Law

Groupon A Target For Shareholder Legal Action?

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There’s serious concern it is, especially with it’s accounting practices – and the fact it’s “revisiting” numbers, which is crashing the stock.

I’d be nervous, and though I know they’ve been hiring, approach them with caution.  Groupon’s really had that “too good to be true” vibe for awhile, and now that shareholder legal action is being tossed around, that’s a big red flag.

– Steven Savage

ISP’s playing Content Cops for the RIAA?

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Apparently some are, starting July 1st.

I’ve gotten intermittent stories on this, from panic to “meh,” and I haven’t formed an opinion yet.  The RIAA is prone to grandiose announcements anyway so I’m not sure what’s up – and I’m in Silicon Valley, so I’d expect to hear a LOT more.  Though we do have a tendency to kind of brush off the RIAA around here.

Any input is needed – this could be big . . . or not.

– Steven Savage

Lamar Smith Is Back To “Protect The Children”

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Lamar Smith, who gave us the disaster known as SOPA is now back with a supposed “protect the children/stop child porn bill” that really involves ISPs keeping your information and making it available without warrant. Now it’s only in the House, with no Senate version in sight.

TAKEAWAYS:

  • Lamar Smith apparently has decided to be the enemy of internet freedom and privacy in the House, so those of us working in IT who also like not being treated like criminals should keep an eye on him. Come to think of it when he leaves the House (I figure due to a scandal) we should ALSO keep an eye on him. Oh, and he’s a jerk.
  • Considering Smith introduced it, my guess is this bill could be a back-door to SOPA like shenanigans. If IPSs had to keep this information, it would be a lot easier to add SOPA-like abuses.
  • Technically a bill like this is a disaster as well, but note it’s not as much an “internet breaker” as SOPA. I’m suspecting this could be part of SOPA-returns-in-pieces.
  • The bill won’t come up until later this year, so it has a chance to die off – or be killed.
  • No, it’s apparent members of Congress don’t get the internet. *We* have to remind them.
  • I’m pretty sure Lamar Smith hates you.

– Steven Savage