Articles Posted in Government

DOJ & EU Approve Google’s Acquisition of Motorola Mobility, But Apple and Others are Also Winners Updated: by

Any antitrust concerns about Google's acquisition of Motorola Mobility were satisfied in Europe and the United States today. Regulatory hurdles were cleared when the European Union and the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division each approved Google's purchase of the telecom unit. The deal bolsters Google's patent portfolio, and is…

FCC: Anti-Abortion Activist Can’t Run Super Bowl Sunday TV Ads Updated: by

The Federal Communications Commission ('FCC') ruled today that anti-abortion activist Randall Terry (inset, right) failed to show "that he is a legally qualified" presidential candidate entitled to "reasonable" broadcast TV access in Illinois. Even if he was, the FCC concluded, Chicago NBC affilate WMAQ did not act unreasonably when it…

FDA Scientists & Doctors: Agency Read Our Personal Emails For Alerting Public About Medical Device Safety Updated: by

A lawsuit filed by current and former employees of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration charges that the agency accessed and spied on their personal e-mail accounts after scientists and doctors alerted Congress and the media that certain radiation-emitting computer detection devices may not be safe or effective. The lawsuit…

Silicon Valley’s Most Embarassing HR Antitrust Case Begets a Class-Action Updated: by

You would think that Silicon Valley giants would compensate their employees well, support their professional growth, and know that a time will come when they leave for greener pastures. C-level execs at Apple, Google, Adobe, Pixar, Intel, Intuit, and Lucasfilm apparently thought, acted, and communicated differently, however, according to newly…

ITC Rules for Motorola Mobility in Apple iOS v. Android OS Patent War Updated: by

The U.S. International Trade Commission issued an eagerly awaited determination today in the ongoing Apple iOS v. Android OS patent war, giving a win for Motorola Mobility, whose $12.5 billion acquisition by Google is pending. ITC Administrative Law Judge Theodore R. Essex's initial determination was that Motorola's Droids smartphones do…

DHS Paid Contractor $1.16M to Monitor Social Networks, News Media, Blogs & Comments for Dissent Updated: by

A Freedom of Information Act ('FOIA') lawsuit (below) by the Electronic Privacy Information Center ('EPIC') reveals that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security paid contractors to monitor Facebook, Twitter other social networks, blogs, and comments on news media websites. The documents (below) disclose that the federal government paid at least…