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Bitcoin currency exchange BitFloor is in big trouble after a security blunder resulted in the theft of $250,000. The heist at the BitFloor "exchange" came after operators did the online equivalent of leaving the keys in the door. Bitcoin is a ... virtual currency that isn't controlled by a government and therefore isn't subject to any seizure of funds. With no government backing, Bitcoin has value only so long as enough people agree to use it. Unlike most currencies, Bitcoin exists only online, with no physical currency (like coins or bills). Each Bitcoin exists solely as a unique identification ... (view more)

Microsoft has confirmed its "Do Not Track" feature will be switched on by default in the new Internet Explorer 10 (IE10) web browser. The decision is intended to protect user privacy. However, it has earned a frosty reception from some online ... advertisers. The feature was introduced to prevent users' online activity from being reported to third-party groups, a concern when advertisers began gathering information from multiple websites to compile very detailed pictures about what individuals do online. Since then, browser makers have worked on a variety of measures to combat this ... (view more)

Microsoft has announced that child safety measures built into the new Windows 8 operating system (OS) will be significantly different from those in Windows 7. It insists the new strategy will be more effective in keeping kids safe. According to the ... company, both Microsoft and third-party software developers have often been unsuccessful at helping parents and guardians to control exactly what children in their care can and can't do online. That's because such systems can be complicated and require constant parental involvement. For example, some children who sought to access certain websites ... (view more)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is reportedly pushing for a change in the U.S. law related to wiretapping. If passed, the changes would allow government monitoring of Facebook, Skype, and some email services. The idea is to change the ... Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), which currently doesn't give investigators the right to monitor and intercept communications. Instead, the law forces telecommunications providers to set up their services in a way that makes such monitoring and intercepting technologically possible. Email, VoIP, Social Media to be Monitored? ... (view more)

These days there are fewer and fewer people who say they don't regularly use the world wide web. According to a new report from Pew, which frequently studies the evolving relationship between people and technology, in 1995 about one in ten adult ... Americans used the web. Today, the ratio is closer to 4 in 5. (Source: eweek.com ) Nevertheless, nearly everyone knows someone, somewhere, who outright refuses to go online. The new study reveals that a large chunk of those 'no-Net' people stay away because they simply have no interest in using the Internet. Bored With Online Technology According to ... (view more)

A new service from Google reportedly will offer users 5 gigabytes (GB) of online storage at no cost. Called 'Google Drive,' it appears the service will launch within the next few days. Google Drive is a 'cloud storage service,' which is a short-hand ... description for the capability of saving information online and accessing it again from any Internet-connected computer. Such online storage capability can provide a valuable backup option, particularly when you consider that most computer systems will experience a hard drive crash or have their device stolen at some point. Without some form of ... (view more)

Iran's government has dismissed reports that it intends to block all Internet access for its citizens, starting in August. Spokespeople claim the shutdown reports stem from an April Fool's joke. Yet at least one part of the story appears to be true. ... The allegations of a coming shutdown are made by Reporters Without Borders, an international media and free speech advocacy group that in recent years has turned its attention to online censorship. Intranet Could Replace Internet According to Reporters Without Borders, Iran plans to simply cut all public access to the global Internet for its ... (view more)

If you're a long-time Internet user, you may remember NetZero, one of the first free Internet providers. Now the company is making a comeback bid by offering free wireless access. However, there's a catch. NetZero launched in 1998 offering free ... dial-up access, but making users view advertising in a display window they could not close. The idea was that advertisers would support the company by paying for ads in that window. (Source: cnet.com ) The system soon caught on and helped bring hundreds of thousands of new users to the web. Eventually, though, a collapse in online advertising rates ... (view more)

Regarding our vote on February 15, 2012 -- I have read approximately 1,000 comments from readers, along with their ballots. I will provide insight with regard to the findings, as well as address some issues. This post is approximately 1,500 words. I ... realize some of you won't want to read all of it and just want the results. So, I would like to begin by saying this: According to the results of the vote, I am pleased to announce that Infopackets will remain online. Moving forward: all users will retain access to everything that they have now and well into the future. This includes free access ... (view more)

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), one of the most respected universities in the world, is planning to launch a course that can be taken entirely over the Internet. It's not enough for a degree in itself, but those who pass will earn a ... certificate. The course will be a prototype for online learning at the university. This is the first time such a high-profile institution has offered a course that yields a passing or failing grade, rather than one where students simply access the information and receive a virtual "attendance" certificate. Existing Course Makes Electronic Leap ... (view more)