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Government

Organized Online, Students Storm Gov't. Buildings In Moldova 199

Posted by timothy from the no-emoticon-for-what-I-feel dept.
An anonymous reader writes "Reacting to allegedly fraudulent election procedures, students are storming the presidency and parliament of the small eastern European country of Moldova. It is reported that they used Twitter to organize. Currently twitter and blogs are being used to spread word of what is happening since all national news websites have been blocked. If the 1989 Romanian revolution was the first to be televised, is this the first to be led by twitter and social networks?" Jamie points out this interesting presentation (from March 2008) by Ethan Zuckerman about the realities of online activism, including how governments try to constrain it.

Comment Re:Seems to Me (Score 1) 119

by shlompo (#27486679) Attached to: Fonera 2 To Launch With Extended Functionality
BT, an ISP, cooperates with Fon. That just means that it's actually their interest to get involved in the market, as it has the potential to compete with the cellular market.

As for the legal issue, it's a bit Grey, and doubtfully will stand in court. Maybe someone has examples?
Because the way I get my head around this: You can share your internet with your son, right? How about if he doesn't live with you, just came to visit? How about if it's just a visitor? Now what if that visitor stays for a few days? Or a year? (the really nasty visitor?) Can you share with someone you just made acquaintance with? So what's illegal is actually automation of this process?

Comment Re:Fon - A Good Idea I've Never Been Able To Use (Score 1) 119

by shlompo (#27486629) Attached to: Fonera 2 To Launch With Extended Functionality
You are right of course, but a bit short sighted...

Suppose you have an iPhone, with the new WiFi-only Skype application. Now you want WiFi wherever you are, even at a friends house, without configuring your device - it should connect automatically.

That's the vision: seemless connectivity everywhere.

Check out my company, at www.bzeek.com. We provide a similar solution using software only.

Comment Re:More wifi openspots= more safety for all? (Score 1) 119

by shlompo (#27486545) Attached to: Fonera 2 To Launch With Extended Functionality
I work for a company named Bzeek (www.bzeek.com). We provide a similar solution, using software only (without buying a router, just downloading).

We are planning to solve the security issue by forcing all public traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server, which means your IP will be out of the radar. The "line" will end back at the server, and it's up to us to provide answers, in case there was illegal activity over the connection.

What do you guys think?
The Military

USAF Violates DMCA, Escapes Unscathed 458

Posted by kdawson from the because-we've-got-planes-that's-why dept.
eldavojohn recommends coverage at Ars on a Byzantine case just thrown out by an appeals court. The US Air Force cracked the code that would expire a piece of software. For this they were sued under the DMCA in Blueport v. United States. The Court of Federal Claims heard it and threw it out. "The reasoning behind the decisions focuses on the US government's sovereign immunity, which the court describes thusly: 'The United States, as [a] sovereign, "is immune from suit save as it consents to be sued... and the terms of its consent to be sued in any court define that court's jurisdiction to entertain the suit."' ... 'The DMCA itself contains no express waiver of sovereign immunity,' the judge wrote, 'Indeed, the substantive prohibitions of the DMCA refer to individual persons, not the Government.'"
Privacy

FBI Seizes Library Computers Without Warrant 483

Posted by kdawson from the we-don't-need-no-steenkin dept.
An anonymous reader writes "Two FBI agents walked into a public library in Maryland, without a warrant, and walked out with two computers. The library director agreed to release the machines to these smooth-talking feds. According to the article, the director of Frederick County Public Libraries indicated that this was the third time in his 10 years there that the FBI had requested records, but the first time they had come without a court order. The director seemed to indicate no regrets, stating 'It was a decision I made on my experience and the information given to me.' He further justified his actions, noting that the agents indicated specific computers they needed (of the several dozen in the library) and further that they 'had an awful lot of information.'" The library director speculated whether the raid may have involved the Bruce Ivins / anthrax case, musing "Obviously it coincided with the events everyone is talking about," but he said the agents hadn't mentioned it.
Privacy

Israel Moves Toward a National Biometric Database 476

Posted by kdawson from the breaking-ground-for-england dept.
An anonymous reader writes "Israeli's government has approved the creation of a biometric database which would contain fingerprints and facial photos of all Israeli citizens. If the bill becomes law — and it is at an early stage — the biometric information of each citizen would be embedded in their passport and national ID card. Israeli citizens would be required by law to submit to biometric testing upon request by government employees, soldiers, and policemen, so that their biometric info can be compared to the info embedded in their ID card / passport. The declared purpose of the bill is to combat forgery of passports and ID cards, and also to aid identification 'in cases of a mass disaster.' The bill was approved over objections from civil rights groups and the Israeli Bar. The article notes that no other democratic country has a comprehensive biometric database of all citizens."

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