Surf these sites: ''Augusto, You Don''t Know Me ...'' -- The battle to bring Augusto Pinochet to justice spills onto the Web. Care to have a word with Chile''s former dictator? Send him an email. [Wired News] ''Hey Orrin, Dot Com This'' -- Psst, Senator. Wanna buy your own domain name? A Florida man who owns senatororrinhatch.com offers it to the legislator who introduced an anti-cybersquatter law. By James Glave. [Wired News] ''I Want My MTV Money'' -- In a clash of coastal and corporate cultures, Imagine Radio and MTV battle over cash and plans to create a startup on company time. This case could be a survival guide for tech takeovers. By Christopher Jones. [Wired News] ''Melissa'' Police Work Lauded -- Officials heap praise on investigators from a special division of the FBI created specifically to fight cyber crime. Their nimble footwork leads to the arrest of a suspect in the "Melissa virus" case. Deborah Scoblionkov reports from Trenton, New Jersey. [Wired News] ''US Out of Broadband! Now!'' -- Government bureaucracy prevents widespread broadband access from becoming a reality, industry leaders say as they huddle at a major Net public policy conference. Chris Oakes reports from Aspen, Colorado. [Wired News] .Web (TM)? -- No one knows which new top-level domains will be added to the Web. But that''s not stopping two companies from registering them as trademarks. By Oscar S. Cisneros. [Wired News] 2000 Looms for US Nuclear Plants -- A third of the nation''s nuclear plants will not meet a self-imposed deadline for Y2K compliance. What''s more, 16 percent have yet to take the first step. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] A Baby Step for Encryption -- A congressional panel approves a measure to ease export restrictions on encrypted software. But the bill has a bumpy legislative road ahead. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] A Campaign for Privacy -- Presidential campaigns ask for ever-more detailed information about their supporters over the Web. Is anybody watching where the information goes? By Lindsey Arent. [Wired News] A Crackdown on Credit Fixers -- Consumer advocates claim credit-repair sites are one of the top 10 scams on the Net. But a nationwide sweep aims to put them out of business. By Heidi Kriz. [Wired News] A Digital Milestone for Congress -- Senator Strom Thurmond, whose political career is as old as the ENIAC, joins his colleagues in submitting the first-ever piece of digital legislation. Ironically, the bill is encrypted with PGP. A Wired News analysis by Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] A Domain Name Is Not a Toy -- Mattel files suit against two speculators hoping to cash in on Barbie-related domain names. [Wired News] A European''s Net View of US -- Americans look at regulation and the Net differently than their brethren across the pond. Chris Oakes discusses some of the issues with Euro Union official Gerard De Graaf. [Wired News] A Fertile Valley for GOP? -- Every presidential candidate is courting Silicon Valley for its money and its votes. Although the area is traditionally Democratic, the Republicans see an opportunity. If only they can get the voters to commit. By Lindsey Arent. [Wired News] A Mickey Mouse Copyright Law? -- An online publisher of rare books challenges an extension to the federal copyright law. He blames pressure from Disney and the late Sonny Bono for a bad law. By Joyce Slaton. [Wired News] A Personal Data Privacy Bureau? -- The online industry has failed in its promise to protect consumer data, say privacy advocates who want to turn the job over to a new federal regulatory agency. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] A Prescription for Trouble -- Medical boards are cracking down on doctors who carelessly dispense prescription-strength drugs over the Net. New rules are on the way, and more busts are inevitable. By Oscar S. Cisneros. [Wired News] A Slow Twist on QuickTime -- A Microsoft manager denies that his company tried to disable Apple''s multimedia software, saying that if there were problems with QuickTime, Apple brought them on itself. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] A Tale of Too-Big Cities -- Why have Los Angeles, NYC, and Boston lured the hot multimedia firms, while Silicon Valley and Northern Virginia are hotbeds for high tech? It''s all about space, and where the talent wants to live. Declan McCullagh reports from Jackson Hole, Wyoming. [Wired News] A Tax Break for Snoopable Code -- The chair of the House Intelligence committee introduces legislation that would give tax cuts to companies developing crackable crypto. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] A Y2K Emergency Shopping List -- A little food, maybe a flashlight, a half tank of gas, and a pocketful of folding money. That''s all anybody needs to greet the new millennium. Or so says the White House. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] AOL Denies Browser Lust -- In a Friday deposition, AOL CEO Steve Case counters Microsoft''s defense by saying that AOL did not purchase Netscape for its Navigator browser and had no intention of competing with Microsoft. [Wired News] AOL Fraud Touches West Virginia -- With the help of his AOL account, a fast-food restaurant manager allegedly committed credit-card fraud against residents of his small town. By Polly Sprenger. [Wired News] AOL Gets a Slice of .com -- Network Solutions loses its lock on domain registration as America Online and four others join the competition. By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] AOL Loses Brazil Ruling -- A Brazilian court rules that an Internet service provider in that country can keep using the domain name aol.com.br. America Online, which sued for trademark infringement, considers an appeal. By Joanna Glasner. [Wired News] AOL Playing Catch-up with Y2K -- The online juggernaut reveals that it''s not sure how many systems are vulnerable to Y2K. Worse, the company is only just starting to test its hardware. