Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[India launches antitrust investigation against Google]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/07/india-launches-antitrust-investigation-against-google/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/07/india-launches-antitrust-investigation-against-google/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/07/india-launches-antitrust-investigation-against-google/#comments India launches antitrust investigation against Google

Google remains tied up in a censorship case with the Indian government, and things aren't looking rosy for the search giant in the interim period before its May 23rd court hearing. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Competition Commission of India is launching an antitrust investigation of Google to examine the company's alleged "discriminatory and retaliatory practices relating to AdWords." The antitrust probe follows a complaint from Consim Info Pvt. Ltd., an Indian web conglomerate which apparently requested that the Competition Commission step in to ensure fair competition in online advertising. The exact reach of this investigation is unclear; the commission will initially focus on AdWords, though it's keeping the door open for examining other Google services as deemed necessary. Hear that sigh? That, friends, is the sound of Google gearing up for one long Indian summer.

India launches antitrust investigation against Google originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 May 2012 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>antitrustantitrust lawsuitAntitrustLawsuitcensorshipcompetition commissionCompetition Commission of IndiaCompetitionCommissionCompetitionCommissionOfIndiaConsim InfoConsimInfocourtcourt casecourt casesCourtCaseCourtCasesgoogleGoogle antitrustgoogle courtGoogleAntitrustGoogleCourtIndiaIndianinvestigationinvestigationslawsuitlawsuitsminipostMon, 07 May 2012 19:59:00 EST<![CDATA[UK High Court rules ISPs to block Pirate Bay, forgets it ain't the boss anymore]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/UK-isps-block-pirate-bay/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/UK-isps-block-pirate-bay/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/UK-isps-block-pirate-bay/#comments Image

The High Court has ruled that British ISPs must block web-browsing citizens from accessing the infamous Pirate Bay. The controversial ruling comes just six months after the European Court of Justice (a superior court) declared that companies like Sky and TalkTalk were protected against injunctions to block, filter or monitor internet traffic for that purpose. Virgin Media told the BBC that it would comply, before sensibly adding that censorship measures like this are ineffective in the long term.

UK High Court rules ISPs to block Pirate Bay, forgets it ain't the boss anymore originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlockingBTCensorshipECJEuropean Court of JusticeEuropeanCourtOfJusticeHigh CourtHighCourtISPLawNewzbin2O2PiracyPirate BayPirateBaySkyTalkTalkUKVirgin MediaVirginMediaWeb FilteringWebFilteringMon, 30 Apr 2012 12:18:00 EST<![CDATA[Sergey Brin clarifies Apple and Facebook critique, says statement was 'distorted']]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/18/sergey-brin-clarifies-apple-and-facebook-critique/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/18/sergey-brin-clarifies-apple-and-facebook-critique/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/18/sergey-brin-clarifies-apple-and-facebook-critique/#comments Sergey Brin clarifies apple and facebook critique

Sergey Brin wasn't too happy with how his critique of Apple and Facebook was represented in the media following an interview he gave to the Guardian. In a post on Google+ (hey, if he won't use it, who will?) Brin lamented that, "my thoughts got particularly distorted... in a way that distracts from my central tenets." The founder believes that undue attention was given to his complaints about Facebook and Apple's "restrictive" walled gardens, when he sees oppressive governments and state-sanctioned censorship as much larger issues. Of course, while Brin does say he admires his competitors, he never truly backpedals from his criticism or says that it was taken out of context. To let Sergey explain himself, hit up the source link.

Sergey Brin clarifies Apple and Facebook critique, says statement was 'distorted' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applece oh noce-oh noce-oh no he didntCe-ohNoCe-ohNoHeDidntcensorshipCeOhNochinafacebookgooglegoogle plusGooglePlusguardianinternetiranpipasergey brinSergeyBrinsopawebWed, 18 Apr 2012 12:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Sergey Brin says the internet is under attack by governments, Apple and Facebook]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/16/sergey-brin-says-the-internet-is-under-attack-by-governments-ap/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/16/sergey-brin-says-the-internet-is-under-attack-by-governments-ap/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/16/sergey-brin-says-the-internet-is-under-attack-by-governments-ap/#comments Sergey Brin says the internet is under attack by governments, apple and facebook

One of the qualifications for scoring a CE-Oh no 'round here is actually being a CEO -- so Sergey Brin does not receive that honor. We will, however, draw attention to what some might call his hyperbolic ramblings. In an interview with the Guardian, Google's cool uncle said he was worried about the state of the internet and that his company could not have flourished in an online ecosystem like today's. According to Brin, the threats are coming from all sides -- most notably governments. While oppressive regimes like those in China and Iran get top billing, the US doesn't escape without criticism thanks to SOPA and PIPA which seemed perilously close to passing with support from the media industry. The co-founder also took shots at Apple and Facebook, which he said have built "really restrictive" walled gardens. For more smack talk from one of the most influential men in the tech industry, hit up the source link.

[Image via Thomas Hawk]

Sergey Brin says the internet is under attack by governments, Apple and Facebook originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applece oh noce-oh noce-oh no he didntCe-ohNoCe-ohNoHeDidntcensorshipCeOhNochinafacebookgoogleinternetiranpipasergey brinSergeyBrinsopawebMon, 16 Apr 2012 11:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Weibo services 'punished' for Beijing coup rumors, comments temporarily disabled]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/31/weibo-services-punished-for-beijing-coup-rumors-comments-temp/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/31/weibo-services-punished-for-beijing-coup-rumors-comments-temp/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/31/weibo-services-punished-for-beijing-coup-rumors-comments-temp/#comments ImageFor a country who doesn't really do April Fools' Day, you know China means business when it lays the smackdown on its weibo services. Here's the background story: about a week ago there was a rumor on the Chinese web about a military coup on one of the main streets in Beijing, and coincidentally I was in town around the time (for the Windows Phone launch). Funnily enough, I wasn't aware of this at all until my taxi driver in Hong Kong asked me about my visit, as he claimed that the passenger he picked up beforehand was actually a Chinese military officer who had several intense phone calls about said coup.

But of course, nothing actually happened. In fact, the guards at Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City were pretty relaxed when I visited on that very day. As for the rumormongers, the Chinese government announced through Xinhua that 16 websites have been shut down and six people have been detained, while local microblogging platforms Sina Weibo and Tencent Weibo have been "criticized and punished accordingly," though it didn't elaborate on the details. All we know is that comments under each weibo post are now disabled until local time 8pm on April 3rd, during which these two companies can, in their own words, clean up the mess. Well, at least we now know where to draw the line for China's April Fools'.

Weibo services 'punished' for Beijing coup rumors, comments temporarily disabled originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 31 Mar 2012 22:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbeijingcensorshipchinacoupmicroblogmicrobloggingpenaltysinasina weiboSinaWeibosuspensiontencenttencent weiboTencentWeiboweiboxinhuaSat, 31 Mar 2012 22:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Indian court drops censorship case against Microsoft, Google and Facebook still on the hook]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/19/indian-court-drops-censorship-case-against-microsoft/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/19/indian-court-drops-censorship-case-against-microsoft/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/19/indian-court-drops-censorship-case-against-microsoft/#comments With so many patent trolls out and about, you'd be forgiven if the Indian government's censorship case against Google, Facebook, Microsoft and other web companies slipped under your radar. Indeed, not a whole lot has happened since then, but Microsoft, at least, is making an early exit from the proceedings. Delhi High Court has dropped the outfit from the list of companies accused of failing to rid their sites of offensive material -- specifically, perceived religious attacks, or anything else that might violate local laws against inciting communal tensions. (In particular, according to a three-months-old New York Times report, technology minister Kapil Sibal, pictured above, took note of comments criticizing Sonia Gandhi, widow of the assassinated former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi). For now, this leaves Google and Facebook to defend themselves, though the two internet giants are moving to have their cases dismissed as well. The High Court will hear those petitions on May 3, with the trial set to resume on May 23.

