Police Detain Google Official in Brazil

Google Inc.'s head of operations in Brazil was detained by the country's federal police after the company failed to heed a judge's order to take down YouTube videos that the court ruled violate Brazilian electoral law. The detention came as another court ordered YouTube to remove clips of an anti-Islam film that has been blamed for deadly protests by Muslims around the globe, both joining a spate of court-ordered content-removal cases against Google's video-sharing website in Brazil.

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Privacy Advocates Oppose Changes to COPPA

Privacy advocates are calling on the Federal Trade Commission to reject a proposal first offered by the Walt Disney Company that would change how companies comply with a 1998 law requiring websites directed at children to obtain parental consent before collecting personal information from child users. In comments, a coalition of privacy and public interest groups voiced concern with a proposal made by Disney during the first round of comments on proposed revisions to the rule implementing the 1998 Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA.

FCC Chair Asked About AT&T-FaceTime Issue

The FCC has yet to comment on AT&T's decision to limit FaceTime over cellular connections, but in remarks made at Vox Media's offices in Washington, DC, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski suggested that the agency would review complaints about the service. Genachowski said that he couldn't comment specifically on AT&T at this time, but that if a good-faith effort to resolve the issue "doesn't lead to a resolution and a complaint is filed, we will exercise our responsibilities and we will act."

New Zealand Probes Interception in Megaupload Case

New Zealand is investigating allegations that its Government Communications Security Bureau acted unlawfully in connection with one of the largest criminal copyright cases. Prime Minister John Key announced the investigation regarding the case against Kim Dotcom, founder of the file-sharing website Megaupload.com, and three co-defendants.

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White House Preparing Cybersecurity Guidelines

The White House is preparing to direct federal agencies to develop voluntary cybersecurity guidelines for owners of power, water and other critical infrastructure facilities, according to people who said they had seen recent drafts of an executive order. The prospective order would give the agencies 90 days to propose new regulations and create a new cybersecurity council at the Department of Homeland Security with representatives from the Defense Department, Justice Department, Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Commerce, a former government cyber-security official told Reuters.

Company Files Antitrust Claims Against Craigslist

3Taps, a company that collects public data and organizes it for developers to use, filed an antitrust claim against Craigslist, accusing the company of anticompetitive business practices. The lawsuit, which was filed in Federal District Court for Northern California in San Francisco, is a response to Craigslist's lawsuit in July that accused 3Taps and Padmapper, a listings Web site, of infringing on Craigslist's copyright and trademark.

Bill Would Change Fees for Internet Radio Stations

Lawmakers in both the House and the Senate offered legislation that supporters say would level the playing field for Internet radio stations by allowing them to use the same standard for determining the rates they must pay performers for playing their music as other digital music providers. The legislation offered in the House by Reps. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, and Jared Polis, D-Colo., and in the Senate by Ron Wyden, D-Ore., would require that the Copyright Royalty Board use the same standard for setting rates for paying performers as it does for satellite and radio, which pay a much lower rate.

Iran Blocks Google, Plans More Online Controls

Iran plans to switch its citizens onto a domestic Internet network in what officials say is a bid to improve cyber security but which many Iranians fear is the latest way to control their access to the web. The announcement, made by a government deputy minister, came as state television announced Google Inc's search engine and its email service would be blocked.

Appeals Court Approves $9.5M Facebook Settlement

A U.S. appeals court refused to disturb Facebook Inc's $9.5 million class action settlement over allegations that the social networking company's defunct "Beacon" service violated its members' privacy rights. The 2-1 ruling came from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, with the one dissenting judge saying the settlement unfairly benefited Facebook and plaintiff attorneys.

Microsoft, H-P Shield Billions from Taxes, Senators Say

Technology giants Microsoft Corp and Hewlett-Packard Co used offshore units to shield billions of dollars from U.S. taxes by taking advantage of loopholes and stretching the limits of the tax code, a Senate panel said. Calling tax avoidance rampant in the technology sector, the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations said tech companies used intellectual property, royalties and license fees in overseas tax havens to skirt U.S. taxes.

EU Still Talking with Google About Antitrust

European Union authorities are still in talks with Google Inc. about alleged antitrust practices in its Internet-search business and have received proposals from the company to address their concerns, said EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia. Should Google's proposals fail to address the issues raised by the EU, authorities will be forced to take some action, Mr. Almunia said in a speech at Fordham University School of Law in New York.

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