Chinese Smartphone Makers Seek Patents as Ammunition

China’s smartphone makers increasingly are turning to patents as ammunition as they try to reel in global leaders Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Chinese technology giants from Huawei Technologies Co. to ZTE Corp. and Lenovo Group Ltd. are acquiring patents through licensing deals, acquisitions and hefty spending on research and development -- moves that could signal more legal challenges for Apple and Samsung not just in China, but overseas as well.

OECD Report Warns About Limits on Online Speech

At least a dozen countries are considering or have enacted laws restricting online speech, a trend that is alarming policymakers and others who see the internet as a valuable medium for debate and expression. Such curbs are called out as a threat to the open internet in a report on internet governance set to be released at an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development meeting in Cancun, Mexico.

N.Y. Bill Would Require Hardware Makers to Publish Repair Instructions

A New York bill called the Fair Repair Act would require that hardware manufacturers make repair instructions and parts available to the public. If passed by state lawmakers, the bill could open up independent access to repairs across the nation; its legality in one state would free up information and distribution flow to the rest of the country.

FCC to Vote on New Rules for 5G Wireless Spectrum

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission will vote July 14 on new rules to identify and open spectrum for next-generation high-speed 5G wireless applications, the panel's chairman said. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said if the FCC "approves my proposal next month, the United States will be the first country in the world to open up high-band spectrum for 5G networks and applications."

U.S. Cyber Command Leader Says ISIS Has Online 'Aspirations'

Over the past few years, cyberattacks on businesses have led to huge losses and diminished consumer confidence. But cyberattacks are also happening on the national scale as the internet becomes another arena for global conflict. To get a picture of this emerging battlefield, The Wall Street Journal’s Rebecca Blumenstein spoke with Lt. Gen. James K. “Kevin” McLaughlin, deputy commander of the U.S. Cyber Command.

Alleged Inventor of Bitcoin Building Patent Portfolio

Craig Wright, the Australian who claimed to be the inventor of bitcoin, is attempting to build a large patent portfolio around the digital currency and technology underpinning it, according to associates of his and documents reviewed by Reuters. Since February, Wright has filed more than 50 patent applications in Britain through Antigua-registered EITC Holdings Ltd, which a source close to the company confirmed was connected to Wright, government records show.

Twitch Sues Operators of 'Bot Services' for Deception

It's a new day in the entertainment industry, and few lawsuits speak to where things are heading for better or worse like the one filed by Twitch Interactive, the Amazon.com subsidiary that allows users to watch others play video games. With more than 100 million users, Twitch is massively successful, but according to a complaint filed in California federal court, there's bad apples beneath the surface. Specifically, bots.

N.Y. Lawmakers Legalize Online Sports Fantasy Games

Months after being halted by the New York attorney general, daily fantasy sports won a major victory as state lawmakers moved to legalize the online games. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a Democrat, has not yet indicated that he will sign the bill, but the final legislation included proposed modifications from his staff, suggesting at least some degree of support.

Family of Student Killed During ISIS Attack Sues Social Networks

The family of an American student killed by the Islamic State during a November 2015 attack in Paris is suing Twitter, Facebook and Google for providing, “material support” to the terrorist group. In a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Northern California, Nohemi Gonzalez's father, Reynaldo Gonzalez, argues the three platforms “have knowingly permitted the terrorist group ISIS to use their social networks as a tool for spreading extremist propaganda, raising funds and attracting new recruits.”

U.S. Attorney in N.Y. Investigating Bangladesh Bank Heist

The U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan has opened an investigation of the cyber heist of $81 million from Bangladesh Bank's account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a law enforcement source said. Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, is investigating the February crime, in which criminals used the SWIFT fund-transfer network to steal money from Bangladesh's central bank.

'Spam King' Gets 30 Months in Prison for Targeting Facebook Users

Sanford Wallace, the self-proclaimed "spam king" who has bedeviled Web users since the dawn of the public Internet two decades ago, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution for bombarding Facebook users, according to court records. Wallace, 47 — also known as "Spamford" and the handle he preferred himself, "the Spam King" — pleaded guilty in August to electronic mail fraud and to criminal contempt of court, according to sentencing documents filed in U.S. District Court in San Jose, California.