Buys Inc. Attorneys ICT Law Blog     Wednesday, September 26, 2007     allAfrica.com: Zimbabwe: Individual Convicted for Carrying Printed E-Mail Message Critical of President And Vice-President (Page 1 of 1) In the first case of its kind, a Harare magistrate has tried and convicted a man who was found in possession of a printed email message containing information that was said to denigrate President Robert Mugabe and Vice President Joice Mujuru. Music teacher up for child porn: South Africa: News: News24 A West Rand music teacher has applied for bail in the local magistrate's court after being arrested and charged with possession of child pornography and indecent assault. First US lawsuit to test GPL open source licence | OUT-LAW.COM A free software lobby group has filed the first US lawsuit for violation of the GNU General Public Licence. The GNU GPL is the most popular licence for open source software in the world and previously has been upheld in a German court. Charges dropped against alleged sex blogger : Mail & Guardian Online Kroonstad blogger Juan Duval Uys (39) stepped free from the dock of the Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Friday, after a charge of crimen injuria, laid by Independent Democrats politician Simon Grindrod, was withdrawn. Lawyer jailed for faking email in child custody case - Independent Online Edition > Crime A leading London barrister has been jailed for attempting to pervert the course of justice by elaborately faking an email in a child custody case for one of his clients. Real friends and virtual strangers For the uninitiated these questions will be greeted with a furrowed brow and a good deal of head scratching. But for Facebook users -- whose number have swollen to an incredible 35 million in a matter of months -- such summons are a familiar part of everyday life and are quickly weaving themselves into the vernacular of a tech-smart generation. " Microsoft targets blockbuster debut with 'Halo 3' - CNN.com We'll soon find out as the third installment in the 'Halo' video game franchise debuted Tuesday for the Xbox 360 console. EU police mull anti-porn net filter Police from 11 European states met Wednesday in Madrid to mull the creation of an internet filter system designed to prevent paedophiles from downloading child pornography, Spanish media reported. Facebook's sex predator safeguards questioned Prosecutors in New York state are investigating whether social networking website Facebook is living up to its word when it comes to protecting young Internet users from sexual predators. Sprint settles suit for $57.5 million - Yahoo! News Sprint Nextel Corp. has proposed paying $57.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit claiming it robbed billions of dollars from shareholders when it combined two tracking stocks in early 2004. ITWeb : Documented common sense IT asset management (ITAM), says Gartner, is a fundamental discipline that enables improved cost control and better understanding of the business value of IT. ITWeb : Cash is king Since the move, Faritec has signed seven contracts with Spoor & Fisher, combining all of its IT and other needs into a single rental finance solution. ITWeb : AG subpoenas Facebook US attorney general Andrew Cuomo on Monday announced an investigation into the popular online social networking site Facebook, after undercover investigators posing as children were allegedly solicited by sexual predators and the company was lax in responding to complaints, says USA Today. ITWeb : ICT unease as 2010 nears Local municipalities do not have focused ICT plans in place for the 2010 Soccer World Cup and this is cause for great concern, says ICT consulting firm ForgeAhead. Need an alibi? Virtual world provides cover Need an alibi for a tricky situation, something to get you out of the house, or into someone else’s? Explain a missed meeting? Google seeks European Union blessing of DoubleClick buy Google said on Monday that it has asked European Union regulators to approve its pending 3.1-billion-dollar purchase of Internet ad targeting colossus DoubleClick. Massive VoIP growth Internet Solutions (IS) is now servicing nearly 2000 voice sites for their customers. IT departments must watch security While most business executives are aware of security incidents at their companies, ownership of the problem is still perceived to rest with IT departments, a study by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu has found. SA’s free software dream turns into telecoms nightmare THE high cost of internet access is stifling SA’s software development industry, ironically thwarting the government’s commitment to use locally developed software packages. Bloggers outsmart Myanmar censors Savvy young bloggers in Myanmar are breaking through the military junta's tight Internet controls to post photos and videos of swelling anti-government protests, experts said Tuesday. Tuesday, September 25, 2007     New York Attorney General Subpoenaes Facebook in Sex Probe The New York Attorney General has subpoenaed Facebook after the company did not respond to 'many' complaints by investigators who were solicited for sex while posing as teenagers on the social-networking site. Investigators said that when they wrote to Facebook about their experiences, the concerns were ignored 'many' times. GigaLaw.com Daily News: Google Counsel Seeks International Internet Privacy Standard National regulators need to agree on a basic set of global privacy protections for the Internet within the next five years, a senior official with web searcher Google said. Peter Fleischer, the firm's global privacy counsel, said three quarters of