***************************************************** Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology. *****************************************************
TOP STORIES FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 03, 2002 FTC Goes after Spam and Scams AOL Wins Porn Spam Case California PUC Claims Authority over DSL Service Metromedia the Next Bankruptcy? AND UC San Diego Connected Bus Network Software Included in Kazaa Downloads Compaq Offers MS Exchange as Utility FTC GOES AFTER SPAM AND SCAMS The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), working with six U.S. states and Canadian officials, is cracking down on operators of Internet scams, including those that commit deceptive advertising in spam e-mail. Spam has become a lucrative method for propagating frauds, allowing criminals to send many millions of solicitations to prospective victims. This enforcement group, started by the FTC two years ago, has begun legal proceedings against Internet crimes in 63 cases in recent months. Recent targets of the FTC include a pyramid scheme, a cancer treatment scam, and a mail-order CD business that settled charges of mail order fraud. San Jose Mercury News, 3 April 2002 http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/business/2989145.htm AOL WINS PORN SPAM CASE America Online has won a civil lawsuit against Netvision Audiotext, which AOL accused of sending pornographic spam to AOL customers. The victory means Netvision will pay AOL monetary damages but also must stop sending unsolicited e-mail to AOL accounts. AOL hopes that the case will establish a precedent for others to challenge spammers in court. Jason Catlett, president of Junkbusters, was pleased with the victory, but said there is still a long way to go to curb the amount of spam being sent. CNET, 3 April 2002 http://news.com.com/2100-1023-874664.html CALIFORNIA PUC CLAIMS AUTHORITY OVER DSL SERVICE In response to a complaint filed by the California Internet Service Provider Association (CISPA), the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has asserted that it has jurisdiction over direct subscriber line (DSL) services. The complaint charged that Pacific Bell used its control of phone lines to favor some ISPs at the expense of other ISPs that are not affiliated with PacBell. This marks the first time a state agency has claimed authority over broadband access over local phone lines. CISPA argued that the control exerted by PacBell on the DSL market has led to a 90 percent share of the market for SBC Communications, which owns PacBell. Washington Post, 1 April 2002 http://www.washtech.com/news/regulation/15938-1.html METROMEDIA THE NEXT BANKRUPTCY? Metromedia Fiber Network, one of the largest suppliers of optical network communication to urban areas, seems headed for bankruptcy after it missed an $8.1 million interest payment, putting it into default on more than $440 million in outstanding notes. Last month the company missed a $30 million interest payment to another creditor. Metromedia Fiber has 2.1 million miles of optical network, most of it in 29 large cities in the United States and Europe, and much of the capacity of that fiber is owned by companies including Verizon, Sprint, and SBC Communications. Many industry experts anticipated problems for Metromedia Fiber, saying that trouble was looming as long as nine months ago. If the company is unable to restructure its debt, it will be one of the largest telecommunications bankruptcies to date. New York Times, 2 April 2002 (registration req'd) http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/02/technology/02FIBE.html ALSO ***************************************************** UC SAN DIEGO CONNECTED BUS The University of California at San Diego has introduced a shuttle bus they call the CyberShuttle that allows passengers to surf the Web and send e-mail. The bus connects the university campus with a commuter train station, a 30-minute round trip that many students take daily. The CyberShuttle combines 802.11b technology with a product developed by Qualcomm known as 3G broadband. The two technologies are generally considered incompatible, but researchers at the university were able to make the two work together, providing service comparable to DSL or a cable modem while on a bus traveling 65 mph. Chronicle of Higher Education, 2 April 2002 http://chronicle.com/free/2002/04/2002040201t.htm NETWORK SOFTWARE INCLUDED IN KAZAA DOWNLOADS "Adware" or "spyware," which causes advertisements to appear or tracks Web surfers, has become a common part of file-swapping programs. Brilliant Digital Entertainment has upped the ante, however, having included network software that allows it to turn millions of computers into a single network. Users who download Kazaa software are told about such functions in the consent agreement that they must accept to download the software. Kevin Bermeister, CEO of Brilliant Digital, said that the downloaded copies of its software will be activated all at once, though individual users must opt-in to be part of the network. Privacy advocates worry that the many millions of users who have downloaded the software were not aware of what they agreed to and will not understand the questions posed when the network is activated. ZDNet, 2 April 2002 http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105-873416.html COMPAQ OFFERS MS EXCHANGE AS UTILITY The latest step in Compaq Computer Corporation's Computing on Demand initiative is Exchange on Demand, offering Microsoft Exchange as a pay-as-you-go utility. Compaq said this model allows companies to save money and time by outsourcing all of the functions of an e-mail operation, including servers, account management, security, and virus protection. Networks in the Exchange on Demand program can be hosted at the contracting company or at Compaq's site. Customers can add users without having to purchase user seats, and fees for the service are based on the number of user accounts. Such services, according to Compaq, offer a significant benefit in the current economy because you can upsize or downsize quickly and easily. Infoworld, 2 April 2002 http://www.idg.net/ic_840143_1773_1-3921.html ***************************************************** EDUPAGE INFORMATION To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change your settings, visit http://www.educause.edu/pub/edupage/edupage.html Or, you can subscribe or unsubscribe by sending e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To SUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SUBSCRIBE Edupage YourFirstName YourLastName To UNSUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SIGNOFF Edupage If you have subscription problems, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For past issues of Edupage or information about translations of Edupage into other languages, visit http://www.educause.edu/pub/edupage/edupage.html ***************************************************** OTHER EDUCAUSE PUBLICATIONS EDUCAUSE publishes periodicals, including "EDUCAUSE Quarterly" and "EDUCAUSE Review," books, and other materials dealing with the impacts and implications of information technology in higher education. For information on EDUCAUSE publications see http://www.educause.edu/pub/pubs.html ***************************************************** CONFERENCES For information about EDUCAUSE conferences and other professional development opportunities, visit http://www.educause.edu/conference/conf.html ***************************************************** COPYRIGHT Edupage copyright (c) 2002, EDUCAUSE
