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Social Networks

Submission + - Beacon's reach extends to non-Facebook users (computerworld.com.au)

Submitted by StonyandCher
StonyandCher writes: f you think that just because you have never signed up for Facebook you're immune to the tracking and collecting of user activities outside of this popular social networking site, think again. Facebook's controversial Beacon ad system tracks activities from all users in its third-party partner sites, including from people who have never signed up with Facebook or who have deactivated their accounts, CA has found.
Cellphones

Submission + - Montclair State Uni. in NJ Mandates GPS CellPhones (techluver.com)

Submitted by
Tech.Luver
Tech.Luver writes: "College students at Montclair State University are all talking about a new requirement that will require students to have a cell phone. Montclair is one of the first schools in the U.S. to use GPS tracking devices, which along with other security technology are increasingly being adopted on campuses in the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre last spring. Students can use the timer, or, in an emergency, activate the GPS technology to instantly alert police. The cost: $420 a year for a base plan which is bundled into the tuition bill. It includes just 50 peak voice minutes a month, but unlimited text messaging to any carrier, unlimited campus-based data usage, and student activated emergency GPS tracking. "What it does is allow students to have an extra pair or group of people watching over them when they're going from one location to another," Montclair Police Department Chief Paul Cell said. The positive impact is already being felt across campus. ( http://techluver.com/2007/12/03/montclair-state-university-in-nj-mandates-gps-cell-phones/ )"
Television

Submission + - FCC vs Cable Round2,FCC Plan to Cap Cable Co. Size (techluver.com)

Submitted by
Tech.Luver
Tech.Luver writes: "The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is moving toward resurrecting a proposal that would limit the size cable operators could reach on a nationwide basis, agency officials said Thursday. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin is circulating the proposal among his fellow commissioners for a possible vote at the agency's next meeting, scheduled for Dec 18 and has enough support on the five-member commission to pass a measure that would bar cable companies from owning systems that have more than a 30-percent share of U.S. multichannel video subscribers. Fearing the potential monopoly power of cable television companies, Congress in 1992 directed the FCC to establish limits on how many customers cable television companies could reach nationwide. ( http://techluver.com/2007/12/02/round-2-set-in-fcc-vs-cable-fight-as-fcc-plan-to-limit-cable-companies-size/ )"
Microsoft

Submission + - Microsoft says firefox is spyware (maneelgrover.com) 1

Submitted by MozeeToby
MozeeToby writes: Microsofts new Anti-Spyware tool (currently in beta) identifies Firefox as spy ware with a high security risk. To quote the author, "I strongly believe Mozilla Foundation should sue Microsoft for defamation."
Privacy

Submission + - Bush Co. Ordered to Quit Dragging Feet

Submitted by phresno
phresno writes: C|Net News is reporting that "U.S. District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco gave the Office of the Director of National Intelligence until November 30 (Friday) to turn over documents relating to conversations it had with Congress and telecommunications carriers about how to rewrite wiretapping laws." While this does not directly have any bearing on the NSA warrant-less wiretapping lawsuits themselves it certainly raises questions about the responsibility of the telecommunications companies involved in the NSA wiretapping. The release of the documents, requested by the EFF through the Freedom of Information Act, could also influence the FISA amendments debate as noted in the article.
NASA

Submission + - NASA to scientists: Reveal sex history or lose job 1

Submitted by
Markmarkmark
Markmarkmark writes: "Wired is reporting that all NASA JPL scientists must 'voluntarily' (or be fired) sign a document giving the government the right to investigate their personal lives and history 'without limit'. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists this includes snooping into sexual orientation, mental & physical health as well as credit history and 'personality conflict'. 28 senior NASA scientists and engineers, including Mars Rover team members, refused to sign by the deadline and are now subject to being fired despite a decade or more of exemplary service. None of them even work on anything classified or defense related. They are suing the government and documenting their fight for their jobs and right to personal privacy."
The Internet

Submission + - EFF fires an upper-cut at Internet traffic futzers (networkworld.com) 1

