Software Industry Announcements and News


Justice Dept Charges Megaupload Leaders

[ No Comments ] Posted on 01.25.12 under Government News, Security & Privacy

Justice Department Charges Leaders of Megaupload with Widespread Online Copyright Infringement

WASHINGTON—Seven individuals and two corporations have been charged in the United States with running an international organized criminal enterprise allegedly responsible for massive worldwide online piracy of numerous types of copyrighted works through Megaupload.com and other related sites, generating more than $175 million in criminal proceeds and causing more than half a billion dollars in harm to copyright owners, the U.S. Justice Department and FBI announced today.

This action is among the largest criminal copyright cases ever brought by the United States and directly targets the misuse of a public content storage and distribution site to commit and facilitate intellectual property crime.
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FTC To Provide Refunds to Victims of Bogus Scareware Scam

[ Comments Off ] Posted on 12.16.11 under Government News, Security & Privacy

Starting this week, more than 300,000 consumers who were victims of a “scareware” scam will receive refunds resulting from Federal Trade Commission settlements with Innovative Marketing and other parties involved in the scheme. Several defendants agreed to surrender more than $8 million total in ill-gotten gains to settle FTC charges that they used deceptive ads to trick consumers into thinking their computers were infected with viruses or spyware, and then sold them software programs such as Winfixer, Drive Cleaner, and XP Antivirus to “fix” their non-existent problem.

Consumers who receive checks must cash them within 60 days. The average amount of the checks will be $20, however the exact amounts will be based on the amount of individual loss. The FTC never requires consumers to pay money or provide information before redress checks can be cashed.

Approximately 320,000 checks will be mailed by the FTC’s settlement administrator, Epiq Systems. Consumers who believe they are entitled to a refund or have questions may call the settlement administrator toll free at 1-877-853-3541 or visit www.FTC.gov/refunds for more information.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

FTC Offers Online Shopping Tips

[ Comments Off ] Posted on 12.01.11 under Government News, Security & Privacy

Shopping Online This Holiday Season? FTC Offers Advice on Getting the Best Deal

Whether your gift list is ready or you’re wondering how long you can wait to start your holiday shopping, the Federal Trade Commission has online tips to help you get the best deals. The bottom line: Some extra research can really pay off:

Set a Budget. Create a gift list and check it twice to help you stay on track and not overspend.

Decide What Matters. Especially if you’re buying gadgets, know what your “must-have” features are vs. those that are just nice to have.
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Sales Tax Harms Small Business

[ Comments Off ] Posted on 11.28.11 under Business, Government News

Shifting Sales Tax Compliance Burden Will Harm Small Businesses, Says CompTIA CEO

WASHINGTON–A bipartisan group of Senators led by Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) has introduced The Marketplace Freedom Act, a bill giving states the authority to require that online sellers collect and remit state sales taxes. Todd Thibodeaux, president and chief executive officer, CompTIA, made the following statement about the legislation.

“We understand the need of states to address revenue collection based on legitimate sales taxes. However, we must balance the states’ authority to require businesses to collect foreign states’ sales taxes with the compliance burdens that would be foisted onto small businesses. These additional compliance costs to small businesses would have a negative effect on employment and economic growth.
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FTC Announces New and Improved OnGuardOnline Website

[ Comments Off ] Posted on 09.24.11 under Government News

Want to know more about Internet safety and security? Visit the new and improved OnGuardOnline.gov for practical tips and resources on how to be safe, secure and responsible online. Created through a partnership of 16 federal agencies led by the Federal Trade Commission, it’s a great source of free information for your home, school, community group, or workplace.

OnGuardOnline’s new features include a cybersecurity blog and information updates via e-mail. Also, the FTC has partnered with the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies in the Stop.Think.Connect Campaign™ to raise awareness of the need for stronger cybersecurity with new approaches to help increase online safety and security.
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FTC Provides Can-SPAM Video

[ Comments Off ] Posted on 07.25.11 under Government News, Web Development

New FTC Video Helps Businesses Comply with CAN-SPAM Rule

Say “spam” and most business executives think of annoying e-mail messages, like the ones that hold out a phony offer to split $50 million that’s sitting in a foreign bank. Of course, this type of message is covered by the Federal Trade Commission’s CAN-SPAM Rule, which is designed to protect consumers from deceptive commercial e-mail.

But CAN-SPAM covers e-mails from legitimate businesses, too, such as e-mail notifying customers about a new product line or a special sale. To help explain what the CAN-SPAM Rule covers, the FTC has produced a new video for businesses with a seven-point checklist for sending commercial e-mail messages. For example, e-mail marketers must use accurate headers and subject lines and provide a method for consumers to stop getting e-mails. In addition to the video, the FTC also offers a brochure, The CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business.
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