or deny he had played a hoax. Wang Xiaofeng, whose blog is known as "Massage Cream", said repeatedly he did not want to talk about the incident after Reuters and other foreign news media reported on March 8 that his and another blogger's sites had been shut down by the government. Mainstream Advertisers Help Spread Adware, Report Says
Major Internet advertisers are financing -- sometimes unwittingly -- the spread of potentially harmful adware and spyware, according to a new Center for Democracy and Technology finger-pointing report. The report targets mainstream advertisers whose ads appear through 180solutions, one of the world's largest developers of Internet advertising software. Town Sold on eBay Going Up for Auction Yet Again
The first town ever auctioned on eBay soon will be back up for sale on the online auction site. Nearly two years after he bought the tiny town of Bridgeville, Orange County financial adviser Bruce Krall said he plans to re-auction the Humboldt County hamlet on eBay next month. Judge Orders Google to Disclose Some Search Information
A federal judge ordered Google Inc. to give the Bush administration a peek inside its search engine, but rebuffed the government's demand for a list of people's search requests potentially sensitive information that the company had fought to protect. In his 21-page ruling, U.S. District Judge James Ware told Google to provide the U.S. Justice Department with the addresses of 50,000 randomly selected Web sites indexed by its search engine by April 3. Senators Introduce "Cyber Safety for Kids Act of 2006"
Controversial plans to create an Internet red-light district would be revived under a new U.S. Senate proposal. Two Senate Democrats, Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Max Baucus of Montana, introduced a bill called the "Cyber Safety for Kids Act of 2006." Judge Dismisses Writer's Copyright Lawsuit Against Google
In a legal win for Google, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by a writer who claimed the search giant infringed on his copyright by archiving a Usenet posting of his and providing excerpts from his Web site in search results. The lawsuit was filed by Gordon Roy Parker, also known as Ray Gordon, who publishes his writings under the business name of Snodgrass Publishing Group. Antigua Criticizes Proposed U.S. Online Gambling Law
Antigua blasted the United States over what the tiny Caribbean island state said were moves to ensure it could not build up its fragile economy through revenues from Internet gambling services. Criticising proposed U.S. laws to outlaw the $12 billion online gambling industry, Antiguan ambassador to the World Trade Organization John Ashe suggested Washington felt it could act with impunity because his country did not have the economic weight to retaliate. Law Firm Earns $200 Million in BlackBerry Settlement
The Washington, D.C., law firm that represented patent-holding company NTP Inc. in its nearly five-year legal battle with Research In Motion Ltd. earned roughly $200 million in fees from the case. Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP received approximately one-third of the $612.5 million settlement that RIM agreed to pay NTP to avert a potential court-ordered shutdown of its popular BlackBerry wireless email devices. Music Website Warns Customers of Stolen Credit Card Data
A musical instrument and sound gear Web site that advertises its relationship with artists such as Dave Matthews, Carlos Santana and Mary J. Blige notified some customers that their credit card information may have been stolen. The warning, which came more than a month after someone broke into Bananas.com, was delivered after The Associated Press inquired about the breach. Cybercrime Costs More Than Physical Crime, CIOs Says
Chief information officers see cybercrime as a greater threat than physical crime, according to an IBM survey of manufacturing, financial, health care and retail enterprises. Fifty-seven percent of the 600 U.S. businesses surveyed said they are losing more money through cybercrime -- by way of lost income, the loss of current and potential customers, and decreased employee productivity -- than from conventional crime. Chinese Teacher Gets 10 Years for Internet Posting
A Chinese court jailed a teacher for 10 years for publishing anti-government views on the Internet, continuing an official crackdown on Web-based dissidents. Ren Ziyuan, 27, had been found guilty of "subversion of state power" after posting a tract entitled "The Road to Democracy" and other essays, his father, Ren Rusheng, told Reuters. Federal Agencies Fail in Fighting Hackers, Report Says
Most federal agencies that play key roles in the war on terror are doing a dismal job of protecting their computers and information networks from hackers and viruses, according to portions of a report to be released by a key congressional oversight committeey. The Department of Homeland Security, which is charged with setting the government's cyber security agenda, earned a grade of F for the third straight year from the House Government Reform Committee. Canadian Military Probing Sale of Equipment on eBay
