UK - Mobile networks raise minimum charge on pay-as-you-go tariffs- July 7, 2008 (Guardian ) Millions of pay-as-you-go mobile phone customers have been hit with a sharp rise in the minimum price for making a call as networks attempt to claw back lost revenue. O2 and T-Mobile this week doubled the minimum connection charge for many of their prepay customers, while Vodafone imposed a more modest rise last month. In many cases these charges have jumped from 10p to 20p or 25p.http://www.qlinks.net/update/2008/07/uk-mobile-networks-raise-minimum-charge.htm Europe votes on anti-piracy laws- July 7, 2008 (BBC) Europeans suspected of putting movies and music on file-sharing networks could be thrown off the web under proposals before Brussels. The powers are in a raft of laws that aim to harmonise the regulations governing Europe's telecom markets. Other amendments added to the packet of laws allow governments to decide which software can be used on the web. Campaigners say the laws trample on personal privacy and turn net suppliers into copyright enforcers.http://www.qlinks.net/update/2008/07/europe-votes-on-anti-piracy-laws.htm US - Google must divulge YouTube log- July 7, 2008 (BBC) Gooogle must divulge the viewing habits of every user who has ever watched any video on YouTube, a US court has ruled. The ruling comes as part of Google's legal battle with Viacom over allegations of copyright infringement. Digital rights group the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) called the ruling a "set-back to privacy rights". The viewing log, which will be handed to Viacom, contains the log-in ID of users, the computer IP address (online identifier) and video clip details. While.http://www.qlinks.net/update/2008/07/us-google-must-divulge-youtube-log.htm JP - Only 20% of known child porn sites heed watchdog's call to shut down- July 7, 2008 (Kyodo News) Only 20 percent of some 1,600 known child pornography sites were taken off the Internet in 2007 despite pressure from a Tokyo-based watchdog that monitors the harmful sites. As the Internet Hotline Center Japan is not authorized to enforce deletions or issue requests for such action to foreign servers, cross-border exchanges of pornographic images continue. The center detected 1,609 child porn sites last year, based mainly on tipoffs, and urged the taking down of 526 whose servers.http://www.qlinks.net/update/2008/07/jp-only-20-of-known-child-porn-sites.htm Google bows to pressure, adds privacy link to home page- July 7, 2008 (OUT-LAW News) Google has added a link to its privacy policy from its sparse front page, bowing to pressure from privacy activists. Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin were involved in the decision, according to a Google executive.http://www.qlinks.net/update/2008/07/google-bows-to-pressure-adds-privacy.htm ZA - New website to expose child pornography- July 6, 2008 (BuaNews) Members of the public can now anonymously report any images of sexual abuse discovered on the internet through a newly launched website in South Africa. The website, www.fpbprochild.org.za, which is available 24 hours, seven days a week was launched in Johannesburg by Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba. Mr Gigaba said the website service will afford members of the public an opportunity to report any incidences of child pornography online and remain anonymous. "Our internet.http://www.qlinks.net/update/2008/07/za-new-website-to-expose-child.htm UK - Virgin admits disconnection threat mistake- July 4, 2008 (OUT-LAW News) Virgin Media has said that a threat sent out to 800 of its customers that they could be disconnected from the internet because of alleged copyright infringement was a mistake. The envelope containing a letter warning subscribers that their account was being used for illegal file-sharing was printed with the words "Important. If you don't read this, your broadband could be disconnected". A Virgin Media spokeswoman told OUT-LAW that the message was a mistake. "We are not accusing..http://www.qlinks.net/update/2008/07/uk-virgin-admits-disconnection-threat.htm US - Social networking site divulges child's personal data- July 4, 2008 (LA Times) Reunion.com previously linked to other data providers when users searched its site for names. Last month, the site decided to build its own database by acquiring files on as many as 260 million people from a private data broker. A mother was upset to find the name of her 4-year-old son.http://www.qlinks.net/update/2008/07/us-social-networking-site-divulges.htm US - Berkman Center Announces Request for Technical Submissions Related to Child Safety on the Internet- July 3, 2008 (Berkmann Center) The Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University announces a Request for Technical Submissions as part of the work of the Internet Safety Technical Task Force. The Task Force, comprised of leading Internet businesses and organizations, is focused on identifying effective online safety tools and technologies that can be used by companies and individuals across multiple platforms. The Request for Technical Submissions asks companies, non-profits, and individuals.http://www.qlinks.net/update/2008/07/us-berkman-center-announces-request-for.htm FR - EBay to pay out millions over French counterfeit sales- July 2, 2008 (OUT-LAW News) Online auction site eBay has been fined 31.5 million and ordered to forbid the sale of some luxury perfumes in a French court order designed to battle the sale of counterfeit luxury goods. Handbag, clothing and perfume company Louis Vuitton Mot Hennessy (LVMH) sued eBay in the French courts, claiming that the company did not do enough to combat the sale of counterfeits of its goods. EBay claims that it cannot police all the sales through its site and that it makes no guarantee...http://www.qlinks.net/update/2008/07/fr-ebay-to-pay-out-millions-over-french.htm |