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The rights of musicians and all artists took a direct blow to the chin earlier this month when members of America Online's Nullsoft music division made it even easier for Web surfers to steal intellectual property.

According to a new study by Forrester Research (Nasdaq: FORR), online business-to-consumer (B2C) sales are set to grow explosively in Europe from $2.8 billion (US$) in 1999 to approximately $170 billion in 2005.

The derailed settlement talks between the U.S. Justice Department and software giant Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) may be back on track today, as reports indicate that the mediator in the case has asked the judge to delay issuing his opinion in hopes of a breakthrough.

While e-commerce has managed to make the world a smaller place, bring convenience and value to shoppers, and boost economic indicators into the stratosphere, it has also spawned a dark underbelly where drug abusers can purchase illegal substances with just a few clicks of the mouse.

Despite widespread optimism last week that Microsoft and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) were on the brink of settling the antitrust case against the software titan, the U.S. government has reportedly rejected the company's last-ditch proposal.

A report by Forrester Research (Nasdaq: FORR) projects that interactive digital television (iDTV) will replace the personal computer as the primary avenue for European e-commerce by 2005.

It was reported late last week that the U.S. government and Microsoft were finally ready to lay down the gloves and craft a compromise that would bring one of America's longest-running soap operas to an end.

London-based QXL.com (Nasdaq: QXLC), Europe's largest online auction company, has announced the acquisition of Swedish rival Bidlet AB for as much as $555 million (US$) in stock.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced Friday that two Welsh teenagers have been arrested for allegedly hacking into 11 e-commerce sites and stealing information on more than 26,000 credit card accounts. Losses in the case could exceed $3 million (US$).

According to a study released this week by PricewaterhouseCoopers and The Conference Board, America's largest companies are investing more money than ever in electronic commerce but have not yet utilized the Internet to maximum effect.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced Thursday that 150 organizations in 28 nations have pledged to join forces to tackle Internet fraud.

Just days after unsubstantiated rumors of a Yahoo!-eBay merger played havoc with investors, Financial Times writer William Lewis is reporting that the two Internet powerhouses are indeed pursuing a blockbuster deal.

Results of two new studies released this week indicate that the future of wireless e-commerce may be less than rosy for the near term.

According to published reports, the Walt Disney Company has quietly been lobbying the U.S. Congress to block the proposed $180 billion (US$) merger of America Online and Time Warner, Inc.

In an effort to consolidate its position in the hotly-contested online auction market, Internet powerhouse Yahoo! (Nasdaq:YHOO) announced Thursday that it has acquired e-commerce payment service provider Arthas.com, Inc.