The Canadian military has launched an investigation after some of its military clothing and equipment turned up for sale on the Internet, a spokesman for the Department of National Defense said. Several pieces of the military's specialized camouflage gear were, until recently, up for sale on eBay, igniting concerns about the security of Canadian troops. Virus Encrypts Documents, Demands Ransom for Recovery
A virus that encrypts documents and demands a ransom to get them back is circulating on the Internet, but at least one security company has released the password needed to recover the files. The Trojan horse virus encrypts the contents of a user's Word documents, databases, or spreadsheets, and then leaves a file demanding $300 in exchange for the password to access the information, said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant with security company Sophos. New Type of Internet Attacks Called "Significantly Larger"
A new variety of unusually powerful Internet attacks can overwhelm popular Web sites and disrupt e-mails by exploiting the computers that help manage global Internet traffic, according to security researchers. First detected late last year, the new attacks direct such massive amounts of spurious data against victim computers that even flagship technology companies could not cope. ICANN Outlines Plan for Testing Non-English Domain Names
The Internet's key oversight agency has outlined a plan for testing domain names entirely in non-English characters, bringing closer to reality a change highly sought by Asian and Arabic Internet users. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers announced a tentative timetable that calls for tests to begin in the second half of the year. The tests would help ensure that introducing non-English suffixes wouldn't wreck a global addressing system that millions of Internet users rely upon every day. BlackBerry Competitor Defends Patent Office as "Fantastic"
Despite recent criticism of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, including sharp words from push e-mail provider Research In Motion Ltd., a cofounder of Visto says the patent office has been a great success. While he contends that there's always room for improvement, Daniel Mendez, Visto co-founder and chief strategy officer, defends the patent office. "At any point in time people look at [the patent office] and say it's broken, it's a disaster, it needs to be revamped, but if you judge by the results, they're fantastic," he said. Internet Gambling Executive Expects Bill to Fail
A U.S. bill aimed at stamping out the $12 billion Internet gambling industry is doomed to fail, the chief executive of 888 Plc, one of the companies it is aimed at, said. A U.S. House committee approved a bill attempting to stop businesses such as 888 from accepting credit cards, hitting UK online gaming shares by up to 5 percent after similar falls the day before. 27 People Arrested for Online Child Porn Offenses
An Internet chat room that streamed video of live child molestations has been shut down, and 27 people have been charged with online child pornography offenses, federal authorities said. Justice Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said all but one of the defendants has been arrested following an undercover sting operation aimed at closing down the Web site known as "Kiddypics & Kiddyvids." House Committee Approves Bill Against Internet Gambling
A U.S. House committee approved a bill aimed at stamping out the $12 billion Internet gambling industry by stopping businesses from accepting credit cards and other forms of payment. The bill, cleared by voice vote in the House Financial Services Committee, would prohibit a gambling business from accepting credit cards, checks, wire transfers and electronic funds transfers in illegal gambling transactions. Senator Doubts Legislation Requiring Network Neutrality
A key senator said that a much-anticipated proposal to overhaul U.S. telecommunications laws may not require network providers to follow Net neutrality principles. Ted Stevens, the Alaska Republican who chairs the Commerce Committee, told reporters that he supports the idea of Net neutrality -- that is, legally requiring network providers to treat everyone equally -- in principle. Former GM Security Guard Accused of Hacking Database
A former security guard at General Motors Corp.'s Warren technical center is accused of taking employee Social Security numbers and using them to hack into the company's employee vehicle database. James S. Green II, 35, of Washington Township, found out what company cars the employees drove and sent them bogus e-mails asking them their thoughts on the vehicles, Macomb County sheriff's Capt. Anthony Wickersham said. RFID Tags Could Help Spread Computer Viruses, Experts Warn
Computer viruses could be about to take a giant leap and start spreading via smart barcodes, warn experts. Security researchers have infected a Radio Frequency ID tag with a computer virus to show how the technology is vulnerable to malicious hackers. Judge Likely to Force Google to Disclose Some Information
A federal judge hearing arguments in the Department of Justice's records fight with Google said that he would grant federal prosecutors at least part of their request for excerpts from the search giant's massive database. U.S. District Judge James Ware said he intends to release his decision "very quickly," and that he might give the Justice Department access to a portion of Google's index of Web sites, but not its users' search terms. IRS, Treasury Department See Increase in Phishing Scams
