miniLinks
October 27th, 2009
minilinks for 2009-10-27
miniLinks by Hugh D'Andrade- CIA Invests In Social Network Monitoring
Watch what you tweet! Intelligence agencies are investing in new tech to monitor and archive public activity on blogs and social networks.
- NYT Op-Ed: A Win For Free Speech
The Times Editorial Board on why the Craigslist win in federal court matters.
- UK's MI5 Opposes 3 Strikes
British intelligence is against cutting off internet access for accused pirates -- because might encourage people to use crypto.
- Resisting Corporate Bullying On the Net
EFF Fellow Cory Doctorow on how and why to stand up to bogus DMCA takedowns and other forms of censorship.
- The French Disconnection
France's Conseil Constitutionnel has ruled Internet disconnection law is now legal.
- Fair Use: What It Means, Why It Matters
In the wake of Shepard Fairey's admission of lying in his fair use case, Tim Wu explains why fair use is important.
- Study: Can't Stop Filesharing
A new study finds that the millions spent by the RIAA and MPAA to stop BitTorrent pirats has had no noticeable effect.
- Canadian DMCA? That's Funny
CBC's "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" has a funny sketch on proposed Canadian copyright law reform.
July 16th, 2009
minilinks for 2009-07-16
miniLinks by Hugh D'Andrade- NSA Cyber Overkill
An LA Times op-ed piece questions the Obama administration's plan to use the National Security Agency to screen government computer traffic on private-sector networks.
- Court: IP Addresses Are Not 'Personally Identifiable' Information
A federal judge in Seattle has ruled that Microsoft did not violate it's user agreement not to collect personally identifiable information when it collected IP addresses.
- Apple Blocking Push on Jailbroken Phones
Is Apple intentionally blocking users with hacked or unlocked iPhones from receiving Push Notification messages?
- Phorm Dumped by Developers
TalkTalk and BT have both decided not to use Phorm's invasive advertising technology.
- Report: Music Fans Discover Music Online, Then Buy CDs
A British survey finds that music fans still prefer CDs -- and those that use online subscription services spend more.
- Chips in Official IDs Raise Privacy Fears
The Washington Post covers hacker Chris Paget's work exposing the security risks of RFID technology.
- Facebook Promises to Crack Down On Pot Dealers
A medical marijuana collective has had their Facebook page shut down by the social networking site.
- Are Iranian Authorities Using Facebook to Track Dissidents?
A scary anecdote from Iran illustrates the problem with social networking sites for people in living under authoritarian regimes.
June 26th, 2009
miniLinks for 2009-06-26
miniLinks by Richard Esguerra- Surveillance in Iran vs. Surveillance in the US
Iran has an Internet monitoring center built by Nokia and Siemens AG -- what kind of domestic spying is happening in the US? - Data Shows Music Fans Are Willing to Buy
TopSpin and Nettwerk have experimented with premium discs, free albums, and free shows, and have found that fans are still more than willing to pay. - Panasonic Blocking Use of Third-Party Batteries
A firmware update to some Pansonic cameras is preventing consumers from using their choice of battery, forcing users to buy only "genuine" Panasonic batteries. - Endless Privacy Concerns After "Clear" Shuts Down
What happens to all the fingerprints, iris scans, and social security numbers collected by the Clear registered traveler service? - Electronic Arts Selling Stores in Games
The video game publisher seeks to move beyond piracy by selling games that, as a rule, encourage payment for an improved experience, like access to the game community and better content. - Musician Makes $19k Using Twitter; $0 on Major Label Solo Album
Amanda Palmer, of the Dresden Dolls, recounts recent examples of using Twitter to reach out to fans directly and garner direct support for her creative efforts, while her major label album sales net nothing. - Does a Private Company Own Your Bus Arrival Times?
A controversy is brewing over NextBus Information Systems, which shut down an iPhone app by claiming to have exclusive ownership of bus arrival data.
