John Lister

Google has announced it will punish websites accused of piracy by moving them lower in its search results rankings. However, there are some questions flying around the Internet about whether Google's own YouTube video site will get special ... treatment. The changes include a minor tweak to the way Google decides how high or low specific sites should appear in a search results list. The search giant says its automated system considers more than 200 factors, but doesn't say how much emphasis it gives to each one. The new ranking method takes effect this week. Afterwards, search results will ... (view more)

Microsoft has confirmed its "Do Not Track" feature will be switched on by default in the new Internet Explorer 10 (IE10) web browser. The decision is intended to protect user privacy. However, it has earned a frosty reception from some online ... advertisers. The feature was introduced to prevent users' online activity from being reported to third-party groups, a concern when advertisers began gathering information from multiple websites to compile very detailed pictures about what individuals do online. Since then, browser makers have worked on a variety of measures to combat this ... (view more)

A Congressional agency has told regulators it is time to review the rules governing cellphone radiation. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) said existing rules might not be doing an effective job of measuring the risk to users. The GAO acts ... as support staff for Congress and also carries out audits to check that government departments are spending money effectively. Three members of Congress recently asked the GAO to look into the way the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates public safety with respect to cellphones. Cancer, Health Risks Not a GAO Concern The GAO's year- ... (view more)

Microsoft has made a change to the final edition of its new Windows 8 operating system (OS). According to a new report, the change forces users who prefer Windows' traditional desktop layout to use the system's new interface (formerly known as ... 'Metro') every time the new OS boots up. This requirement could represent a major irritant for many Windows users. The most significant change in Windows 8 is the new user interface. It's a much different design featuring very large icons known as 'tiles,' and has already become fairly popular among users of Windows-based smartphones. Microsoft ... (view more)

Hackers who support the Syrian government may be responsible for two separate attacks on the Reuters news agency. The hackers' efforts apparently caused false information about the political and military situation inside Syria to appear on the news ... agency's website. The first hack damaged the Reuters blogging platform, a section of the agency's website that allows Reuters correspondents to write personal accounts and opinion pieces under their own name. It appears Reuters reporters can post directly to the site, which may have made the hacker's job easier. Fake Interview Posted On Reuters ... (view more)

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) plans to join the twenty-first century by using computer systems rather than paper to manage its cases. The change may improve detection rates by making it easier to cross-reference data between cases. ... The new computer system, called Sentinel, will also allow FBI agents to make notes on cases via dedicated software. A demonstration for reporters showed that Sentinel contains elements reminiscent of consumer software, such as web browsers, Microsoft Outlook, and tax preparation software. (Source: wsj.com ) FBI personnel have been using Sentinel ... (view more)

Microsoft is reportedly scrambling to come up with a replacement name for its new user interface in Windows 8. According to reports, the Redmond, Washington-based company has decided to completely drop the name 'Metro' after a threat of legal action ... arose over possible trademark violations. Microsoft has reportedly told its staff they should not use the term in any applications or documents. Microsoft has been calling its new interface 'Metro' for some time. In the past it was meant to describe an overall design style, including both a typeface and a system incorporating very large icons. ... (view more)

Microsoft says its new 'Surface' tablet computer will be more like a traditional computer than other ultra-portable devices, such as Apple's segment-leading iPad. To help attract PC users the company is launching a range of new keyboards and mice ... specially designed to work with the Surface. The company is also adding the ability to interpret touch gestures to an existing high-tech mouse. Microsoft recently confirmed that the earlier, cheaper versions of Surface will be available on October 26, 2012, when Windows 8 is released. More expensive versions of the device, aimed at higher-end ... (view more)

A government agency wants to overhaul the rules limiting how websites collect personal data about children. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says the changes would make the rules much clearer and more effective. The current regulations stem ... from the Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA), which took effect in 2000 and currently applies to sites aimed at children under 13 years of age. As the rules stand, websites must clearly explain to both children and parents what data they will collect about children and how they plan to use it. Such sites must also get parental ... (view more)

Facebook's business model is based on advertising. But one disgruntled advertiser claims 80 per cent of the "people" clicking on its advertisements aren't humans at all. Limited Run is a website that lets musicians create an online store in which ... they can sell both physical CDs and digital content. Like many businesses, Limited Run created a promotional page on Facebook and then began advertising on the social networking site to attract visitors to its own home page. According to the company, however, it became suspicious that something was amiss when the details associated with the number of ... (view more)