The Internal Revenue Service, noting an escalation in identity theft scams, is raising alarms about e-mails designed to dupe taxpayers into revealing personal financial information. IRS and Treasury Department officials have noticed an increase this winter in the frequency and sophistication of "phishing" schemes that use the tax agency's logo to lure victims. Europe Refuses to Open Microsoft Hearings to Public
Microsoft asked the European Commission to open to the public hearings that could bring the U.S. software giant a large fine, but the Commission said on that regulations require they be closed. The administrative hearings on March 30 and 31 will be on charges that Microsoft failed to carry out sanctions imposed by the Commission, the executive arm of the 25-country European Union, two years ago for violations of antitrust law. Bills Would Open Frequencies to Wireless Broadband Providers
A proposal to allow wireless broadband providers to use vacant frequencies between TV channels is gaining support in Congress, a development that could deliver high-speed access to underserved rural areas. Two recently introduced Senate bills would require the Federal Communications Commission to issue rules to accommodate the unlicensed services within six months. Microsoft to Include Parental Controls in "Live" Service
Microsoft Corp. said it plans to include a free service to help parents control and monitor what their children are doing online in its upcoming Windows Live offering of Web services. Windows Live is part of Microsoft's strategy to consolidate a range of Web services -- e-mail, instant messaging, online PC security and blogs -- to compete with Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc. for Internet advertising dollars. Google to Let Publishers Sell Digital Copies of Books
Google Inc. is letting publishers sell digital copies of books that are included in its Book Search website. Publishers in Google Books Partner Program in the U.S. and Britain will be able to set prices for access to their books, according to a posting on the Mountain View, Calif.-based company's website. In Newspaper Ads, BlackBerry Maker Urges Patent Reform
Research In Motion took out a full-page advertisement in eight U.S. newspapers thanking those who supported the company in its dispute with NTP and also urging patent reforms. In the letter attributed to RIM's co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, RIM said it was "pleased to put this matter behind us and remove any uncertainty from our customers' minds." E-mail Marketing Company Agrees to $1.1 Million Settlement
New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has agreed to a $1.1 million settlement from an interactive marketing firm that he said reused e-mail addresses and other consumer information without authorization. Spitzer described the case involving Datran Media as being possibly "the largest breach of privacy in Internet history" with e-mail addresses and other data about some 6 million people involved. U.S. Government Files Brief Against eBay in Patent Case
The federal government took a position against eBay Inc. in a patent dispute that threatens to shut down one of the online auction site's popular shopping features. The Office of the Solicitor General said in a brief filed with the Supreme Court that eBay willfully infringed on patents held by Great Falls-based MercExchange LLC and should be enjoined from using its "Buy It Now" feature, which allows users to buy goods at fixed prices rather than compete in auctions. French Law Would Let Consumers Convert Digital Music
France is pushing through a law that would force Apple Computer Inc. to open its iTunes online music store and enable consumers to download songs onto devices other than the computer maker's popular iPod player. Under a draft law expected to be voted in parliament, consumers would be able to legally use software that converts digital content into any format. Hundreds of CIA Employees Identified on Internet
Unbeknown to the CIA, the affiliation of hundreds of CIA employees have somehow become a matter of public record, thanks to the Internet. Only recently has the CIA recognized that in the Internet age its traditional system of providing cover for clandestine employees working overseas is fraught with holes, a discovery that is said to have "horrified" CIA Director Porter Goss. Hacked Chinese Bank Server Hosts Phishing Sites
Criminals appear to have hacked a Chinese bank's server and are using it to host phishing sites to steal personal data from customers of eBay Inc. and a major U.S. bank., according to Internet services company Netcraft Ltd. It may be the first scheme that uses one bank's infrastructure to exploit another bank, said Paul Mutton, an Internet services developer for Netcraft, based in Bath, England. Lawsuits Highlight Legal Problems for Video Online
The new threat in Internet-enabled copyright infringement is centering on video. A spate of lawsuits raises troubling questions for TV and movie producers, who, as more and more consumers buy the Net pipes necessary to bring in and send out video files, are reaching a crossroads their counterparts in music hit six years ago. Consultancy Says It Can Break Impasse on Microsoft in EU
