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CaliforniaHP to Pay $14.5 Million in Spying SettlementAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on December 7, 2006 - 2:52pm.
Palo Alto, Calif. - Three months after initial reports of the company's internal spying scandal, Hewlett-Packard has reached a civil settlement with the California attorney general's office.
tags: Law | Lawsuits | Settlements | Tech | Investing | HP | California | Privacy | Stocks | Spying |
Wired News: MPAA Lobby Kills Calif. Bill That Outlawed "Pretexting"Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 1, 2006 - 1:08pm.
San Francisco - The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has effectively lobbied to defeat a California bill that would have outlawed "pretexting" and other deceptive practices used to obtain private information about consumers, Wired News reported on Friday.
tags: Internet | Video | Law | Piracy | Movies | MPAA | California | Bills | Privacy | Torrentspy | Pretexting |
Calif. Supreme Court Extends Web Libel Protections to Individual UsersAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on November 21, 2006 - 1:52pm.
San Francisco - The California Supreme Court ruled on Monday that individuals who republish third-party defamatory information about someone online cannot be sued for libel. Under the ruling, which expands free speech protections of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, only the original source of a defamatory statement on the Internet can be sued, and not anyone who republishes the statement.
California Senate Approves Video Franchising BillAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on August 31, 2006 - 5:30pm.
Sacramento, Calif. - The California State Senate voted 33-4 on Wednesday night in favor of a bill that would open the state's cable franchising process and make it easier for telecommunications firms like Verizon and AT&T to offer digital video services in California.
California Lawmakers Vote to Overhaul Cable TV Franchising ProcessAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on August 18, 2006 - 11:55am.
Thousand Oaks, Calif. - The California Senate Appropriations Committee voted yesterday to overhaul the state's cable franchising process, approving a bill that would allow telecommunications firms to more easily launch digital video services in California.
tags: Video | Law | TV | Verizon | IPTV | California | Telecom | Legislation | FiOS | Cable | Franchising |
California Heat Wave Knocks MySpace Temporarily OfflineAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on July 24, 2006 - 6:23pm.
Los Angeles - The heat wave hitting the state of California was responsible for shutting down the MySpace social networking site for nearly 12 hours this weekend, CNET News.com reported.
Justice Conrad Rushing on the Apple-Power Page Leak CaseAuthored by Robert Spears on May 27, 2006 - 3:27am.
"In no relevant respect do they [bloggers] appear to differ from a reporter or editor for a traditional business-oriented periodical who solicits or otherwise comes into possession of confidential internal information about a company."
AP: Apple Loses Court Bid to Identify Leak SourceAuthored by Robert Spears on May 27, 2006 - 2:50am.
A California state appeals court on Friday rejected Apple's bid to identify the sources of leaked product information that appeared on the web, ruling that bloggers and online reporters are entitled to the same protections as off-line journalists.
Calif. Lawmaker, Game Industry Launch Teen Cyber Stalking GameAuthored by dmw on May 17, 2006 - 1:03pm.
Sacramento, Calif. - The video game industry's ESA Foundation, California State Senator Liz Figueroa and nonprofit Web Wise Kids on Wednesday introduced an online game that aims to educate teens on how to outsmart cyber stalkers. Developed by Web Wise Kids, "Mirror Image" is based on a real-life criminal case involving cyber stalking, and will be distributed for free to Web Wise Kids' partner schools and police departments. "We can tell teens or even show them how to be safe online, but an interactive format like 'Mirror Image' goes beyond telling teens what to do -- it gets them involved in the story. That kind of experience is much more personal and applicable to their daily lives," said Senator Figueroa, chair of the Select Committee on Children, Youth and Families.
Electronic Arts to Pay Programmers $14.9 Million in Overtime SettlementAuthored by dmw on April 26, 2006 - 12:22pm.
Redwood City, Calif. - Video game publisher Electronic Arts has announced it will pay $14.9 million to settle a class action suit brought against it by current and former computer programmers. The programmers, all from the company's California studios, had sued for overtime pay. Under the settlement, all of their claims will be dismissed, and any unclaimed funds will go to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, as well as to establish scholarships at five universities, including Stanford, for female and minority students interested in studying interactive entertainment. The settlement still must be approved by San Mateo County Superior Court.
Federal Court Tosses California Ban on Violent Video Game SalesAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 3, 2006 - 8:18am.
San Francisco - A federal judge has blocked enactment of California's recently passed law that bans the sale of violent video games to minors, saying the law is an unconstitutional restriction on First Amendment free speech rights. The Dec. 21 ruling from U.S. District Judge Ronald Whyte follows actions from federal courts in Illinois and Michigan to block similar video game sales bans recently passed into law in those states. The courts have also struck down bans in Washington state, the city of Indianapolis and St. Louis County, although the Supreme Court has yet to take up the matter. Judge Whyte wrote in his ruling that "games are protected by the First Amendment," and cited other rulings that found research has not established a causal connection between video game and real-world violence. "For the sixth time in five years, Federal Courts have now blocked or struck down these state and local laws seeking to regulate the sale of games to minors based on their content," said Douglas Lowenstein, president of the video game trade group the Entertainment Software Association, which sued to have the laws overturned in California and the other states. "It is therefore time to look past legislation and litigation in favor of cooperative efforts to accomplish the common goal of ensuring that parents use the tools available to control the games their kids play."
California Gets First State Conviction for Felony Internet PiracyAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on August 30, 2005 - 4:55am.
