p2pnet World Headlines – Aug 27, 2009
[Inside look at a Chinese Internet re-education camp] Tough cure for China web addicts BBC
For patients at Beijing`s Youth Psychology Development Centre, the day begins with the loud blast of a whistle at about 0600 . The ministry of health issued a notice in July banning the use of electro-stimulation that was being used to cure internet addicts. [Comment: ew, nasty. Also see Teen dies in China net addiction camp]
Isohunt judge says MPAA has yet to prove direct infringment CNet
File-sharing sites haven`t had a great year, especially in court, but on Wednesday they received a smidgen of good news. The Motion Picture Association of America asked a federal court to rule that Isohunt was liable for copyright violations committed by its users, but the judge in the case was unconvinced. In his order, U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Wilson said the studios had yet to prove that the Isohunt`s users had broken U.S. law. Lawyers for the MPAA, the trade group representing the six major Hollywood film studios, are trying to convince the judge that Isohunt encouraged and contributed to the infringing activity of users. Wilson gave the MPAA until Sept. 15 to file a brief that convinces him direct infringement at the site was committed by those in the U.S. Apparently, Wilson has questions about whether U.S. residents have pirated content using Isohunt.
[Cutting the Bell ties] ISPs upset with CRTC`s latest ruling IT World Canada
This month`s decision forcing Bell`s ISP customers to charge subscribers usage fees has one provider preparing to cut ties to the telco. However, another ISP says there are few options. A recent series of regulatory rulings favouring Bell Canada over Internet service providers is prompting ISPs to rethink their dealings with the telco. This month one of them, Toronto-based Yak Communications, a Toronto-based Internet service and long distance provider, said it is starting to turn its back on Bell in part because it believes rulings by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) will cost it subscribers Antecol said Wednesday that Yak might offer residential customers wireless connectivity from Globalive`s sister company, the soon-to-launch Wind Mobile, which would cut the connection to Bell. [Comment: Yak is on track.]
To Buy Or To Pirate? Get A Clue RIAA! Scitechbits
Researchers combined results of other studies with new perspectives for studying pirates and what influences their decisions. They set out to discover the ethical, legal and economic decision-making reasons behind digital piracy. Then they broke down the study into eight factors: Networking effects, legal/ethical , comparisons to other pirates, type of music pirated, economics, overcharging, no risk, and situational pirating . While the RIAA research reported a ridiculous music industry loss of about $45 billion and that digital pirates are an angry group of people who feel ripped off and are out to get the music industry, this study showed piracy intentions boil down to what type of music, network effects, and no risk to the pirate. In many cases, what has previously been proven as the motives behind piracy has declined. Younger males with low income seem to be the most prone to pirating. Once a person has pirated, they are more likely to continue doing so. Given below is a table, which shows the results of the principal components factors analysis.
Cartoon animator awarded $5.2 million in plagiarism case against Cinar Montreal Gazette
Claude Robinson, a doggedly determined Montreal animator, has won a 13-year-long legal battle against the children`s animation firm formerly known as Cinar Corp. Robinson, who launched a $2.53-million Quebec Superior Court copyright-infringement lawsuit against Cinar and other defendants in July 1996 claiming they stole a cartoon character he created, today was awarded $5.2-million.
Man spent $7 million in bogus currency made with cheap inkjet printer BoingBoing
Details has an article about a guy who lived like a high roller by printing more than $7 million with an ink-jet printer and supplies from Staples .
Judge orders cybersquatter to pay Verizon $33m The Register
A federal court in California has upheld a massive $33.15m penalty against a cybersquatting domain aggregator that registered hundreds of websites mimicking Verizon`s name and trademarks.
TiVo files suit against AT&T, Verizon MarketWatch
Digital video recorder pioneer TiVo Inc. said Wednesday that it has filed suit against AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. for infringement of three of its patents The suit seeks damages for past infringement and a permanent injunction that would force AT&T and Verizon to shut off their digital video recording devices, similar to the injunction against satellite provider Dish Network
BCE Says Palm Pre Will Boost Revenue Bloomberg
The Pre`s ability to run many applications at once encourages people to keep using the touch-screen device, Wade Oosterman, president of BCE`s Bell Mobility unit, said today in an interview. That will increase average revenue per user, he said. [Comment: How nice. Always thinking of the customer]
Microsoft files opening brief in appeal against decision favouring i4i Canoe
Microsoft has filed its opening brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals challenging a jury decision in Texas that found the U.S. computer giant infringed on patents held by Toronto-based software company i4i LP, the Canadian company said Wednesday. The appeal brief filed by Microsoft is an extraordinary document, i4i chairman Loudon Owen said in a news release. It captures the hostile attitude of Microsoft toward inventors who dare to enforce patents against them. It is also blatantly derogatory about the court system.
LendingTree lawsuit claims Google is jumping into loan referral business Canoe
A LendingTree lawsuit against a technology provider claims that it has learned Google plans to launch such a service later this month or in early September. The lawsuit doesn`t say how it knows about Google`s plans. Charlotte, N.C.-based LendingTree is seeking an injunction against a company called Mortech, which helps automate pricing by lenders who are offering loans. Google says it is working on a small test involving mortgage-related searches. It says it won`t speculate on future projects [Comment: Fits in with googles street view. Additional: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/27/google_mortgage_quote_lawsuit/]
Official: Google wants to tell you what to think The Register
Google has anointed an “approved list” of writers it thinks you should read. But not only is Google’s choice far from “Neutral” – there’s no libertarians, merely one (shrieky and not very representative) conservative, and a preponderance of Greens – there isn’t a Google critic amongst them. Well, there goes “neutrality”.