Indian court drops censorship case against Microsoft, Google and Facebook still on the hook originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>censorshipcourtcourt casecourt casesCourtCaseCourtCasesfacebookIndiaIndianlawlawsuitlawsuitslegalMicrosoftsocial mediaSocialMediaMon, 19 Mar 2012 10:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Iran blocking access to Google's encrypted search, YouTube, and webmail]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/13/iran-blocking-access-to-googles-encrypted-search-youtube-and/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/13/iran-blocking-access-to-googles-encrypted-search-youtube-and/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/13/iran-blocking-access-to-googles-encrypted-search-youtube-and/#comments Iran has restricted access to the internet for years now, but it seems the land of Persia is clamping down even further on its citizens' ability to surf the web as they wish. Bloomberg has confirmed with Google that Iranians haven't had access to Google's encrypted search, YouTube and Gmail since February 10th. Iran's Mehr news agency has reported restrictions on other email services, including Hotmail, plus increased difficulties getting to domestic and news websites as well. 30 million folks, give or take, are currently locked out of their email, and there's no indication when, or if, access will be granted again.

Iran blocking access to Google's encrypted search, YouTube, and webmail originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>censorshipfilteringgmailgoogleinternetiranrestrictedMon, 13 Feb 2012 14:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Game changers: Egyptians and their gadgets in 2012]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/11/egyptians-and-their-gadgets-in-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/11/egyptians-and-their-gadgets-in-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/11/egyptians-and-their-gadgets-in-2012/#comments Is there such a thing as revolutionary technology? Many Egyptians believe there is. A year ago, they used mobile phones, social networking and banned TV channels to spread word of the protests in Tahrir Square. Hearing the news, thousands of young people risked their lives to join in and overthrow the dictator Hosni Mubarak. To mark the revolution's anniversary, Engadget caught up with five Caireans of different ages and backgrounds to find out about the gadgets they use to keep in touch with their world. For the love of freedom, democracy and at least one bar of mobile reception, please read on.

Continue reading Game changers: Egyptians and their gadgets in 2012

Game changers: Egyptians and their gadgets in 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Al JazeeraAlJazeeracairocairo protestsCairoProtestscensorshipdemocracydeveloping worldDevelopingWorldEgyptegypt governmentegypt protestsEgyptGovernmentegyptian revolutionEgyptianRevolutionEgyptProtestspoliticsrevolutiontahrir squareTahrirSquareSat, 11 Feb 2012 11:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Twitter to begin 'reactively' censoring tweets in specific countries, still no love for China]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/twitter-censors-content-in-specific-countries/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/twitter-censors-content-in-specific-countries/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/twitter-censors-content-in-specific-countries/#comments It's no secret that certain countries have different views over freedom of expression on the internet, but this hasn't stopped Twitter's attempt to keep its service running in as many places as possible. In its latest blog post, the microblogging service announced that it'll begin "to reactively withhold content from users in a specific country" when required, in order to keep said content available to all users elsewhere (as opposed to blocking it globally). The withheld tweets will be marked accordingly while their authors get notified with reasons where possible, and internet legal rights monitor Chilling Effects will also post the relevant take-down notices on a dedicated page.

This may seem like some form of censorship taking over Twitter, but the company only mentioned those of "historical or cultural reasons" like the ban of pro-Nazi content in France and Germany; so it's not clear whether Twitter will also handle similarly with tweets that potentially lead to events such as the UK riots last year. Even though Twitter didn't elaborate further for Reuters, there is one reassuring line in the post:

"Some [countries] differ so much from our ideas that we will not be able to exist there."

One such country is most likely China, and back at AsiaD in October, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey told us that there's simply no way for his company to work with the Chinese government (you can watch him answering us at 38:17 in the video -- courtesy of All Things D -- after the break):

"The unfortunate fact is we're just not allowed to compete in this market, and that's not up to us to change. The person to ask is trade experts between both governments, but at the end of the day we can't compete. They (Chinese microblogging platforms) can compete in our markets, and we're certainly interested in what that means for us... We would love to have a strong Twitter in China, but we'd need to be allowed to do that."

There are obviously many factors that add up to this sour relationship, but the contradiction between China's strict internet monitoring policy and Twitter's core values is most likely the biggest obstacle. And of course, the Chinese government would favor its home-grown tech properties, anyway. That said, several months ago, one of the country's largest microblogging services Sina Weibo was criticized by the authorities for not censoring fast enough, so it's obvious that it'd be even trickier to work with a foreign company that sees things differently. Things are unlikely to change any time soon, or ever, unless China relaxes its policy.

Continue reading Twitter to begin 'reactively' censoring tweets in specific countries, still no love for China

Twitter to begin 'reactively' censoring tweets in specific countries, still no love for China originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asiadcensorcensorshipchilling effectsChillingEffectschinaD conferenceDConferencefilterfreedom of expressionfreedom of speechFreedomOfExpressionFreedomOfSpeechmicroblogmicrobloggingnetworkingsocial networksocial networkingSocialNetworkSocialNetworkingtwittervideoFri, 27 Jan 2012 04:20:00 EST<![CDATA[China wants microbloggers to register with the government, hand over real identity]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/18/china-wants-microbloggers-to-register-with-the-government/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/18/china-wants-microbloggers-to-register-with-the-government/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/18/china-wants-microbloggers-to-register-with-the-government/#comments WeiboThought that Facebook's and Google+'s requirements that you use your real name were draconian? Just be thankful you're not a weibo addict in China. The government is planning to expand a program that demands users register their real names and disclose their identity. Wang Chen, China's top internet regulation official, said the eventual goal would be to get all 250 million microbloggers registered, starting first with any new users signing up. The obvious privacy and free speech issues that could arise from such a move shouldn't need to be explained -- especially considering the country's track record of censorship and politically motivated arrests. Sadly, unlike SOPA, putting an end to this troubling law isn't as simple as putting up a black banner or emailing your congressman.

China wants microbloggers to register with the government, hand over real identity originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>censorshipchinafree speechFreeSpeechgovernmentmicrobloggingpoliticsprivacyprivacy issuesPrivacyIssuesreal namesRealNamesregistrationrightsweiboWed, 18 Jan 2012 22:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Hackers planning homespun anti-censorship satellite internet]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/hackers-planning-homespun-anti-censorship-satellite-internet/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/hackers-planning-homespun-anti-censorship-satellite-internet/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/hackers-planning-homespun-anti-censorship-satellite-internet/#comments
SOPA is making ordinary, decent internet users mad as hell, and they're not gonna take it anymore. Hacker attendees of Berlin's Chaos Communication Congress are cooking up a plan to launch a series of homemade satellites as the backbone of an "uncensorable (sic) internet in space." Like all good ideas, there's a few hurdles to overcome first: objects in lower-Earth orbit circle the earth every 90 minutes, useless for a broadband satellite that needs to remain geostationary. Instead, a terrestrial network of base stations will have to be installed in order to remain in constant contact as it spins past, at the cost of €100 ($130) per unit. The conference also stated a desire to get an amateur astronaut onto the moon within 23 years, which we'd love to see, assuming there's still a rocket fuel store on eBay.