countries had no Internet privacy standards at a time when the amount of sensitive personal and financial data on the Web was soaring. Microsoft in talks for Facebook stake Microsoft is negotiating to buy a stake in social networking site Facebook that could value the company at 10 billion dollars or more, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. Saturday, September 22, 2007     The case for firing Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri at FM Tech Over the years, my colleagues in the media and I have, from time to time, called for the head of communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri over her incompetent management of SA’s telecommunications industry. The long list of policy disasters she has left in her wake has earned her the well-deserved title of “Poison Ivy”. Telecoms handicap a drag for SA’s universities UNIVERSITIES are looking for new communications partners to connect them to the world. It’s a big responsibility: without the pipes, they’re going down the tubes. SCO Lawsuits: 'Misguided From the Start' One takeaway of the SCO filing is that 'dubious legal claims are not a business strategy,' said Amanda McPherson, marketing director for the Linux Foundation. 'Building a business on Linux, instead of attacking it, has led to prosperity. Compare SCO and Red Hat, for instance,' she said. Facebook to the rescue Toronto Public Health officials have put the online social network Facebook to good use - to locate a woman who needed rabies shots because she had handled a rabid bat. DSTV for R18 a month? Multichoice is preparing to launch its new DSTV product, “DSTV Easy View”, which will cost subscribers R18 per month. The service will be available from mid-October, and will carry a reduced bouquet of channels. NCOP critical of RICA Members of the Security and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Parliament's upper chamber, have expressed scepticism at some amendments to the Regulation of Interception and Provision of Communication-related Information Act (RICA) passed by the National Assembly. They said the amendments were “unfair, unreasonable and ludicrous”. Jobs subpoenaed in back-dating scandal - vnunet.com The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has reportedly subpoenaed Apple chief executive Steve Jobs in its case concerning alleged back-dating of stock options. Audit committees need greater IT risk focus - Accountancy Age Nearly a third (30%) of audit committee members around the world are not satisfied that their committee spends sufficient time looking at IT risk issues, research by KPMG’s Audit Committee Institute has found. The Threat of Reputation-Based Attacks - Security Fix CastleCops.com is accustomed to being attacked by online crooks: The volunteer-led cybercrime-fighting group has endured nearly a month long siege by thousands of criminally-controlled PCs aimed at crippling its Web site. So when the latest attack failed to prevent legitimate users from visiting the site, the bad guys unveiled an unlikely secret weapon: bogus donations. Your Money or Your E-mail If someone broke into your free Web mail account, reset your password and issued a $100 ransom demand, would you pay up? The answer might depend on how careless you've been with your passwords, and how many e-commerce sites you have registered to that address. If someone broke into your free Web mail account, reset your password and issued a $100 ransom demand, would you pay up? The answer might depend on how careless you've been with your passwords, and how many e-commerce sites you have registered to that address. Try 8 free tools to work smarter Are you looking for ways to use your computer more efficiently? Free programs can help by adding features that are lacking in Windows. First US GPL Lawsuit: What's 'Free' Got to Do With It? The Software Freedom Law Center has filed a lawsuit against Monsoon Multimedia on behalf of two principal developers of the company BusyBox. 'Free software licenses such as the GPL exist to protect the freedom of computer users. If we don't ensure that these licenses are respected, then they will not be able to achieve their goal,' said Eben Moglen, founding director of SFLC. Patent Reform Debate: Tech Industry vs. Everyone Else Many industries have aligned against the Patent Reform Act, a bill that would change several key ways in which American patent law works. One industry that's largely vying for the passage of the bill, though, is the tech sector. Of particular interest to the industry is a measure that would allow courts to consider portions of a product -- as opposed to the entire product -- when awarding damages. Social net offers new perspective Columnist Bill Thompson asks whether social networking could underpin a new politics of connection. Broadband speeds under scrutiny Broadband speeds in the UK are much slower than advertised by internet service providers, a study by Computeractive magazine has found. Broadband speeds in the UK are much slower than advertised by internet service providers, a study by Computeractive magazine has found. Fight cyberbullies, schools told Schools are being given guidance urging them to take firm action against pupils who use mobile phones and the internet to bully other children and teachers. Schools are being given guidance urging them to take firm action against pupils who use mobile phones and the internet to bully other children and teachers. ICASA guns for unlicensed WISPs The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) has vowed to crack down on wireless Internet service providers (WISPs) that operate without a licence or allocated spectrum. News