US authorities shut down IndyMedia Web servers, and other brief reports ...
[red]*[/red] US authorities have shut down 20 independent media centres by seizing their UK-based Web servers. The servers were used by IndyMedia, an international media network that covers social justice issues. According to Rackspace, the Web hosting company that received the court order, the [i]subpoeana [/i] had been issued under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, under which countries assist each other in investigations such as international terrorism, kidnapping and money laundering. It is unclear why such a treaty would apply in this context. Full report in The Guardian
[red]*[/red] SA BEE company African Sky is to enter the lucrative electronic recycling arena. According to African Sky CE Allan Werth, millions of tons of electronic waste are produced in SA each year, most of which lands up in landfills, creating environmental problems. Werth noted that impending legislation will require electronic equipment to be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner and should provide further incentive for local companies to make use of e-waste disposal services. Full ITWeb report [red]*[/red] The Indian state of Karnataka is set to restrict the use of Internet cafes in an effort to fight cybercrime and pornography. Proposed new laws will make it compulsory for those using cybercafes to carry a photo-identity card and enter their details on an address book to be kept at the counter. But many in the tech industry have slammed the planned legislation, arguing that it was an infringement of individual rights and will deal a severe blow to the industry that has been fighting to bring Internet access to the poor. Full Australian IT report [red]*[/red] The US Senate could soon pass a Bill that would allow government counter-terrorist investigators, police officers and some companies to instantly query a massive system of interconnected commercial and government databases that hold billions of records on Americans. To prevent abuses of the system, the task force recommended anonymised technology, graduated levels of permission-based access and automated auditing software constantly hunting for abuses. Nonetheless, critics say the Senate is moving too fast and the network could infringe on civil liberties. Full Wired News report [red]*[/red] Japanese police have said that they are investigating a group suicide in which seven people who got acquainted over the Internet killed themselves. Police said cases of Internet suicide had started to come to the fore in early 2003 and that a total of 34 people had killed themselves in such pacts. Full report on the IOL site