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December 6, 2006
Taxing Virtual Gaming Assets
rijit writes "It appears very likely that taxation of online games assets is inevitable. Quote: 'That's because game publishers may well in the not too distant future have to send the forms — which individuals receive when earning nonemployee income from companies or institutions — to virtual world players engaging in transactions for valuable items like Ultima Online castles, EverQuest weapons or Second Life currency, even when those players don't convert the assets into cash.' "Originally by Hemos at Slashdot: Your Rights Online, 9:08 PM | Comments (0)
Apple's Billion Dollar Patent & Other Stories From Patentland
DECS writes "It has been widely reported that Apple secured a patent worth a "billion dollars." According to a patent attorney involved in the issue, Apple will be "after every phone company, film maker, computer maker and video producer to pay royalties." The good news is that all the news reports were based on misleading hyperbole. " Don't let the title fool you; the essay is a good background on patents, the horror stories of some of them but also why companies feel compelled to seek patents as a business "safety" precaution.Originally by Hemos at Slashdot: Your Rights Online, 9:08 PM | Comments (0)
BBC Wants Evidence of Climate Science Bias
Amtiskaw writes "Discussion of climate change is rife with claims and counter-claims of partisanship and bias. Some of the most serious of which being that the scientific community is smothering more skeptical research in the field. Now the BBC is asking for evidence of this self-censorship. From the article: 'Journals are meant to publish the best research irrespective of whether it accepts that the sky is blue, or finds it could really be green ... So the accusations that all is not well at the heart of climate science, and that censorship is rife in organisations which award research grants, the editorial boards of journals and the committees of the IPCC, should be examined seriously. Readers are asked to submit evidence of bias, which the the BBC will then investigate.'" Actually, the phrase "rife with claims and counter-claims" is making more of the counter-claims then they are; the vast body of the evidence indicates climate change is real; Lomborg is the only serious counter-claimaint that I am aware of.Originally by Hemos at Slashdot: Your Rights Online, 9:07 PM | Comments (0)
eBayer bids $89m for PS3
Going loco
Someone - fool, twit, dunderheard, call them what you will - has apparently agreed to pay more than $89m for a 60GB PlayStation 3. At least he or she doesn't have to pay the shipping cost - the seller is generously including UPS delivery in the price.…
Originally by The Register - Internet and Law: Wild Wild Web, 9:06 PM | Comments (0)
Second Life equal with First Life
Survey finds virtual world as important as reality
Nearly half of all Americans who belong to online communities claim that the virtual world they inhabit is as important as the real world.…
Originally by The Register - Internet and Law: Wild Wild Web, 9:06 PM | Comments (0)
Websites not liable for third party posts - court
Lawyers stunned by common sense ruling
The California Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling on Monday stating that websites can't be sued over third-party content, the Associated Press reports.…
Originally by The Register - Internet and Law: Digital Rights/Digital Wrongs, 9:05 PM | Comments (0)
Computer Misuse Act could ban security tools
Publishing software flaws now an offence?
The new Police and Justice Act, published today, could criminalise legitimate IT security activity. There are fears among security experts that changes it makes to the Computer Misuse Act will make it illegal to distribute some vital tools.…
Originally by The Register - Internet and Law: Digital Rights/Digital Wrongs, 9:05 PM | Comments (0)
Home Office to grab for more CCTV power
Plods not happy with law, ICO, or surveillance quality
The police and Home Office are to press for regulatory powers that will insist that every one of the 4.2 million CCTV cameras in Britain is upgraded so it can be deputised to gather police evidence and provide a vehicle for emerging technologies that will automatically identify people and detect if they are doing anything suspicious.…
Originally by The Register - Internet and Law: Digital Rights/Digital Wrongs, 9:05 PM | Comments (0)
EU earmarks €9bn for ICT research
Europe gives handout to boost competitiveness
The European Union this week announced plans to pump €9bn into research on information and communications technologies.…
Originally by The Register - Internet and Law: Digital Rights/Digital Wrongs, 9:05 PM | Comments (0)
EFF sues US over passenger data
Tell us more
The US Government faces a lawsuit demanding information about the controversial programme which forces airlines to disclose information about European travellers to the US.…
Originally by The Register - Internet and Law: Digital Rights/Digital Wrongs, 9:05 PM | Comments (0)