editors are not in danger from ‘user-news’ sites | My Broadband ADSL Blogs The BBC recently reported on a study by the Project for Journalism Excellence which states that citizens view news differently from news editors. The research compared the Project’s News Index of 48 leading mainstream news sources with what it terms ‘user-news’ sites. Google sued for 5 billion Google is facing a US 5 billion lawsuit for “crimes against humanity”. Wikipedia Discredits Reports It's Abandoning Open Editing -- Wikipedia -- InformationWeek However, one possible change under consideration is a revision tagging tool that can be used to verify a Wikipedia article as accurate. Telkom forced to withdraw misleading adverts The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) this week ordered Telkom to withdraw a television commercial for its “Do Broadband” offerings, and amend advertising on the product website. The ASA upheld a consumer complaint brought by Mr Moorad, who had submitted that the advertising was misleading. Police bust credit card fraudsters Absa investigators and police commercial branch detectives have bust a credit and debit card fraud syndicate operating in Johannesburg. This resulted in four of the syndicate's members appearing in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court. EC Act to be amended The Department of Communications has gazetted amendments to the Electronic Communications (EC) Act. These amendments are aimed at smoothing out the licence process for Infraco, although the department does not explicitly say so. ITWeb : Few ICASA nominees make the grade Only six of 29 candidates nominated for the vacant Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) councillor position cut the mustard for Parliament's communications committee. Lawsuit Says Cable, Sat TV Plans Rip Off Viewers A federal lawsuit challenges the cable and satellite television industry's practice of selling channels in bundled tiers, rather than offering them on an a la carte basis. The suit, which seeks class-action status, alleges that cable and satellite providers and television studios are violating trade and anti-trust laws by continuing the practice. Friday, September 21, 2007     Jump in porn, racist websites: watchdog Substantial increases in racist and pornographic websites have been reported by an international watchdog in its first detailed analysis of illegal activity on the Internet. Bush Wants Spy Law Changes Set in Stone President Bush is urging Congress to renew the Protect America Act, which is set to expire Feb. 1, 2008. 'The threat from Al-Qaeda is not going to expire in 135 days,' Bush warned during a visit to the National Security Agency. 'Unless the FISA reforms in the act are made permanent, our national security professionals will lose critical tools they need to protect our country,' he said. Has the E-Card Scam Storm Blown Over? 'We're seeing the same kind of attack, but it's not always about greeting cards now,' said Doug Bowers, senior director of anti-abuse engineering for Symantec. Though actual dollars lost to the summer's trend of e-card-borne malware were relatively small, the legitimate e-card industry has promised to bolster its security measures. Turkey to Pull Plug on YouTube Over Video Slam Turkey has again ordered its nationwide telecom to deny users access to video sharing site YouTube. This time, the controversy is focused on a video that a court said insults the country's founder, its president, its prime minister and its army. Turkey temporarily blocked the site earlier this year for similar reasons. Other countries have also called for bans over allegedly insulting videos. Publishing Company Discloses Hackers Stole Credit Cards Despite running what he thought was a well-secured network, the president of a publishing company has disclosed that a 'coordinated and sophisticated' group of hackers broke in and stole customers' credit card information. Vertical Web Media said its network was breached in August and hackers made off with customers' names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses, along with credit card numbers and expiration dates. Turkish Court Orders Companies to Block YouTube Access A Turkish court has ordered the country's telecommunications company to block access to the popular video-sharing site YouTube because of clips the court deems insulting to leading political figures. In March, the site owned by Google was blocked for two days after a complaint that some clips insulted Turkey's founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. California to add card controls and liabilities to data breach law | OUT-LAW.COM Any business that takes card payments from residents of California will face strict new duties on the security of card data under proposals that are just a signature away from becoming law. A breach would trigger unprecedented reimbursement provisions. Lawyers attack Nominet plan for domain name disputes | OUT-LAW.COM The registry for .uk domain names has proposed a change in the way that name disputes are handled, but the proposed fast-track system faces criticism for not being radical enough. Man sues God A politician in the US is protesting at frivolous law suits in the US courts by launching one himself in which he is suing God. The suit seeks an injunction against God to stop him and his followers making terrorist threats. Wednesday, September 19, 2007     FirstRand seeks interdict to protect clients' privacy Today's urgent Cape high court application by FirstRand to interdict Noseweek magazine and its publisher from publishing names of the bank's private clients and their offshore