A consultancy retained by the European Commission in the Microsoft antitrust case believes it can help break an impasse to avoid a large fine against the firm, a source familiar with the situation said. OTR Consultants of London has helped the Commission in the Microsoft case for several years, but its contract is nearing an end because of time limits imposed under Commission procurement rules, a second source said. Court Allows Police to Search Hard Drives for Child Porn
Police may search computer hard drives for child pornography if their owners subscribe to Web sites selling the images, a U.S. appeals court ruled. There is a "fair probability" customers of child pornography Web sites receive or download the illegal images, opening the door for police searches, according to the ruling by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Data Leaked on 17 Million Online Payment Customers
Seventeen million customers of the online payment service iBill have had their personal information released onto the internet, where it's been bought and sold in a black market made up of fraud artists and spammers, security experts say. The stolen data, examined by Wired News, includes names, phone numbers, addresses, e-mail addresses and internet IP addresses. Music Fans Indicted for Posting Unreleased Songs Online
A pair of apparent Ryan Adams fans ran afoul of a new law making it a crime to publish songs before their release to the general public when they made portions of the singer's latest album available on a Web site frequented by his fans, federal authorities said. Robert Thomas of Milwaukee and Jared Bowser of Jacksonville, Fla., were indicted under a provision of the Family Entertainment and Copyright Act law that makes it a separate federal crime to pirate music and movies before they are released to the public, Memphis-based U.S. attorney Jim Vines and FBI special agent My Harrison said. Microsoft Still Out of Compliance, European Commission Says
After having reviewed the latest documents submitted by Microsoft in its antitrust case, the European Commission announced it sent a letter to the software giant reaffirming its view that the company is out of compliance with its antitrust order. The letter is the latest blow to the software maker as it heads toward its oral hearing in the case in three weeks. After the hearing, scheduled for March 30 and 31, the commission will make a final decision on whether to impose a daily fine of $2.36 million (2 million euros), which would remain in force until Microsoft comes into compliance with the EC's historic antitrust order. Justice Department Wants Deadline for Google's Subpoena
The U.S. Justice Department has set a suggested deadline for Google to hand over information about its users' search habits: 21 days. In court documents submitted to U.S. District Judge James Ware in San Jose, Calif., federal prosecutors said they need a prompt response because of the compressed schedule of the case. Brazil Seeks Information from Google on Chat Rooms
Google Inc.'s Brazilian unit has been asked to appear before authorities to explain what the company was doing to curb crimes allegedly being committed through its Orkut chat rooms. The Web search engine's Brazil spokesman confirmed that the unit, Google Brasil, had received a summons from the Public Ministry, but he declined to give details. Eight Years Later, Child Protection Act Still Not Enforced
It seemed like a good idea: enact a federal law to protect children from sexually explicit material on the Internet. But eight years after Congress passed the Child Online Protection Act, legal challenges from sexual health sites, the online magazine Salon.com and other Web publishers have kept it from being enforced. Google May Pay $90 Million to Settle Click-Fraud Lawsuit
Google has agreed to pay up to $90 million to settle a lawsuit alleging the online search engine leader overcharged thousands of advertisers who paid for bogus sales referrals generated through a ruse known as "click fraud." The proposed settlement would apply to all advertisers in Google's network during the past four years. House Panel OKs Bill Exempting Bloggers from Election Law
Bloggers would be largely immunized from hundreds of pages of confusing federal regulations dealing with election laws, according to a bill approved by a House of Representatives panel. Democrats had blocked an earlier effort last November to enact the legislation, which would amend federal campaign finance laws to give Internet publishers many of the same freedoms that newspapers and magazines currently enjoy. D.C. Plans to Help Low-Income Residents with Wi-Fi Access
The D.C. government is preparing to ask companies to bid on building a wireless Internet system through much of the city, including free service for low-income residents. But unlike other municipalities such as Philadelphia and San Francisco that have commissioned such networks city-wide, the District plans to give its contract to the company that goes furthest in serving low-income residents with free Web access and even free computers and training. Al-Qaeda Sympathizers Recruiting via Social Network Sites