Hackers planning homespun anti-censorship satellite internet originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AmateurAmateur SpaceAmateurSpaceBerlinCensorshipChaos Communication CongressChaosCommunicationCongresseBay IncHackHackerHackersHackingHacksOpen InternetOpenInternetrocketryRocketsSatelliteSci/TechSOPASpaceSpace TravelSpaceTravelTue, 03 Jan 2012 13:15:00 EST<![CDATA[India's cracking down on 'offensive' social media, Desi teens click 'dislike']]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/06/indias-cracking-down-on-offensive-social-media-desi-teens-cl/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/06/indias-cracking-down-on-offensive-social-media-desi-teens-cl/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/06/indias-cracking-down-on-offensive-social-media-desi-teens-cl/#comments
Oh dear. India's technology minister Kapil Sibal won't be too popular with the anti-censorship crowd after demanding social networking sites screen out "offensive" material. After spotting a group criticizing Sonia Gandhi (widow of the assassinated former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi) on Facebook, Sibal dragged reps from the Haus of Zuckerberg, Yahoo, Google and Microsoft -- demanding they ban material that could incite tensions on the subcontinent. No agreement was reached at the time, but Sibal isn't letting this one rest -- he's planning a series of guidelines that would become punishments for sites that don't play along in the future.

India's cracking down on 'offensive' social media, Desi teens click 'dislike' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BanBannedBanningCensorshipIndiaIndia CensorshipIndiaCensorshipKapil SIbalKapilSibalOffensive MaterialOffensiveMaterialTue, 06 Dec 2011 21:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Google, Facebook, Twitter and others speak out against the Stop Online Piracy Act]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/16/google-facebook-twitter-and-others-speak-out-against-the-stop/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/16/google-facebook-twitter-and-others-speak-out-against-the-stop/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/16/google-facebook-twitter-and-others-speak-out-against-the-stop/#comments
Earlier today, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act (or SOPA) which, depending on who you ask, is either a means to stop piracy and copyright infringement on so-called "rogue" websites, or the most serious threat of internet censorship that we've seen in some time. In the latter camp are some of the biggest internet companies around, including Google, Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, eBay, LinkedIn, Mozilla, Zynga and AOL (full disclosure: Engadget's parent company), who today made their stance clear by taking out a full-page ad in The New York Times.

The ad itself is a letter sent by the nine companies to Congress, which states that while they support the stated goals of the bill and the related Protect IP Act, they believe that, as written, the bills "would expose law-abiding U.S. Internet and technology companies to new uncertain liabilities, private rights of action, and technology mandates that would require monitoring of web sites." The companies further went on to say that they believe the measures also "pose a serious risk to our industry's continued track record of innovation and job-creation, as well as to our Nation's cybersecurity." While they didn't all sign onto the letter, those companies also also joined by a host of others who have spoken out against the legislation, including Foursquare and Tumblr. The sole witness against the proposed measures at today's hearing, however, was Google's copyright policy counsel, Katherine Oyama -- you can find her testimony on Google's Public Policy Blog linked below.

Google, Facebook, Twitter and others speak out against the Stop Online Piracy Act originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AOcensorshipcongresseBayfacebookfoursquaregooglehearinghouselegislationLinkedInMozillapiracyprotect ip actProtectIpActsenatesopastop online piracy actStopOnlinePiracyActtumblrtwiiterTwitterYahooZyngaWed, 16 Nov 2011 15:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Eric Schmidt: Google still has 'growing and profitable business in China']]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/09/eric-schmidt-google-still-has-growing-and-profitable-business/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/09/eric-schmidt-google-still-has-growing-and-profitable-business/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/09/eric-schmidt-google-still-has-growing-and-profitable-business/#comments
To say that Google and the Chinese government have had a rocky relationship in recent years would be something of an understatement. But it now appears that the company is willing to mend its Mainland relations, more than a year after rerouting its search operations through Hong Kong. Speaking to reporters in Taipei today, chairman and former CEO Eric Schmidt acknowledged that Google's relationship with the Chinese regime remains "mixed," adding that the "the Chinese government is unhappy with our unwillingness to support censorship." He sounded notably more optimistic, however, when discussing Big G's Chinese outlook. Schmidt, who was wrapping up a three-day tour across Asia, said he was "very happy" with Android's growth within the country, explaining that Google still enjoys "a growing and profitable business in China." The chairman went on to say that even though his company has faced institutional hurdles in the past, it simply "wanted to serve China's citizens within the limits the government allowed." Of course, this isn't the first time that Google has struck a conciliatory tone with the People's Republic, though it remains to be seen whether or not it results in any substantive change.

Eric Schmidt: Google still has 'growing and profitable business in China' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidasiabeijingbusinesscensorshipchinachineseeric schmidtEricSchmidtgooglegovernmenthong kongHongKongpeoples republic of chinaPeoplesRepublicOfChinapoliticssearchtaipeitaiwanwebWed, 09 Nov 2011 11:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Beijing's rolling out city wide 'free' public WiFi, just hand over your phone number]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/03/beijings-rolling-out-city-wide-free-public-wifi-just-hand-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/03/beijings-rolling-out-city-wide-free-public-wifi-just-hand-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/03/beijings-rolling-out-city-wide-free-public-wifi-just-hand-ove/#comments
Heads-up, locals: China's Mobile, Unicom and Telecom carriers are building a city-wide public WiFi network across Beijing. Residents will enjoy free 2Mbps internet for up to three years, if they sign up to the "My Beijing" service. Like most things that are gratis, there's a catch: you have to submit your phone number in exchange for access. Privacy enthusiasts aren't thrilled at the idea, (you know, since it's backed by the Government), though a representative said that the numbers would only be used for "identity authentication" -- insinuating that they would only be tracing individuals whose online activity might "endanger social security." High-minded privacy concerns aside, there's the very real danger of phones being bombarded with spam, not to mention what happens when the three year trial period expires -- users of the service could get stung with exorbitant costs to feed a public WiFi addiction.

Beijing's rolling out city wide 'free' public WiFi, just hand over your phone number originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 11:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BeijingBeijing WiFiBeijingWifiBig BrotherBigBrotherCensorshipCensorship in ChinaCensorshipInChinaChinachinesegovernmentGreat FirewallGreat Firewall of ChinaGreatFirewallGreatFirewallOfChinamuni-fimunifiPrivacywifiThu, 03 Nov 2011 11:42:00 EST<![CDATA[UK court orders ISP to block Newzbin 2 filesharing site within two weeks, Hollywood smiles]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/27/uk-court-orders-isp-to-block-newzbin-2-filesharing-site-within-t/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/27/uk-court-orders-isp-to-block-newzbin-2-filesharing-site-within-t/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/27/uk-court-orders-isp-to-block-newzbin-2-filesharing-site-within-t/#comments Pirates just can't catch a break these days. Way back in July, a British judge ordered telecom company BT to block its subscribers from visiting a site called Newzbin 2, on the grounds that the ISP had "actual knowledge" of customers using the platform access copyright infringing content. An appeal was soon filed, but yesterday, it was shot down by a high court. Under the order, BT will have 14 days to seal off access to Newzbin 2, and will have to do so on its own dime -- something the provider was aiming to avoid. The decision marks the first time that an ISP has been forced to block access to a filesharing site, something the Motion Picture Association heralded as "a win for the creative sector." BT, meanwhile, didn't have much to say about the ruling, stating only that "it is helpful to have the order now and the clarity that it brings." Less certain, however, is the impact this order will have on future copyright lawsuits and web censorship, in general. Find the ruling in its entirety at the coverage link, below.