trusts will test the laws of privacy against the right of the press to publish what it considers to be in the public interest. Revealed: SA's online hangouts: Sci-Tech: News: News24 South Africans spend most of their time on news and weather internet sites when they are online, a study done in August by global internet media and market researcher, NetRatings, has revealed. Google map could break privacy law The Street View feature of Google Maps, with its close-up views of city streets and recognisable shots of people, could violate a Canadian law protecting individual privacy, officials said yesterday. ASA grounds kulula ad: South Africa: News: Companies: Fin24 A kulula.com e-mail advertisement has been banned because it failed to convey mandatory airport charges in its selling price, the Advertising Standards Authority of SA said on Monday. Autodesk case tests whether software can be resold | OUT-LAW.COM An eBay trader is taking software publisher Autodesk to court in the US over his right to sell on software he bought in a $10 million battle over how far a licence can control a customer's use of software. Google Earth gets a boost: Sci-Tech: News: News24 DigitalGlobe, provider of imagery for Google Inc's interactive mapping program Google Earth, said a new high-resolution satellite will boost the accuracy of its satellite images and flesh out its archive. Hackers leak e-mails online: Sci-Tech: News: News24 Hackers who intercepted e-mails from MediaDefender Inc, a firm that tries to stymie unauthorised downloading of songs and movies on behalf of record companies and Hollywood film studios, have released hundreds of megabytes of data on the internet. Harsh reaction in US to Microsoft EU antitrust ruling An EU court ruling upholding sanctions and a record fine against software giant Microsoft drew a harsh response Monday from US interest groups, saying it could stifle the burgeoning technology industry. Police uncover global Internet scam German police have arrested 10 people suspected of being involved in an international Internet scam which could have cost victims hundreds of thousands of euros, the Federal Police Office said on Thursday. Online anti-piracy firm's emails leaked Hackers who intercepted email from MediaDefender Inc., a firm that tries to stymie unauthorised downloading of songs and movies on behalf of record companies and Hollywood film studios, have released hundreds of megabytes of data on the Internet. Hacker finally publishes notorious Apple Wi-Fi attack (InfoWorld) More than a year after claiming to have found a way to take over a Macintosh computer using a flaw in the system's wireless card, David Maynor has published details of his exploit. Facebook ban: Is your company next? The Facebook phenomenon has taken the country by storm, not just among teenagers but adults too, prompting a number of companies to bar access to the Internet site in the workplace. ICT industry misunderstands patents The South African ICT industry is misreading the Patents Act, and this is costing it money, says Spoor & Fisher patent attorney Chris de Villiers. Pay-TV operators, SABC square off The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has demanded to be paid for providing local content to pay-TV licensees, as mandated by the Electronic Communications (EC) Act, under the “must carry” obligation. Google Ratchets Up Fight for Desktop With PowerPoint Rival Google is amping up its pressure on Microsoft with Presentations, the latest addition to its suite of free, Web-based productivity applications. The tool, which provides functionality similar to that of PowerPoint, allows collaborators to work together on developing a slide show. Tuesday, September 18, 2007     New York Times to stop charging for online access The New York Times announced on Monday it would stop charging for access to certain articles and archives on its web site, reversing a marketing plan implemented two years ago. Online punters back Australia to win T20 crown Ricky 'Punter' Ponting's Australians are strong favourites in the online gambling world to win the ongoing Twenty20 World Championships in South Africa. Enough bandwidth for 2010? EASSy and SEACOM cables may be blocked from landing in South Africa which has raised concerns as to whether SA will have enough international bandwidth for 2010. Wanted: Eyeballs for new stations After the corks had been popped and the celebratory champagne drunk, it is down to business for South Africa’s new pay-TV entrants. Cyber-Crooks Ape Business Best Practices Cyber-crime is a flourishing big business, and although the individuals driving its success may be keeping to the shadows, their handiwork is not. The latest malware tools causing headaches for legitimate businesses and users alike are the products of increasingly professional developers who offer such perks as regular updates and service agreements. Online Billing, Part 2: Problems and Possibilities Regardless of which online bill paying method is selected, consumers have to pay attention to monthly statements and changing circumstances. It is easy to lose track of things after completing the one-time set up. For instance, one danger in using electronic bill pay's automatic pay feature is not noticing an interest rate increase in a credit card or adjustable mortgage account. Why Application Security Is Often Overlooked Most IT and security professionals recognize the importance of the applications we support. We also realize that applications -- no matter whether they're Web based, client/server, or mainframe -- can have security flaws. However, when the rubber hits the road, many firms fall down when it comes