UN Considers Tax on Large Online Content Providers

The United Nations is considering a new Internet tax targeting the largest Web content providers, including Google, Facebook, Apple, and Netflix, that could cripple their ability to reach users in developing nations. The European proposal, offered for debate at a December meeting of a U.N. agency called the International Telecommunication Union, would amend an existing telecommunications treaty by imposing heavy costs on popular Web sites and their network providers for the privilege of serving non-U.S. users, according to newly leaked documents.

Seoul Police Stop North Korean Cyber Attack

According to an independent report published in Korea’s JoongAng Daily, Seoul’s Metropolitan Police Agency has intercepted a cyber attack plot orchestrated by North Korea’s Reconnaissance General Bureau, which successfully shipped malware-infected games to South Korean users which were later on used to launch a DDoS attack against the web site of Incheon Airport.

  • Read the article: ZDNet

Swiss Court Allows Google Street View Service

Technology giant Google can continue to provide its Street View service in Switzerland after a Swiss Court ruled the company was not bound to blur all faces and number plates before publishing images on the Internet. That softened a March 2011 ruling by a lower court which had upheld claims from the Swiss privacy watchdog that Google should obscure all faces and number plates from its photo mapping service, a judgement Google appealed.

Judge Cancels Apple-Motorola Patent Trial

A federal judge canceled a scheduled June 11 trial between Apple Inc and Google Inc's Motorola Mobility unit over patents related to mobile phones and tablet computers, and expects to dismiss the case because neither can prove damages. In a "tentative" order, U.S. Circuit Judge Richard Posner in Chicago said each company's case should be dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be brought up again.

MPAA 'Sympathetic' to Legitimate Megaupload Users

The Motion Picture Association of America says that it is "sympathetic" to users that stored "legitimately acquired or created data" on Megaupload's servers, but points out that the file-sharing service's terms of use "clearly disclaimed any guarantee or continued access to uploaded materials." Responding to a brief filed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation on behalf of a user, the MPAA asked an Eastern Virginia District Court to ensure that no illegally downloaded copyrighted material on Megaupload's servers be released back to users.

Barnes & Noble Says E-Book Settlement Hurts Buyers

Barnes & Noble Inc. has objected to the U.S. government's proposed settlement of its price-fixing lawsuit against top publishers and Apple Inc., saying it would harm book sellers and "millions and millions" of book buyers. The top U.S. bookstore chain, which has been battling with Amazon.com Inc. in the growing e-books market, said in a letter sent to the U.S. Department of Justice that the settlement would lead to "higher overall average e-book and hardback prices and less choice, both in how to obtain books and in what books are available."

EU Exploring What Role to Play on Net Neutrality

In Europe, the debate over unrestricted Internet access — so-called net neutrality — has shifted to a core question: How much should the European Union intervene when mobile Internet service providers restrict Web access? Neelie Kroes, the European commissioner for telecommunications, raised the issue late last month when she announced an effort to require clearer and more truthful descriptions of Internet service practices, particularly for mobile contracts.

Apple Says Samsung Galaxy S III Infringes Its Patents

Excited shoppers weren't the only ones buying Samsung's latest flagship smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S III hands-on, when it went on sale in the U.K. last month. Apparently Apple bought one too, and wasn't too happy about what it found in the box. In a new court filing, picked up by intellectual property-tracking blog FOSS Patents, Apple says the S3 infringes on two of its patents, both related to software features.

Apple Asks ITC to Block Imports of HTC Phones, Tablets

Apple Inc. filed an enforcement action at the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington, seeking an emergency order that would block imports of HTC Corp.’s newest phones and tablet computers. HTC had been ordered by the commission to remove a function patented by Apple for data-detection technology if it wanted to continue selling its mobile phones in the U.S.

Microsoft Loses Ruling in Patent Case Against Motorola

Microsoft Corp. lost a U.S. court ruling on its claim that Google Inc.’s Motorola Mobility unit breached a contractual obligation to license some of its patents on fair and reasonable terms. Microsoft is seeking to curb royalty demands from Motorola Mobility on Microsoft products including the Xbox gaming system and Windows products, and prevent Motorola Mobility from banning sales or U.S. imports of the Xbox.

Google to Warn of 'State-Sponsored Attackers'

Look out for an unusual warning atop your Gmail inbox, Google home page or Chrome browser. It will not mince words: “Warning: We believe state-sponsored attackers may be attempting to compromise your account or computer.” Google said it planned to issue the warning anytime it picks up malicious–possibly state-sponsored–activity on a user’s account or computer.

Judge Denies Apple's Request to Ban Galaxy Tab 10.1

Apple Inc. was denied its renewed request for a ban on U.S. sales of Samsung Electronics Co.’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer while the case is still before a federal court of appeals. U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California, said that she doesn’t have jurisdiction to issue a preliminary injunction because the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington hasn’t issued a mandate yet.

Chinese Online Retailer Probes Security Breach

Yihaodian, a Chinese online retailer backed by Wal-Mart Stores Inc., is probing a possible security breach, in what appeared to be the latest attempt to steal consumer data in China's growing e-commerce sector. Yihaodian, Wal-Mart's online arm in China, is working with local public-security officials to investigate the breach, a spokeswoman for the Shanghai-based company said.

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The GigaLaw Firm helps companies of all sizes protect their brands online, using domain name dispute policies – such as the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) – and other legal tools available to copyright and trademark owners on the Internet.