California is attempting to revive its anti-violent-video-game law in a federal appeals court. During a hearing in Sacramento, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was scheduled to review a San Jose federal judge's 2007 ruling finding the law violates the First Amendment.
DHS Cybersecurity Leader Defends Agency Amid Criticism
The man in charge of running the Department of Homeland Security's cybersecurity efforts has defended its efforts in the face of congressional criticism. Homeland Security undersecretary defends Robert Jamison, the man in charge of coordinated US government cybersecurity efforts on a day to day basis, told El Reg that criticism that the agency was poorly led and failing to deliver results came from lawmakers who were unfamiliar with the agency's operations or future plans.
Lawmaker Wants More DOJ Work on Google-Yahoo Deal
The top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee is joining a chorus of lawmakers urging the Justice Department to scrutinize the planned Internet advertising partnership between Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc. Texas Republican Joe Barton also accuses Yahoo of resisting congressional inquiries into the deal.
Schools Not Reaping Rewards of Microsoft Settlement
Two years ago, California public schools received an unexpected gift: a grant of $250 million for new computers, software and training. But most of the money -- nearly $200 million -- remains untouched.
Online Comments Criticized in Detah of Chinese Actress
Though the reasons behind the suicide of one of South Korea's most beloved actresses remain unclear, her death has fueled a debate over how to tackle what are considered the two biggest social problems in South Korea: suicide and so-called cyber-terrorism. Since Choi Jin-sil's death, many high-profile figures have expressed sympathy for her emotional suffering from comments made by online posters.
Google Seeks to Settle Book-Scanning Case for $125 Million
In another step toward changing the future of books, Google Inc. has reached an agreement with publishers and authors to scan millions of copyrighted titles and post them on the Internet for users to read and print for a fee. Under the agreement, Google will pay $125 million to settle a long-standing class-action lawsuit with the Association of American Publishers and with the Authors Guild, which represents more than 8,000 authors.
Net Companies Plan "Code" for Free Speech Online
Google, Microsoft and Yahoo and a group of human rights and public interest organizations plan to introduce a global code of conduct that they say will better protect online free speech and privacy against government intrusion. The principles are the starting point for a new effort, called the Global Network Initiative, which commits the companies to "avoid or minimize the impact of government restrictions on freedom of expression," according to a final draft of documents.
Google Seeks Information from Copyright-Policing Service
In a motion filed in federal court in Viacom's copyright case against Google, the search engine demands internal records from closely held BayTSP Inc., one of a number of firms that offer copyright-policing services. Since launching its legal attack on Google in 2007, Viacom has leaned heavily on evidence compiled by Los Gatos, Calif.-based BayTSP.
Companies Partner to Educate on Phishing Scams
Microsoft, Yahoo, Western Union, and The African Development Bank are partnering to educate Internet users about the dangers of falling prey to the fake lottery winner e-mails. In such scams, victims are told that they have won a lottery, often in a foreign country, and are then asked to provide their personal and financial information to claim the winnings. In the current economic downturn, the fear is that desperate people will be more likely to take the bait.
Chinese Official Criticizes Microsoft on Anti-Piracy
A top Chinese copyright official chided Microsoft for launching an anti-piracy tool that nags users of counterfeit software with a black computer screen and said the company's prices were too high. The U.S. software giant launched Windows Genuine Advantage in China last week, a program that turns the background of the Windows operating system's desktop black if the software fails a validation test.
HotJobs Site Called Vulnerable to Phishing Attack
Yahoo's HotJobs site is vulnerable to a phishing-based attack that can give an attacker access to a Yahoo member's mail and other personal accounts, British network service firm Netcraft said, and someone has been taking advantage of it.
Officials Probe Computer Searches for "Joe the Plumber"
Ohio and local officials are investigating if state and law-enforcement computer systems were illegally accessed when they were tapped for personal information about "Joe the Plumber." Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher became part of the national political lexicon Oct. 15 when Republican presidential candidate John McCain mentioned him frequently during his final debate with Democrat Barack Obama.
More Teenagers Engaging in High-Tech Crimes
Increasing numbers of teenagers are starting to dabble in high-tech crime, say experts. Computer security professionals say many Internet forums are populated by teenagers swapping credit card numbers, phishing kits and hacking tips.
Indicted TJX Hackers Shed Light on Cybercrooks
Two men who played key roles in the massive cyberheist at TJX, parent of retailers T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, were involved in different scams tied to TJX, according to their respective indictments. The men's divergent sagas represent bookends of the vast digital crime. According to psychiatrists, hackers and computer-security experts, they represent the vanguard of cybercrooks: young, misguided males who rationalize that they've done nothing wrong.
Bryan Adams Pursuing Operators of Unofficial Sites
Canadian soft rocker Bryan Adams is the latest star to grumble at fans for plastering his name and face on unofficial websites. The crinkly Eighties star and sometime number one slot hogger has enlisted the help of Web Sheriff to convince the likes of bryanadamsfanclub.nl, bryanadams.nu and badfan.com to play nice and agree to a set of guidelines that will allow them to "happily coexist" with Adams.
Tech Industry Looking Forward to New President
No matter who wins the White House, Silicon Valley is looking forward to a president who understands the value of technology and innovation -- far better, some would say, than at any time in recent years. Though the campaign has been dominated by other matters, from personal attacks to the overall economy, both John McCain and Barack Obama have vowed to address numerous issues of concern to the tech industry.
ICANN Opens Comment Period on New Domain Process
ICANN, the organization that manages the technical aspect of the DNS, among other things, has opened up a 45-day public comment period on the process for requesting a new generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) such as .com, .net, and .gov. The comment period is the next step along the path of adding more gTLD's to DNS.
Security Flaw Found in Android Phone Software
Just days after the T-Mobile G1 smartphone went on the market, a group of security researchers have found what they call a serious flaw in the Android software from Google that runs it. One of the researchers, Charles A. Miller, notified Google of the flaw and said he was publicizing it now because he believed that cellphone users were not generally aware that increasingly sophisticated smartphones faced the same threats that plague Internet-connected personal computers.
EBay Seller Threatens Lawsuit Over Negative Feedback
A seller on the online marketplace eBay has threatened to sue a customer in a row over negative feedback. Seller Joel Jones says the feedback posted on his eBay profile page by Chris Read, from Kent, is damaging his business, and he wants it removed.
AOL Subscriber Sues Over "Annoying" Ads in E-mail
A California resident has sued AOL for inserting "annoying, confusing, intrusive and misleading" ads in his e-mail. In a complaint filed in federal district court in Los Angeles, AOL subscriber Frank Cecchini alleges that his e-mails should not contain ads because he pays the Internet company $25.90 a month for his account.