Video blunder lets porn be sold legally to kids BBC
Retailers who sell children violent or pornographic videos will be immune from prosecution for the next three months after the discovery of a government blunder 25 years ago…. In the interim, people will be able to sell pornographic and violent videos to children under the age of 18 without fear of prosecution. [Comment: ah]
Court`s Steroid Ruling Pumps Up Computer Privacy Wired
A divided 11-judge federal appeals court panel has dramatically narrowed the government`s search-and-seizure powers in the digital age, ruling Wednesday that federal prosecutors went too far when seizing 104 professional baseball players` drug results when they had a warrant for just 10. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals` 9-2 decision offered Miranda-style guidelines to prosecutors and judges on how to protect Fourth Amendment privacy rights while conducting computer searches. Ideally, when searching a computer`s hard drive, the government should cull the specific data described in the search warrant, rather than copy the entire drive, the San Francisco-based appeals court ruled. When that`s not possible, the feds must use an independent third party under the court`s supervision, whose job it would be to comb through the files for the specific information, and provide it, and nothing else, to the government. Judges, the appellate court added, should be wary of prosecutors and perhaps deny the warrant altogether if the government does not consent to such a plan in data-search cases. The government said it was weighing its options, including whether to appeal to the Supreme Court.
ACLU Sues for Records on Border Laptop Searches TechPolitik
The American Civil Liberties Union said Wednesday that it had filed a lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), demanding records from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection`s (CBP) policy of searching laptops at border crossings without any suspicion of wrongdoing.
MS phishing filter blacklists everything The Register
A wide range of uk.com websites were misclassified as malign by anti-phishing technology built into the latest versions of Microsoft`s browser software on Wednesday.
WPA wireless security cracked in 60 seconds PC Advisor
Users urged to switch to WPA2 – The attack gives hackers a way to read encrypted traffic sent between computers and certain types of routers that use the WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) encryption system. The attack was developed by Toshihiro Ohigashi of Hiroshima University and Masakatu Morii of Kobe University, who plan to discuss further details at a technical conference set for September 25 in Hiroshima.
How to keep Big Brother from tracking cell phone The Standard
Network providers gather data that tracks where customers go with their cell phones, a potential privacy infringement that researchers are trying to eliminate. 5 lab technologies that could reinvent cell phones. In the United States, the Department of Justice has sought permission to look at mobile-phone tracking information without a warrant. To combat this type of surveillance, the German researchers have developed PathForge, a scheme for cell phones to swap their identities with each other until it becomes necessary to send or receive a call. The phones revert to their original identities for the duration of time they use the network, then swap them again when they are done. [Additional: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/08/26/urnidgns852573C4006938800025761F001AB861.DTL&type=tech]
Pirate Bay sale approved; legal version coming soon Ars Technica
Swedish company Global Gaming Factory X has approved its CEO’s plan to purchase The Pirate Bay domain and replace it with a legal file-sharing site. But the company’s stock has been suspended and no deals have yet been announced with content providers. Will a $20/month content buffet ever see the light of the Intarwebs? [Or maybe not - see The Pirate Bay deal on the rocks? - Jon]
Cisco wireless systems flaw could expose firms to DoS attack IT Business
Virtually any organization using newly installed Cisco Systems’ wireless access points are vulnerable to an attack. Technology experts and Cisco outline your options for protection. A vulnerability in Cisco Systems’ wireless access points (AP) could expose businesses using the system to possible denial of service (DoS) attacks, a Canadian technology analyst has cautioned.
Facebook Wants To Own Idea Of Crowdsourced Translations TechDirt
Apparently Facebook is trying to patent the idea of crowdsourced translations of its service. The actual patent application was filed in December of 2008, but the real priority date (I believe) is December of 2007 (when I think the company filed a provisional patent)…. Others picked up on the idea and did slightly different variations, and everyone kept innovating, and no one felt the need to own the concept of crowdsourced translations or to prohibit others from doing it. But now, suddenly, there needs to be a patent on the concept? I’m confused how anyone could think this meets the criteria of “promoting the progress.” [Comment: Damn them... Maudit Facebook]
US Gov`t Briefing For All Employees: All Music Downloads Are Stolen, Risky TechDirt
A bunch of folks have sent over a post on Slashdot detailing how a mandatory US gov`t briefing on information security uses incredibly hyperbolic and inaccurate information, including the idea that all music downloads are theft and insecure. You can see the (flash-heavy) video briefing.
Jail rape of detainees proven: Iran parliamentarian Ottawa Citizen
Reformist website says more mass graves found – Some Iranian reformers jailed after the disputed presidential election were raped in prison, a member of a parliamentary investigation said on Thursday. Raping of some detainees with a baton and soda bottle has been proven to us, the Parlemannews website quoted the unidentified lawmaker from the investigative committee as saying.
Execution video sparks Tamil outrage The Star
Sri Lankan soldiers allegedly shot naked, blindfolded victims – A naked, blindfolded man crouches on the ground, as a uniformed soldier kicks him in the head then abruptly ends his life with a point- blank rifle shot. Other bodies lie nearby, their blood staining the earth around them. The video, aired by Britain`s Channel 4 news, comes with a warning to viewers of extremely disturbing scenes. [Comment: Sounds like the UK gov is using fear in the news. They must want money for more cameras]
Russell McOrmond: Canadian law should be updated to protect us from digital locks Straight
["Russell McOrmond writes an op-ed in the Georgia Straight on why we need protection from DRM, not for DRM." [Quote by Michael Geist]]
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
August, 2009
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August 27th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Ottawa accused of altering copyright comments
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/08/27/government-copyright-consultation.html
Hundreds of Canadians who have voiced their opinions on copyright reform through letters are having their comments filtered and altered by the government, a prominent internet advocate charges.
Surprised? Its all fixed anyhow. This is a mickey mouse Econsultation with the gov altering peoples comments. Definitely will remember this come election time.