Tech Law

Intermix Media said it has struck a tentative agreement with New York state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer to settle charges that the company used its network of Web sites and freeware downloads to distribute adware and spyware programs to unknowing consumers. Intermix said it agreed to pay US$7.5 m...

Microsoft yesterday said it has filed four lawsuits against companies in Virginia and California for allegedly distributing counterfeit or illicit software. The software giant filed suits in U.S. District Court against CEO Microsystems of Irvine, Calif., Wiston Group of Walnut, Calif., #9 Software o...

The majority of U.S. states are moving to end the tax-free ride for most online shoppers, a development that is facing opposition from some members of the public, businesses and a number of federal lawmakers. At present, 43 states have joined a states-led coalition called the Streamlined Sales Tax P...

A California appeals court ruling clearing the way for tax collectors in that state to pursue sales taxes from online sales from out-of-state merchants could have wide-ranging impacts for the e-commerce industry. For now, observers say it's too soon to tell how important the ruling, which the First ...

Private messages exchanged using corporate BlackBerry wireless devices might not be quite so private after all as evidenced by a recent lawsuit filed in Toronto, Canada, by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). The lack of security through the use of such devices, which are increasingly uti...

European Union regulators say they want an agreement in place by the end of the month on how Microsoft will comply with the sanctions imposed on the software giant last year, raising the possibility of additional monetary penalties if no deal can be reached. European Competition Commission member Ne...

In what could be a huge boost for some e-commerce players, the U.S. Supreme Court today struck down state laws barring consumers from buying wine and having the seller ship it across state borders. The 5-4 decision, handed down early today, dealt directly with state laws in Michigan and New York but...

On April 27, President George Bush signed a copyright bill that aims to legalize technology that allows users to automatically skip over or mute objectionable content in movie DVDs. Contained in DVD players and other devices, the filtering technology allows parents to prevent their children from see...

In what some see as a hint of more fallout to come from the first major enforcement action against spyware being planted through otherwise legitimate Web sites, Ask Jeeves has found it necessary to respond to accusations that its various sites enable downloading of unwanted programs. Meanwhile, the ...

Online computer and peripheral retailer TigerDirect.com, Inc. filed a lawsuit against Apple Computer yesterday alleging the computer giant's new Mac OS X 10.4 operating system, know as "Tiger," is infringing on its trademarked name. The suit, which was filed in the United States District Court for ...

Seeking to put to rest a chapter from the dot-com heyday when insider access to Internet companies staging IPOs was as good as gold, eBay executives have offered to settle a shareholder lawsuit alleging they benefited personally from investments that should have helped eBay as a whole. CEO Meg Whitm...

In a move that could send legal shockwaves through the Internet and e-commerce industries, New York state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has filed suit accusing a major Web marketing firm of distributing spyware and adware to unsuspecting users. Spitzer, who has built a reputation as a fierce watchd...

One of the fastest growing online businesses is online gambling. The scope of this business is so enormous that some have even claimed it is the single most important factor in the growth of e-commerce. Despite this, there is much controversy and uncertainty surrounding the legality of online gaming...

In a recent decision that might have wide ranging implications for the growing number of people who work by telecommuting from home, the New York Appeals Court ruled that a Nashville man who works remotely via a PC for a New York-based union -- but 25 percent of the time performs his employment with...

It is designed to increase network speed, bandwidth, and the ability to share vast amounts of data quickly and easily, but according to copyright owners, the next-generation Internet known as Internet2 has also been facilitating illegal, unlicensed trading of copyrighted music and movie files. The R...