UK court orders ISP to block Newzbin 2 filesharing site within two weeks, Hollywood smiles originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blockbritainbritishBTcensorshipcopyrightcopyright infringementCopyrightInfringementcourtenglandfile sharingFileSharinghigh courtHighCourthollywoodinternet service providerInternetServiceProviderISPjudgelawlegalmotion picture associationMotionPictureAssociationmoviesnewzbin 2Newzbin2piracypirateukunited kingdomUnitedKingdomURLwebThu, 27 Oct 2011 09:56:00 EST<![CDATA[UK Gov wants opt-in system for adult material, imagine a boot stamping on a trackpad, forever]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/11/uk-gov-wants-opt-in-system-for-adult-material-imagine-a-boot-st/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/11/uk-gov-wants-opt-in-system-for-adult-material-imagine-a-boot-st/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/11/uk-gov-wants-opt-in-system-for-adult-material-imagine-a-boot-st/#comments
Looks like Prime Minister David Cameron's not content with just shuttering the internet during social unrest (whilst condemning others who do the same). He's declared that four of the UK's biggest ISPs have entered into an opt-in system for adult material. The move is backed by the Mothers Union but has been flatly denied by the ISPs, who insist they're offering McAfee parental controls with new signups rather than Government-level web filtering. (Probably a massive let down to those eagerly waiting to delegate their parental responsibilities.) Of course, given the flaky nature of web filtering, any sanguine word that contained an expletive (the word "arsenal", for example) could be impossible to access until you had an awkward conversation with someone over the phone.

UK Gov wants opt-in system for adult material, imagine a boot stamping on a trackpad, forever originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Adult MaterialAdultMaterialCensorCensorshipDavid CameronDavidCameronEnglandFree SpeechFreedom of SpeechFreedomOfSpeechFreeSpeechHosni MubarakHosniMubarakOpt-InOpt-OutParental ResponsibilityParentalResponsibilityPornPornographyStateUKUnited KingdomUnitedKingdomWeb FilterWeb FilteringWebFilterWebFilteringTue, 11 Oct 2011 20:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Wiretapping Act could spell 'finito' for Italian Wikipedia]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/05/wiretapping-act-could-spell-finito-for-italian-wikipedia/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/05/wiretapping-act-could-spell-finito-for-italian-wikipedia/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/05/wiretapping-act-could-spell-finito-for-italian-wikipedia/#comments
This week, lawmakers in Italy are debating a controversial new bill that could have disastrous implications for Wikipedia. Yesterday, the encyclopedia posted a lengthy letter on its Italian portal, informing visitors that the site may be shuttered within the country if parliament passes the proposed DDL Intercettazioni, or "Wiretapping Law." If ratified, the legislation would require all online publishers to amend any content considered objectionable or defamatory within 48 hours of receiving a complaint. Offenders would face a fine of €12,000 (about $16,000), and any requested corrections would not be subject to review. Of course, this presents obvious problems for the crowdsourced (and crowd-edited) Wikipedia, which characterized the law as "an unacceptable restriction of [its] freedom and independence." The site took particular umbrage at the bill's apparent disregard for third-party review, pointing out that the "opinion of the person allegedly injured is all that is required" to force a re-write, "regardless of the truthfulness of the information deemed as offensive, and its sources." At the moment, the portal is still up, but masked by Wikipedia's letter. If the Wiretapping Law progresses further, however, the organization says it will have no choice but to delete its Italian platform altogether.

[Image courtesy of Toutlecine]

Wiretapping Act could spell 'finito' for Italian Wikipedia originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>censorshipcrowdsourceddefamationeuropefreedomfreedom of speechFreedomOfSpeechindependenceitalianitalylawletterneutralityparliamentpoliticswikipediawiretappingwiretapping lawWiretappingLawWed, 05 Oct 2011 14:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Telex anti-censorship system promises to leap over firewalls without getting burned]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/14/telex-anti-censorship-system-promises-to-leap-over-firewalls-wit/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/14/telex-anti-censorship-system-promises-to-leap-over-firewalls-wit/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/14/telex-anti-censorship-system-promises-to-leap-over-firewalls-wit/#comments Human rights activists and free speech advocates have every reason to worry about the future of an open and uncensored internet, but researchers from the University of Michigan and the University of Waterloo have come up with a new tool that may help put their fears to rest. Their system, called Telex, proposes to circumvent government censors by using some clever cryptographic techniques. Unlike similar schemes, which typically require users to deploy secret IP addresses and encryption keys, Telex would only ask that they download a piece of software. With the program onboard, users in firewalled countries would then be able to visit blacklisted sites by establishing a decoy connection to any unblocked address. The software would automatically recognize this connection as a Telex request and tag it with a secret code visible only to participating ISPs, which could then divert these requests to banned sites. By essentially creating a proxy server without an IP address, the concept could make verboten connections more difficult to trace, but it would still rely upon the cooperation of many ISPs stationed outside the country in question -- which could pose a significant obstacle to its realization. At this point, Telex is still in a proof-of-concept phase, but you can find out more in the full press release, after the break.

Continue reading Telex anti-censorship system promises to leap over firewalls without getting burned

Telex anti-censorship system promises to leap over firewalls without getting burned originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Aug 2011 15:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blacklistcensorshipcomputer scienceComputerScienceconceptfirewallfreefree speechFreeSpeechgovernmentIP addressIpAddressISPopen internetOpenInternetpoliticsproxyproxy serverProxyServerresearchsecuritysoftwarespeechtelexuniversity of michiganuniversity of waterlooUniversityOfMichiganUniversityOfWaterlooUSENIX Security SymposiumUsenixSecuritySymposiumwebSun, 14 Aug 2011 15:56:00 EST<![CDATA[UK teen arrested for illegal BBM, social media crackdown gains steam]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/13/uk-teen-arrested-for-illegal-bbm-social-media-crackdown-gains-s/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/13/uk-teen-arrested-for-illegal-bbm-social-media-crackdown-gains-s/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/13/uk-teen-arrested-for-illegal-bbm-social-media-crackdown-gains-s/#comments Lending further gravity to the proposed crackdown being bandied about in British parliament, an Essex teen has been arrested for sending a BBM that ran afoul of the Serious Crime Act of 2007. The 18-year old, now free on bail, allegedly used the service to encourage copycat attacks of the violent rioting that's swept London, and is set to appear in court on September 1st. It's the second known case to put RIM's private messaging service -- "popular among urban teenagers" as a cheap texting alternative -- in the UK's legal hotseat. For its part, the Canadian electronics maker has since reached out to police, promising to aid the investigation "in any way [it] can." Although no decision has yet been made to extend law enforcement's powers over social media services, such as Twitter and Facebook, arrests like these seem to indicate a murky free speech future.

