Focus On: Privacy

FBI says if you open that greeting card, and you may be handing your computer over to the enemy. Yeah. It's that bad. Spyware's invading privacy everywhere. The usual solutions control it: up-to-date virus scanning solid spam + content filtering equipment user training: "Don't open attachments." This ain't rocket science, people. See Also:Christmas Message: Don't Open That E-Card; Email Battles; 15 December 2004.Don't open that AOL IM Christmas card; Email Battles; 7 December 2005.E-Greeting Cards Hide Bombs; Email Battles; 15 October 2003.Spam Filters Mangle Christmas Cards; Email Battles; 9 December 2005.See for yourself at E-Commerce News.

EU interior ministers voted to force email administrators to archive e-mail messages. Their reason for clipping individuals' privacy: terrorism. The US is way ahead of the European Union, extending the need for government snooping past terrorists to innocents in finance, insurance, banking, medicine, and indeed, government itself.

Movie makers in a panic over the chance that P2P file sharers will eviscerate the industry may have found a new profit model, thanks to a well-heeled European startup. Email Battles profiles variable pricing, both on-line and at the movies.

In a misguided attempt to protect the movie industry, key members of the US Congress are considering funding the equivalent of a perpetual motion machine. It won't work. No Law can shield copyright holders from millions of highly motivated file sharers. Instead, Congress should focus its might on protecting inventors from its wild and woolly US Patent Office.

In light of recent instances of personal data theft by employees in India, outsourcing has come under fire... again. Time for a reality check. Your personal information is bought, sold and stolen year 'round.