Anorexia site shut down

Websites promoting anorexia shut down in Spain: Microsoft

AFP - Tuesday, November 20 08:24 pm

In Madrid, a few websites were shutdown that promoted anorexia. This is the first time that a Spain company that houses websites has voluntarily shut down a website that promoted an eating disorder. Usually when a website is shutdown in Spain, there is a court order to do so.

There are a couple of issues related to this case. First off, was it right for the website host to shut down the websites? What is more important, free speech or the safety of the general public? If this were in the US, would the website be shut down, most likely not because of the weighting that free speech has on the US.

Honestly, I think what the Spanish government and what this company is doing is great. Free speech is important but there should always be a limit to it. If something causes great harm to the general public than it should not be permitted. It seems to me that this company is just enforcing what should be public policy.

Internet Gambling

Internet gambling dispute could cost U.S. billions

Associated Press

Article Launched: 11/20/2007 01:01:16 AM PST

According to this article, Antigua, the EU, and others are seeking sanctions of up to $100 billion dollars because of the internet gambling laws. Not allowing these countries to provide internet gambling to US citizens apparently violates the WTO agreement. The US government argues that WTO members should not believe that the US would enter into such an agreement knowing that it goes against the US' own laws. Some WTO memebers believe that the US is just trying to change the rules because they are losing the game. Antigua has suggested that if they do not get their settlement then they will become a safge harbor for pirated intellectual property. This would have an even more negative effect on the US economy than paying the sanction.

This WTO violation is news to me. I never new that allowing internet gambling was part of the WTO agreements. Why would the US sign such an agreement without stirring up some commotion and trying to remove this part of the agreement. It seems as though some one wasn't paying attention during that part of the meeting. Oh well, maybe the US will give in and legalize internet gambling.

Internet forum in Brazil grapples with responses to cybercrime

Associated Press

Article Launched: 11/14/2007 02:27:47 PM PST

A UN sponsored conference regarding cyber crime was held recently in Brazil. People from around the world gather talk about the many issues of cyber crime that affecting the globe. Some of the major topics that were discussed included child pornography, censorship of extremists, and combating terrorism.

It seemed as though everyone was on the same page for child pornography. It simply needs to be stopped. However, it is hard to stop because people are able to hide their identities on the web.

The UK wants to work with IT groups to silent extremists that are on the web. This however leads to the problem of censorship, and many people are against it.

Other members of the conference thought that it was more important to combat terrorism, especially in the form of cyber attacks. Because of our reliance on technology, it is possible for terrorist groups to gain access banks and even infrastructures like the train or water system where a ton of damage may be done. Countries need to further secure these systems to avoid these issues.

It is great that this conference took place, even though views differed. The web effects everybody all over the world and it is important for foreign powers to collaborate on issues related to the web.

Update on Yahoo Ordeal

Yahoo Settles With Chinese Families

Firm Gave Officials Dissidents' E-Mails

By Catherine Rampell

Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 14, 2007; Page D04

This article clarifies a lot of issues regarding the Yahoo apology from last weeks blog entry. There were actually two Chinese descendants that were involved in this ordeal. They were both human rights activists and yahoo released information to the Chinese government about the email accounts of the two activists. The World Organization for Human Rights represented the families of these individuals in a suit against Yahoo. It seems as though the basis of the suit was for oppressing human rights activists. Yahoo admitted their wrong doings and settled the claim with the families.

From this case, and other similar ones, some lawmakers are proposing a new act. It would be called the Global Online Freedom Act, and one of its objectives would be to prohibit US companies from giving information about their customers to foreign governments. I believe that this act would be very beneficial in a number of ways including the limitation of suppressing voices and opinions. On the other hand though, this bill may limit the ability of US companies to operate in foreign countries because of the regulations that some foreign countries enforce regarding disclosure. Overall though, if this bill passes, I believe the benefits will outweigh any negative consequences.

Yahoo executive apologizes to US lawmakers over Chinese journalist incident

Yahoo executive apologizes to US lawmakers over Chinese journalist incident

Dow Jones Newswires.
Corey Boles
Nov. 2, 2007

So apparently Yahoo released some information to the Chinese government about a Chinese journalist. The information led to the imprisonment of the journalist for 10 years for divulging state secrets. This article does not go into specifics but it seems as though the information must have somehow been posted or sent through one of Yahoo's services. It also seems as though Yahoo new why the Chinese government was requesting the info and Yahoo still gave it to them. Needless to say, the US government was not happy with Yahoo.

This issue of cyber law is quite confusing and raises some serious questions. First of all, did Yahoo have the right to release the information at all or was there some type of privacy agreement that they would have violated for releasing the information? Also, does the Chinese government have the right to request the info (through a subpoena or some other means) if Yahoo partially operates in China and this posting or event in question occurred in China? If not, how was Yahoo pressured into giving up this information. Cyber law within a single country can be hard enough to govern; however, when multiple countries become involved it becomes even harder.