Articles by date
17 May 2013
Fears rise over Australian government web censorship (Australian Financial Review)
Greens senator Scott Ludlam says the federal government has revived internet censorship concerns with revelations its agencies are using legislative powers to block Australian users from accessing suspect websites more widely than first thought.
German case on embedding YouTube videos referred to EU court (PC World)
Embedded YouTube videos don't infringe copyright under current German law, but they could violate European rules, the German Federal Court of Justice said on Thursday.
Copyright owners can't sue Google's YouTube as a group - US judge (Reuters)
A U.S. judge on Wednesday denied class-action status to copyright owners suing Google Inc over the use of material posted on YouTube without their permission.
At Microsoft, a Sharpened Focus on Cybercrime (Threat Post)
Cybercrime has developed in the last few years into a major concern, not just for the consumers and businesses that are victims, but also for governments around the world. Obama administration officials have called it one of the larger threats to the United States economy. While law enforcement agencies handle the investigative and prosecutorial piece of things, they are increasingly being aided by experts at companies such as Microsoft, Google and others that have unique insights into attackers' activities and the capability to make life more difficult for them.
Concerns Arise on U.S. Effort to Allow Internet 'Wiretaps' (New York Times)
Surveillance can be a tricky affair in the Internet age. A federal law called the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act allows law enforcement officials to tap a traditional phone, as long as they get approval from a judge. But if communication is through voice over Internet Protocol technology -- Skype, for instance -- it's not as simple.
German online copyright law to take effect in August (Computerworld)
A German online copyright law that will give publishers the exclusive right to the commercial use of their publications on the Internet will come into effect on Aug. 1.
Significant progress on key issues of Internet Governance: ITU Conference gathers stakeholders from government, industry and civil society to debate international Internet public policy-related issues (International Telecommunication Union)
"This year's WTPF, with its focus on international Internet-related public policy matters, is especially timely - as we stand at a 'tipping point', with the Internet making the transition from a mass-market in industrialized countries, to strong demand and widespread usage around the world", said Dr Touré, as the ITU's fifth World Telecommunication Policy Forum concluded in Geneva today.
ITU World Telecommunication Policy Forum Closes Focused on Continuing Open Dialogue (ISOC)
Today, the World Telecommunication Policy Forum (WTPF) came to a close with robust debate among all stakeholders about the role of government in Internet governance. Throughout the meeting, the Internet Society participated in dialogue that focused on several key areas, including the significant role of Internet exchange points as a means of enhancing Internet connectivity, the need for timely deployment of IPv6, and the importance of the multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance.
Der Kampf um die Netzhoheit ist vertagt (Die Zeit)
Viele Regierungen wollen ihren Einfluss auf die Fernmeldeunion ITU und damit auf die Internetverwaltung ausweiten. Patrick Beuth hat den Streit in Genf beobachtet.
16 May 2013
Revealed: Amazon earns more through UK government grants than it pays in tax (The Independent)
Amazon paid less in UK corporation tax last year than it received in government grants, its official company accounts have revealed - sparking condemnation from MPs around the country.
Swedish Prosecutors Ask Court For Right To Seize Pirate Bay Domains
Swedish prosecutors are attempting to close down The Pirate Bay through having the domain names piratebay.se and thepiratebay.se deregistered.
British LulzSec 'hactivists' caused websites to crash across the world for their own amusement (The Independent)
Four "modern day pirates" launched cyber-attacks on the CIA and global corporations stealing huge amounts of sensitive data and causing websites to crash across the world for their own amusement, a court heard today.
Fresh questions for Amazon over pittance it pays in tax (The Guardian)
MPs are ready to haul Amazon back to parliament to answer new questions about its tax status in Britain after a Guardian investigation's findings suggest the online retailer is pushing the tax rulebook to its limits to minimise its tax bill.
Google Introduces New Search Tools to Try to Read Our Minds (New York Times)
Google keeps trying to read our minds. The company revealed some new search tools on Wednesday at I/O, its annual developers conference. Taken together, they are another step toward Google's trying to become the omnipotent, human-like "Star Trek" search engine that its executives say they want it to be.
Too Many Stakeholders Spoil the Soup (Foreign Policy)
Back in December, governments from around the world convened in Dubai to update the treaty that governs the international telecommunications system -- but negotiations failed due to concerns that the revised agreement could make Internet companies from Google to Tumblr, and not just traditional telecom companies, subject to its provisions. These international rules would have slowed innovation by bringing the Internet into a system designed for state-run telecom monopolies. Fifty-five governments, including most of the liberal democracies, refused to sign the updated treaty.
Seven million UK adults have never used internet (The Guardian)
More than seven million adults in the UK have never used the internet, official figures suggest.
Twitter US 'Hate Map' shows where racist, homophobic, and offensive tweets originate (Venture Beat)
Students at Humboldt State University in California individually reviewed 150,000 geocoded tweets containing racist, homophobic, or otherwise offensive terms to build a "hate map" indicating where people in the U.S. are most bigoted.
Swedish prosecutor asks court to block file-sharer Pirate Bay (Reuters)
Swedish prosecutors have launched a new attempt to close down the popular file-sharing site The Pirate Bay, asking a court to block internet addresses used to access the site.
Google's New Privacy Policy Display Violates California Privacy Protection Law, Privacy Policy Is Also "Deceptive," Consumer Watchdog Tells Attorney General (Consumer Watchdog)
A recent change in the way Google presents its privacy policy violates the California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA) and the policy is "fundamentally deceptive," Consumer Watchdog told Attorney General Kamala Harris.
Consent should be needed for anonymised data sharing to be lawful, say European campaigners (Out-Law)
Businesses should have to ask for individuals' consent before sharing anonymised personal data with third parties, digital rights campaigners have said.
Syria Severed from Internet Again (Threat Post)
For the second time this month, the civil war-torn nation of Syria lost its connection to the Internet this morning before emerging from the Internet blackout several hours later, according to information provided by Arbor Networks.
Rights groups condemn Azerbaijan over Internet defamation bill (Reuters)
Human rights groups criticised Azerbaijan on Wednesday for legislation that will make defamation over the Internet a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment ahead of a presidential election in the tightly controlled nation.
15 May 2013
Social Media Privacy - A Dozen Myths and Facts by Lothar Determann (Stanford Technology Law Review)
Social networks and media are one of the latest frontiers for lawyers, lawmakers, politicians, entrepreneurs and academics. No one seems to claim that social media is the final frontier or even a particularly revolutionary frontier. After all, media and social networks have been around for thousands of years in one form or another. But, most are genuinely fascinated with the new opportunities, risks, and questions presented by the recent rapid rise of novel technology platforms that allow people all over the world to connect and communicate in new ways.
The digital revolution? It's all a gift to the power of the state (The Guardian)
On Monday the US justice department admitted it knew of every phone call made by 100 Associated Press reporters in April and May last year. It had seized the details, undisclosed, from the relevant phone companies. No reason was given. The department said it "valued the freedom of the press", but - that phrase is always followed by but - it had to balance this against the public interest in security.
China tries to rein in microbloggers (The Guardian)
China has launched a new drive to tame its boisterous microblogging culture by closing influential accounts belonging to writers and intellectuals who have used them to highlight social injustice.