UK teen arrested for illegal BBM, social media crackdown gains steam originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Aug 2011 01:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arrestarrestsBBMblackberryBlackBerry MessengerBlackberryMessengercensorshipcrimedavid cameronDavidCameronenglandFacebookfree speechfreedom of speechFreedomOfSpeechFreeSpeechlondonlondon riotsLondonRiotsparliamentpolicepoliticsResearch In MotionResearchInMotionRIMriotsurveillancetwitterukunited kingdomUnitedKingdomvideoviolenceSat, 13 Aug 2011 01:41:00 EST<![CDATA[UK Prime Minister exploring social media crackdown in wake of London riots (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/11/uk-prime-minister-exploring-social-media-crackdown-in-wake-of-lo/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/11/uk-prime-minister-exploring-social-media-crackdown-in-wake-of-lo/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/11/uk-prime-minister-exploring-social-media-crackdown-in-wake-of-lo/#comments
As Londoners continue to pick up the rubble and carnage from this week's riots, UK Prime Minister David Cameron is exploring new ways to maintain order -- including, apparently, a government crackdown on social media. In a speech to members of Parliament today, Cameron made clear his belief that law enforcement officials should be able to curb and monitor the use of social networking sites under certain circumstances, lending credence to the theory that mechanisms like Facebook, Twitter and BlackBerry played a critical role in inciting the recent violence:
"Free flow of information can be used for good. But it can also be used for ill. And when people are using social media for violence we need to stop them. So we are working with the Police, the intelligence services and industry to look at whether it would be right to stop people communicating via these websites and services when we know they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality."
There's a fine line separating issues of national security from the rights to free speech, but it's a line that Cameron seems willing to toe. And, though he and his Conservative government are only mulling the idea, it's difficult to ignore the irony in his statements. Keep in mind that this is the same man who roundly condemned Hosni Mubarak for shutting down Egypt's internet at the height of its revolution, calling for the now-ousted leader to fully respect the "freedom of expression and communication, including use of telephones and the internet." Cameron, of course, isn't calling for anything nearly as drastic as what Mubarak orchestrated, nor is he facing anywhere near the same level of domestic turmoil. But the fundamental narrative remains the same: in the face of social upheaval, a national leader instinctively reaches for a digital muzzle as a stop-gap measure, while (perhaps) ignoring the larger, longer-term ramifications of his actions. Fortunately for the UK, though, Cameron is already doing one thing that Mubarak apparently never did -- he's thinking about right and wrong. Head past the break to see Cameron's speech, in its entirety.

Continue reading UK Prime Minister exploring social media crackdown in wake of London riots (video)

UK Prime Minister exploring social media crackdown in wake of London riots (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blackberrycensorshipcrimedavid cameronDavidCameronegyptenglandfacebookfree speechfreedom of speechFreedomOfSpeechFreeSpeechhosni mubarakHosniMubaraklondonlondon riotsLondonRiotsparliamentpolicepoliticsResearch In MotionResearchInMotionRIMriotsurveillancetwitterukunited kingdomUnitedKingdomvideoviolenceThu, 11 Aug 2011 18:20:00 EST<![CDATA[China loses partial access to Windows Phone 7 Marketplace, Great Firewall to be blamed?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/08/china-loses-partial-access-to-windows-phone-7-marketplace-great/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/08/china-loses-partial-access-to-windows-phone-7-marketplace-great/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/08/china-loses-partial-access-to-windows-phone-7-marketplace-great/#comments It's a well-known fact that China's Great Firewall isn't particularly friendly with certain foreign online services, and sadly, it appears that we may now have a new victim joining the likes of Facebook, Twitter and, sometimes, Android Market. According to Windows Phone Sauce blogger Kane Gao, many Windows Phone 7 users in China have had limited access to the Marketplace over the last few days -- they can't download any app, but they can still browse content and receive update notifications.

While Microsoft's service has yet to go live in China, Chinese users could still purchase apps by changing all of their profile location settings to the US. Alas, this trick is of no use now, though it's unlikely that Microsoft's the culprit here -- it wouldn't make sense to block genuine US users who are visiting China. Fortunately, Kane had no problem getting to the Marketplace via a US VPN, which is a big tell-tale sign showing that the Great Firewall has decided to barricade WP7's very own app market. The reason? We'll never know, and there's no telling on whether this is a permanent ban, either. Nokia, being a big player in the country, sure hopes not.

[Thanks, JagsLive and Rahul]

China loses partial access to Windows Phone 7 Marketplace, Great Firewall to be blamed? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Aug 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appcensorshipChinadownloadGreat FirewallGreatFirewallMarketplaceMicrosoftWindows PhoneWindows Phone 7WindowsPhoneWindowsPhone7WP7Mon, 08 Aug 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PROTECT IP Act called unconstitutional by bipartisan group of law professors]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/11/protect-ip-act-called-unconstitutional-by-bipartisan-group-of-la/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/11/protect-ip-act-called-unconstitutional-by-bipartisan-group-of-la/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/11/protect-ip-act-called-unconstitutional-by-bipartisan-group-of-la/#comments Letter against PROTECT IP Act Turns out Eric Schmidt is not alone in his vehement opposition to the PROTECT IP Act, and the resistance is hardly partisan. A group of over 100 law professors signed a letter (jointly authored by Mark Lemley, David Levine, and David Post) arguing that the legislation working its way through congress is unconstitutional. The Supreme Court has previously ruled that speech can't be suppressed without the speaker being given an opportunity to defend his or her actions. Yet, under the bill being advocated for by the RIAA the MPAA, a judge can issue a temporary restraining order that will essentially shutdown a site based only on evidence presented by the government. The letter warns that, not only could overseas domain owners be cheated of the right to due process but, plenty of protected speech could be censored based a single piece of infringing material. As we warned, this can only get nastier and this nascent battle is still only just getting started. Check out the full letter at the source.

PROTECT IP Act called unconstitutional by bipartisan group of law professors originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 22:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>censorshipconstitutionDavid LevineDavid PostDavidLevineDavidPostfree speechFreeSpeechlawMark LemleyMarkLemleyMPAAprotect ipprotect ip actProtectIpProtectIpActRIAAsupreme courtSupremeCourtunconstitutionalMon, 11 Jul 2011 22:19:00 EST<![CDATA[US funds shadow networks, builds 'internet in a suitcase' for repressed protesters]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/12/us-funds-shadow-networks-builds-internet-in-a-suitcase-for-re/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/12/us-funds-shadow-networks-builds-internet-in-a-suitcase-for-re/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/12/us-funds-shadow-networks-builds-internet-in-a-suitcase-for-re/#comments Whether a repressive government, a buggy DNS server or a little old lady is behind your internet outage, it can't be much fun, but the US government sympathizes with your plight if you're dealing with reason number one. The New York Times reports that the US State Department will have spent upwards of $70 million on "shadow networks" which would allow protesters to communicate even if powers that be pull the traditional plug -- so far, it's spent at least $50 million on a independent cell phone network for Afghanistan, and given a $2 million grant to members of the New America Foundation creating the "internet in a suitcase" pictured above. It's a batch of mesh networking equipment designed to be spirited into a country to set up a private network. Last we'd heard, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had pledged $25 million for just this sort of internet freedom, and the New America Foundation had applied for some of those bucks -- see our more coverage links below -- but it sounds like the money is flowing fast, and in multiple directions now.

