The FCC's move, Facebook privacy issues redux

IDG News Service - Stymied by a recent court decision regarding network neutrality, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission has decided to partially reclassify broadband as a common-carrier service so that it can forge ahead on net neutrality rules and its national broadband plan. And, as usual of late, Facebook's ongoing privacy issues garnered headlines as well -- we pared down the myriad choices to just a manageable handful.

1. FCC to claim some broadband regulatory power, FCC chairman defends broadband regulation move and What you need to know about the FCC's broadband plan: If at first you don't succeed, it's time to change the rules.

2. Facebook bug exposes private chats, Facebook's new features secretly add apps to your profile, Consumer groups hammer Facebook privacy violations in federal complaintand Q&A: Facebook exec defends site's privacy policies: The first step in getting help is to admit that you have a problem.

3. Four reasons to worry about privacy on Facebook and Playing it safe on Facebook: And since Facebook won't admit it has a problem, here's what Facebook users can do to try to protect themselves better if they want to continue using the social network.

4. Wall Street Beat: Panic weighs on tech gains and House panel to hold stock market inquiry: The huge half-hour-long plunge in the Dow Jones Industrial Average Thursday seems to have been caused by a combination of human error and an "algorithmic error" in high-speed computer trading systems. The U.S. House Financial Services Committee wants to get to the bottom of the drop, which caused temporary Wall Street panic. (Not that it takes much to induce panic on Wall Street.)

5. Times Square bomb scare may mean new levels of security in the U.S., says former police chief: Last weekend's bomb scare in Manhattan's Time Square weighed on our minds into the week and undoubtedly will lead to additional security measures involving IT.

6. Feds threaten Apple's control of iPhone and iPad and DOJ, FTC decline comment on Apple antitrust report: Either the U.S. Department of Justice or the Federal Trade Commission could launch an antitrust investigation against Apple because it won't allow rival development tools for iPhone and iPad, according to the New York Post, which reported that the agencies are negotiating which of them will pursue the matter. Both declined comment when asked about the report.

7. Adobe paints Apple as Big Brother: Amused as we continue to be by the fracas between Adobe Systems and Apple, we feel compelled to encourage the parties involved to come up with some descriptions for each other that are not overused cliches.

8, BP oil spill: Technology center stage in containment: Computerworld UK took a look this week at BP's use of technology to contain the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

9. Google redesign helps refine search results: Design changes to Google's search-results pages will offer more options for refining search results.

10. Beware the smartphone pretenders: Not all alleged smartphones are really that smart, as it turns out.