to building and executing a strategy for application security. Database at TD Ameritrade Hacked, Contact Info Stolen Online brokerage TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. said one of its databases was hacked and contact information for its more than 6.3 million customers was stolen. A spokeswoman for the Omaha-based company said more sensitive information in the same database, including Social Security numbers and account numbers, does not appear to have been taken. E-mails from Anti-File-Sharing Service Leaked Thousands of e-mails detailing the operations of MediaDefender Inc., a company hired by movie studios and record labels to flood file-sharing networks with fake files of pirated films and albums, have leaked to the Internet. A group calling itself 'MediaDefender-Defenders' claimed responsibility for posting more 6,000 messages purportedly from Santa Monica, Calif.-based MediaDefender. Online Crooks Get More Sophisticated, Report Says Online crooks are quickly enlarging an already vast sales and distribution network to propagate spam and send malicious software in hopes of infecting millions of computers worldwide, according to a new report. Security software maker Symantec Corp. says sophisticated thieves sell code to criminal middlemen for as much as $1,000 per program. Litigation Expected Over Internet Ad-Blocking Software Web browser add-ons that let people avoid advertisements are growing in functionality and popularity, which has led legal experts surveyed this week by CNET News.com to speculate about when the first lawsuit will be filed. If ad-blockers become so common that they slice away at publishers' revenues, 'I absolutely would expect to see litigation in this area,' said John Palfrey, executive director of Harvard Law School's Berkman Center for Internet and Society. Litigation Expected Over Internet Ad-Blocking Software Web browser add-ons that let people avoid advertisements are growing in functionality and popularity, which has led legal experts surveyed this week by CNET News.com to speculate about when the first lawsuit will be filed. If ad-blockers become so common that they slice away at publishers' revenues, 'I absolutely would expect to see litigation in this area,' said John Palfrey, executive director of Harvard Law School's Berkman Center for Internet and Society. Hitler-Village People Song on YouTube Ignites Lawyer Somebody combined the Village People's hit song, 'YMCA,' with footage of a dancing Adolf Hitler and posted the clip to YouTube. Now the company that owns the rights to the band's music is preparing to sue YouTube. Prince Plans to Sue YouTube, Others Over Music Videos U.S. pop star Prince plans to sue YouTube and other major Web sites for unauthorized use of his music in a bid to 'reclaim his art on the Internet.' The man behind hit songs 'Purple Rain', '1999' and 'When Doves Cry' said that YouTube could not argue it had no control over which videos users posted on its site. Google Seeks International Privacy Standard Drawing upon its clout as the Internet's most powerful company, Google Inc. is calling on businesses and regulators throughout the world to adopt international standards for protecting consumer privacy online and offline. Google's call for international privacy rules comes less than two months after Microsoft Corp. and IAC/InterActiveCorp's Ask.com jointly urged its rivals to collaborate an industrywide standard. Efforts to "Stop Badware" Seeing Some Success If hijacked sites and hosting companies that fail to police malware distribution sources represent two of the most serious threats to Internet security, there may be hope for improvement, according to researchers working with Harvard Law School's StopBadware.org. After publishing a list of rogue Web site hosting companies and launching a campaign to label every malicious site they can find on the Internet, an effort that has filtered out over 600,000 nefarious applications thus far, the StopBadware team says that people are responding. European Court Rejects Microsoft's Antitrust Appeal A European court dealt Microsoft Corp. a severe blow as it rejected the company's appeal of a landmark 2004 antitrust ruling and upheld a $613 million fine against the world's largest software maker. The European Union's Court of First Instance said the EU's antitrust commission ruled correctly against Microsoft when it said the software maker leveraged its dominant position in the market for PC operating systems into work group server operating systems and media players. Sunday, September 16, 2007     Obfuscated malware tops list in August - vnunet.com ESET, the Bratislava-based security firm behind the Nod32 antivirus suite, said this week that a high percentage of malware detected in August employed some kind of obfuscation technique. KPMG courts law associates - Accountancy Age Firm to hold networking event for associates to build ties as prospects of forensic and restructuring work grow. Copyright 'harming' the US economy A new report by the Computer and Communications Industry Association suggests that allowing fair use of copyrighted material is better for the economy than locking down intellectual property. SEC comes down hard on Sarbox violators - Accountancy Age Despite complaints that Sarbanes-Oxley is too rigorous and inflexible, US regulator, the SEC come down hard on those who have not met its requirements after charging charged 37 firms and 32 audit partners with violating a key portion of the corporate reform law. Porn & Spyware Found on Govt. and School Sites - Security Fix It would be great if the compromised Web servers I wrote about last week at