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] AOL on MS: ''They Can Hurt Us'' -- A defense lawyer grills an AOL executive about the decision to continue using Microsoft''s Internet Explorer during AOL''s negotiations to acquire rival Netscape. [Wired News] AOL: MS Killed Browser Market -- An AOL executive says Web browser market share was not a factor in its merger with Netscape, as Microsoft tries to strengthen its defense against antitrust charges. [Wired News] AOL: You Haven''t Got a Trademark -- A federal judge says the world''s largest ISP doesn''t have a trademark on the email announcement, "You have mail." AT T declares victory. [Wired News] AT&T Loses on Cable Access -- Another municipality, this time Broward County in Florida, rules that cable TV franchises, namely AT T, have to open their high-speed Internet access networks to rival service providers. Ma Bell says she''ll appeal. [Wired News] AT&T Wins in SF -- San Francisco''s board of supervisors approves the acquisition of TCI but defers on the question of open access. Kristen Philipkoski and Joanna Glasner report from San Francisco. [Wired News] Accord Reached on Y2K Bill -- The technology industry gets its wish as the White House and GOP congressional leaders agree on a measure to limit Y2K liability lawsuits. Are consumers the losers? [Wired News] Activists Sit Tight on Crypto -- Don''t post that code yet! The court ruling granting constitutional protection to crypto source code won''t take effect for 45 days, and could stall even longer if the feds fight back. By James Glave. [Wired News] Airlines Insured for Y2K -- A major insurer for US airlines says its policies will cover passenger and airline losses, even if they''re caused by Y2K. [Wired News] All Study, No Action on Privacy -- Congress considers spending US$1.8 billion to study online privacy. How many more studies to go before lawmakers produce real legislation? By James Glave. [Wired News] Amazon Relents, Reinstates Book -- The online bookseller will resume selling the Scientology expose, A Piece of Blue Sky, except in Great Britain, where the book is banned. [Wired News] An Email Bill for Employees -- A pending California law would force employers to tell mouse-pushers that their work email is subject to monitoring. That''s good for newbies, watchdogs say. By James Glave. [Wired News] An IT Brain Drain in Canada? -- Canada may have the highest quality of life in the world, but its high tax rate is driving the top information technology professionals south of the border, according to one study. Matt Friedman reports from Montreal. [Wired News] Analyzer Indicted in Israel -- An Israeli youth implicated in a series of organized attacks on US government computer systems last year is not off the hook yet. [Wired News] Annoy.com Peeved at Blacklisting -- Although the site invites users to send their friends explicit, subversive postcards, Annoy.com''s founder resents MindSpring filtering everything into the mulcher, as if it were common spam. By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] Another Amazon Title Gone -- The online bookseller is forced to abandon a book that alleges murder and worse by Northern Ireland''s top politico. Lawyers for David Trimble still plan to sue. By Polly Sprenger. [Wired News] Another CDA II Challenge Coming -- A grassroots coalition of 17 groups and companies on Monday will submit a brief supporting the ongoing ACLU lawsuit against the anti-smut bill. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Another Microsoft Investigation -- Now the SEC is having a look at Redmond. The world''s biggest software company admits the Feds are scrutinizing its accounting practices, although it won''t give details. By Joanna Glasner. [Wired News] Another Salvo Against Microsoft -- Caldera, a small software company, doggedly pursues its antitrust suit against the software giant. Microsoft, meanwhile, wants to get the case dismissed. Chris Stamper reports from Seattle. [Wired News] Anti-Abortion Site on Trial -- Does the content provoke violence against abortion providers, or is it a platform for free speech? An Oregon jury will decide. [Wired News] Anti-Porn Law Under Fire -- Several groups ganged up on the Child Online Protection Act Wednesday, arguing it was unconstitutional and asking an appeals court to overturn it. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Anti-Privacy Bank Rules Crushed -- The chairman of the Senate Banking Committee invokes the specter of the former Soviet Union in shutting down a proposed banking-surveillance regulation. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Anti-Smut Law Struck Down -- A federal judge rules that the controversial Child Online Protection Act is unconstitutional. [Wired News] Antitrust II: The Sequel -- The federal government challenges Intel''s dominance of the computer chip market in a case that sounds remarkably like the Microsoft monopoly trial. [Wired News] Appeals Court Upholds E-Rate -- A US federal appeals court upholds a US$2 billion program to subsidize Internet connections for schools and libraries. [Wired News] Apple Sues iMac Clone -- Apple tries to stop PC manufacturer Future Power from selling the E-Power machine, claiming the design is an iMac ripoff. By Leander Kahney. [Wired News] Argentine Govt: Don''t Sweat Y2K -- Only one of Argentina''s financial institutions remains unprepared for the millennium. Of course, the government won''t say which bank the bug might bite. Declan McCullagh reports from Buenos Aires. [Wired News] Army Bombs NT, Buys Mac -- It''s only an ''interim measure,'' but the US Army''s Web site has scrapped its Windows server in favor of one that runs on a Mac. Why? Crackers made ''em do it. By James Glave. [Wired News] Arrest of a Web Pioneer -- Patrick Naughton, arrested last week on sex charges, wasn''t just another Disney suit. He led the team that created Java, he cybercast the Stones, and he wrote code that made high-traffic sites sing. [Wired News] As the Microsoft Trial Turns -- A government lawyer slowly grills an expert witness for the defense, even apologizing for the grueling pace. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Asking Jeeves to Pay Up -- Now that Ask Jeeves coffers are brimming with IPO cash, it''s attracting some unwanted attention. It''s being sued by a company that claims a patent on natural language searches. By Oscar S. Cisneros. [Wired News] Asphyxiate Netscape? Never -- Paul Maritz, a top Microsoft lieutenant, denies Intel''s charges that he threatened to "cut off Netscape''s air supply." [Wired News] Audiohighway: We Own Net Music -- A digital audio content company has a message for those companies developing portable digital audio players such as the Rio: We''ve got the patent, and you don''t. By Oscar S. Cisneros. [Wired News] Aussie Ethics Code Still Rankles -- An updated draft of regulations issued by the Net industry association Down Under will still mean unnecessary censorship, activists say. Stewart Taggart reports from Sydney, Australia. [Wired News] Aussies Battle Censorship -- Hacker activists in Australia are targeting technical loopholes in pending national