Al-Qaeda sympathizers are using Orkut, a popular, worldwide Internet service owned by Google, to rally support for Osama bin Laden, share videos and Web links promoting terrorism and recruit non-Arabic-speaking Westerners, according to terrorism experts and a survey of the sites. Social networking services such as Orkut, Friendster and MySpace, allow users to create personal profiles and associate with "communities" based on shared interests. U.K. Disability Group Develops Standards for Websites
New guidelines on how to make websites more user-friendly for disabled people have been developed by the British Standards Institution. The work was sponsored by the Disability Rights Commission after an investigation in April 2004. Lawyer Appeals Piracy Patent Case Against Microsoft
A Texas lawyer named Kenneth Nash owns a patent on a method for detecting pirated software by assigning each program a unique ID and verifying it over the Internet. Nash sued Microsoft over its product activation program and lost when a judge in Houston ruled against him. Now, he has taken his patent claim before a federal court in hopes of a victory on appeal. Cuban Dissident Goes on Hunger Strike for E-mail Access
Psychologist turned dissident Guillermo Farinas says there are but two weapons he can wield against injustice in Cuba: food and water. He's had neither since Jan. 31, and the independent journalist is vowing to continue his hunger strike until the Cuban government returns his e-mail -- his portal to the outside world. New York Seeks Taxes from Online Cigarette Buyers
Thousands of New Yorkers who bought cigarettes on the Internet without paying taxes will be contacted and told they must pay those fees, which add up to $33 million, the city said. City lawyers say New York loses millions of dollars a year from unpaid taxes on Internet cigarette purchases, and they have gone after the online dealers with a series of lawsuits in recent years. China Forces Two Political Blogs to Shut Down
Two of China's most adventurous Web logs closed under government orders, the latest in a wave of shutdowns as Chinese censors tighten controls in cyberspace, especially while the national parliament meets. "Because of unavoidable reasons known to all, this blog is now temporarily closed," said a message on the site of Beijing-based journalist Wang Xiaofeng. American Airlines Subpoenas Google Over Flight Attendant Video
American Airlines wants Google to reveal the identity of a person who the airline says posted a copyrighted video on Google's video Web site. Filed under the controversial Digital Millennium Copyright Act, a subpoena issued Feb. 21 demands "all documents" concerning the person who posted a video titled "Flight Attendant, Upside Down," on Google Video. Lawmakers See Renewed Hope for Ban on Internet Gambling
Foes of Internet gambling are experiencing a renaissance on Capitol Hill. One reason: Lobbyist Jack Abramoff is now facing prison time instead of working against them. House members are rushing to co-sponsor a version of the Internet ban that failed after an Abramoff-led lobbying blitz in 2000. South Korea Faces Growing Problem of "Cyberviolence"
South Korea is the world's most wired country, boasting the highest per capita rate of broadband Internet connections. But there is a growing sense that high-tech prowess hasn't been matched by the development of a mature online society, creating a growing problem of what is known here as "cyberviolence." Woman Faces 15 Years in Prison for Violating CAN-SPAM Act
A New Hampshire woman is facing up to 15 years in prison for violating the CAN-SPAM Act after taking a Monday guilty plea to sending bulk pornographic spam e-mails. According to the Department of Justice, Jennifer R. Clason, 33, created and transmitted the spam on behalf of Jeffrey A. Kilbride, 39, of Venice, Calif., and James R. Schaffer, 39, of Paradise Valley, Ariz., who are also facing federal charges. Ex-Hacker Mitnick Now Teaching Tools of Trade
"Computer terrorist" Kevin Mitnick is one of the world's most famous computer hackers and became a cause celebre after breaking into networks and stealing software at companies including Sun Microsystems and Motorola. Now Mitnick, from the United States, travels the world teaching companies how to guard against people just like him. Bank in Peru Files Lawsuit to Stop Phishing Scheme
Even rich people are gullible. Internet fraudsters proved that by tricking well-heeled international banking customers of Banco de Credito del Peru into providing confidential bank and personal information. While the bank denies the fraudsters got their hands on any money from accounts at its Coral Gables, Fla., location, Peru's largest bank has taken the uncommon step of filing a lawsuit in federal court against the John Does behind the so-called "phishing" scheme. Cyber Criminals Using Smaller, Targeted Attacks, Report Says
Cyber criminals are stepping up smaller, more targeted attacks as they seek to avoid detection and reap bigger profits by stealing personal and financial information, according to a report. Symantec Corp.'s Internet Security Threat report said during the second half of 2005 attackers continued to move away from broad attacks seeking to breach firewalls and routers and are now taking aim at the desktop and Web applications. Internet Bills Likely to Rise, Telecom Analysts Predict
One way or another, consumers are likely to shell out more in the future for Web content. The reason, analysts and telecommunications executives say, is simple. As Internet traffic booms and competition intensifies, the phone and cable companies are spending billions of dollars to expand their networks -- and they want someone to help them foot the bill. Yahoo China's Music Pages Link to Unlicensed Downloads
