More DRM and Legal Issues News

Google report sheds light on copyright takedown requests

Google this week received a somewhat rare accolade from a privacy rights group for publishing a detailed report on all the copyright related content removal requests it has received over the past year

Apple settles patent lawsuit with SimpleAir

SimpleAir in Texas said Thursday it had settled its patent infringement litigation against Apple, and entered into a confidential license agreement by which Apple had taken a license to its patents.

Lawmakers call on DOJ to reopen investigation into Google Wi-Fi spying

Two U.S. lawmakers have called on the U.S. Department of Justice to reopen its investigation into Google's snooping on Wi-Fi networks in 2010 after recent questions about the company's level of cooperation with federal inquiries.

Researchers propose TLS extension to detect rogue SSL certificates

A pair of security researchers have proposed an extension to the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol that would allow browsers to detect and block fraudulently issued SSL certificates.

Judge orders drug evidence suppressed in warrantless GPS tracking case

A federal judge in Kentucky this week upheld a lower court's decision to throw out crucial evidence in a drug case because the evidence was gathered with the help of a GPS tracking device installed without a warrant.

European privacy regulators want more detail on Google's policy changes

European privacy regulators want better answers from Google about its privacy policy and the way it informs its users about changes to it.

Ellison, other top execs to take stand in Oracle-SAP retrial

During the upcoming retrial of Oracle's corporate-theft lawsuit against SAP, the companies plan to call a star-studded array of tech executives as witnesses including CEO Larry Ellison, former Oracle co-president and current Infor CEO Charles Phillips and SAP co-CEO Bill McDermott, according to court documents.

Motorola Mobility has infringed Microsoft patent, says Munich court

Google-owned Motorola Mobility has infringed a Microsoft patent related to SMS messaging, according to a ruling in the Munich regional court, which also dismissed a second case related to a localization patent.

Apple claims US government sides with monopoly in e-book case

The U.S. government has sided with monopoly rather than competition in bringing a case of e-book price-fixing against Apple, the company said in a filing on Tuesday before a federal court.

Most jurors sided with Google on APIs and 'fair use'

Most of the jurors in the Oracle v Google trial thought Google's use of 37 Java APIs in Android should be allowed under the doctrine of fair use, one of the jurors revealed Wednesday after the trial had ended.

Study: Patriot Act doesn't give feds special access to cloud data

An often-repeated concern that the U.S. Patriot Act gives the U.S. government unequaled access to personal data stored on cloud services is incorrect, with several other nations enjoying similar access to cloud data, according to a study released Wednesday.

Facebook to settle class-action suit over Sponsored Stories

Facebook is to settle a class-action lawsuit in California that accused it of appropriating its users' likenesses for its Sponsored Stories advertising feature, according to a court document filed Tuesday.

Judge finds Kodak digital camera patent invalid

A judge at the U.S. International Trade Commission has determined that a Kodak patent asserted in a complaint against Apple and Research In Motion is invalid, Kodak said.

FTC taps privacy advocate Paul Ohm as adviser

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has hired Paul Ohm, a privacy advocate and critic of current online privacy practices, as a senior privacy adviser for consumer protection and competition issues affecting the Internet and mobile services.

Cross-browser worm spreads via Facebook, security experts warn

Malware writers have used Crossrider, a cross-browser extension development framework, to build a click-fraud worm that spreads on Facebook, security researchers from antivirus firm Kaspersky Lab said on Monday.

EU offers Google a chance to avoid fines over four antitrust concerns

Google has "a matter of weeks" to address four antitrust issues identified by European Union antitrust regulators. If Google addresses these issues the case can be solved by a so-called "commitment decision" instead of formal antitrust proceedings resulting in a fine, said JoaquAn Almunia, Vice President of the European Commission responsible for Competition Policy.

Wireless tech makes healthcare security a 'major concern'

The use of wireless technology in the latest medical devices found in hospitals, health clinics and doctor offices has become a major concern of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

LightSquared's bankruptcy is a cautionary tale

After more than a year of active testing and debate over LightSquared's plan for a nationwide, wholesale 4G network, the now bankrupt company may end up as no more than a cautionary tale for mobile investors.

EU to 'remain vigilant' on Microsoft's browser commitments

Regulators in Europe said Tuesday they will watch closely to make sure Microsoft complies with its commitments to ensure competition in the browser market, after Mozilla complained its Firefox browser is being excluded from Windows RT.

Mac clone maker Psystar saga ends as Supreme Court denies appeal

The four-year-old saga of Psystar, a Florida Mac clone maker that was crushed by Apple, ended Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear its appeal of a lower court decision.