Submitted by
coondoggie
coondoggie writes: "Looking to keep the pressure on Comcast and any other ISPs who might be messing with Internet traffic, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) today has released software and documentation instructing 'Net users on how to test for packet forgery or other forms of interference by their own service providers.The EFF also published what it calls a comprehensive account of Comcast's packet-forging activities. http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/22375"
Software

Submission + - Microsoft kills off HP legacy drivers 1

Submitted by couchslug
couchslug writes: I went looking for drivers for a friend and found this proof that Microsoft can make use of older Windows versions more difficult." http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01080344&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=59270&lang=en "As of July 2007, HP will no longer be able to offer driver downloads or replacement driver CD ordering for Windows 98, 98 Second Edition (SE), or Windows Millennium (Me) for your HP printer, all-in-one, camera, or scanner. Microsoft has stopped providing and supporting certain files related specifically to Windows 98 SE, and this change affects all technology companies. HP, along with other technology companies, is no longer able to use selected components in support of Windows 98SE, which has an impact on our software strategy for Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, and Windows Me. HP will continue to provide other selected HP software and applications that do not depend on Windows 98 SE components for the foreseeable future."
Censorship

Submission + - Linux Users Can't Sell On eBay (ubuntuforums.org) 2

Submitted by bobintetley
bobintetley writes: Many Linux/Firefox users are reporting problems uploading images to eBay. Having tested this myself, it is indeed completely broken. Why eBay would break standard HTTP uploads by using IE specific javascript to "check the file exists" boggles the mind. This problem has been reported to eBay since late October, but so far with no resolution. eBay have since stated that only IE is supported. I guess when you have no real competition you can pull stunts like this.
Software

Submission + - Software Piracy Fight Makes Enemies (ap.org) 1

Submitted by
Ron Paul Dennis Kucinich
Ron Paul Dennis Kucinich writes: "A BSA raid on musical-instrument maker Ernie Ball Inc. cost the company $90,000 in a settlement. Soon after, Microsoft sent other businesses in his region a flyer offering discounts on software licenses, along with a reminder not to wind up like Ernie Ball. Enraged, CEO Sterling Ball vowed never to use Microsoft software again, even if "we have to buy 10,000 abacuses." He shifted to open-source software, which lacks such legal entanglements because its underlying code is freely distributed."
Spam

Submission + - Gamefly sold my e-mail address!

Submitted by
An anonymous reader writes: I own a few domains for my own vanity and amusement. When signing up for any service online, I use the format [unique-servicename]@[mydomain]. Even slashdot doesn't get a hold of my 'home' address. This is great for filtering, redirection, etc. It's also a great tool to see who has been selling my e-mail address.

During a bored moment, I was perusing through my junk mail to see which addresses spammers were using. Lo and behold, a great number (about 33%, actually) of the spam I found was sent to gamefly@[mydomain]. According to their privacy policy, they may from time to time share my information with game related third-party vendors. However, at no point did they say, "you will receive ads for viagra and porn sites." Since most people utilizing the service are probably still in high school, is it appropriate for them to be receiving such material? Someone, please! Think of the children!

Has anyone had any experience similar to this? What are the legal (if not moral) implications of such a practice?
Privacy

Submission + - PHProxy shut down under suspicious circumstances (jonathancross.com)

Submitted by
Jonathan Cross
Jonathan Cross writes: "The PHProxy project was abruptly discontinued with only a robotic renunciation note from Abdullah Arif (the project's maintainer). The script is widely used to circumvent corporate / government censorship. Iranian Authorities may be involved.