legislation requiring ISPs to block Net content. By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] Aussies Sound Smut Alert -- The Australian government invites community-minded citizens to ferret out Net porn. Also: A Japanese court sends a man to jail for posting porn online in the United States. [Wired News] Australia Poised to Bury Porn -- Legislation that would impose severe financial penalties on Internet service providers hosting adult Web sites is close to becoming law. If that happens, Australia will have one of the toughest online anti-porn laws in the world. [Wired News] Australia: We Can Block Porn -- The government minister behind a controversial Australian anti-pornography bill defends the legislation, which he says is a "non-issue" in Silicon Valley. A Wired News interview by Chris Oakes. [Wired News] Australian Net Censor Law Passes -- In passing a sweeping law that seeks to bar offensive content from the Internet, Australia joins nations such as China and Iran with strict rules about what can be seen online. Stewart Taggart reports from Canberra, Australia. [Wired News] Bad Advice -- A public-interest law firm takes on an obscure federal agency. At stake is whether people ought to be penalized for expressing their views about commodity markets online. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Ballmer: Linux Is Threat to MS -- In a speech at a Windows hardware conference, Microsoft President Steve Ballmer noted that the underdog operating system may not stay that way for long. [Wired News] Bank Plan May be Doomed -- A House Committee voted Thursday to kill a controversial plan by the government to monitor individuals'' banking activities. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Barksdale Resigns from Tax Panel -- In a move aimed at heading off a potential lawsuit, the Netscape CEO steps down from a government-appointed tax panel. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Battening COPA''s Hatches -- The government and the plaintiffs in the hearing on the anti-porn law both want to shut courtroom doors to protect testimony. The case stalls as both sides consider their options. Declan McCullagh reports from Philadelphia. [Wired News] Beating Around the Bush -- A site lampooning George W. Bush''s campaign isn''t going over too well with the presidential hopeful. And Bush wants the Federal Elections Commission to look into it. By Heidi Kriz. [Wired News] Belgrade Satellite Link Safe -- The Clinton administration has decided not to sever the link that allows Serbian ISPs to operate, saying that the Internet can only help the people of Yugoslavia know the truth. By Leander Kahney. [Wired News] Big Brother Is Your Friend -- Science fiction writer David Brin looks forward to the day when surveillance cameras will be ubiquitous. All in the name of freedom. By Chris Gaither. [Wired News] Big Brother Taps the Bitstream -- Attendees at the Computers, Freedom, and Privacy conference delve into how governments are listening in on their people in Russia, Austria, and yes, the United States. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Big Brother at the Bank? -- The government''s proposal for having banks report large deposits into individual accounts -- the so-called Know Your Customer plan -- is drawing heavy fire from everywhere. By Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] Big Guns on a Little Bug -- US armed forces are taking no chances on the world''s Y2K readiness. Troops are already training for an emergency that may never occur. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Bill Restricts Wireless Wiretaps -- A measure to restrict electronic eavesdropping clears its first hurdle in Congress. Privacy advocates say it misses the point. By Heidi Kriz. [Wired News] Bill Swats Millennium Bug -- An industry-backed bill limiting Y2K liability lawsuits clears the Senate Judiciary Committee. The measure caps punitive damages at US$250,000. [Wired News] Bills Would Fence Off the Facts -- Database owners with big bucks want protection for their goods. But will the US Constitution allow them to privatize public information and ideas? By Oscar S. Cisneros. [Wired News] BlueOvalNews.com Wins in Court -- A federal court says a nursing student can continue to post internal documents about Ford autos and trucks on his Web site, as long as he reveals their source. [Wired News] Book Pulls MS Off the Hook -- Microsoft''s anti-trust attorneys could do a lot worse than to take the advice of a new book by a couple of free-market economists. By Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] Bradley Nets Strong Campaign -- Bill Bradley has less money and a smaller following than Al Gore. So why is he doing so well in the early stages of the 2000 presidential primary race? The answer is on the Web. By Lindsey Arent. [Wired News] Breaking Up Was Hard to Do -- Microsoft tries to rebut the damaging testimony of a former IBM manager who testified about the recriminations from Redmond when the two software superpowers parted ways. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Bristol, MS: Enter the Fat Lady -- Bristol Technology''s antitrust suit against Microsoft enters its final stage in court. Lawyers say the case should go to a federal jury on Wednesday. [Wired News] Brit Firms Rebuke Piracy Lobby -- Two British organizations battle the antipiracy juggernaut of the Microsoft-backed Business Software Alliance. By Polly Sprenger. [Wired News] Britain Shuts Down Spy Sites -- An ex-spy leads the British government on a worldwide chase with his threats to post intelligence secrets on the Net. The sites are coming down as fast as Richard Tomlinson can put them up. By Polly Sprenger. [Wired News] British Applaud E-Commerce Bill -- Draft legislation to promote Great Britain as a haven for Net businesses finally sees the light of day. Those with a stake in e-commerce are generally pleased. By Polly Sprenger. [Wired News] Bundling Serves Users, MS Says -- Microsoft attorneys in the antitrust trial play videotapes that illustrate the benefits of integrating Internet Explorer and Windows. [Wired News] Bush Peels Back the Curtain -- Presidential candidate George W. Bush publishes a list on his Web site naming the source and size of every donation he''s received. Privacy advocates are concerned. By Lindsey Arent. [Wired News] Bye, Bye Brazil -- Thinking of ringing in the new millennium in Brazil? Think again. The US State Department issues travel advisories for the countries it says are most likely to be affected by Y2K. [Wired News] CDA II Bound for Dustbin? -- The Child Online Protection Act will fail, a Vanderbilt University professor tells the court in the first day of this week''s hearings in a challenge against the law. Declan McCullagh reports from Philadelphia. [Wired News] CDA II Has Its Day in Court -- A civil-liberties lawsuit challenging a new anti-Net-porn bill begins Wednesday. First Amendment backers are biting their nails. Declan McCullagh reports from Philadelphia. [Wired News] CDAII: Tempest in a D-Cup -- Does a discussion of large-breasted women constitute content "harmful to minors"? If not, what does? The government''s anti-smut law lays it out, but opponents think there''s too much room for interpretation. Declan McCullagh reports from Philadelphia. [Wired News] COPA Judge No Newbie -- The man who will rule on the constitutionality of an anti-smut law is a veteran Web surfer who reads his broadsheet via email. He''s also seen his share of smut. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] COPA: An ''Electronic Brown Bag'' -- The ACLU says the Child Online Protection Act usurps parental authority, but as the hearing winds down the Justice Department maintains COPA protects children. [Wired News] Cable ISPs Keep Their Monopoly -- The Federal Communications Commission refuses to mess with cable TV''s natural monopoly on high-speed access -- for now. [Wired News] Cable-TV Rates Free to Rise -- The FCC''s jurisdiction over cable-TV prices is ending. The price of cable service is rising at four times the rate of inflation. Are even higher rates ahead? By Joanna Glasner. [Wired News] Caldera 2, Microsoft 0 -- A judge orders Microsoft to give reporters access to potentially damaging documents in a Utah antitrust case. But Caldera is the big winner. Chris Stamper reports from Seattle. [Wired News] Caldera Stands by its Suit -- Microsoft urges a federal judge to throw out Caldera''s antitrust lawsuit. But the Utah software company claims it''s found a smoking gun among the reams of subpoenaed documents. Chris Stamper reports from Seattle. [Wired News] Caldera Trial Moves Forward -- A federal judge denies Microsoft motions to dismiss a Utah software company''s antitrust allegations. The case goes to trial in January. Chris Stamper reports from Seattle. [Wired News] Caldera Wins Again Against MS -- The judge in Caldera''s antitrust suit against Microsoft again rules in favor of the Utah software publisher. This time, he declines to dismiss part of Caldera''s suit involving offshore activities. Chris Stamper reports from Seattle. [Wired News] Caldera: Throw Out MS Motion -- In a special hearing to be held next week, Utah software firm Caldera will seek to have Microsoft''s motions for dismissal denied. By Chris Stamper. [Wired News] Campaigns Online, Off the Mark -- A citizens group wants presidential candidates to wrap their minds around technology -- and keep their hands off. Few contenders have a clue. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Can Media Make a Killer? -- What causes a good geek to go very, very bad? A new federal lawsuit blames videogames, erotic Web sites, and a violent movie for the deaths of three Kentucky high-school students. By Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] Canada Aligns with EU on Privacy -- While the United States resists the European Data Privacy Directive, Canada declares its support for the law aimed at giving consumers more control over their personal information. Matt Friedman reports from Montreal. [Wired News] Canada Rolls into Fiscal 2000 -- As the Canadian government begins fiscal year 2000, an army of bureaucrats keeps a sharp eye on Ottawa''s mainframes. Matt Friedman reports from Montreal. [Wired News] Canada Won''t Regulate Net -- The Canadian Internet industry breathes a sigh of relief as the government says that it won''t ask Canadian Web sites to adhere to Canadian content policies. Not now, not ever. By Pierre Bourque. [Wired News] Canada''s Grid A-OK for Y2K -- The Canadian Electricity Association promises a warm and bright Year 2000 for those north of the 49th parallel. Some power stations are already operating in the new century. Marlene Blanshay reports from Montreal. [Wired News] Canadian Furor Over Net Filters -- A Canadian provincial government tries using filters to block its employees'' access to Internet sites that feature weapon-making, sex, and hateful material. Opponents call it an abuse of power. Jennifer Ditchburn reports from Ottawa. [Wired News] Canadian Industry Is Y2K-OK -- A gathering of high-level industry execs in Canada assures the country that everyday services will run smoothly in the new year. Jennifer Ditchburn reports from Toronto. [Wired News] Canadian Privacy Law Dying -- A proposed Canadian law that would align the country with Europe on the consumer data privacy issue is all but dead, the apparent victim of Quebec separatist squabbling. By Matt Friedman. [Wired News] Case Closed for Cracker? -- Kevin Mitnick''s guilty plea won''t stop the underground movement that bears his name. Their rallying cry says it all. Douglas Thomas reports from Los Angeles. [Wired News] Case: Netscape Makes Browsers? -- AOL''s chief executive says he''ll have nothing to bolster Microsoft''s defense when he''s deposed as a hostile witness in the antitrust case. [Wired News] Casting a Wider Net for Learning -- An international project to set up educational resource centers that provide Net access in developing countries hopes to foster cultural and political awareness. By Christopher Jones. [Wired News] Centraal Wins Keyword Court Spat -- A court finds in favor of the Internet keyword vendor in a patent-infringement suit brought by its main competitor, Netword. By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] Chemical Plants Face Y2K Threat -- A new report warns that chemical plants face "significant" risk of Y2K related failures. Worse, local governments seem to be oblivious to the problem. [Wired News] Chemical Plants Under Wraps -- A congressman makes a plea not to publish disaster-preparedness information on the Net. He worries it could help terrorists plot an attack. