Concerned that Pro Bowl tight end Chris Cooley displayed private team information on his blog, Washington Redskins Coach Jim Zorn plans to address players regarding their conduct while using the Internet, he said. A photo of six questions from the "Tight Ends Test," which was in the Redskins' playbook for their game against the New Orleans Saints, was posted on Cooley's blog.
Cybercriminals Using Celebrities' Names to Attract Victims
Looking for information about Brad Pitt or Beyonce on the Web? It could be risky. An internet security firm has dubbed the actor and singer the most dangerous celebrities to search for on the Internet because cybercriminals use their names to lure victims.
EU Officials Looking Into Google-Yahoo Deal
European Union antitrust watchdogs are looking into a planned deal between Internet giants Google and Yahoo to share some advertising revenue. "In mid-July, we decided to open a preliminary investigation on our own initiative into potential effects of the Google-Yahoo agreement on competition in the European Economic Area market," said Jonathan Todd, a spokesman for European Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes.
Hackers Break Into BusinessWeek's Online Site
Hackers have broken into BusinessWeek's online site and set up an attack scenario in which visitors to a section of the site could have their own computers compromised and their data stolen, a security researcher said. It's unclear how long the site has been compromised and there is no evidence that BusinessWeek.com readers have been affected, but also no evidence that they haven't, said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos.
ISPs Called Bigger Privacy Threat Than Google
The increased monitoring and profiling of Internet users by companies such as Google and its DoubleClick online advertising subsidiary is widely seen as one of the biggest threats to online privacy. But in reality, said university professor Paul Ohm, the potential for the same kind of activities by ISPs poses a much greater privacy risk.
Virginia Anti-Spam Law Ruled Unconstitutional
The Virginia Supreme Court declared the state's anti-spam law unconstitutional and reversed the conviction of a man once considered one of the world's most prolific spammers. The court unanimously agreed with Jeremy Jaynes' argument that the law violates the free-speech protections of the First Amendment because it does not just restrict commercial e-mails -- it restricts other unsolicited messages as well.
YouTube Bans Videos "Inciting Others to Violence"
The video-sharing service YouTube is banning submissions that involve "inciting others to violence," following criticism from Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) that the site was too open to terrorist groups disseminating militant propaganda. The company earlier this year removed some of the videos that Lieberman targeted, many of which were marked with the logos of al-Qaeda and affiliated groups.
One Pleads Guilty in World's Largest Data Theft
Federal prosecutors won a guilty plea from one of 11 men who made up a ring that was charged with the largest data theft case in history, involving tens of millions of customers of retailers, including TJX Cos. and BJ's Wholesale Club. Separately the government also said it has evidence the group breached the security of many more businesses than previously disclosed.
Hackers Attack Large Hadron Collider
Hackers have mounted an attack on the Large Hadron Collider, raising concerns about the security of the biggest experiment in the world as it passes an important new milestone. The scientists behind the £4.4bn atom smasher had already received threatening emails and been besieged by telephone calls from worried members of the public concerned by speculation that the machine could trigger a black hole to swallow the earth, or earthquakes and tsunamis, despite endless reassurances to the contrary from the likes of Prof. Stephen Hawking.
ITU Working on Standard for Tracking Internet Sources
A United Nations agency is quietly drafting technical standards, proposed by the Chinese government, to define methods of tracing the original source of Internet communications and potentially curbing the ability of users to remain anonymous. The U.S. National Security Agency is also participating in the "IP Traceback" drafting group, named Q6/17, which is meeting in Geneva to work on the traceback proposal. Members of Q6/17 have declined to release key documents, and meetings are closed to the public.
Law Firm Sues Home Website for Posting Lawyers' Info
Jones Day has sued a website that highlights lawyers -- even posting their photos and linking to firm biographies -- and other professionals who buy and sell their homes in Chicago, Las Vegas, St. Louis and South Florida. After two Jones Day associates were featured on the BlockShopper site, the Cleveland-based BigLaw firm sued, reports the National Law Journal.
Senate Committee Approves Increase in Copyright Enforcement
A U.S. Senate panel overwhelmingly approved a bill backed by the recording industry that would give federal prosecutors the power to file civil lawsuits against peer-to-peer users who violate copyright laws. By a 14-4 margin, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted for the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights Act, which would create stricter IP laws, as well as increase the ability of the White House and Justice Department to enforce those laws.
Amazon Plans to Sell Wine Online, Avoid Legal Pitfalls
Amazon.com, the largest global online retailer, plans to start selling U.S.-produced wine on its website within the United States by early October, wine industry insiders said. To avoid the confusing legal issues over the interstate sale of wine that vary from state to state, Amazon will be working with New Vine Logistics, a Napa, California-based company dealing in wine fulfillment that can deliver to up to 45 states.
Drug Trafficking Online Gets More Popular, Experts Say
Drug trafficking on the web has soared as Internet use has become commonplace, presenting far more challenges and dangers than traditional trafficking, experts warned at a conference in Stockholm. Internet drug buyers are primarily people under the age of 30 who are open to new experiences and are web savvy.
Employers Using Social Networking Sites to Screen Applicants
Written references could become old hat for hiring managers with one in five saying they use social networking sites to research job candidates -- and a third of them dismissing the candidate after what they discover. A survey by online job site CareerBuilder.com of 3,169 hiring managers found 22 percent of them screened potential staff via social networking profiles, up from 11 percent in 2006.
GMAT Scores Thrown Out After Website Posts Questions
The publisher of the graduate business school entrance test said it has thrown out the scores of 84 prospective students after shutting down a website they used that posted exam questions. The Graduate Management Admission Council said it had notified 84 people about the cancellation of their scores from the Graduate Management Admission Test.
Jobs, Others Settle Apple Backdating Lawsuit
Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs and several other senior executives and board members have agreed to settle a lawsuit that claimed the company was damaged by their role in Apple's mishandling of stock option awards. Because of the structure of the lawsuit, insurers representing Apple's directors and officers will pay the iPod and Macintosh maker $14 million.
Google Promises Privacy Protection for Chrome Users
Google, whose new, faster Web browser Chrome has raised privacy concerns on both sides of the Atlantic, said it was taking steps to mask the identities of people who use the tool. The move comes as privacy advocates here and in Europe expressed concern that the browser had the potential to give Google a way to track even more of users' online behavior and create rich profiles of them.
Google to Limit Data Retention to Nine Months
Under pressure from European regulators, Google is halving the amount of time its stores Internet Protocol addresses. In a blog post, Google said it would keep IP addresses on its server logs for 9 months before anonymizing them, down from the 18 months it had previously stored the data.
DOJ Hires Lawyer for Possible Google-Yahoo Challenge
The U.S. Justice Department hired lawyer Sanford Litvack for a possible antitrust challenge to Google Inc.'s proposed partnership with Yahoo! Inc. Litvack, the Justice Department's antitrust chief under President Jimmy Carter, will provide advice to the government, Yahoo spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said.
