The nation's largest anti-sexual-assault organization planned to announce that it is pioneering an Internet-based hotline to counsel abused young people, part of a new trend to reach a generation often more comfortable with texting than talking.
Google Builds Technology to Aid Missing Children
Google said that it has built custom video and image search technology for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The organization will use the technology to help identify and track down child pornographers at a faster rate, according the nonprofit.
Actress Sues Over Fake Job Postings Online
Actress Gabrielle Union, who starred in the movie "Bad Boys II" along with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, has sued at least three Georgia residents in federal court alleging more than $100,000 in damages stemming from a Web-based job posting. That advertisement, according to an amended complaint filed April 1 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, invited job seekers to apply for a position as assistant to Union's executive assistant and indicated that the successful applicant "would ultimately work for Ms. Union."
Cybercrime Estimates Reach $200 Billion a Year
There appears to be no end to the cybercrime wave despite daily headlines about the latest computer breach and the best efforts of hundreds of security companies. The latest estimate: $200 billion a year, rivaling the illicit markets for drug trafficking and money laundering, according to several security experts and law-enforcement officials.
EU Officials Vote Against File-Sharing Penalty
European politicians have voted down calls to throw suspected file-sharers off the Net. The idea to cut off persistent pirates formed part of a wide-ranging report on creative industries written for the European parliament.
Many People Uncomfortable with Personalized Sites
Many people are uncomfortable with Web sites customizing content to people's personal profiles, according to a new survey. "There's a creepy factor and a fear of the unknown that people don't want to deal with," said Michelle Warren, senior research analyst at Info-Tech Research Group in London, Ontario.
Patent Lawyers Argue Against Changes to System
A handful of patent lawyers beat up on large technology companies lobbying for a U.S. patent system revamp, arguing that their efforts could discourage start-ups, prompt foreign competitors to rip off inventions, and tear apart the economy more generally. There weren't any Silicon Valley interests directly represented during this panel discussion at a conference hosted by the American Bar Association's intellectual-property law section.
Microsoft Responds to FTC's Call for Ad Regulations
Microsoft issued its response to proposed Federal Trade Commission guidelines for online ad industry self-regulation, but the company wouldn't necessarily oppose regulation, a Microsoft representative said. "Two years ago we were one of a handful of companies calling for a comprehensive federal privacy bill," said Frank Torres, director of consumer affairs for Microsoft.
Duke Tries to Shut Down Lacrosse Suit Website
The latest twist in the Duke University lacrosse case concerns the players' media strategy, with Duke officials trying to shut down a Web site about the case. Lawyers for Duke University, the city of Durham and the Duke University Health System have objected in federal court to the Web site run by the players' legal and communications team, www.dukelawsuit.com. The Web site is regularly updated with information about the case and includes briefs from both sides.
Health-Care Records Exposed Online, Company Says
A company hired by the State of Georgia to administer health benefits for low-income patients is sending letters to notify tens of thousands of residents that their private records were exposed on the Internet for nearly seven weeks before the error was caught and corrected, a company spokeswoman said. The records of as many as 71,000 adults and children enrolled in the Medicaid or PeachCare for Kids programs were inadvertently posted on Feb. 12, said Amy Knapp, a spokeswoman for the company, WellCare Health Plans Inc., whose headquarters are in Tampa, Fla.
Christian Group Sues Google for Rejecting Abortion Ads
A Christian group in Britain is suing Google over the search engine's alleged refusal to place an ad related to abortion. According to the Christian Institute, the text ad would have popped up on the right side of a user's screen whenever the word "abortion" was searched for or prominently appeared.
Lawmakers Question Military Items on eBay, Craigslist
Congressional leaders voiced dismay at reports that "sensitive" military-issue equipment is being resold, potentially to terrorists, at Web sites like eBay and Craigslist and suggested new laws are necessary to ban that practice. Among the dozen items that mostly "undercover" government investigators purchased during a yearlong investigation of those two leading sites were F-14 fighter jet antennas (only Iran currently operates F-14s, the committee noted), night vision goggles, infrared tape worn by troops to "differentiate friend from foe," a complete military-issue Army combat uniform, body armor, and "Meals, Ready to Eat" (MREs).
Social Security Numbers on Stolen NIH Laptop
Social Security numbers for more than 1,200 participants in a National Institutes of Health study were stored on a stolen laptop containing their medical records, putting those patients at risk of identity theft, agency officials said. NIH officials had initially assured the more than 3,000 patients whose records were on the laptop that the computer's contents -- unencrypted, in violation of federal policy -- did not contain any information that could put their identity or finances at risk.
Google Vows to Stop Child Porn Online in Brazil
The head of Google in Brazil said the Internet giant will take actions to stop child pornography and hate crimes on a social-networking website -- but he did not offer to provide user information to officials. Alexandre Hohagen's declaration to a Brazilian Senate panel marked a step forward in efforts to block offensive material from the popular Orkut website.
Group Calls Targeted Advertising Bill Unconstitutional
A trade group representing several large Internet companies sent a letter detailing "strong opposition" to a New York state bill that would limit the companies' ability to collect information for targeted advertising. "[The bill] is unnecessary, most likely unconstitutional, and would have profound implications for the future of Internet advertising and the availability of free content on the Internet," wrote Jim Halpert, general counsel for the State Privacy and Security Coalition, in a letter to Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, the Westchester County Democrat sponsoring the bill.
Legislator Defends Indiana Law on Computer Searches
An Indiana state legislator says he is confident that a state law that would allow police to search the computers of sex offenders long after their sentences end will withstand a legal challenge. Sen. John Waterman said Athat the bill was another way to protect children from sexual predators, in this case those who seek out victims through the Internet.
Number of Computer Security Threats Reaches 1 Million
The number of viruses, worms and trojans in circulation has topped the one million mark. The new high for malicious programs was revealed by security firm Symantec in the latest edition of its bi-annual Internet Security Threat Report.
Site Posts Financial Data for Capitol Staffers
Working from a cramped loft apartment a mile from the Capitol, a small Internet company has sparked a privacy rights battle with hundreds of angry top House staffers upset that the Web site has begun posting details about their personal finances. In an unusual conflict over constitutional rights, the aides argue that the recent disclosures leave them highly vulnerable to identity theft.
FBI Finds No Attack on Lieberman's Website
You may recall that during the heat of the 2006 primary race that prompted then-Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman to go Independent, the Connecticut politician's Web site, well, dropped dead. A recent Freedom of Information Act request by the Stamford Advocate, a local newspaper, turned up an FBI memo that concluded there was no evidence of an attack.
Stephen King Opposes Violent Video Game Ban
Horror writer Stephen King has criticized plans by a U.S. state to ban violent video games, saying such a move would be undemocratic and it was up to parents to monitor their children's entertainment. King, in a pop culture column he writes for Entertainment Weekly, said he was no videogame fan but was outraged when he heard that a bill in the state of Massachusetts could ban the sale of violent games to anyone aged under 18.