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Child-Porn Ruling Splits Canada -- Free-speech advocates are hailing a Canadian judge''s ruling that merely possessing child pornography is no crime. Others, shocked, are trying to undo the decision. By Pierre Bourque. [Wired News] China Cracks Down on Pagers -- Shanghai orders paging stations and computer information providers to stop carrying political news. And those who wish to post Web news must ask the state''s permission. [Wired News] China Fought Bombs with Spam -- NATO bombs Chinese embassy. Chinese hackers send junk email to NATO. A military official calls it an amateurish attempt at a "cyber blitz." [Wired News] China Jails a Software Pirate -- A man who sold slightly modified software stolen from an unnamed company gets four years imprisonment in what is believed to be the first case of China punishing a software pirate. [Wired News] China Regulates Internet Calls -- Telecommunications firms will have to endure a six-month trial period before receiving a permit from the Chinese ministry for Internet phone calls. [Wired News] China''s PM: Trade Gap Is Good -- Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji told an MIT audience that the trade deficit between his country and the United States can only spell good news for China''s tech development. Jill Priluck reports from Cambridge, Massachusetts. [Wired News] Chinese Emailer Sentenced -- A Shanghai software engineer gets a two-year jail term for sending 30,000 email addresses to a US-based dissident publication. This is one government that doesn''t want information to be free. [Wired News] Chinese Engineer Appeals -- A software engineer is fighting the two-year sentence that a Shanghai court gave him for providing email addresses to US-based publications. [Wired News] Citizens Report from the Front -- An Orthodox monk writing from the ''pulpit of his keyboard'' sends news of the Kosovo crisis from a 663-year-old monastery, filling the void left by professional journalists. By Leander Kahney and James Glave. [Wired News] Click Here for Safe Surfing -- The White House and prominent Web sites react to fears that the Internet played a role in the Columbine High School massacre. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Clinton Combats Cyberterrorism -- The president drafts a budget plan to defend against 21st century terrorism, including biological and chemical warfare and hacker attacks. [Wired News] Clinton Extends Ocean Monitoring -- President Clinton signs a proclamation extending jurisdiction beyond US shores by 24 miles. Officials hope to catch more polluters and smugglers in the process. [Wired News] Clinton Frees Up Search Site -- The White House puts the brakes on a Commerce Department search engine after discovering the results come at a price. For the time being, gov.search is up and running -- and free. By Lindsey Arent. [Wired News] Clinton Makes Play for Privacy -- The White House proposes measures to protect consumers online. Privacy advocates say a surveillance clause goes too far. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Clinton Relaxes Crypto Exports -- It''s a major victory for the US tech industry, which says it can now compete internationally. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Clinton Tabs Privacy Point Man -- An Ohio State law professor will represent the administration''s views concerning online privacy, an issue which gains a little more momentum every day. By Declan McCullagh and James Glave. [Wired News] Closing the Window on the War -- After Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic pulled the plug on satellite transmissions from his country, TV networks have nothing to show but talking heads. [Wired News] Clueless in the Capitol -- The Senate releases its much-touted report on the millennium bug. The scariest part? That the nation''s political leaders are so ill-informed. A perspective by Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] Cluing Congress into Net ABCs -- When it comes to Congress and the Web, Washington players say there''s a big problem: Lawmakers don''t know what they''re doing. Chris Oakes reports from Aspen. [Wired News] Commerce Tech Boss Checks In -- Trust is the key to the digital future, says the man with his hands on the reins of the federal government''s e-commerce strategy. Christopher Jones reports from San Francisco. [Wired News] Commerce to NSI: Give It Up -- The Commerce Department says Network Solutions has no right to restrict access to its "whois" database of Net addresses and owners. [Wired News] Companies Decry NetSol Policy -- Free access to a special domain database only helps speculators abuse the system, says the domain-name purveyor. So it plans to limit who gets in. Independent registrars are up in arms. By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] Compaq Questioned MS Monopoly -- A memo from Compaq, supposedly a pro-Microsoft witness, admits that even the world''s largest computer company was once scared of the software giant. [Wired News] Compaq: It Was All a Big Mix-Up -- Microsoft admits to another videotape snafu in its antitrust trial. And testimony from a Compaq executive disputes government claims that Microsoft threatened to yank the computer maker''s Windows license. By Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] Compaq: MS'' Threats Justified -- A Compaq official comes to Microsoft''s defense and says the alleged browbeating made against the computer maker was due to a communication mix-up. [Wired News] Compromise Near on Y2K Lawsuits -- Senate Republicans say they''re willing to take a second look at legislation limiting Y2K lawsuits. It''s good news for Democrats and consumers, bad news for the nation''s software industry. [Wired News] CompuServe in Net-Privacy Suit -- A clinic sues the online service, claiming anti-abortionists used a third-party site to compile a "database for terror." By Joseph Rose. [Wired News] Congress Debates Tech Visas -- A California Democrat wants to let tech firms hire more skilled workers. The AFL-CIO sees red. By Lakshmi Chaudhry and Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] Congress Wants Broadband Study -- After much prodding by America Online and ISPs, lawmakers say they want the FCC to study the way cable-TV companies are hogging the high-speed Net access business. [Wired News] Congressman Grills ICANN -- In a letter to the chair of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, a Republican congressman probes a domain name service fee. Here we go again, replies ICANN. By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] Copyright Laws Enter Digital Age -- Copyright laws are a bugaboo for distance-learning projects. The US Copyright Office recommends changes to give teachers a break. By Christopher Jones. [Wired News] Counties Demand Net Taxes -- Local governments challenge the authority of a congressional panel on Internet taxation, saying members are pro-tech and antitax. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Court Battle for Cable-TV Limits -- AT T''s buyout of MediaOne could be affected by a six-year-old law on cable-TV ownership -- that is, if they ever take effect. The regulations are complicated, so pay attention. [Wired News] Court Has a Nasty Word for MS -- As if Microsoft weren''t having enough trouble with the courts these days, jurists are upset because Word 97 is doing a lousy job word-counting legal briefs. By Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] Court Limits Online Speech -- University professors are no more entitled to engage in "sexually explicit communication" online than any other state employee, a Virginia court rules. By Heidi Kriz. [Wired News] Court Rules Site Is a Menace -- A federal jury rules that an anti-abortion site intimidates doctors and denies access to clinics -- even though the site contained no explicit threats. [Wired News] Cracker Indicted: Surprise! -- The Israeli cracker arrested last year for breaking into US government computer systems learned of his Tuesday indictment from the Wednesday papers. Tania Hershman reports from Jerusalem. [Wired News] Cracker Pal Turns on Analyzer -- A former cohort agrees to testify against the Israeli man arrested last year for attacking US government and university networks. Tania Hershman reports from Jerusalem. [Wired News] Crackers Penetrate FBI Site -- Two days after crackers flooded the FBI''s ISP, the Feds are keeping their site offline. An FBI inquiry into computer assaults prompted the latest attack. [Wired News] Crackers Target Federal Sites -- Computer crackers break into two government Web sites and threaten more intrusions unless the FBI stops "harrassing" hackers. [Wired News] Cracking in Public -- Thai police say someone tried to get at US military sites using a public Net terminal at last December''s Asian Games in Bangkok. [Wired News] Crypto Bill Back from Grave -- A couple of representatives take another stab at passing a bill that would lift export controls on data scrambling software. This time, they say, it''s going to stick. By James Glave. [Wired News] Crypto Cabal: Make Code Not Guns -- Crytographers and civil-liberties activists grouse about the privacy threats of a new arms-control treaty. A US Commerce Department official says they''re missing the point. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Crypto Law: Little Guy Loses -- Some experts say Clinton''s loosening of encryption-export standards won''t necessarily make online transactions more private. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Crypto Wall Comes Tumblin'' Down -- When a professor tried to publish his crypto research back in 1995, the US government told him not to. Now, following a landmark First Amendment court challenge, he''s itching to press "send." By James Glave. [Wired News] Cuban Telephone Crisis -- Cuba''s state-run telephone company cuts off service to the United States after US phone companies withhold payments. The shutdown is linked to two planes shot down by Cuba over international waters in 1996. By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] Cybersitter Stops the Music -- Solid Oak''s Cybersitter software will soon block day trading and MP3s in addition to porn sites. Net gambling filters are next, and who knows what else? By Chris Stamper. [Wired News] Cyberstalking Law Invoked -- In the first prosecution under California''s new electronic stalking law, a Los Angeles County security guard is accused of targeting a woman who didn''t want to date him. [Wired News] DNA Databases Go Too Far -- A Texas congressman says that the idea of the US government keeping biometric databases on its citizens stinks. And he''s introducing legislation to pull the plug. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] DOJ Cracks Down on MP3 Pirate -- Oregon U.S. Attorneys successfully prosecute a college student under the 1997 NET copyright act for distributing illegal MP3 files. More busts could be on the way. By Andy Patrizio. [Wired News] DOJ Tries to Keep Adult TV Fuzzy -- Having lost its case against Playboy, the Department of Justice attempts to keep other purveyors of adult content from beaming scrambled signals when kids might be channel surfing. By Polly Sprenger. [Wired News] DOJ Winds Up with a Whimper -- The government''s star witness pops the prosecution''s bubble in the final day of the goverment''s case against Microsoft. His admission: Microsoft hasn''t hurt us. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] DOJ to MS: Stop Those Leaks! -- Justice Department officials say well-timed leaks by Microsoft to the press are hampering any effort at a settlement. But Microsoft says it''s not leaking anything. [Wired News] DOJ, MS State Their Facts -- They''re wordy, they''re lengthy, and they''re snippy. They''re the ''findings of fact'' as the antitrust trial of the century heads into the stretch. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Decoding the Crypto Policy Change -- Why did the White House suddenly change its mind on regulating encryption? It couldn''t be because the NSA has changed its spying agenda. Or could it? A Wired News perspective by Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] Deja News Backtracks on Tracking -- After hearing complaints from privacy advocates, community site Deja News decides to stop logging the IP addresses of those who send email from Usenet posts on its site. By Leander Kahney. [Wired News] Democrats Shoot Down Y2K Vote -- Democratic Senators stymie a Republican attempt to introduce Y2K legislation, saying that working on a gun-control measure is a higher priority. [Wired News] Demon Lets Libel Ruling Stand -- A UK Internet Service Provider has decided not to appeal a British High Court decision that found the firm responsible for the content of messages on its servers. By Polly Sprenger. [Wired News] Demos to Prez: ''Use SAFE Text'' -- House Democrats want Bill Clinton to help them overturn his administration''s own long-term policy restricting the export of strong encryption products. [Wired News] Did AOL Fear Microsoft''s Wrath? -- Even as it moved to close the deal to acquire Netscape Communications, America Online kept a wary eye on Microsoft. So much so, in fact, that Netscape officials began to wonder if the deal would fall apart. [Wired News] Did Russians Get Whitehouse.gov? -- Anti-NATO crackers claim credit for an all-day outage at the official White House Web site. Sources call it a hardware problem. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Did Sun Inflate Mitnick Damages? -- Sun Microsystems said that Kevin Mitnick''s theft of source code cost the company US$80 million. There''s just one problem, says the cracker''s attorney: Sun gives the code away. By Lindsey Arent. [Wired News] Did UK Internet Firms Aid Cops? -- A free speech group in the UK obtains a police briefing prepared by the nation''s Internet dialup industry. They say it has Big Brother''s fingerprints all over it. Alan Docherty reports from London. [Wired News] Digital John Hancocks -- A bill before Congress would make electronic signatures legally binding -- and result in some very happy e-commerce vendors. [Wired News] Digital Storage Tax Deferred -- Canada was all set to impose a levy on recordable CDs and other blank media as a way of reimbursing recording artists for revenue lost to illegal copying. Now the tax is on hold while the bickering continues. Matthew Friedman reports from Montreal. [Wired News] Dirty Tricks in Philly Politics -- The creators of a Web site impersonating that of Philadelphia''s Democratic mayoral candidate are off the hook. The city''s district attorney cites First Amendment protections. Deborah Scoblionkov reports from Philadelphia. [Wired News] Diverting the Digital Streams -- Should Web sites pay to capture music streamed on another site? At least one Net music entrepreneur, tallying his losses, calls these "deep linkers" parasites. By Oscar S. Cisneros. [Wired News] Do-it-Yourself News -- The expulsion of foreign journalists from war-torn Yugoslavia hasn''t stopped the flow of news from the region. Far from it. First-hand information about the Kosovo conflict is widely available on the Internet. By Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] Does AOL Own ''Buddy List?'' -- A tiny California software firm accuses the online juggernaut of bullying it out of the market. AOL says it has dibs on the term "buddy list." Tribal Voice begs to differ. By Dan Cox. [Wired News] Does Privacy Trump Piracy? -- A bill to protect private information, such as medical records, meets strong opposition from companies who want the data to stay in the public domain. By Kristen Philipkoski. [Wired News] Dole: No Net Porn at Libraries -- Elizabeth Dole says that denying children access to Web porn in public libraries doesn''t go far enough. Adults shouldn''t be looking at it on the taxpayers'' dime either, she says. [Wired News] Domain Case Dismissed -- A federal judge throws out a case assailing Network Solutions'' first-come, first-served domain registration policy. Is it the antitrust vindication NSI makes it out to be? By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] Domain Fight Causes Brown Out -- An opportunistic cybersquatter who holds key domain names in the race for San Francisco mayor is now on a candidate''s payroll. Incumbent Willie Brown''s Net identity is in jeopardy. By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] Domain Players Face the Music -- Esther Dyson and the CEO of Network Solutions are on the hotseat during the first congressional hearing over the fate of the Net''s domain name system. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Don''t Cry For Bill, Argentina -- Microsoft cuts a deal with Argentine President Carlos Sa l Menem. The company will promote the software economy in the South American country if the Argentines crack down on software piracy. By Polly Sprenger. [Wired News] Don''t Tell Me How to Listen -- The music industry fails to stop the scrappy Rio MP3 player but gains a head start in its effort to throttle what people can do with their music. Earth to RIAA: Wake up. A Wired News perspective by James Glave. [Wired News] Dr. Criminal? -- The American Medical Association rails against online drug prescriptions and looks for alternatives to unsavory Web doctors. Regulating the Net drug world won''t be easy. By Lindsey Arent. [Wired News] Dr. Laura Saves Censorware Law -- In an effort to save a foundering library filtering bill, the popular radio talk-show host asks loyal fans to lobby California lawmakers. Their calls might have done it. By Leander Kahney. [Wired News] Dyson Denies Collusion with DOJ -- ICANN chairman Esther Dyson defends her communications with the Justice Department about Network Solutions and its domain monopoly in a letter to the chairman of the House Commerce Committee. By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] EBay Tangles with the Feds -- EBay''s big stock split is set for Monday, but the company announced Friday it was under federal investigation for those fraudulent transactions taking place on its site. By Polly Sprenger. [Wired News] EFF Appoints New Director -- With one foot in Silicon Valley and one on Capitol Hill, Tara Lemmey will lead the Electronic Frontier Foundation into the next millennium. Observers are beaming. By James Glave. [Wired News] EU Expands Copyright Protection -- The European Parliament says record companies should be "fairly compensated" when people make copies of music or videos for personal use. [Wired News] EU Wrestling with Copyright Law -- Should existing copyright protection be extended to cover material on the Internet? The European Parliament is gnashing its teeth over the issue now, and nobody seems very happy about it. [Wired News] Economists Duel at MS Trial -- The government''s final witness in the antitrust trial nears the end of his testimony, and a Microsoft expert witness shoots down his arguments. [Wired News] Email Assist for Yugoslavs -- An anonymous forwarding service sets up a special filter to help safeguard the identity of those filing unofficial and uncensored email reports from the NATO strike zone. By Leander Kahney. [Wired News] English Only? Non! -- A photographer digs in his heels and refuses to comply with a Quebec law that requires him to publish a version of his commercial Web site in French. Matthew Friedman reports from Montreal. [Wired News] Eolas Files Patent Lawsuit -- A lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges Microsoft products like Windows 98 and Internet Explorer violate patents held by Chicago-based Eolas Technologies. [Wired News] Euro Commission to Probe NetSol -- The European Commission joins the US Department of Commerce in launching an investigation of Network Solutions'' domain-name registration practices. [Wired News] Euro-ISPs: Don''t Outlaw Caching -- In the headlong rush to legislate what can and cannot be copied online, European ISPs worry that caching -- which is critical to network performance -- may be adversely affected. [Wired News] Europe Demands Clean Computers -- The European Commission''s proposed ban on toxic chemicals could set the electronics