http://www.mediapost.com/publications/ Analysis of the policy issues that relate to digital media. en-us Copyright 2009 MediaPost Communications http://www.mediapost.com/rss Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:11:25 EST European privacy regulators are continuing to press the U.K. to take action regarding secret tests conducted by controversial behavioral targeting company Phorm. The European Commission, which commenced legal proceedings in April, has now taken the case to the next level, according to The Register. If the U.K. government doesn't satisfy the European Commission within the next two months, the agency will take the case to the European Court of Justice, The Register reports. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=116770Wendy Davis <wdavis@mediapost.com>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:00:45 ESTThings are looking up for bloggers, with lawmakers once again talking about enacting a reporters' shield law that would cover journalists who aren't employed by a mainstream media outlet. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=116647Wendy Davis <wdavis@mediapost.com>Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:45:58 EST"The rise of the Internet as a primary source of news has undermined quality and reliability." So says the Writers Guild of America, East, in written comments submitted today to the Federal Trade Commission. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=116556Wendy Davis <wdavis@mediapost.com>Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:15:41 ESTDigital rights advocates often implore judges to cast a skeptical eye on requests to unmask anonymous bloggers for purposes of filing a libel lawsuit. The danger, they warn, is that the person making the request has no intention of actually suing for libel, but will retaliate in some other way once they learn the blogger's identity. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=116448Wendy Davis <wdavis@mediapost.com>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:30:36 ESTSome academics are now asking whether behavioral targeting has to compromise users' privacy. In a new paper, "Privads: Privacy Preserving Targeted Advertising," they propose a model for behavioral advertising that might not raise as many privacy concerns as cookie-based methods. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=116328Wendy Davis <wdavis@mediapost.com>Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:15:52 ESTIn what could be a bad omen for Facebook's Beacon settlement, a federal judge in San Francisco has rejected a class-action settlement in a data breach lawsuit against TD Ameritrade. The judge found that the settlement wouldn't adequately compensate consumers. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=116244Wendy Davis <wdavis@mediapost.com>Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:45:22 ESTThe influential journalism site Poynter Online is carrying a piece warning publishers that proposed new privacy legislation "could have a serious impact on the billions of dollars spent every year on display advertising on the Web." http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=116132Wendy Davis <wdavis@mediapost.com>Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:45:57 ESTThe lobbying in advance of the Federal Communication Commission's vote to move forward with neutrality rules was so frenzied -- and, in some cases, so incompetent -- that it drew a rebuke yesterday from commission member Mignon Clyburn. "Unfortunately, some parties seem to prefer radioactive rhetoric and unseemly and unbecoming tactics," she chided. "Such an approach may yield headlines, but will not yield positive results with me." http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=116046Wendy Davis <wdavis@mediapost.com>Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:15:39 ESTThe Federal Trade Commission is riling industry watchers by suggesting that bloggers -- but not writers for mainstream media outlets -- should disclose every freebie they receive, even review copies that companies routinely give to journalists. But even as the FTC is busy giving bloggers ethical advice, some companies are allegedly deploying online marketing strategies that are far more problematic than passing out free review copies. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=115965Wendy Davis <wdavis@mediapost.com>Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:15:04 ESTA federal judge in Illinois has dismissed a lawsuit by Cook County sheriff Thomas Dart accusing Craigslist of creating a public nuisance by allegedly running prostitution ads. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=115887Wendy Davis <wdavis@mediapost.com>Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:45:15 EST