ACLU, Google Ask U.S. Delay Expansion of Hacking Authority

A coalition of 26 organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Google, signed a letter asking lawmakers to delay a measure that would expand the government’s hacking authority. The letter asks Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), plus House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to further review proposed changes to Rule 41 and delay its implementation until July 1, 2017.

Trump Appointees for FCC Transition Oppose Net Neutrality

President-elect Donald Trump appointed Jeffrey Eisenach and Mark Jamison, two vocal opponents of net neutrality, to run his Federal Communications Commission (FCC) transition team. Both Eisenach and Jamison will come to the roll as industry insiders: Eisenach is a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and has been a paid consultant for Verizon Wireless, while Jamison runs the Public Utility Resource Center at the University of Florida and is a former lobbyist for Sprint.

Microsoft Offers Concessions to EU in LinkedIn Takeover

Microsoft will still allow LinkedIn's rivals access to its software and give hardware makers the option of installing other services to try to win EU approval for its takeover of the U.S. firm, people familiar with the matter said. The U.S. software company submitted its LinkedIn concessions to the European Commission last week after the EU competition enforcer expressed concerns about the $26 billion deal, Microsoft's biggest ever acquisition.

Police Departments Using Software Tools to Monitor Protesters

Hundreds of local police departments across the United States have collectively spent about $4.75 million on software tools that can monitor the locations of activists at protests or social media hashtags used by suspects, according to new research. The research, by the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonprofit organization focusing on criminal justice issues, aims to take a comprehensive look at the fast-growing phenomenon of social media-monitoring by law enforcement.

FBI Warns U.S. Banks About ATM Hackers

Cybercriminals who once earned millions by breaking into individual online bank accounts are now targeting the banks’ own computers, with often-dramatic results. In Taiwan and Thailand earlier this year, the criminals programmed bank ATMs to spew cash. Earlier this month, the Federal Bureau of Investigation warned U.S. banks of the potential for similar attacks.

China Urges Tech Companies to Fight Crime, Censor Internet

Picture an internet where tech companies are deputized as crime-fighters, where censors keep radical views in check and where governments work together to achieve global order in cyberspace. That is China’s vision, and its third-annual World Internet Conference was aimed at proselytizing that view to tech executives and government leaders who assembled here from around the world.

Germany's Justice Minister Wants Facebook 'Treated as Media'

Germany's Justice Minister says he believes Facebook Inc. should be treated like a media company rather than a technology platform, suggesting he favors moves to make social media groups criminally liable for failing to remove hate speech. Under a program that runs until March, German authorities are monitoring how many racist posts reported by Facebook users are deleted within 24 hours. Justice Minister Heiko Maas has pledged to take legislative measures if the results are still unsatisfactory by then.

Prince's Estate Sues Jay Z Over Music Streaming Rights

Prince’s estate is suing rap mogul Jay Z over who has the rights to stream the late superstar’s music. The ongoing battle has festered for months in Carver County District Court, but now NPG Records Inc., and NPG Music Publishing — Prince’s music entities — escalated it by filing a federal lawsuit alleging copyright infringement against Roc Nation, a multifaceted business started by Shawn C. Carter — Jay Z — which includes Tidal, a music streaming service.

U.S. 'Deeply Concerned' Over Russia Blocking LinkedIn

The U.S. government said it was deeply concerned over Russia's decision to block public access to networking site LinkedIn, saying it created a precedent that could be used to justify blocking other sites operating in Russia. LinkedIn, which has its headquarters in the United States, is the first major social network to be blocked under a new law that requires firms holding Russian citizens' data to store it on servers on Russian soil.

Chinese President Vows to Uphold 'Cyber Sovereignty'

China’s President Xi Jinping called for “more fair and equitable” governance of the global web, as the country opened a state-run internet conference aimed at pushing its alternative vision of the web. Mr. Xi said in video remarks played at the conference opening that China would work to uphold “cyber sovereignty,” the idea that countries have absolute control over their corners of the internet.

Microsoft Offers EU Concessions in LinkedIn Purchase

Microsoft has offered concessions to EU antitrust regulators over its $26 billion bid for social network LinkedIn, the European Commission said, as the U.S. software company seeks to allay concerns over its largest ever deal. The move came after the EU competition enforcer expressed concerns about the deal at a meeting with Microsoft executives last week.

Global Internet Freedom Declines for 6th Year, Report Says

Messaging apps are facing increased pressure from government authorities as online rights around the world are slipping, according to a Freedom House report. Internet freedom declined for the sixth year in a row, the pro-democracy think tank's “Freedom on the Net” report shows. The report looks at online access, censorship and surveillance in 65 countries around the world.

Secret Software on Some Android Phones Sends Data to China

Security contractors recently discovered preinstalled software in some Android phones that monitors where users go, whom they talk to and what they write in text messages. The American authorities say it is not clear whether this represents secretive data mining for advertising purposes or a Chinese government effort to collect intelligence.

Twitter Makes It Easier to Hide, Report Abusive Posts

Social media companies are under increasing scrutiny for the amount of hate speech that thrives on their platforms, especially since the presidential election. Now, Twitter has unveiled several new measures to curb the online abuse, making it easier for its users to hide content they do not wish to see on the service and to report abusive posts, even when those messages are directed at other users.

Amazon Sues Two Vendors for Selling Counterfeit Products

Amazon.com Inc. filed two lawsuits against vendors allegedly selling counterfeit goods through its internet marketplace, stepping up efforts to keep fakes off the site heading into the holiday shopping season. One suit targets ToysNet of Hacienda Heights, California; Disk Vision of Brandon, Florida; and individuals who Amazon says sold counterfeit Forearm Forklifts, straps used to carry heavy and bulky items.

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.