Category: Uncategorized

Microsoft blocks piratebay.com links in instant messages

The Pirate Bay goes to great lengths to keep itself widely available , but here’s something it can’t stop: Microsoft is now blocking links to the site in instant messages across all its systems.

“We block instant messages if they contain malicious or spam URLs based on intelligence algorithms, third-party sources, and/or user complaints. Pirate Bay URLs were flagged by one or more of these and were consequently blocked,” explained Microsoft in a statement to The Register.

(via: Microsoft Is Blocking Pirate Bay Links in Instant Messages)

ACTA-läget just nu

Henrik Alexanderson, som jobbar för piratpartiet i Bryssel har skrivit en uppdatering om vad som händer i ACTA-avtalets väg genom EUs byråkrati.

Jag har just varit på ett möte med Europaparlamentets utskott för medborgarrättsliga frågor, LIBE – där man har diskuterat hur man skall hantera Acta-avtalet.

Bland annat är ledamöterna rätt vankelmodiga vad gäller om parlamentet skall göra som kommissionen och sända Acta till EU-domstolen. (Det lutar dock åt att det inte kommer att ske.)

Det finns en uppenbar osäkerhet om hur parlamentet skall gå vidare. Men tågordningen lär slås fast i morgon förmiddag – på mötet med utskottet för internationell handel, INTA.

Några konkreta saker kom dock fram:

EU-kommissionen står fast vid att sända Acta till EU-domstolen, även om det har dragit ut på tiden.
EU-kommissionen hoppas vara klar att sända Acta till EU-domstolen i slutet av april eller början av maj. (Det formella beslutet har dock inte fattats ännu.)
Kommissionen är också av uppfattningen att om ett EU-land säger nej till Acta i den nationella ratificeringen, då blir det inget Acta alls. (Men det finns motstridiga besked om den saken.)

(via: Henrik-Alexandersson.se: ACTA: Läget just nu, Henrik har även skrivit mycket annat om ACTA på sin blogg, läs det!)

Scammers Are Targeting Megaupload Users With Fake Legal Threats

At least two scams targeting users of file-sharing services have emerged over the last few days. So far the reports all come from overseas, but if it’s happening in Germany then similar scams in the US are very likely. Watch out.

The scams both try to trick users into thinking they’ve been busted for copyright infringement and that they’ll be on the hook for huge legal penalties unless they pay upfront settlement fees online. According to TorrentFreak, the first of the two scams appears to target former Megaupload users. The users received emails like the one above from a fake German law firm that claims to represents major entertainment companies. The scam provides no details about what you supposedly stole.

(via: Gizmodo – Warning: Scammers Are Targeting Megaupload Users With Fake Legal Threats)

Kommentar på kriminaliseringen av kryptering

Swedish MP to criminalize encryption | copy is right

Swedish member of parliament Johan Pehrson is infamous for his love for using police methods to solve any problem. In the discussion about the Data Retention Directive in Sweden, he’s now opened up the question of criminalizing the use of encryption. I can’t even tell what a madness this is. This actually feel so unrealistic to me, that I can’t even relate the tiniest bit to this piece of information with anything but laughter.

Ranking States by Their Dependence on Manufacturing

En grafisk genomgång på vilka stater som är mycket beroende av tillverkningsjobb och som på grund av detta säkert kommer att få en högre arebetslöshet över tiden.

Data Spotlight: Ranking States by Their Dependence on Manufacturing | Newgeography.com

Copyright Treaty Requires Congressional Support, Senator Says

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) says the Obama administration must secure congressional approval for the United States to participate in an international anti-piracy treaty, a position at odds with the president.

The accord, known as the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, exports on participating nations an intellectual-property enforcement regime resembling the one in the United States. Neither the United States nor any other country has ratified the deal, which was brokered by both the President George W. Bush and the President Barack Obama administrations and finalized in October.

“I believe Congress should approve binding international agreements before the U.S. is obligated to comply with those agreements. This a point where the administration and I disagree and is particularly true on matters that impact our nation’s ability to implement policies that encourage innovation,” Wyden said in a statement.

Copyright Treaty Requires Congressional Support, Senator Says | Threat Level | Wired.com