Yahoo! and Verizon's Affront to Freedom, Target's Remote Control Gift Cards
Highlights from this morning's other big tech headlines....
- Not only do Yahoo! and Verizon apparently hate the Constitution and the Freedom of Information Act, but they also seemingly believe the public is too stupid to form reasonable thoughts. Both companies have appealed to the government to thwart agitator Christopher Soghoian because the man rightfully and legally wants to know how much private info the companies reveal to law enforcement agencies. [From: Wired]
- Gift cards present a perfect holiday opportunity for folks that hate shopping or creativity, but fraud and bankrupt businesses have put a damper on the popular holiday idea. Target, though, is enlivening its cards with a little tech by adding a remote control function. With the card, customers will reportedly steer a cute little mouse driving a tiny shopping cart. [From: Gizmodo]
- Google has reportedly succumbed to Rupert Murdoch and will limit the number of free News Corp. articles, from publications like the Wall Street Journal, that people can access through the search engine. Murdoch contends that reading free and timely information amounts to "feeding off the hard-earned efforts and investments of others." Um, isn't that why newspapers and TV shows are supposed to receive the majority of their revenue from advertising? [From: FOX News]
- Facebook's increasingly cluttered homepage screen is apparently set to get even more crowded. The site has reportedly partnered with Yahoo! so that people can share activities on Yahoo! sites, like flickr, through the Facebook "News Feed." [From: The New York Times]
- Google will be updating its image search results over the course of the next day. Results will now yield one large photograph, along with an increased amount of other, smaller results, so people will have more image choices and examples. [From: Google Blog]
- New York recently enacted the Electronic Security and Targeting of Online Predators Act (e-STOP). The Act's first sting resulted in the elimination of 3,500 convicted sex offenders, some of whom have violated parole and will likely return to prison, from MySpace and Facebook. Under the Act, sex offenders must disclose e-mail addresses and online handles to state authorities. [From: Download Squad]
