Hundreds of Thousands of Germans Opt Out of Street View

Google said that it remained on course to begin its Street View mapping service in Germany this year despite the thousands of people who have asked the company to delete their properties. Germany's consumer protection minister, Ilse Aigner, has said "several hundred thousand" Germans have asked Google to remove their properties from Street View.

Antivirus Company Teams with Chamber of Commerce

A Slovakian antivirus company with its American headquarters in San Diego is trying to make good cybersecurity just as much a part of the local fabric as good beaches and Chargers football. Eset launched the Securing Our eCity program with the San Diego Chamber of Commerce two years ago to offer free workshops to consumers and small businesses on how to stay safe online.

FCC Wants to Create "Mobility Fund" for Broadband

A new fund could help bring high speed Internet to unserved and remote areas of the United States, U.S. telecommunications regulators said. The Federal Communications Commission proposed allocating universal service funds -- fees consumers pay telephone companies to subsidize landline phone services for low-income and rural families -- to create a "mobility fund" to expand broadband Internet to areas without service.

Amazon, North Carolina Argue Over Taxes in Court

North Carolina tax collectors say they want Amazon.com to turn over the names and addresses of customers in their state and a description of all purchases so they can get the sales-tax money they're owed. But the American Civil Liberties Union argues that if Amazon is forced to comply with North Carolina's data demands, Internet users would start to think twice about buying controversial books, music and movies, violating their constitutional rights to free speech.

U.S. Departments to Coordinate Cybersecurity Efforts

President Barack Obama's administration announced steps to boost civil-military coordination against cyber threats said to be mounting against sensitive U.S. computer networks. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano spelled out fresh arrangements between their departments to synchronize their response to a wide range of threats.

Music, Movie Companies Want More Help from Google

When it comes to fighting online piracy, some music and film industry executives think Google could be doing more to help. At a time when Google is negotiating with television, movie, and music producers for the recently launched GoogleTV and an upcoming digital music service, the company has been sending mixed messages about how much help it will provide in removing links to pirated songs from its search index.

School District Settles Laptop Spying Case

A suburban Pennsylvania school district accused of spying on students using school-issued laptops has agreed to pay $610,000 to settle litigation stemming from its controversial practice. Under the proposed settlement, the Lower Merion School District will pay $185,000 to two high school students who had sued the district earlier this year for allegedly snooping on them.

Microsoft Issues Largest Security Fix for Windows

Microsoft issued its biggest-ever security fix, including repairs to its ubiquitous Windows operating system and Internet browser for flaws that could let hackers take control of a PC. The new patches aim to fix a number of vulnerabilities including the notorious Stuxnet virus that attacked an Iranian nuclear power plant and other industrial control systems around the world.

Online Healthcare Sites Called Misleading

Online health information and disease-risk tests can mislead, confuse and create needless anxiety, and governments should do more ensure the people who use them know what they are buying, experts said. A report by a British medical ethics group said private DNA tests may be "medically or therapeutically meaningless" and could give false results or information that is "unclear, unreliable or inaccurate."

EU Microsoft Settlement Has Little Browser Impact

When Europe settled an antitrust case over Web browsers with Microsoft in December 2009, it hoped to dislodge the world’s biggest software maker from its dominant position in the market by requiring it to offer rivals’ products. Six months into the process, the initiative appears to be having only a minor influence on consumers, prompting a renewed debate about the effectiveness of such antitrust remedies.