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Fox Gnashes Its Teeth Over Aereo April 10, 2013 
While anyone with the right antenna can pick up a broadcast TV station's signal for free, the fact that Aereo allows subscribers to view time-shifted streams of over-the-air television has some broadcasters threatening to go the pay-TV route. News Corp. Chief Operating Officer Chase Carey this week threatened to pull the Fox network off the airwaves and convert the network to a pay-TV-only channel.
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Competitors Ask EU to Rein In Google April 10, 2013 
Microsoft and Nokia are part of the coalition of companies that filed a complaint with EU antitrust regulators claiming that Google is using its Android mobile operating system to promote its own products and services. Made public Tuesday by lobbying group FairSearch, the action comes as European regulators are reportedly near a settlement with Google over concerns that it has abused its search dominance.
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LulzSec Hackers Plead Guilty in UK Court April 10, 2013 
Four members of the LulzSec hacker community have pleaded guilty in a British court to charges of hacking into the computer systems of various organizations, including Sony, PBS, the Arizona State Police, and HB Gary. Ryan Ackroyd, whose LulzSec handle was "Kayla," on Tuesday was the last to enter his guilty plea.
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Who Gets LinkedIn When an Employee Is Kicked Out? April 10, 2013 
After almost two years of litigation, a federal judge has ruled on a dispute between an employer and former employee over control of a LinkedIn account. The case turned on a specific Pennsylvania law about using the likeness of another individual, so the impact may be limited, but since there is so little litigation concerning LinkedIn or other social media sites, it is important to understand the issues and implications.
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US Biz Groups Rail Against China-Focused 'Cybersecurity' Law April 09, 2013 
The head of the U.S.-China Business Council has criticized a new law aimed at stopping cyberattacks. John Frisbie, the group's president, objected to the law in a letter sent Monday to the leaders of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. The provision requires multiple government agencies to get approval from law enforcement officials before purchasing IT systems sourced from companies having connections with China.
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Microsoft Leads Anti-Google Antitrust Chorus in EU April 09, 2013 
Google is the subject of another antitrust complaint in Europe, this time filed by FairSearch, a coalition of companies that allege the search giant is using its Android operating system to unfairly promote its own apps and data. One of the well-known FairSearch members is Microsoft, no stranger to past regulatory antitrust actions regarding its browser and operating systems.
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ITC Judge Says Samsung Infringed Apple Text Patent April 08, 2013 
A judge with the International Trade Commission has ruled that Samsung infringed an Apple text selection patent, a move that could result in some company devices being banned from importation into the U.S. The decision, made March 26 but not made public until last week, is preliminary, according to published reports. The full ITC panel will vote on the ruling and a final decision is expected in August.
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Google Searches for a Fight on National Security Letters April 05, 2013 
Google is reportedly challenging a government request for private information on its users, just weeks after it became the first major tech company to release information about the security probes it receives from the FBI. The tech giant is mounting a court challenge against a National Security Letter (NSL), a highly secretive demand issued by the FBI that asks Google to provide private information on certain users.
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DEA Can't Get Around iMessage Encryption Roadblocks April 05, 2013 
Agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency aren't happy with Apple. They're complaining about not being able to decipher text messages sent through the company's iMessage app because of encryption, according to a published report. A DEA document noted that it's impossible to intercept messages from the app even if the agency could obtain a court order to do so.
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Pirate Bay Proxy Operator's Bank Account Seized April 04, 2013 
The Netherlands has had the damnedest time blocking The Pirate Bay. Taking a cue from the UK, as well as from Belgium and others, the Netherlands ruled last May that Dutch Internet service providers must block The Pirate Bay. Alas, the ruling didn't quite do the trick, as people began offering proxies that afforded users circuitous routes to the piracy hotbed.
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SEC Lets Companies Go Social With Market-Moving News April 03, 2013 
The Securities and Exchange Commission released a new set of disclosure rules Tuesday that allow executives to use social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to update investors about significant corporate announcements that fall under Regulation Fair Disclosure mandates. As long as executives alert their investors about which blog or social networking sites will be used to post announcements, CEOs can fill those online venues with news about their companies.
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Rubber Band Patent Rejection Could Bounce Apple Back to Court April 03, 2013 
Apple apparently is not accepting the recent ruling by a U.S. patent examiner invalidating a patent it successfully used in a suit against Samsung. The "final" action does not signal the end of reexamination at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the company argues in a filing submitted Tuesday. Nor does it mean there will be no further consideration or reexamination of the patentability of the claims.
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Feds Crown Winners of Robocall Whacking Contest April 03, 2013 
Nothing steams consumers like robocalls, which is why the Federal Trade Commission launched a contest last year calling for ideas to tackle the nuisance. The winners of that challenge were announced Tuesday. Each of two winners will receive $25,000 to bring their robocall solutions to market.
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Baidu May Be Developing a Glassy Eye April 03, 2013 
Living up to its billing as the Chinese Google, Baidu, China's top search engine, reportedly is working on Baidu Eye, something that sounds a lot like Google's Glass. Worn like eyeglasses, the Internet gadget will be controlled by voice and will feature an LCD display that can recognize images. While these features are rumored to be up and running, the product's design and battery life are still works in progress.
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6 Euro Nations Scream at Google Over Privacy April 03, 2013 
The six leading European markets -- France, Spain, Italy, the UK, the Netherlands and Germany -- announced on Tuesday that they will take joint legal action against Google over its privacy policies. The action will involve an investigation and possible fines. This follows the company's decision last year to consolidate more than 70 privacy policies for products and services into one policy.
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Court Rules Broadcasters Can't Pull the Plug on Aereo April 02, 2013 
Aereo, a startup that streams TV content to Web-connected devices with the use of tiny antennas, won another legal battle Monday in its war with broadcast networks. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court's ruling that denied 17 broadcasters a preliminary injunction against Aereo on the grounds that streaming TV content to individual subscribers does not constitute a public performance.
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Russian Clampdown on Web Content Raises Red Flags April 01, 2013 
The Russian government is using a law passed last year to restrict
online content, and three major social networks have
removed content authorities deemed objectionable. The Russian
law created a blacklist of sites containing child pornography,
drug-related and extremist material, and other illegal content.
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Zuckerberg Lobbies to Become a Bigger Difference Maker April 01, 2013 
It appears Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is plunging into the controversial national debate on immigration reform. An issue-advocacy group he formed has hired two lobbying firms. It is unclear exactly what Zuckerberg's goals are, but he reportedly wants to push for comprehensive immigration reform, possibly including a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
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Tibet-Documentary Filmmakers Draw Ire of Chinese Hackers April 01, 2013 
Members of a film crew working on State of Control, a documentary about Tibet, are convinced that the Chinese government is behind cyberattacks on their computers.
They've been faced with unknown parties taking external control over a computer's cursor; abrupt log-offs; at least one fried operating system; and DDoS attacks.
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Shipping Abroad: Customs and Duties and Laws, Oh My April 01, 2013 
When overseas customers order smartphone and tablet repair parts and accessories from
RepairsUniverse.com, they must know the laws and regulations in their individual countries regarding international shipments. Those laws and regulations might include a variety of taxes and fees. Everything from customs and duty fees to the creation of enforceable electronic agreements and contracts needs to be considered.
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