Intellectual Property Law

minilinks for 2008-08-14

By hugh

• Oops! FBI Sorry For Spying on Journalists
  FBI Director Robert Mueller called the NY Times and the Washington Post to express regret for a breach of reporters' phone records.
  
• Google Comes Clean On Targeted Advertising
  The Internet giant confessed to using DoubleClick cookies to deliver targeted advertising to users.
  
• Coordinated Cyberattack in Georgia War
  The embattled state of Georgia accused Russia of launching denial of service attacks against Georgian websites.
  
• Jobs Confirms iPhone Kill Switch
  Steve Jobs admitted that Apple implemented a tool to pull the plug on any iPhone software that appears malicious -- or otherwise disrupts the business model.
  
• Fliers Without ID Placed on List
  The TSA is adding names of passengers who entered checkpoints without
  IDs to a database of suspicious persons.
  
• Cops Using GPS to Track Suspects
  Police around the country are using GPS devices attached to cars to
  track people -- without using a warrant.
  
• Yahoo to Make Targeted Ads Optional
  As Congress investigates targeted advertising, Yahoo announces it will adjust its policy.
  
• The Permission Problem
  James Surowiecki reviews Michael Heller's book, "The Gridlock
  Economy," discussing the ways too much private ownership can be bad for economies.
  
• Warner Investing in Online Music
  An SEC filing shows that Warner invested $15 million in the same service it previously sued for infringement.
  
• Dell Unlikely to Get Trademark on "Cloud Computing"
  The US Patent and Trademark Office has rescinded its earlier decision to grant Dell the right to trademark the term "cloud computing."
  
• Selectable Output Control and DRM
  Techdirt argues that the MPAA does not need DRM to release movies.
  
• AT&T "Sin Tax"
  BoingBoing's Joel Johnson recommends that iPod users pay a "sin tax" each time they pay their AT&T bill -- with a donation to EFF!
  

Full post as published by Electronic Freedom Foundation - Deep Links on August 14, 2008 (boomark / email).