US funds shadow networks, builds 'internet in a suitcase' for repressed protesters originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 12 Jun 2011 12:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessblockagecensorshipcircumventClintoncommunicationcommunicationsgovernmentHilary ClintonHilaryClintoninternetNew AmericaNew America FoundationNewAmericaNewAmericaFoundationoutageprotestprotestersprotestorsrepressionstateState DepartmentStateDepartmentUnited StatesUnitedStatesSun, 12 Jun 2011 12:18:00 EST<![CDATA[China tightens grip on VPN access amid pro-democracy protests, Gmail users also affected]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/16/china-tightens-grip-on-vpn-access-amid-pro-democracy-protests-g/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/16/china-tightens-grip-on-vpn-access-amid-pro-democracy-protests-g/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/16/china-tightens-grip-on-vpn-access-amid-pro-democracy-protests-g/#comments If you've been struggling to get your dose of Facebook or Twitter in China recently, then you're probably one of the many Internet users who've had their VPN access -- either free or paid for -- blocked over the last two weeks or so. That's right, the notorious Great Firewall of China is still alive and well, and leaving proxy servers aside, VPN is pretty much the only way for keen netizens to access websites that are deemed too sensitive for their eyes; or to "leap over the wall," as they say. Alas, the recent pro-democracy protests didn't exactly do these guys any favor -- for one, their organizers used Twitter along with an overseas human rights website to gather protesters, and with the National People's Congress meetings that were about to take place (and wrapped up last night), it was no surprise that the government went tough on this little bypassing trick. To make matters worse, PC World is reporting that Gmail users are also affected by slow or limited access, despite the service previously being free from China's blacklist.

We reached out to a handful of major VPN service providers, and they all confirmed a significant increase in the amount of blockage -- possibly by having their servers' PPTP IP addresses blocked -- over the last two weeks. One company even spotted the Chinese government subscribing to its paid service, only to work its way into the network to locate the company's PPTP server list, and then put them behind the firewall. Fortunately for some, the better-off companies had backup servers to rapidly resolve the problem, whereas the cheaper and free services were unable to dodge the bullet. This just goes to show that sometimes you get what you pay for. That said, with practically unlimited human hacking power at its disposal, it doesn't take much for the firewall to shut down everything heading its way. For the sake of our friends and expats there, let's just hope that the government will take things down a notch as soon as the storm calms.

China tightens grip on VPN access amid pro-democracy protests, Gmail users also affected originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blockagecensorcensorshipchinachinesechinese governmentChineseGovernmentfirewallgfwgmailgovernmentgreat firewallGreatFirewallipip addressIpAddresspptpvpnWed, 16 Mar 2011 11:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Internet access blocked across much of Libya]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/05/internet-access-blocked-across-much-of-libya/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/05/internet-access-blocked-across-much-of-libya/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/05/internet-access-blocked-across-much-of-libya/#comments It's sort of becoming the "thing to do" when people are revolting: find a way to cut people's access to the internet. This happened across most of Libya yesterday, according to various traffic monitors. Traffic from the country to sites like YouTube and Google nearly disappeared, even though it seems that technically, the servers are still up and running. Unlike the previous actions of the Egyptian government, which took down entire servers, it appears that in this case, some wicked throttling is occurring. While it's not completely clear who is choking the bandwidth, the assumption that it's the Libyan government is probably not an insane one. Hit up the source links for more.

Internet access blocked across much of Libya originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Mar 2011 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accesscensorshipgaddafigovernmentinternetlibyalibyan governmentLibyanGovernmentprotestprotestsrevolutionthrottlingSat, 05 Mar 2011 13:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Google begins censoring autocomplete results for BitTorrent, RapidShare and other Big Media profanity]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/27/google-begins-censoring-bittorrent-rapidshare-and-other-big-med/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/27/google-begins-censoring-bittorrent-rapidshare-and-other-big-med/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/27/google-begins-censoring-bittorrent-rapidshare-and-other-big-med/#comments Tried searching for "BitTorrent," "RapidShare," "uTorrent," "MegaUpload" or even "Ubuntu torrent" lately? Good luck finding a Google domain that'll autocomplete those results for you. Presumably caving to pleading from the MPAA and / or RIAA, El Goog has quietly begun to censor the results it shows when typing the above terms. Needless to say, the aforesaid companies aren't too keen on the new procedures, and strangely enough, a number of other sites that would typically be grouped into this same category -- MediaFire, 4shared and HotFile -- remain on the cleared list. Hit the source link if you're looking for loads of responses from companies angered with Google's move, and feel free to reset your homepage to Bing, Yahoo or any other search engine who has yet to bend. You know, if you're feeling rebellious.

Google begins censoring autocomplete results for BitTorrent, RapidShare and other Big Media profanity originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 10:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bittorrentcensorcensorshipdrmgooglelegalmpaap2ppeer to peerPeerToPeerradipdshareriaasearchtorrentutorrentThu, 27 Jan 2011 10:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Ford MyKey adds radio censorship to further control teen driving habits]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/30/ford-mykey-adds-radio-censorship-to-further-control-teen-driving/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/30/ford-mykey-adds-radio-censorship-to-further-control-teen-driving/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/30/ford-mykey-adds-radio-censorship-to-further-control-teen-driving/#comments
 Daddy doesn't have to take the T-Bird away, he can just take all the fun out of driving it. That is, if the T-Bird is actually a Taurus. Ford's MyKey system has been engendering teen resentment since the release of the 2010 Focus, allowing parents to limit max speeds and cap radio volume, but parental control doesn't stop there -- the 2011 MyKey can selectively block radio stations. Starting next year, parents will have the option to block 16 Sirius radio channels from the car's dial, among them Howard Stern, Playboy, and Hip-Hop Nation. Optional radio censorship isn't the only new feature for MyKey, which allows owners to program a key to fit their specific level of paranoia -- the new version allows parents to set top speeds between 65 and 80mph, instead of the previous fixed cap of 80mph. Other controls carrying over from the original system include a chime that sounds at 10mph intervals, starting at 45mph, and an advanced notice when fuel levels are low. The new features will come standard issue on the 2011 Ford Taurus and Ford Explorer, and will eventually reach across both the Ford and Lincoln brands.

Continue reading Ford MyKey adds radio censorship to further control teen driving habits

Ford MyKey adds radio censorship to further control teen driving habits originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 07:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carcarscensorshipfordFord MotorFord Motor Companyford motorsFord Mykeyford mykey 2011FordMotorFordMotorCompanyFordMotorsFordMykeyFordMykey2011mykeyradioSiriusSirius Radiosirius satellite radioSirius XMSiriusRadioSiriusSatelliteRadioSiriusXmvideoThu, 30 Dec 2010 07:39:00 EST<![CDATA[British government wants all porn filtered out of the web, all fun sucked out of life]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/20/british-government-wants-all-porn-filtered-out-of-the-web-all-f/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/20/british-government-wants-all-porn-filtered-out-of-the-web-all-f/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/20/british-government-wants-all-porn-filtered-out-of-the-web-all-f/#comments You can't be surprised at developments like these when you elect a political party whose very name is Conservative, but it's still rather sad to hear that the current UK government is putting pressure on ISPs to "protect children" by universally blocking access to porn websites. It's not outright censorship, you'll be able to "opt in" and restore your freedom to explore adult content (or anything else that's been inadvertently blocked), though it's all a rather misguided effort in our eyes. Claire Perry, one of the leading voices behind this push, cites stats noting that 60 percent of nine- to 19-year olds have found pornography online, yet she fails to elaborate on what's been so traumatizing or debilitating about the experience -- or why violent content is getting a free pass. We still think good parenting -- say, by using the local controls built into your OS or search engine -- is a much cheaper option than some complex censorship wall, but that won't prevent the Conservatives from pursuing legislation over the next couple of years if broadband providers don't figure out blocking mechanisms of their own. For shame, Britain.

