Research confirms that Facebook, Twitter and Google are spying on users

big brother (Photo credit: Vince_Lamb)

Social networks: can robots violate user privacy?

ECM Plus +++ Recent news in the international media has revealed numerous Internet privacy concerns that definitely deserve attention and further investigation, which is why Geneva-based High-Tech Bridge  decided to conduct a simple technical experiment to verify how the 50 largest social networks, web services and free emails systems respect – or indeed abuse – the privacy of their users.

According to High-Tech Bridge, the experiment and its results can be reproduced by anyone, as we tried to be as neutral and objective as possible.

Renewal of smartphone jailbreaking and video remixing rights

Jailbreaking now ok for ‘smart’ phones

Copyright Office Announces Exemptions to Mitigate DMCA Harms

San Francisco – The Electronic Frontier Foundation has won renewal of critical exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) in a new ruling, including the upholding of jailbreaking rights for smartphones – and new and expanded legal protections for video remixing.

Oil giant demands disclosure of private emails

Chevron Corporation headquarters in San Ramon, California. (Photo: Wikipedia)

EFF and ERI fight to quash ‘speech-chilling’ subpoenas from Chevron

The Electronic Frontier Foundation and EarthRights International (ERI) have requested judges in California and New York to quash subpoenas issued by Chevron Corporation to three email providers demanding identifying information about the users of more than 100 email accounts.

Hearing to probe cellular data legal status

A cell phone tower in Palatine, Illinois, USA.

Foundation fights for cellular phone users’ privacy in Tuesday hearing

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ The Electronic Frontier Foundation will urge a federal appeals court on Tuesday to recognize cellular phone users’ privacy rights and require that the government obtain a warrant before collecting cell phone location information.

According to the Foundation, the oral argument is set for 9 a.m. on October 2nd in New Orleans.

At issue in Tuesday’s hearing are government requests for judicial orders authorizing the disclosure of 60 days of location data from two separate cell phone companies as part of a routine law enforcement investigation.

Businesses boot out banks as ‘trust’ collapses

(Photo credit: Truthout.org)

Survey finds SMEs divorcing bank managers

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus /London/ +++ Bank managers are being ditched and divorced, as accountants, lawyers and finance directors become the most trusted financial advisers, according to new research into small to medium-sized enterprises.

The new research of 1,000 British small to medium-sized companies by Hitachi Capital Invoice Finance looked at SMEs attitudes and how they really felt about who they trust to keep their business on track.

Big bank insider exposes $20bn UBS tax evasion, awarded $104m

National Whistleblowers Center – www.whistleblowers.org

Whistleblower bags massive $104 million reward for foiling bankster scam

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus /Washington, D.C./ +++ Former UBS banker Bradley Birkenfeld has won a massive whistleblower reward of $104 million for his contributions in providing the U.S. Government with insider information on UBS’ illegal offshore banking scheme.

According to the National Whistleblowers Center, this is believed to be the largest reward ever given to an individual whistleblower in the United States and the first major reward issued under the IRS tax whistleblower law.

Storage spat heightens as Quantum sues Overland

Image via CrunchBase

Patent infringement battle hots up, response to Overland lawsuit denies patent infringement by Quantum

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus /London/ +++ Data protection and big data management behemoth Quantum Corp. has today filed suit against Overland Storage for patent infringement in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.