Los Angeles -- A California man has pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy to commit grand theft of movies, music and games, in the first criminal Internet file-sharing case to be brought in the state. Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley said that 34-year-old Los Angeles resident Jed Frederick Kobles ran an Internet file-sharing hub called UTB Smokinghouse, that offered free downloads of films including "A Beautiful Mind" and "Terminator 3," in addition to music videos from Madonna and episodes of "The Simpsons." Under the felony conviction, Kobles could face a sentence ranging from probation to a maximum of three years in prison.
Violent Video Game Ban Stalls in California AssemblyAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on June 3, 2005 - 2:42am.
San Francisco -- A bill in the California state Assembly that would have restricted the sale of violent video games to minors in the state has been shelved, Reuters reported on Friday. Authored by Assemblyman Leland Yee, the bill passed the Assembly's arts committee last month. "We've put it in the inactive file," Yee's aide Adam Keigwin told Reuters, adding that the bill did not have enough votes to pass the full Assembly. "Dr. Yee is committed to this issue, but he wants to build more support for this bill." Similar laws have been consistently struck down by a number of courts as unconstitutional on First Amendment free speech grounds.
California Ban on Violent Game Sales to Minors AdvancesAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on May 6, 2005 - 10:04am.
Sacramento -- Following a defeat in an earlier vote on Tuesday, the California State Assembly's arts committee on Thursday advanced a bill that would ban the sale of violent and sexually explicit video games to minors. The bill, which passed by a 6-4 vote on reconsideration, will now come before the full Assembly, and if approved, will then move on to the state Senate. Sponsored by Assemblyman Leland Yee, the bill has garnered the support of the NAACP, the Girl Scouts and the PTA. "For the same reason we don't allow kids to buy pornography, cigarettes, or alcohol, we shouldn't allow them to go to stores and buy video games that teach them to do the very things we put people in jail for -- abusing women, joining street gangs, killing police officers, or even assassinating President Kennedy," said Yee. A similar bill also passed a committee within the Illinois state Senate this week. Courts have consistently struck down such laws banning game sales to minors as unconstitutional on First Amendment grounds.
Bans on Violent Game Sales to Minors Fail in California, Advance in IllinoisAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on May 5, 2005 - 10:12am.
Los Angeles -- A bill that would have fined retailers for selling M-rated video games to minors has failed in the California State Assembly, while a similar bill has passed in the Illinois state Senate's Housing and Community Affairs Committee. "It is evident that most of the committee members recognized the obvious flaw with the legislation -- that it is wholly unconstitutional," said Marie Sylla, director of government relations for the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association, in commenting on the California state bill. The approval of the Safe Games Illinois Act, which would empower the state to create its own game ratings system, will now move on to a vote in the full Illinois state Senate. State Sen. Deanna Demuzio (D) told CNET News.com that the bill will not come to a vote until the state clarifies how it plans to arrive on its ratings, and determines fines for retailers who sell objectionable games to minors. Court challenges to similar laws have consistently resulted in their being overturned on First Amendment free speech grounds.
California Violent Video Game Sales Ban Progresses in State AssemblyAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 21, 2005 - 7:53am.
Los Angeles -- A bill that would make it a crime to sell violent video games to minors under 16 has passed a vote in a committee of the California State Assembly, but still has several obstacles to maneuver before becoming law in the state. California Assemblyman Leland Yee -- who introduced similar bills that have been defeated in the past -- saw his bill approved 8-0 by the Assembly Judiciary Committee. The bill must now pass another committee and the full Assembly before potentially being signed into law -- although similar laws in a number of states have routinely been stricken down as violations of First Amendment free speech protections. While derided by the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association, which pointed out that retailers already ask for ID when selling games rated "M" for mature, Yee's bill has the support of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Common Sense Media and Girl Scout Councils of California.
Atari to Close Game Studios in California, MassachusettsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on February 10, 2005 - 2:45am.
New York -- Video game publisher Atari on Thursday announced it will shut its development studios in Santa Monica, Calif. and Beverly, Mass. as part of a restructuring plan, which, combined with news of a projected shortfall for the current quarter, sent shares of the company down 7% in the day's trading. "We've begun taking aggressive steps to address structural, operational and financial issues which we anticipate will better position the company," said Atari president and CEO Jim Caparro. Operations at the two shuttered studios will be taken up by the company's New York headquarters. Atari blamed its financial shortcomings on console game system shortages and stiff competition that affected sales during the recent quarter, which saw Atari net income fall to $19.6 million from $23 million a year earlier, and revenue fall to $161.8 million from $190.6 million last year.
California Passes Law Mandating E-Mail Addresses From File-SwappersAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on September 23, 2004 - 9:55am.
Sacramento, Calif. -- It is now illegal in the state of California to trade songs or movies on the Internet without the sender including his or her valid e-mail address. Earlier this week, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the Motion Picture Association of America-sponsored SB 1506, introduced by state Sen. Kevin Murray, into law. File-swappers who fail to include a valid e-mail will be guilty of a misdemeanor. Proponents said the law will enable law enforcement to attack piracy more effectively; those opposed to the legislation, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and American Civil Liberties Union, said it infringes privacy rights and will make criminals out of casual file-swappers. The governor also made it a crime this week to use state-owned computers for file-sharing.
Watered-Down Video Game Sales Bill Passes in CaliforniaAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on September 23, 2004 - 9:40am.
Sacramento, Calif. -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a Calif. state bill into law that will require retailers to prominently display ESRB video game ratings in their stores, as well as provide pamphlets on the ratings system to parents. An earlier version of AB 1793, introduced by Assemblyman Leland Yee, would have compelled retailers to cordon off "Mature"-rated titles in a separate part of the store and penalized clerks violating the ban on the sale of such games to minors with a $2000 fine and up to one year in prison. That version of Yee's bill was rejected.
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