British government wants all porn filtered out of the web, all fun sucked out of life originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 04:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessadultblockbritaincensorcensorshipchildrengovernmentinternetispopt-inpornpornographysexstateukunited kingdomUnitedKingdomwebMon, 20 Dec 2010 04:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Editorial: Waiter, there's a Nazi theme in my Android Market (updated)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/editorial-waiter-theres-a-nazi-theme-in-my-android-market/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/editorial-waiter-theres-a-nazi-theme-in-my-android-market/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/editorial-waiter-theres-a-nazi-theme-in-my-android-market/#comments Earlier tonight our friend Michael Gartenberg tweeted that when he went to the Android Market to search for the word "Jewish," a number of Nazi and Hitler themes turned up. Of course, we had to take a look for ourselves, and sure enough, the search for a fairly innocuous word related to a religion and culture turns up skins which are disgustingly, hatefully pro-Nazism and pro-Hitler. That's a problem, no matter how you look at this.

In the past, we've railed against Apple for its confusing, unfair, and often absurd App Store policies, particularly when it comes to the policing of applications based on content, not code. Steve Jobs has made a point during press conferences to say that the Android Market allows porn apps -- which of course set off a furious debate. Sadly, what Jobs should have pointed out was that the Market allows something far more insidious and damaging than even the hardest-core pornography -- apps that spread hate and propagate the views of a movement that is pretty much universally reviled.

Continue reading Editorial: Waiter, there's a Nazi theme in my Android Market (updated)

Editorial: Waiter, there's a Nazi theme in my Android Market (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid marketAndroidMarketapp storeapp storesapplication storesApplicationStoresAppStoreAppStorescensorshipeditorialgooglehitlermichael gartenbergMichaelGartenbergnazinazisFri, 13 Aug 2010 11:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Internet content filters are human too, funnily enough]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/internet-content-filters-are-human-too-funnily-enough/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/internet-content-filters-are-human-too-funnily-enough/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/internet-content-filters-are-human-too-funnily-enough/#comments Algorithms can only take you so far when you want to minimize obscene content on your social networking site. As the amount of user-uploaded content has exploded in recent times, so has the need for web content screeners, whose job it is to peruse the millions of images we throw up to online hubs like Facebook and MySpace every day, and filter out the illicit and undesirable muck. Is it censorship or just keeping the internet from being overrun with distasteful content? Probably a little bit of both, but apparently what we haven't appreciated until now is just how taxing a job this is. One outsourcing company already offers counseling as a standard part of its benefits package, and an industry group set up by Congress has advised that all should be providing therapy to their image moderators. You heard that right, people, mods need love too! Hit the source for more.

Internet content filters are human too, funnily enough originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 07:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abusecensorcensorshipcontentcontent reviewcontent reviewersContentReviewContentReviewersfilterfilteringfiltershorrorillicitinappropriatemoderationmoderatorobsceneobscenityoffensivepornpornographyscreenerscreenersscreeningTue, 20 Jul 2010 07:34:00 EST<![CDATA[China happy with Google's latest tweaks, saga appears at an end]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/china-happy-with-googles-latest-tweaks-saga-appears-at-an-end/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/china-happy-with-googles-latest-tweaks-saga-appears-at-an-end/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/china-happy-with-googles-latest-tweaks-saga-appears-at-an-end/#comments The China versus Google spat seems to be drawing to a conciliatory end today, as a senior state official has announced China is "satisfied" with Google's latest round of changes. This was somewhat predictable given that the country just recently renewed El Goog's license to host sites within its borders, but it's always reassuring to get confirmation from an official source. The American search giant had tried to strike a precarious balance, by having its local .cn domain adhere to Chinese laws and dictum while also providing a link out to its uncensored Hong Kong hub, and that seems to have done the trick. Ultimately, even the .hk search results will be subject to China's firewall -- which will render the most sensitive info inaccessible -- but at least Google can walk away from this dispute claiming that it's providing uncensored search in some form, even if its output can't always be put to good use.

China happy with Google's latest tweaks, saga appears at an end originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>censorshipchinadisagreementdisputefilteringgooglegovernmentlawsearchsearch engineSearchEnginespatwebweb searchWebSearchTue, 20 Jul 2010 03:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Intel's smart TV remote will recognize you, tailor content to your wishes]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/12/intels-smart-tv-remote-will-recognize-you-tailor-content-to-yo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/12/intels-smart-tv-remote-will-recognize-you-tailor-content-to-yo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/12/intels-smart-tv-remote-will-recognize-you-tailor-content-to-yo/#commentsIt's all about how you hold it, apparently. Intel's Labs have churned out a proposal for a new user-identifying system to be embedded into remote controls. Given a bit of time to familiarize itself with particular users, this new motion sensor-equipped channel switcher is capable of correctly recognizing its holder just by the way he operates it. Taking accelerometer readings every 100 nanoseconds, the researchers were able to build a data set of idiosyncrasies about each person, which would then be applied the next time he picked up the remote. Alas, accuracy rates are still well short of 100 percent, but there's always hope for improving things and for now it's being suggested that the system could be employed to help with targeted advertising -- which is annoying anyway, whoever it may think you are.

Intel's smart TV remote will recognize you, tailor content to your wishes originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 07:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accelerometerarizona statearizona state universityArizonaStateArizonaStateUniversitycensorshipchildrenididentificationidentityinferenceintelintel labsIntelLabskidsmonitoringpersonalizationremoteremote controlRemoteControlresearchtelevisiontvtv remoteTvRemoteuniversityuser iduser identificationUserIdUserIdentificationMon, 12 Jul 2010 07:36:00 EST<![CDATA[China renews Google's license to host]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/09/china-renews-googles-license-to-host/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/09/china-renews-googles-license-to-host/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/09/china-renews-googles-license-to-host/#commentsChina renews Google's license to host A little later than anticipated, Google is confirming that China has renewed its ICP license -- the rights one needs to host a site on its own domain in China. Without that Google would certainly be on the outs, but after resuming limited broadcasts there last month there was hope the two global powerhouses would work out their differences. And, it appears they have -- at least to some degree. We're not sure whether this means Google will resume full hosting in China or will keep redirecting some content to HK servers, but we were able to get a statement from the ICP on it's feelings on this development, which is embedded after the break.

Continue reading China renews Google's license to host

China renews Google's license to host originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Jul 2010 06:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewscensorshipchinagoogleicpicp licenseicp renewIcpLicenseIcpRenewvideoFri, 09 Jul 2010 06:59:00 EST<![CDATA[EyePhone reference mysteriously disappears from online clips of Futurama]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/03/eyephone-reference-mysteriously-disappears-from-online-clips-of/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/03/eyephone-reference-mysteriously-disappears-from-online-clips-of/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/03/eyephone-reference-mysteriously-disappears-from-online-clips-of/#comments Remember how awesome and clever Futurama was the other night? Well, if you missed it, your chances to see it in its original form might be slowly dwindling. It seems that Comedy Central has wiped out the reference in the dialogue to the "EyePhone 2.0." So, while we don't have any conspiracy theories brewing about what happened, it's a pretty odd thing to scrub, and we figure there are two possibilities: either Comedy Central is trying to cover their <censored> on this one, or they got a late night email from... someone. Thankfully, nothing disappears on the internet, so you can check out both clips and see for yourself after the break.

[Thanks, Henry L.]