Lawrence Livermore National Labs were an aberration, but sadly they are not. Conducting a simple Google search for adult-themed search terms found in '.gov' domains produces some very interesting results, including pages serving up adult videos along with a generous helping of spyware. Skype Users: Beware of Instant Message Worm - Security Fix Skype, the eBay-owned Internet telephone service, is warning users to be on guard against a new computer worm that arrives disguised as a chat invitation via Skype's built-in instant messaging feature. Soon millions of Facebookers won't be incognito - USATODAY.com Social network Facebook will soon make the listings — the name and photo — of its 40 million active members available to anyone who searches the Internet on Google, Yahoo and Microsoft. But in its pursuit of building a bigger audience, Facebook has set off privacy alarms among customers who don't necessarily want their listings to be an open book. Google Puts Its Money on the Moon Google has created the Google Lunar X Prize, a $30 million contest to fly to the moon. 'The Google Lunar X Prize calls on entrepreneurs, engineers and visionaries from around the world to return us to the lunar surface and explore this environment for the benefit of all humanity,' said Peter H. Diamandis, chairman and CEO of the X Prize Foundation. Google Puts Its Money on the Moon Google has created the Google Lunar X Prize, a $30 million contest to fly to the moon. 'The Google Lunar X Prize calls on entrepreneurs, engineers and visionaries from around the world to return us to the lunar surface and explore this environment for the benefit of all humanity,' said Peter H. Diamandis, chairman and CEO of the X Prize Foundation. Citizens offer new take on news A news agenda formulated by citizens would be radically different from that put together by journalists. Prince gets tough on web pirates Pop star Prince is demanding that video sharing website YouTube removes clips of his recent concerts in London. Pop star Prince is demanding that video sharing website YouTube removes clips of his recent concerts in London. Google calls for web privacy laws Search site Google has called on governments and business to agree a basic set of global privacy rules.Search site Google has called on governments and business to agree a basic set of global privacy rules. The $100 laptop now the $188 laptop - CNN.com The vaunted '$100 laptop' that Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers dreamed up for international schoolchildren is becoming a slightly more distant concept. Revenue streams for African Bloggers African Bloggers can only make more profits by developing new revenue streams that can generate income. Google is the official heart of the Internet Born 10 years ago, the Google Internet search engine has grown into the electronic centre of human knowledge by indexing billions of web pages as well as images, books and videos. SABC server problems Visitors of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) website were greeted with an unexpected message on Saturday. MultiChoice may have to share decoder with rivals Pay television provider MultiChoice may be forced to share with its new rivals a single platform for receiving satellite broadcasting services. Put on the popcorn SA finally has its own online DVD rental website similar to the popular NetFlix service in the US. Let’s be frank The sound of the SA Post Office bleating about its financial 2006 R431m operating profit last week was deafening — almost loud enough to make one forget it will still be getting a R1,1bn bailout from government over the next three years. ITWeb : Google map could break privacy law The Street View feature of Google Maps, with its close-up views of city streets and recognisable shots of people, could violate a Canadian law protecting individual privacy, officials said yesterday. ISP claims court ruling will force it into 'illegal' behaviour | OUT-LAW.COM A Belgian court ruling would force internet service providers into conducting 'invisible and illegal' checks on internet users' actions, according to the managing director of Belgian ISP Scarlet. Website terms incorporated by 'continue' button, rules US court | OUT-LAW.COM A US Court of Appeal has said that a website can incorporate terms into a contract with a link above a 'continue' button that is part of a registration form. The approach is not recommended for sites in the UK, an e-commerce lawyer warned. Man Indicted for Hacking Into Financial Institutions A man who used the Internet alias 'Iceman' stole credit card and identity information from tens of thousands of people by hacking into the computers of financial institutions and credit card processing centers, federal authorities said. Max Ray Butler, 35, of San Francisco, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on three counts of wire fraud and two counts of transferring stolen identity information. Legal Internet Radio Deals Falling Into Place Listening to radio over the Internet is easier than ever, as high-speed connections have proliferated and online offerings become more sophisticated. Now the legal aspects may be falling into place too. Do reviews on travel websites need policing? | Travel | The Observer The fraudulent practice of hotel managers and staff posting rave reviews of their own hotels on travel websites, highlighted by a Holiday Which? report last week, is to become illegal in the UK next year. But leading travel websites argue they are capable of regulating themselves and say the new law is unnecessary and unworkable. Avvo founder warns of legal threat to all ratings systems | OUT-LAW.COM