A South Korean blogger pleaded not guilty to charges that he spread false economic information on the Internet, a news report said, in a case that drew heated debate over freedom of speech. The blogger, identified only by his surname Park, gained prominence among South Koreans because some of his dire predictions about the global economy, including the collapse of Lehman Brothers, later proved to be correct.
Spammers Use Gaza, Fake CNN Website to Trick Targets
In a particularly cynical move, spammers are sending out e-mails purporting to be about the fighting in Gaza, which has drawn international attention because of the hundreds of civilian casualties. The spams, which appear to be news items from CNN, contain news about the fighting and a link to a fake CNN news site.
Customers Sued for Sharing Access to Website
A suit filed by CoStar Realty Information alleges that managers at New York's Dumann Realty illegally accessed CoStar's Web site, a subscription to which costs hundreds of dollars a month and provides clients with real estate information such as photos and vacancy databases, by borrowing another customer's user information. CoStar is accusing Dumann, as well as the alleged co-conspirators who lent it the account, of copyright infringement.
Lawsuit Over Yelp Review of Chiropractor Settled
The lawsuit filed by a San Francisco chiropractor against a patient who wrote a negative review of him on Yelp was settled, according to the attorney for the defendant. The terms of the settlement agreement are confidential and the March trial date will be canceled, said Michael Blacksburg, who represented patient Christopher Norberg.
Woman in MySpace Suicide Case Seeks Reversal
An attorney for a woman convicted in a MySpace hoax directed at a teen who ended up committing suicide asked a judge to dismiss her convictions, saying a computer-fraud law was improperly used to prosecute her. U.S. District Court Judge George Wu did not immediately rule after oral arguments and will likely issue a written decision, although he didn't indicate when.
Obama Fighting to Keep Using His BlackBerry
Of all the fights facing Mr. Obama as he prepares for the White House, one of the most maddening for him is the prospect of losing the BlackBerry that has been attached to his belt for years. It is, he has vigorously argued, an essential link to keeping him apprised of events outside his ever-tightening cocoon.
Google Ranked No. 3 for Worst Spam Networks
Google has moved up to Number Three on The Spamhaus Project's list of the world's worst spam problem networks. Last month, the search giant hit the top 10 list for the first time in last place. Spamhaus' list shows Google has 31 unresolved abuse-related issues, including various types of fraud and hosting known as spam gangs.
Fake E-mail Linked to CNN Steals Financial Data
A new e-mail that is circulating looks like it comes from CNN and links to a fake CNN Web page offering "graphic" video related to the Israel-Hamas conflict but instead hosts a Trojan that steals sensitive data, RSA said.
New British E-mail Retention Rules Criticized
Rules forcing internet companies to keep details of every e-mail sent in the UK are a waste of money and an attack on civil liberties, say critics. From March all Internet service providers will by law have to keep information about every e-mail sent or received in the UK for a year.
China Widens Crackdown on "Vulgar" Content Online
China has widened an Internet crackdown on "vulgar" content to target 14 new sites, including Microsoft's MSN, and chided fellow American giant Google for not doing enough to clean up. China's ruling Communist Party is wary of threats to its grip on information and has conducted numerous censorship efforts targeting pornography, political criticism and web scams, but officials flagged tougher steps this time.
Companies Blamed for Misleading Acai Websites
The Better Business Bureau named two companies that engage in misleading sales and marketing practices. At least part of the issue is their use of "negative option marketing" techniques that require customers to cancel recurring orders or membership in ongoing programs they may or may not be aware they've signed up for.
Anticipation Surrounds Obama's Choice of CTO
As supporters of President-elect Barack Obama in Washington try to downplay near-term expectations for his administration's chief technology officer, an Obama aide said reports of an imminent announcement are incorrect. With nearly of all Obama's cabinet named, recent speculation has swirled around whether news about the CTO post would be next.
Ruling Favors Video-Sharing Website
Fans of video file-sharing websites got a boost from U.S. District Court Judge A. Howard Matz, who ruled that Universal Music Group cannot stop a San Diego company from claiming "safe harbor" protection in a copyright-infringement suit. Universal claimed that even though Veoh Networks Inc. may have removed video that was unlawfully shared on its servers once it knew of the activity, the firm was still liable to copyright holders for monetary relief.
Internet, Economy Fueling Work-at-Home Scams
Work-at-home-scams are on the rise, consumer watchdog groups say. "The Internet is a boon for this industry, because it's a very cheap method for reaching consumers across the U.S. and the world," says Karen Hobbs, an attorney with the Federal Trade Commission, the federal agency responsible for consumer protection.
Man Who Posted Negative Review Sued for Defamation
A man who posted a negative review of a chiropractor's business on Yelp suggesting that the doctor was dishonest is facing a defamation lawsuit that could chill self-expression on the popular gripe Web site.
Couple Fights Surrendering PC in File-Sharing Case
A Rhode Island couple whose son is accused of illegally sharing songs online should not be forced to surrender their home computer for inspection because it would violate their privacy, their lawyer argued at a federal court hearing. Joel Tenenbaum, a 25-year-old Boston University graduate student, is accused by the Recording Industry Association of America of downloading at least seven songs and making 816 music files available for distribution on the Kazaa file-sharing network through 2004.
Data Breaches Up 50%, Affecting 35.7 Million Americans
Businesses, governments and educational institutions reported nearly 50 percent more data breaches last year than in 2007, exposing the personal records of at least 35.7 million Americans, according to a nonprofit group that works to prevent identity fraud. Identity Theft Resource Center of San Diego is set to announce today that some 656 breaches were reported in 2008, up from 446 in the previous year.
Apple Drops Copy-Protection for all Songs on iTunes
Apple, by far the largest seller of online music, said that it had cut a new deal with the three largest music companies that would allow it to remove anticopying restrictions from all of the songs in its iTunes store. Apple had pushed for the scrapping of so-called digital rights management software, which controls the copying of songs and where they can be played.
Study Finds Teens Discussing Risky Behavior on MySpace
More than half of teenagers mention risky behaviors such as sex and drugs on their MySpace accounts, U.S. researchers said. They said many young people who use social networking sites such as News Corp's MySpace do not realize how public they are and may be opening themselves to risks, but the sites may also offer a new way to identify and help troubled teens.
Massachusetts to Push for Internet Sales Tax Collection
Mass. Governor Deval Patrick is pushing lawmakers to expand the state's ability to collect sales tax on products sold over the Internet, which could add millions of dollars in revenue each year and alleviate a severe budget crisis. Patrick's revenue commissioner, Navjeet K. Bal, has submitted a report to the Legislature asking it to approve an Internet sales tax by the end of this year.
