Web libel laws could be changed

Вloggers and website owners could find themselves less likely to be sued for libel if new proposals become law. The Ministry of Justice wants to change libel laws so they don't expose website owners to "open-ended" liability to articles published. Currently, a claimant has up to a year to bring legal proceedings against a newspaper or magazine after an article is published.

However, with websites, a claimant has up to a year from the last time the page was viewed by a surfer, meaning that libel actions could be initiated several
years after an article was posted. It is proposed that this law should be changed to bring it in line with newspapers and magazines, so the publication date is taken into account.

The Ministry of Justice is currently undertaking a consultation on the matter, due to end in December.

www.justice.gov.uk

Orange gets Apple's i Phone for Xmas

Apple's decision to let Orange sell the iPhone in the UK will appeal to customers who had been put off buying the iconic device due to 02's poor 3G coverage, it has been claimed.

Analyst Ian Fogg of Forrester Research said that the end of Apple and 02's two-year exclusivity deal in November was particularly good news for the iPhone manufacturer.

"Non-exclusive iPhone deals are now good for Apple. People with poor 02 coverage will no longer be put off," Fogg said. 02 had been criticised in the past for not making any significant investment in ^ its 3G mobile network, which the iPhone I uses to connect to the web.

Orange will be able to supply the iPhone to customers in the UK before the end of this year, though no pricing and tariff details are available yet and the precise launch date hasn't been set.

Vodafone will also be offering the handset, though not until 2010.
02 currently has the exclusive UK rights to the newly launched Palm Pre, a rival smartphone, but said that it would not forget about its iPhone customers. "We have over one million iPhone customers and they remain very important to us," the company said in a statement.

www.orange.co.uk
www.apple.com/uk/iphone
www.forrester.com

Scammers use BBC link

A Nigerian scam that uses the name of BBC TV programme Heir Hunters to add authenticity has been spotted. The email, which links to the show's website, claims that the recipient is being sought by the makers of the programme.
www.sophos.com

Bots infected for 300 days
Many 'bots' - computers controlled by hackers to spread malware - remain infected for longer than first thought. Research revealed that the average infected computer is likely to be a bot for 10 months.
www.trendmicro.com

Recession boosts cybercrime

Cybercriminals have changed their strategy during the global economic crisis by focusing on account takeover fraud, said online identity firm Garlick. This tactic, in which cybercriminals gain access to a bank account either as the result of phishing or banking Trojans, has risen by 207 per cent, Garlik said.

www.garlik.com

Twitter short URL warning

Cybercriminals are using URL-shortening services to infect Twitter members. Sites such as TinyURL.com are being used to disguise links to sites that host malware. Symantec said that the criminals include keywords related to the most-discussed topics on Twitter to ensure that they have a good chance of finding victims.

symantec.com

BEFRIEND GORILLAS ON FACEBOOK

You can now make friends with gorillas on Facebook, thanks to the Friend A Gorilla charity.

The Ugandan mountain gorillas, which are also found in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, are under threat of extinction, with only 700 left in the whole of Africa.

You'll need to donate $1 (about 61p) to make friends with the gorillas, who you can also follow on Twitter.

www.friendagorilla.org
www.facebook.com/friendagorilla

Sneak preview of Microsoft touchscreen device hits web

Details of a dual-touchscreen device made by Microsoft that can be operated with fingers or a stylus have emerged on the web.

Codenamed 'Courier', the handheld device has two screens facing each other that can be closed together when not in use, like a book.

A video demonstration posted on the Gizmodo website showed how it converts handwritten notes into text and integrates contact information with mapping and diary applications.

The design is rumoured to be in "late-prototype" stage, though Microsoft has made no official comment about the Courier, so whether it will even be released at all is not known for certain.

The Courier would provide a rival for the Apple iTablet, which is described as a larger version of the iPod Touch and is expected to launch in January.

http://gizmodo.com