Google Removes Political YouTube Video in Brazil

The Brazilian unit of Google, the world's No. 1 Internet search engine, said on it had obeyed a court order to remove a video attacking a candidate in Brazilian municipal elections from its YouTube service after legal appeals were exhausted. "We are profoundly disappointed to not have the opportunity of openly debating our arguments in the electoral justice system that the videos were legitimate manifestations of the freedom of expression and should continue (to be) available in Brazil," said Fabio Coelho, director-general of Google in Brazil in an e-mailed statement.

More U.S. Officials Discuss Cyberattack Capabilities

For years, even as the United States carried out sophisticated cyberattacks on Iran’s nuclear program and the Pentagon created a Cyber Command, officials have been hesitant to discuss American offensive cyberwarfare programs openly. But the chorus of official voices speaking publicly about American cyberattack strategy and capabilities is steadily growing, and some experts say greater openness will allow the United States to stake out legal and ethical rules in the uncharted territory of computer combat.

Computer Rental Companies Settle Secret Webcam Charges

Seven computer rental companies agreed to a settlement with the federal government after it was discovered that they were unlawfully capturing photos of customers by using illicit software that controlled a computer’s webcam. The Federal Trade Commission said the seven companies involved had worked with DesignerWare, a Pennsylvania-based software maker, to create a program that secretly captured “webcam pictures of children, partially undressed individuals, and intimate activities at home.”

EU to Charge Microsoft for Breaching Antitrust Order

Microsoft Corp will be charged for failing to comply with a 2009 ruling ordering it to offer a choice of web browsers, the European Union's antitrust chief said, which could mean a hefty fine for the company. U.S.-based Microsoft's more than decade-long battle with the European Commission has already landed it with fines totaling more than a billion euros ($1.28 billion).

Domain Applicant Criticized for Abuse-Related Connections

The single most aggressive bidder for lucrative new Web domains is a little-known investment group with an intriguing name: Donuts Inc. Its $57 million play for 307 new domains — more than Google, Amazon and Allstate combined — has prompted alarm among industry groups and Internet watchdogs. They warn that Donuts has close ties to a company with a well-documented history of providing services to spammers and other perpetrators of Internet abuses.

Major Banks Hit by Cyberattacks; Accounts Unaffected

Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, U.S. Bancorp and PNC have been hit by a wave of cyberattacks that have caused Internet blackouts and delays on online banking sites. Such attacks, while a nuisance, are not technically sophisticated and typically do not affect a company’s computer network — or, in this case, funds or customers’ bank accounts.

Amazon Wants Court to Dismiss "App Store" Claim

Amazon.com Inc has asked a federal judge to throw out Apple Inc's false advertising claim in a lawsuit challenging the online retailer's use of the "app store" name. The claim is part of a March 2011 trademark lawsuit in which Apple, which this year became the world's largest company ever by market value, accused Amazon of misusing its "App Store" name to solicit developers for a mobile software download service.

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.

  • Read the article: AP

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.

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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.