Amazon Offers E-Book Contract Concessions to Settle EU Probe

Amazon.com Inc. is poised to settle a European Union probe into its e-book deals with publishers by changing controversial clauses, according to regulators. Amazon won’t enforce clauses that required publishers to offer it terms as good as or better than those they sign with other e-book distributors and will avoid them in future contracts, the European Commission said in a e-mailed statement that outlined details of the company’s offer to settle the investigation.

Appeals Court Lets Microsoft Email Server Decision Stand

An equally divided federal appeals court refused to reconsider its landmark decision forbidding the U.S. government from forcing Microsoft Corp and other companies to turn over customer emails stored on servers outside the United States. The 4-4 vote by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan let stand a July 14 decision that was seen as a victory for privacy advocates, and for technology companies offering cloud computing and other services worldwide.

Ninth Circuit Rules Against Perfect 10 in Copyright Case

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals handed Perfect 10 its latest legal defeat by recognizing that copyright plaintiffs must show "volitional conduct," or causation, when claiming a tech service infringes its copyrighted material. The subject of the 9th Circuit's latest opinion is Perfect 10's battle with Giganews, an online service provider of message exchange Usenet.

EU Considers Testing Banks for Cyber Attack Defenses

The European Union is considering testing banks' defenses against cyber attacks, EU officials and sources said, as concerns grow about the industry's vulnerability to hacking. Cyber attacks against banks have increased in numbers and sophistication in recent years, with criminals finding new ways to target banks beyond trying to illicitly obtain details of their customers' online accounts.

SEC Investigates Timing of Yahoo Data Breach Disclosures

U.S. authorities are investigating whether Yahoo Inc.’s two massive data breaches should have been reported sooner to investors, according to people familiar with the matter, in what could prove to be a major test in defining when a company is required to disclose a hack. The Securities and Exchange Commission has opened an investigation, and in December issued requests for documents, as it looks into whether the tech company’s disclosures about the cyberattacks complied with civil securities laws, the people said.

Obama's FCC Chairman Wants Net Neutrality Protected

Outgoing U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler warned Republicans against dismantling the Obama administration's landmark "net neutrality" protections that bar internet service providers from slowing consumer access to web content. Wheeler, in an interview, repeatedly questioned why Republicans would institute new policies that he said would benefit major internet service providers such as Comcast Corp, AT&T Inc, Verizon Communications Inc and CenturyLink Inc at the expense of thousands of other companies and consumers.

Apple Sues Qualcomm, Seeks $1 Billion in Rebate Payments

Apple Inc. is suing Qualcomm Inc., alleging the smartphone-chip supplier demanded onerous terms for its technology and that it sought to punish Apple for cooperating in a Korean regulatory probe into Qualcomm’s licensing practices. The suit, which Apple said it filed in federal district court in the Southern District of California, claims that Qualcomm leveraged its position as a manufacturer of a critical chip used in cellphones to seek “onerous, unreasonable and costly” terms for patents and blocked Apple’s ability to choose another supplier for chipsets.

Facebook Blocks, Restores Russian News Outlet

Russian news organization RT is now breathing a sigh of relief after Facebook temporarily blocked the Kremlin-backed media outlet from posting links, videos and other content besides text days before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. The news outlet, formerly known as Russia Today, said it was blocked from posting media content on the social media site for almost 24 hours.

Director of Patent Office to Stay on Job with Trump Administration

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director Michelle Lee will remain as the agency's head into the Trump administration despite speculation that she would step down or be replaced. Lee staying on is considered a win for internet companies like Google — where Lee previously worked — that have fought for patent reform during the Obama administration.

Online College Sues IT Worker for Password Access to Files

A fired IT employee took his revenge on a for-profit online college before he left, changing a password on an account that stored email and course material for 2,000 students, the Indianapolis-based online school has alleged in a lawsuit. In his own lawsuit, the employee contends that the administrator's password was autosaved on his company laptop that was returned to the college and his firing was racial discrimination.

Rights Groups Cite Facebook's 'Racially Biased Censorship'

Nearly 80 rights groups accused Facebook of "racially biased censorship" and failing to be more transparent about its removal policies and cooperation with law enforcement, adding to criticism the company has faced in recent months over its management of content on its network of 1.8 billion users. The sharp rebuke, sent in response to a December letter from Senior Vice President Joel Kaplan, reflected increasing impatience among advocacy groups that say Facebook has inadequately addressed their concerns despite repeated promises of action from senior executives.

Trump Considers Utah Attorney General as FTC Chairman

President-elect Donald Trump is considering tapping Sean Reyes, the attorney general of Utah, as the next chairman of the FTC, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter. If selected, it would put Reyes, 45, — a rising Republican star — in charge of a Washington agency that has a role in reviewing major mergers and scrutinizing tech giants like Facebook and Google for their privacy and antitrust practices.

Zuckerberg Defends Facebook in Trial Over Oculus Rift

Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg testified in a Dallas federal courtroom to defend his company in a $2 billion case that accuses Facebook's virtual reality company of corporate theft, employee poaching and an attempted coverup. The case deals with Oculus's Rift headset, which was first introduced in a 2012 Kickstarter campaign. Facebook bought the company in 2014 for $2 billion; the headset continued in development before going on sale in 2016.