The founder of controversial lawyer-rating site Avvo.com has said that a defeat for his company in a consumer protection lawsuit could threaten widespread product-rating systems on major sites such as Amazon.com. L'Oreal Takes Legal Action to Stop Counterfeits on eBay L'Oreal, the world's largest cosmetics group, has launched legal action against eBay, alleging the online auctioneer does not do enough to combat the sale of counterfeits, the company said. The action by L'Oreal follows similar action taken against eBay by luxury groups LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton and its parent company Dior, and U.S. jeweler Tiffany's. Texas A&M Graduate Charged with Hacking School's Computers A recent graduate of Texas A&M University is charged with hacking into the school's computer system and illegally accessing information on 88,000 current and former students, faculty and staff members. Federal prosecutors said Castillo, who graduated in December with a computer science degree, accessed the system in February and caused more than $5,000 in losses to the university. Man Arrested for ID Theft Related to File-Sharing Data A Seattle man has been arrested in what the Justice Department described as its first case against someone accused of using file-sharing digital data to commit identity theft. Gregory Thomas Kopiloff primarily used Limewire's file-sharing program to troll other people's computers for financial information, which he used to open credit cards for an online shopping spree, federal prosecutors said. Judge Limits Patriot Act on Internet Customer Records A federal judge struck down parts of the revised USA Patriot Act, saying investigators must have a court's approval before they can order Internet providers to turn over records without telling customers. U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero said the government orders must be subject to meaningful judicial review and that the recently rewritten Patriot Act 'offends the fundamental constitutional principles of checks and balances and separation of powers.' Universal Music Files Copyright Suit Against Veoh Universal Music, the world's largest music company, filed suit in federal court against Veoh Networks, a video- and file-sharing site, accusing it of massive copyright infringement that deprives the company and its artists of sales and royalties. The Los Angeles federal court suit begins another chapter in the music and movie industries' long-running attempt to control unauthorized online sharing of copyright material. Google avoids AdWords jury trial as opponent backs down | OUT-LAW.COM A US retailer has dropped a suit against Google which challenged the trade mark policy of its keyword advertising system, AdWords. American Blinds and Wallpaper Factory (ABWF) has withdrawn its long-running action against Google. Rogue messageboard-posting CEO wins merger battle | OUT-LAW.COM US regulator the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has failed to block a company merger in a case dominated by a chief executive's ill-advised anonymous message board postings. A crime is committed online every 10 seconds in UK, say criminologists | OUT-LAW.COM More than three million online crimes were carried out last year, according to estimates published today. These included more than 200,000 cases of financial fraud, twice the official number of real-world robberies carried out during the same period. Equity boss slams corporate 'house niggers' Outspoken Employment Equity commissioner Jimmy Manyi has slammed corporate 'house niggers' who act as 'ambassadors of unfair discrimination' for their white counterparts. Bertelsmann Pays $130 Million to End Napster Litigation Bertelsmann AG agreed to pay the National Music Publishers Association $130 million to settle the Napster case's final copyright claims, Bertelsmann attorney Bruce Rich said. Germany's largest media concern admitted no wrongdoing in the first case defining the rules of online, peer-to-peer, filing-sharing networks. Wednesday, September 05, 2007     Facebook goes public Facebook, the social-network site that has enjoyed explosive growth in new members over the past three months, said it plans to let users tell the rest of the world how to find them on the site. ICT companies must patent more South African companies – ICT businesses included – are not realising the true value of their intellectual property (IP), says the Innovation Fund. YouTube removes SA paper's clip: Sci-Tech: News: News24 A doctored video interview with Sunday Times editor Mondli Makhanya has been removed from YouTube, following complaints from the daily newspaper The Times. Sweden mulls forcing Internet providers to crack down on file-sharers - Breaking - Technology - smh.com.au Swedish Internet service providers could be required by law to cut off customers who share large amounts of copyright music and films online under a new proposal presented to the government Monday. Court rejects porno man’s novel defence Claims that a computer virus was responsible for downloading more than 1000 images of child pornography onto a man’s home computer have been dismissed by a magistrate. Google, Yahoo! and Amazon sued over email patent | OUT-LAW.COM The biggest names on the internet have been sued by a patent holding company which claims the firms are violating its rights by automatically routing email messages. Who Founded Facebook? A New Claim Emerges - New York Times Mark E. Zuckerberg is considered the founder of Facebook, the popular social networking Web site estimated to be worth upward of $1 billion. Facebook banned by City firms Networking website Facebook is