June 19th, 2009
miniLinks for 2009-06-19
miniLinks by Richard Esguerra- REAL ID Revival Bill Is Another Attempt at a National ID
A new "PASS ID" bill seeks to create a privacy-invasive national ID, just like its antecedent, REAL ID. - IP Colloquium Podcast Tackles Patent Damages Reform
UCLA Law Professor Doug Lichtman and his guests explore the contentious issues around patent reform, including the difficulty of calculating damages and considering the many possible reforms. - Copyright in the Rye
J.D. Salinger has filed a copyright infringement complaint against the writer of a novel attempting to chronicle the later years of a character from "The Catcher in the Rye." - SF-area IT Director Lends Support for Protest in Iran
A principled technologist becomes a hub of information about proxy servers, helping Iranian protesters bypass government censorship. - Librarians Fear Lack of Competition in Google Book Search Deal
Librarians are concerned about price hikes should Google develop a monopoly on the scanning of orphan works.
June 8th, 2009
minilinks for 2009-05-08
miniLinks by Richard Esguerra- Craigslist Censorship Causes Uptick for Newspapers
After Craigslist stopped accepting erotic ads due to pressure from law enforcement, newspapers are reporting significant gains in adult classified ad sales. - Travel Documents Now Required to Exit U.S.
Federal regulations effective June 1, 2009 require government-issued travel documents, frequently featuring RFIDs, for exit as well as entry to the U.S. - Cybersecurity Plans Could Threaten Anonymity
"Identity Management" plans suggested by Obama echo a long history of efforts to curb flexibility of identity online. - Government Sides with Remote DVR Providers
The Solicitor General advised the Supreme Court to avoid taking up a case in which remote digital video recording (DVR) services were likened to traditional DVR set-top boxes. - Driving with DVDs is Not a Crime
A man was arrested for having "bootleg" DVDs after being pulled over on the basis of other suspicions. - RIAA v. Jammie Thomas, Redux
Both parties are expected to continue arguing over allegations of illegal file sharing and the constitutionality of massive statutory damages for copyright infringement in an upcoming trial. - Alleged Severed "Secret Network" Line Elicited Swift Government Response
Serious underground construction in Washington D.C. reminds developers of a wire-cutting episode in 2000 that led to swift attention from a half-dozen men in suits.
May 28th, 2009
minilinks for 2009-05-28
miniLinks by Hugh D'Andrade- Sotomayor's Cyberlaw Record
President Obama's nomination to the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor, is the first nominee with a cyberlaw record.
- FCC's New Deal for Rural Internet
ArsTechnica reviews the FCC's Rooseveltian proposal for how to deliver broadband to the rural public.
- Honolulu's Internet Vote
The nation's first all-digital election successfully took place in Honolulu, where voters made their choices for neighborhood council online and via phone.
- Internet Child Porn Search Is "Knowing Possession"
A Pennsylvania court ruled that the act of searching for and viewing child pornography online constitutes "knowing control."
- Banned E-Book App Returns -- And It's Good!
MacWorld says the e-book reader Eucalyptus -- once banned by Apple for allowing access to racy public domain literature like the Kama Sutra -- is a hit.
- Why Android Could Be Headed for the Laundry Room
Google's open source operating system for phones and devices appears to be taking off.
- Canadian Think Tank's Bogus Copyright Report
The Conference Board of Canada admits plagiarizing sections of its report on copyright, as well as suppressing research that it disagreed with.
May 22nd, 2009
minilinks for 2009-05-22
miniLinks by Hugh D'Andrade- The FCC's Warrantless Searches
Wired's Threat Level reports that the FCC claims the right to enter and inspect any wireless device.
- IBM Unveils Real-Time Datamining Software
The new software does "stream processing," allowing researchers to combine data from various sources to find patterns.
- Protect Newspapers — By Destroying the Internet?
A recent Washington Post opinion piece argued that the searching and indexing of newspaper articles amounts to copyright infringement. Art Brodsky begs to differ.
- Microsoft, Linux Gang Up Contract Guidelines
Microsoft and Linux are on the same side for once, united in their opposition to guidelines from the American Law Institute (ALI).
- Two New Judges Appointed to FISA Court
Judge Thomas Hogan and Judge Susan Webber Wright will be joining the secret court.
- Logjam at the Copyright Office
You might think online application forms would speed things up, but not at the U.S. Copyright Office.
- Read the Bill
House Minority Leader John Boehner supports the idea of posting legislation online for a mandatory 72-hour review period, a plan promoted by the Sunlight Foundation.
- Privacy Camp
It's an "unconference" about privacy and government policy, scheduled for June 20, 2009.
