Elinor Mills reports: The U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team warned BlackBerry users on Tuesday about a new program called PhoneSnoop that allows someone to remotely eavesdrop on phone conversations. The PhoneSnoop application must be installed on the phone by someone who has physical access to it or by tricking the user into downloading it, the…
Tough identity theft law passed
The federal government has passed tough new legislation to give police and courts added powers to fight identity theft. “This legislation … will better address identity theft and provide police with the tools they need to help stop these crimes before they are committed,” Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said in a statement released Tuesday in…
India’s new IT law increases surveillance powers
John Ribeiro reports: A new IT law has come into force in India that frees Internet portals from liability for third-party content and activity, but also gives the government powers to monitor communications on the Internet, and block web sites that are found to be offensive. The Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2008 was passed by…
Maine ruling due on privacy of anti-gay-marriage donors
David Hench reports: A federal judge will rule Wednesday on whether the state may require two national organizations that are working to repeal Maine’s gay-marriage law to disclose their contributors. The National Organization for Marriage and American Principles in Action have challenged the state campaign finance laws that apply to ballot question committees, arguing that…