As of September 7th 2007, I, Abdullah Arif (eugee, ultimategamer00, uG, et cetera), completely renounce and disavow the PHProxy (poxy) project and all past and future works and derivatives based on the PHProxy script. I will no longer continue development nor support for this script. I relinquish all rights and disclaim all responsibilities associated. This decision is final. Thanks to everyone for their support.
"
Encryption

Submission + - Skype encryption stumps German police

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: WIESBADEN, Germany (Reuters) — German police are unable to decipher the encryption used in the Internet telephone software Skype to monitor calls by suspected criminals and terrorists, Germany's top police officer said on Thursday. Skype allows users to make telephone calls over the Internet from their computer to other Skype users free of charge. Law enforcement agencies and intelligence services have used wiretaps since the telephone was invented, but implementing them is much more complex in the modern telecommunications market where the providers are often foreign companies. "The encryption with Skype telephone software ... creates grave difficulties for us," Joerg Ziercke, president of Germany's Federal Police Office (BKA) told reporters at an annual gathering of security and law enforcement officials. "We can't decipher it. That's why we're talking about source telecommunication surveillance — that is, getting to the source before encryption or after it's been decrypted." Experts say Skype and other Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calling software are difficult to intercept because they work by breaking up voice data into small packets and switching them along thousands of router paths instead of a constant circuit between two parties, as with a traditional call. Ziercke said they were not asking Skype to divulge its encryption keys or leave "back doors open" for German and other country's law enforcement authorities. "There are no discussions with Skype. I don't think that would help," he said, adding that he did not want to harm the competitiveness of any company. "I don't think that any provider would go for that." Ziercke said there was a vital need for German law enforcement agencies to have the ability to conduct on-line searches of computer hard drives of suspected terrorists using "Trojan horse" spyware. These searches are especially important in cases where the suspects are aware that their Internet traffic and phone calls may be monitored and choose to store sensitive information directly on their hard drives without emailing it. Spyware computer searches are illegal in Germany, where people are sensitive about police surveillance due to the history of the Nazis' Gestapo secret police and the former East German Stasi. Ziercke said worries were overblown and that on-line searches would need to be conducted only on rare occasions. "We currently have 230 proceedings related to suspected Islamists," Ziercke said. "I can imagine that in two or three of those we would like to do this." http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071122/wr_nm/security_internet_germany_dc
Communications

Submission + - Skype caught out over video enhancement 'hack' (zdnet.co.uk)

Submitted by
superglaze
superglaze writes: "When Skype signed a deal with Logitech to enable "high quality" video calls, what it didn't make clear is that an option already existed within Skype to manually boost video quality. But Skype removed the feature, possibly to protect its new partnership. Guess what? The users of that feature cried foul, and now Skype has been forced to do a U-turn, reintroducing the option to manually increase resolution. Surely a victory for the consumer, albeit of a free product. I wonder how this will affect Skype's ongoing problem with being profitable."
Media

Submission + - Retailers Grow A Brain. Say DRM Hurts Sales (fastsilicon.com)

Submitted by
mrneutron2003
mrneutron2003 writes: "The lack of common sense as well as a basic understanding of economic theory has plagued the debate over anti piracy measures for as long as we can remember. Though it is quite clear in the United States the content delivery business is still rife with idiocy, it's a blessing to see a considerable turnaround in attitude by Great Britain's Entertainment Retailers Association . The ERA is a UK trade organisation formed specifically to act as a forum for the retail and wholesale sectors of the music, video, DVD and Multimedia products industry.

In an interview with the Financial Times (registration required) Kim Bayley, director general of the ERA said when asked about Digital Rights Management technologies that they are "stifling growth and working against the consumer interest."

Holy cow! An industry lobbyist, and she's smart! When asked about the state of DRM laden legal downloads in the UK, she added, "Sadly, that amounts to an average of less than one 79p per download per head of population per year."

Her warnings come as retailers of digital and non-digital content eye the Christmas selling season nervously. With album sales down 12 million units year on year, and new figures showing the average Briton has bought less than 3 digital audio tracks in the last three years, it's no wonder that there's a sense of urgency behind her open request to the music industry to drop piracy protections that clearly do not work and serve only to punish legitimate consumers. Next time I'm in Great Britain Kim, you've got dinner on me!

http://www.fastsilicon.com/latest-news/retailers-grow-a-brain.-say-drm-hurts-sales.html?Itemid=60"

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