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Consumer Web Watch published a new report, 66 pages in pdf – False Oracles: Consumer Reaction to Learning the Truth About How Search Engines Work Results of an Ethnographic Study. From the abstract: “Many online consumers think of search engines as online tools that help them to quickly find Web sites most relevant to their …
From Boston.internet.com: “In a blow for chipmaker Intel, the California Supreme Court Monday found that senders of spam e-mails cannot be sued under state law forbidding property trespass. The 4 to 3 ruling reversed a lower court injunction preventing former Intel engineer Ken Hamidi from sending e-mails critical of Intel to thousands of its employees.” …
From the RIAA press release: In a unanimous opinion today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed a preliminary injunction against the peer-to-peer service Aimster (now called Madster) and its principle, John Deep. The district court initially issued a preliminary injunction last December which was subsequently appealed. The decision, in pdf, is …
New cellphones used in “digital shoplifting” “Tokyo – Japanese publishers said on Monday they will launch a campaign this week to stop digital shoplifters – people who visit bookstores to photograph magazine pages with their cellphones rather than make a purchase.” [[email protected]]
Doe v. Chao, 02-1377. “The Supreme Court agreed Friday to join the debate over consumers’ privacy rights in a case that will decide how the government can be punished for revealing Social Security numbers and other personal information.”
A Citizen’s Guide on Using The Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act of 1974 to Request Government Records (text version, pdf version), First Report by the Committee on Government Reform, June 23, 2003, House Report 108-172. The Freedom of Information Act Privacy Act of 1974
On June 26, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) introduced legislation, S. 1350 (the Notification of Risk to Personal Data Act) “to require businesses or government agencies to notify individuals if a database has been broken into and personal data has been compromised, including Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses and credit cards. The bill is modeled, in …
Perk, and peril, in employees’ attachment to e-mail: “For much of the working population, e-mail is not only available but indispensable, a tool not just for work but for maintaining personal bonds….many workers are accustomed to using a work computer and e-mail address to stay in touch with friends and family in the course of …
A Safer System for Home PC’s Feels Like Jail to Some Critics. “As PC makers prepare a new generation of desktop computers with built-in hardware controls to protect data and digital entertainment from illegal copying, the industry is also promising to keep information safe from tampering and help users avoid troublemakers in cyberspace.” For related …
From the Gainsvilles Sun: “In an effort to squelch the illegal sharing of copyrighted files in its residence halls, the University of Florida simultaneously launched an Internet piracy awareness campaign in the dorms and a new computer management system called ICARUS, which stands for Integrated Control Application for Restricting User Services. ICARUS monitors the UF …
3 to Spy on Those You Love: A review of Guardian Software’s Guardian Monitor 8.0 ($40, www.guardiansoftware.com), Spytech Software’s SpyAgent4.4 ($50, www.spytech-web.com) and Xelerate Software’s SpyPC 7.0 ($40, www.xelerate.biz). See also, Can Internet ‘Washer’ Programs Keep Web Surfing Private?
The Google Toolbar Beta 2.0 introduced last week includes three major new features: a pop-up ad blocker, a tool that automatically fills-out those ubiquitous web forms requiring personal data, and a “blog this” button to post to a blog. See also the Google Toolbar Beta 2.0 Help Index and the Google Toolbar Frequently Asked Questions.