supposed to improve your social life. But it emerged that 'Facebooking' can also seriously damage your career. PwC queries boardroom IT knowledge - Accountancy Age While 98% of business leaders see IT as strategically important to the future success of their business, research carried out by PwC on behalf of The Institute of Internal Auditors for UK and Ireland has questioned whether board members really have sufficient understanding of their organisation’s IT risks to address them adequately. Cybercrooks use bots to deal winning hand - USATODAY.com Bots, the millions of compromised computers remotely controlled by crooks, are doing more than spreading spam and phishing. The Mac: A Good Fit for Legal Eagles? Microsoft Office applications are available for the Mac. All documents created in Office on either Windows or the Mac are readable and writeable on either platform. There are many legal applications developed for the Mac, such as billing software, case management software and courtroom software. The Social Web: Are Sites Cashing In on Advertising? anything, we may be raising our estimates for social network ad spending based on the good results at Fox Interactive and also the increasing popularity of Facebook, which is becoming one of most popular sites on the Internet,' Debra Aho Williamson, a senior analyst with eMarketer, told the E-Commerce Times. Bank's U-turn on student charges A student campaign using the social networking website Facebook has forced a multinational bank into a U-turn over charges. A student campaign using the social networking website Facebook has forced a multinational bank into a U-turn over charges. File-sharers forced to play fair Researchers have found a way to enforce good manners on file-sharing networks by treating bandwidth as a currency. Researchers have found a way to enforce good manners on file-sharing networks by treating bandwidth as a currency. File-sharers forced to play fair Researchers have found a way to enforce good manners on file-sharing networks by treating bandwidth as a currency. Researchers have found a way to enforce good manners on file-sharing networks by treating bandwidth as a currency. Cyber crime tool kits go on sale Malicious hackers are producing easy to use tools that automate attacks to cash in on a boom in hi-tech crime. Malicious hackers are producing easy to use tools that automate attacks to cash in on a boom in hi-tech crime. Tuesday, September 04, 2007     Unbundling policy to be finalised soon The Department of Communications will soon finalise the local loop unbundling policy, it says. Sanco goes to police over Makhanya The SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) Gauteng branch will go to the police to find out whether Sunday Times editor, Mondli Makhanya, applied for amnesty over political activities during apartheid, the organisation said today. Sanco backs SABC withdrawal from Sanef : Mail & Guardian Online The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) on Monday commended the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) for its 'brave and patriotic decision' to break ties with the South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef). Nigeria issues warning on internet scam Nigeria's new government on Monday alerted the country's 140 million residents against falling prey to conmen promising fake jobs and contracts at the country's top government hospital. Modified Vista 'on track' Microsoft Corp has submitted a test version of its Windows Vista operating system with features that make it easier to use non-Microsoft programs to search PC hard drives, according to a report issued by the Justice Department. Telkom begins talks with Vodafone and MTN Britain's Vodafone and MTN, sparking talk it wants to sell its fixed-line business and its stake in mobile phone operator Vodacom. Majority of British households on broadband Internet The majority of households in the United Kingdom now have a broadband Internet connection, official statistics out Tuesday showed. Bandwidth prices 'a national embarrassment' It costs more to connect to Cape Town than to London, according to recent reports. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and Value Added Networks (VANs) are currently being charged line rental rates that have been called “exorbitant”, and the Communications Users Association of South Africa (CUASA) has called for the situation to be addressed urgently. Monday, September 03, 2007     ITWeb : South African companies ignore reputation risk management There is a poor culture of good governance in South Africa. Even with the global proliferation of compliance legislation, adherence to good governance practices among South African corporations has not been proactive and voluntary, but a reaction to legal and environmental pressures. SABC breaks ties with Editors Forum The SA National Editors Forum (Sanef) would seek a meeting with the SABC over a letter announcing that the broadcaster had broken ties with the editors forum. Mobile instant messaging comes to SA Opportunely timed to fill a market gap for a safe and reliable mobile instant messaging (MIM) service, AeroMessenger launches in South Africa this month.         BUYS LINKS TERMS AND CONDITIONS BUYS INCORPORATED WEBSITE CONTACT US SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER SYNDICATE VIA RSS FEED VIEW OUR LATEST EVENTS RECENTLY SUSPENDED DOMAINS WHO GOT HACKED IN SA TODAY GUIDES INTERCEPTION ACT GUIDE TOP 5 ICT RISKS CONVERGENCE BILL GUIDE JUDGMENTS 1998 - 2005 ONLINE SERVICES ORDER PAIA MANUAL REQUEST WEBSITE AUDIT BLOG ARCHIVES April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009