Yahoo China's music search engine has turned up bad news for the music industry and possible legal action against the global Web portal. In a situation that seems to mirror that of market-leading -- and already sued -- local portal http://www.baidu.com, Yahoo China's music pages link directly to unlicensed downloads and streams of songs by domestic and international artists. New Online Music Service Offers Legal CD Trading
A new online music service called La la Media Inc. aims to offer full-length CDs for $1 by letting users trade discs, in a bid to avoid legal pitfalls that face online song trading. Backed with $9 million in funding by Bain Capital and Ignition Partners, La la works like an online music co-op by enabling members to trade physical CDs they own for physical CDs they want, Bill Nguyen, co-founder of La la, said. Chinese Hotmail User Charged; Microsoft Denies Involvement
Microsoft Corp. said it had no involvement in the case of a Chinese journalist charged with sending subversive e-mails abroad under a pseudonym using a Hotmail account. The indictment of Li Yuanlong, a 45-year-old reporter, follows accusations that Internet giant Yahoo Inc. provided evidence to Chinese authorities that led to the imprisonment of two journalists. CEO Defends MySpace.com's Safety as "An Internet Issue"
The popular Web hangout MySpace.com is as safe as anyplace in the offline world despite recent reports that sexual predators may be using it to find and lure young victims, the company's CEO said. "If you go to the mall and start talking to strange people, bad things can happen," Chris DeWolfe, the site's co-founder, said in a telephone interview. "You've got to take the same precautions on the Internet." Wal-Mart Working with Bloggers to Create Positive Postings
Under assault as never before, Wal-Mart is increasingly looking beyond the mainstream media and working directly with bloggers, feeding them exclusive nuggets of news, suggesting topics for postings and even inviting them to visit its corporate headquarters. But the strategy raises questions about what bloggers, who pride themselves on independence, should disclose to readers. Microsoft's Rival Rejects Offer to Open Source Code
Microsoft Corp. has set out a "poisoned honeypot" by offering to open source code in its antitrust case, a rival said in a confidential filing to the European Commission, which it has now opened. The Free Software Foundation Europe and software group Samba followed the lead of Microsoft by opening up confidential filings to the European Commission. Chinese Government Sets Up Blogs for Parliament
China's government is trying to boost public interest in its figurehead parliament and its companion advisory body by setting up Web logs for members as they meet. Called "bo ke" in Chinese, blogs are popular with young people despite strict censorship rules. More People Piggybacking on Others' Wi-Fi Connections
Piggybacking, the usually unauthorized tapping into someone else's wireless Internet connection, is no longer the exclusive domain of pilfering computer geeks or shady hackers cruising for unguarded networks. Many who piggyback say the practice does not feel like theft because it does not seem to take anything away from anyone. Mac Enthusiast Exposes Security Vulnerability Quickly
Gaining root access to a Mac is "easy pickings," according to an individual who won an OS X hacking challenge by gaining root control of a machine using an unpublished security vulnerability. On Feb. 22, the Sweden-based Mac enthusiast set up his Mac Mini as a server and invited hackers to break through the computer's security and gain root control, which would allow the attacker to take charge of the computer and delete files and folders or install applications. Senate Lags in Disclosing Financial Data on Internet
The Senate is responding to a lobbying scandal by pushing proposals that would force lobbyists to disclose more information on the Internet about their dealings with lawmakers. But the Senate remains in the Dark Ages when it comes to disclosing its own campaign-finance data. U.K. Charges Against eBay Over Contact Lens Sales Dismissed
Charges that online auction firm eBay aided the illegal sale of contact lenses have been dismissed. Regulatory body the General Optical Council offered no evidence at court in London after being advised eBay could not be made to monitor its listings. AOL's E-mail Fee Highlights Problems in Spam Filters
America Online's controversial plan to charge mass e-mailers a fee to bypass their anti-spam system highlights the other, lesser-known, horn of the junk-e-mail problem: Filters that allegedly work too well. At issue is the problem of "false positives," industry-speak for legitimate messages mistakenly filtered out by anti-spam software. BlackBerry Maker Settles Patent Case for $612.5 Million
Blackberry maker Research in Motion said it agreed to pay $612.5 million to patent holding company NTP to settle a long-running dispute that had threatened to shut down the popular wireless e-mail service. Under the settlement, NTP granted RIM the right to keep running its Blackberry business, the company said in a statement. |