Continue reading EyePhone reference mysteriously disappears from online clips of Futurama

EyePhone reference mysteriously disappears from online clips of Futurama originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Jul 2010 12:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applecartooncensorcensorshipeyephoneeyephone 2.0Eyephone2.0futuramaiphonetelevisiontvSat, 03 Jul 2010 12:49:00 EST<![CDATA[Google modifies its policies in China, resumes hosting some content on Chinese servers]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/29/google-modifies-its-policies-in-china-resumes-hosting-some-cont/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/29/google-modifies-its-policies-in-china-resumes-hosting-some-cont/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/29/google-modifies-its-policies-in-china-resumes-hosting-some-cont/#comments
Well, it looks like that "entirely legal" workaround to Google's censorship woes in China may not have been the answer the company hoped it was. Faced with the possibility of China revoking its license to operate in the country (in addition to blocking the site), Google has now stopped automatically redirecting Chinese users to its Hong Kong website and is simply presenting them with a link to Google.com.hk instead. What's more, Google has now also starting hosting some content on Chinese servers again, including maps, music and translation services that it says cannot be censored, and which can be accessed on Google.com.hk from within mainland China. Google will continue to host its main search operations on servers in Hong Kong, however, and it still remains to be seen if these changes will be enough to ensure it keeps its license -- China will reportedly decide that on Wednesday.

Google modifies its policies in China, resumes hosting some content on Chinese servers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>censorshipchinagooglegoogle.cngoogle.com.hkhong kongHongKongsearchsearch enginesearch resultsSearchEngineSearchResultsTue, 29 Jun 2010 13:23:00 EST<![CDATA[China partially blocks Google search results from Hong Kong, the saga continues]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/23/china-partially-blocks-google-search-results-from-hong-kong-the/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/23/china-partially-blocks-google-search-results-from-hong-kong-the/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/23/china-partially-blocks-google-search-results-from-hong-kong-the/#comments You didn't think that just because Google started redirecting its Google.cn domain to its Hong Kong site, we were coming to a neat compromise to the big brouhaha between the search giant and China, did you? Oh no, brother, this thing is far from over. China has now responded by whipping its state computers into a filtering frenzy, blocking and censoring out content it considers objectionable from Google's HK-based search results. Adding to its show of strength, it's expected the Chinese government's influence will also result in China Mobile canceling a deal to have Google as its default search provider on mobile handsets. We suppose it's Google's turn to respond now. How about offering a friendly game of badminton to settle their differences?

[Thanks, Colin]

China partially blocks Google search results from Hong Kong, the saga continues originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>censorcensorshipchinachina mobileChinaMobiledisagreementdisputefilteringgooglegovernmenthong kongHongKonglawsearchspatstateweb searchWebSearchTue, 23 Mar 2010 09:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Google.cn now rerouting to Hong Kong domain, an 'entirely legal' workaround to censorship woes]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/22/google-cn-now-rerouting-to-hong-kong-domain-an-entirely-legal/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/22/google-cn-now-rerouting-to-hong-kong-domain-an-entirely-legal/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/22/google-cn-now-rerouting-to-hong-kong-domain-an-entirely-legal/#comments It's not quite the ceasing of operations that the local papers were reporting last week, but Google has announced today what it's calling an "entirely legal" way of giving mainland China unfiltered search results. The Google.cn domain now redirects to its Hong Kong servers via Google.com.hk, providing uncensored access in traditional and simplified Chinese. Needless to say, any mainland Google China servers have thus been given an early retirement. "We very much hope that the Chinese government respects our decision, though we are well aware that it could at any time block access to our services," writes David Drummond, SVP of Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer, on the official Google Blog, while also noting to expect some slowdown while the HK servers deal with an expanded load of users. As for its men and women on the ground, Google reiterates that these decisions were driven by executives in the U.S. "and that none of [its] employees in China can, or should, be held responsible for them." R&D work will continue on the mainland, and a sales presence will remain. The company has created a "China service availability" page, promised to be updated daily, for seeing what parts of Google's business are being blocked by the country at any given time -- as of today, that includes Youtube, Google Sites, Blogger, and partial blocks of Docs, Picasa, and Groups. We're very curious to see how the page'll look in tomorrow's update.

Update: China has given its own response, in English, saying that Google has "violated its written promise." An official for the State Council Information Office goes on to say, " This is totally wrong. We're uncompromisingly opposed to the politicization of commercial issues, and express our discontent and indignation to Google for its unreasonable accusations and conducts." More details via Xinhuanet.

Update 2: The White House has chimed in. "We are disappointed that Google and the Chinese government were unable to reach an agreement that would allow Google to continue operating its search services in China on its Google.cn website," said National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer. More via Yahoo! News.

Update 3: The New York Times sat down, briefly, with Google co-founder Sergey Brin for a few elaborations on today's events. For starters, Brin noted that the new policy was entirely Google's idea, and the US government was not involved in any way. He also silenced whispers that Google would be releasing software for bypassing censorship. "I think those tools are going to come of their own accord. I don't think we have to do anything," he said.

Google.cn now rerouting to Hong Kong domain, an 'entirely legal' workaround to censorship woes originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>censorcensorshipchinagooglegoogle chinagoogle cngoogle com hkgoogle.cngoogle.com.hkGoogleChinaGoogleCnGoogleComHkhong kongHongKongMon, 22 Mar 2010 16:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Google China could be ceasing operations in April, says report]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/18/google-china-could-be-ceasing-operations-in-april-says-report/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/18/google-china-could-be-ceasing-operations-in-april-says-report/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/18/google-china-could-be-ceasing-operations-in-april-says-report/#commentsJust when you were hoping things would get better for the bickering search giant and nation-state, along comes apparent word from Shanghai-based Chinese Business News (via Bloomberg), citing an anonymous Google China employee, that the company is looking into closing up shop on April 10th. That's a far cry from what we heard late last week, that it would stay in the country, albeit in a potentially modified form. Frankly, this is quite sketchy and no one anywhere is corroborating, but according to the report, an announcement is expected on Monday, March 22nd. Better get used to the idea of Bing-powered Android devices.

Google China could be ceasing operations in April, says report originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 23:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>censorcensorshipchinagooglegoogle chinaGoogleChinapeoples republic of chinaPeoplesRepublicOfChinaprcThu, 18 Mar 2010 23:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Google says Android should 'flourish' in China, effectively concedes a point]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/16/google-says-android-should-flourish-in-china-effectively-conc/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/16/google-says-android-should-flourish-in-china-effectively-conc/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/16/google-says-android-should-flourish-in-china-effectively-conc/#commentsWhether for real or for show, Google tried to make the world believe it would use Android OS as a bargaining chip during the company's terse, slow negotiations with China. Now, the company has seemingly abandoned that option. During an educational webcast about the future of Google's mobile business, CFO Patrick Pichette told viewers that he expected the company's Android platform to do well in China despite all the recent threats and ultimatums in the country. "The Android platform is available to everybody," said Pichette, "and China is obviously another great market in which Android should flourish." Good to hear that Google and China are finally in accordance, right? Thing is, with China circumventing Android's default search engine, Google's stance against Chinese censorship of search depended on taking Android handsets hostage. But if the OS is indeed available to everybody, that's not going to happen. The mobile market might one day be dominated by Android, but if Google doesn't step up, mobile search will go to competitors more willing to play wallball with the Great Firewall of China.

Google says Android should 'flourish' in China, effectively concedes a point originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AndroidcensoringcensorshipChinadisagreementdisputeGooglegoogle.cnGreatFirewallGreatFirewallOfChinanegotiationnegotiationsopen sourceopen source osOpenSourceOpenSourceOsPatrick PichettePatrickPichettesearchsearch enginesSearchEnginesTue, 16 Mar 2010 22:22:00 EST