May 8th, 2009
minilinks for 2009-05-08
miniLinks by Hugh D'Andrade- Justice Department Finds Flaws in FBI Terror List
Surprise! The exponential growth the terror watch list has led to errors — including 24,000 names included on the basis of outdated or irrelevant information.
- Libraries Raise Concerns About Google Books
Librarians submitted a letter to the court considering the Google Book Settlement raising concerns about how Google's plans for digital books will affect privacy and censorship.
- CAIR Defends Savage
When shock jock Michael Savage was banned from the UK for allegedly hateful comments about muslims, an Islamic group he had previously maligned came to his defense -- on free speech grounds.
- Facebook’s E-mail Censorship is Legally Dubious, Experts Say
Does Facebook's decision to block Pirate Bay features for their site violate wiretapping laws?
- Another Win for Fantasy Sports
A judge ruled that NFL info is in the public domain and can be used by online fantasy leagues without permission.
- Law Students Collect Personal Info on Scalia
Chief Justice Scalia may not be so skeptical about the need for privacy protections now that a group of law students at Fordham University have harvested his personal data.
- Is David Simon Wrong About Blogs?
The creator of The Wire says blogs can't replace professional newspaper reporters for covering the nitty gritty details of local politics. But is he missing something?
April 29th, 2009
minilinks for 2009-04-30
miniLinks by Hugh D'Andrade- Rep. Boucher Pushes Internet Privacy Legislation
The Virginia congressman wants legislation that will protect the public against behavioral advertising and other new technologies.
- Obama's First 100 Days: High Marks for Science, Low for Privacy
Wired's Threat Level blog grades the Obama administration on issues of copyright, cyber security, transparency and privacy.
- Lessig Video Gets DMCA Takedown
Warner Music issued a takedown on a video by noted copyright law professor Lawrence Lessig.
- "Pirate Google" Sets Sail to Show Copyright Hypocrisy
If indexing .torrent files is enabling piracy, the new Pirate Google site reminds us that Google is also guilty.
- Swedish ISPs Vow Not to Store Users' Traffic Data
Three ISPs in Sweden are attracting customers by erasing customer traffic data to protect customer privacy.
- Online Comments Lead to Slander Case in NJ
A blogger who accused an online pornography company of a security breach is facing a slander suit for comments made on an online forum.
- Behavioral Advertising: Not So Bad After All?
The "public" rallies to the defense of the maligned behavioral advertising company Phorm with a new astroturf website.
- The Long War: Music Piracy in 1897
A New York Times article from the other '90s complains about Canadian pirates selling unauthorized sheet music by mail.
- Jon Stewart on the Jane Harman Scandal
"The Congresswoman who was caught on a wiretap was spared further wiretapping so as not to erode her support... for wiretapping!"
April 24th, 2009
minilinks for 2009-02-24
miniLinks by Hugh D'Andrade- EU Parliament Approves 70 Year Copyright for Recordings
Sound recordings would be copyrighted for 70 years under a new proposal passed by the parliament -- not the 95 years that had been sought -- but the Council of Ministers have yet to agree.
- Dude, Where's My Downloadable Movie Service?
The technology exists, the demand exists. So why aren't most movies available for instant download for a monthly fee? Slate explains the issue. - Why Open Source is More Secure
Sun Federal COO Bill Vass explains why organizations that require security are turning to open source operating systems. - The Best Open Government Programs
A contest by Sunlight Labs brought in a whole host of great programs designed to help the public keep government accountable.
- Congress Examining Privacy Practices
A House subcommittee is holding hearings on behavioral advertising, as lawmakers consider legislation that would limit the ads and establish privacy protections.
- DVD Copying Case Focuses on 'Fair Use'
The MPAA told a federal judge that consumers have no fair use right to copy their DVDs.
- Everyone Hates DRM
A podcast from UCLA Law School Professor Dough Lichtman takes a look at why DRM is such a reviled technology, with input from several EFF voices.
- Copyright Lobby Targets "Pirate Bay for Textbooks"
Finnish online book rental service Bookabooka is getting heat for helping students rent textbooks to their peers.
- Swedish Study Finds 86% Would Pay For Legal P2P
Yet another study showing the public is ready to pay for the right to use P2P software legally to download movies and music.
