CRM News: Privacy

MySpace Privacy Shenanigans Earn FTC Finger-Shaking
May 09, 2012

Social network MySpace settled with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission Tuesday over charges related to how the site was using members' personal information. The social network had access to personal data from users, including their full names, ages and genders. MySpace promised users it would not share that information unless it received user consent.

ACTA Runs Out of Gas in Europe
May 08, 2012

Today in international tech news: ACTA is essentially declared dead in Europe. Meanwhile, a journalist from The Guardian live-tweets his arrest in Moscow while covering -- or at least trying to cover -- the inauguration of Vladimir Putin. Elsewhere, Australia contemplates data collection on all Web-connected devices, and Lenovo unveils plans for a massive plant in China.

FBI Aims to Pry Open New Channels for Web Surveillance
May 07, 2012

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is urging Internet companies to provide back doors that facilitate online surveillance. The bureau aims to increase the amount of data they can collect through online channels. Because of a shift in popular communication methods, it's more difficult to gather information on Americans suspected of illegal activity, the FBI claims.

The Malicious Hacker's Ever-Sharper Eye
May 07, 2012

Targeted attacks on organizations and Web-born infections like the recent Flashback outbreak on Macintosh computers will continue to poison the security landscape in 2012, according to Symantec's John Harrison. Targeted attacks -- attacks aimed at specific individuals within an organization -- were a "rising tide" last year, averaging 94 a day by November, according to Symantec.

Google's Street View Closure: A Long and Winding Road
May 04, 2012

The U.S. Federal Communication Commission may have settled for a gentle slap to Google's wrist after investigating alleged violations of the federal Wiretrap Act via its Street View program, but Google's legal woes stemming from that issue are far from over. Europe reportedly is preparing to look at allegations that Google employees may have known the service would collect personal information.

UK Officials Ponder Online Porn Plan
May 04, 2012

Today in international tech news: Online pornography is a hot topic in Europe, as the United Kingdom and European Commission each propose measures to block children from accessing adult content. Elsewhere, a new report forecasts how many Internet users China will have in three years, BlackBerry maker RIM continues its descent, and the EU plans its next step against Google.

UK Olympics Could Present Juicy Cyberattack Target
May 03, 2012

Today in international tech news: A British politician sounds the warning bell on cyberattacks during the Summer Olympics, claiming "the threat is accelerating." Elsewhere, The Guardian says the UK may have to create a China-esque firewall to execute its block on The Pirate Bay -- which, by the way, experienced a huge traffic surge following the UK ban.

Got Your Number: Skype Investigates IP Discovery Flaw
May 01, 2012

Skype is investigating a tool published recently on Pastebin that captures the last-known IP address of the VoIP service's users. "This is an ongoing, industry-wide issue faced by all peer-to-peer software companies," said Adrian Asher, Skype's director of product security. "We are committed to the safety and security of our customers and we are taking measures to help protect them."

Street View Saga Faces New Scrutiny in UK
May 01, 2012

Today in international tech news: The Google data collection turmoil might be far from over, as the UK considers launching a Street View investigation of its own. Meanwhile, Instagram has 100,000 photos in its first month in China, BlackBerry maker RIM sponsors -- and takes heat for -- a gathering outside of an Apple store in Australia, and Barnes & Noble eyes international markets.

Google, FCC Showdown Spotlights Technology Law Lag
April 30, 2012

Google is trying to do damage control and prove it had no nefarious goals with its ambitious Street View project, following an FCC into the search giant's collection and storage of data from millions of unknowing households across the country. The FCC determined in its report that the data collection was not illegal; however, it slapped Google with a $25,000 fine for obstructing its investigation -- a contention Google has denied.

Would You Let Your Data Sleep Over at Google's House?
April 28, 2012

A lingering cloud of Google vaporware finally condensed recently into an actual product. Google Drive has been a subject of speculation for years, but now the company's own cloud storage service is here for real. Google Drive lets anyone store a few gigabytes worth of data on Google's servers.

Support and Opposition Dig In as CISPA Clears House
April 27, 2012

On Thursday the House of Representatives passed the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act despite continued controversy regarding privacy concerns and even a threat of veto from the White House. The measure, which was approved by a 248-168 vote, would make it easier for the federal government as well as corporations in the private sector to share cyberthreat data with one another.

Google Drive Hits China's Wall
April 25, 2012

Today in international tech news: Google Drive is "dead in the water" in China. Meanwhile, a soap opera is unfolding in South Korea, where there's a feud between the chairman of Samsung and family members who want a bigger piece of the company's fortune. Elsewhere, Twitter plays a central, and unfortunate, role in an English court case.

Netflix Doubles Down on European Gambit
April 24, 2012

Today in international tech news: Netflix vows to increase its European expansion, malware shuts down Iranian oil facilities and government websites, a Chinese company challenges Apple on its use of the name "iPad," Giga OM looks at the roots of the recent YouTube/Germany dispute, and some 38,000 entrants in the London Marathon had their information published publicly.

India Crowned Spam King of the World
April 23, 2012

Today in international tech news: India earns the dubious distinction of being the world's top spammer, China vows to curb copyright infringement yet again and -- whoops! -- a British company that intended to fire one employee via email accidentally fires 1,300 of them. Meanwhile, naked pictures on Facebook land an Australian man in jail and land a German track star in the spotlight.

Did Google's Wardriving Ways Give It a Competitive Edge?
April 23, 2012

Last week, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission let Google off with a tap on the wrist for hindering the commission's efforts to investigate allegations that Google was slurping information from WiFi networks with its fleet of mapping vehicles.The search giant's punishment -- a $25,000 fine leveled on Google by the FCC -- earned criticism from privacy advocates as too meek a response to the company's sins.

'X-Ray Vision' Tech Could Work With Cellphone Cameras
April 19, 2012

X-ray vision won't just be limited to comic book superheroes in the future. A team at the University of Texas at Dallas led by Kenneth O, Ph.D., professor of electrical engineering, has made new scientific advances that could make it possible for cameras to see through solid walls. The researchers have designed a chip that could make it possible for the camera on a mobile device to see through walls, wood, plastic, paper -- and even into the human body.

Can the Olympics Muzzle Social Media?
April 18, 2012

The 2012 Olympics in London -- which have been dubbed the "first social media Olympics" -- will be subjected to a dizzying number of social media restrictions, according to a Tuesday Mashable report. According to the article: "Athletes will not be allowed to tweet photos of themselves with products that aren't official Olympics sponsors or share photos or videos from inside the athletes' village."