MAINSTREAM MEDIA SEEKS USER-GENERATED CONTENT
The NY Times reports that reflecting the surge in the
popularity of user-created material, both online and
traditional media companies are opening their wallets to
make sure that the best of it finds its way onto their
television shows and Web sites. Even Yahoo, the nation's
most-visited Web site, has signaled a change in its strategy
by moving away from creating its own professional content in
favor of user-generated material - and it appears willing to
pay for anything its users deem worthy.
MARYLAND HOUSE APPROVES PAPER BALLOTS
The Maryland House of Delegates has unanimously passed
legislation to ditch the state's touch-screen voting
machines for the coming election in favour of a system that
uses paper ballots. The 137 to 0 vote in the House and the
endorsement of the plan last week by Republican Gov. Robert
L. Ehrlich Jr. represents a stunning turnaround for a state
that was on the leading edge of touch-screen voting in 2001,
and it reflects a national shift toward machines that
provide a paper record.
[Washington Post]
EU TELLS MICROSOFT IT HAS STILL NOT OBEYED 2004 RULING
The European Commission told Microsoft on Friday that it was
still not in compliance with a 2004 antitrust ruling that
ordered it to share information with rivals to make their
software work with Microsoft servers. The EU has already
threatened the company with 2 million euros in daily fines,
backdated to Dec. 15, and said it will make its final
decision after a hearing for Microsoft to plead its case
later this month.
HONG KONG TO ESTABLISH DATA FIRM REGISTER FOLLOWING LEAK
Hong Kong authorities said that they would set up a register
of data-collection companies after details of 20,000 people
who complained about the police were leaked on to the
Internet. Roderick Woo, Privacy Commissioner for Personal
Data, said the companies would have to provide information
on what kind of data they collect and why, and who will
access to it.
[AFP]
HUMAN RIGHTS TRIBUNAL ISSUES DECISION AGAINST HATE SITE
The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has issued a noteworthy
Internet hate decision that focuses on the applicability of
the Human Rights Act to Internet hate materials. The
Tribunal ordered fines against several individuals for their
role in maintaining several hate websites and newsletters.
Decision [PDF]