industry back US$50 billion. By Louise Knapp. [Wired News] Europe''s Internet Challenge -- At the Internet Content Summit former White House technology adviser Ira Magaziner warns Europe to reconsider its restrictive Internet policies. [Wired News] Europe: Flat Rate, or Else -- New research says that Europe is an e-commerce gold mine waiting to happen. Europeans want to be connected at a flat rate, and will hold a mass strike to stress the point. [Wired News] European Net Strikers Dig In -- Organizers of Sunday''s pan-European telecom strike said that close to a million people left their phones on the hook to protest metered Internet access. Heather McCabe reports from Paris. [Wired News] Europeans Mobilize Against Spam -- The Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email launches a European counterpart to stem the rising tide of "les spam" in its tracks. By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] Europeans Try New Telco Boycott -- Frustrated by telecommunications companies that refuse to budge, advocates of flat-rate phone rates turn to that time-honored European weapon, the boycott. Heather McCabe reports from Paris. [Wired News] Ex-Spam King Shows No Mercy -- Once the undisputed king of spam, Sanford Wallace sues a competitor for US$1 million for allegedly libeling him as a spammer. By Deborah Scoblionkov. [Wired News] Ex-Spy Returns to the Cold -- A group opposing Internet censorship criticizes the British government for cracking down on a former spy''s Web activities. By Polly Sprenger. [Wired News] Execs: Regulations Won''t Help -- Businesses and creative professionals in England agree that governments should keep their paws off the Net. Alan Docherty reports from Exeter, England. [Wired News] Expanding the Universe of Ideas -- A new public license balances the open-source community''s altruism and creative juju with the open market''s steely-eyed regard for the bottom line. By Oscar S. Cisneros. [Wired News] Expecting a Miracle Cure? -- A chilling new statistic from the nation''s hospitals: Only 13 percent are Y2K-compliant. No problem, says an industry survey. Not so fast, say consumer advocates. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] FBI Subdues ''Privacy Gone Crazy'' -- Law-and-order conservatives join liberal Democrats to derail an amendment that would have extended more stringent privacy rights to banking records. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] FBI Warns of Crypto Danger -- US law enforcers try to halt legislation that would allow US companies to export encryption. The House is sympathetic, but they''ve lined up squarely on the side of tech companies. [Wired News] FCC Sides with FBI on Tapping -- The Federal Communications Commission endorses a set of technical standards that would allow the FBI to track cellular phone users. By James Glave. [Wired News] FCC Steers Clear of Broadband -- Despite the pleas of local regulators, FCC Chairman William Kennard again rejects a probe of high-speed Internet services. Cable operators can breathe easy. [Wired News] FCC to Bells, GTE: Open Up -- The FCC is pushing for more competition by ordering regional phone carriers to allow access to their equipment to new companies. [Wired News] FIDNET Under Review -- The Clinton administration responds to criticism of FIDNET, its planned surveillance system for government computers, by promising a legal review the plan''s privacy implications. [Wired News] FTC Asked to Halt Pentium III -- Privacy groups are soliciting an unusual source -- the federal government -- to help protect consumer privacy. A complaint filed with the FTC crashes Intel''s Pentium III party. By Leander Kahney. [Wired News] FTC Critics: Go Slow on Privacy -- Congressional leaders and the Small Business Administration say new online privacy restrictions place an undue burden on small businesses. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] FTC Slaps Health Sites -- The Federal Trade Commission tells several health Web sites to stop touting miracle cures for cancer and other diseases. By Kristen Philipkoski. [Wired News] FTC Spanks Kids Site on Privacy -- The Federal Trade Commission enters into a proposed settlement with the company behind Young Investor, a site designed to teach kids about investing. The site gets its knuckles rapped for breaking its promises. By James Glave. [Wired News] FTC and Intel Call Off Trial -- At the 11th hour, the Federal Trade Commission and the world''s largest chip company reach a tentative agreement to call off the antitrust case. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] FTC, Intel Bury the Hatchet -- In its settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, Intel agrees to share technical information fairly -- even with those companies that it is fighting in court. By Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] FTC: Hands Off Net Privacy -- The Federal Trade Commission says online privacy may be important, but new laws are not the answer. Consumer advocates are hopping mad. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Fear and Hacking in Las Vegas -- Hackers are in Sin City to share secrets, party at all-night raves, and try to figure out who among the T-shirted crowd is actually a snooping federal agent. Polly Sprenger reports from Las Vegas. [Wired News] Federal Site Yanks Truste Seal -- A US government Web site yanks a Truste privacy seal, apparently responding to concerns that the program doesn''t jibe with a federal privacy law. By James Glave. [Wired News] Feds Accuse MS of Falsification -- The sluggish Microsoft antitrust trial goes turbo when a government lawyer accuses the firm of manipulating videotaped evidence in a courtroom demo. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Feds Lose Billions on Y2K -- A new General Accounting Office report says federal agencies have let billions of dollars earmarked for Y2K repairs slip through their fingers. [Wired News] Feds Plan Y2K Spin Control -- The government preps a public-relations campaign to calm those jittery Americans who might be looking nervously toward Y2K. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Feds Tackle Online Privacy -- Everyone seems to agree that online privacy needs to be protected. The sticking point is how safeguards are to be implemented and who should be responsible for them. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Feds Urge Net Gambling Ban -- A federal commission says the Net gambling ban should continue. The two-year study suggests that Congress pass laws to deal with financial institutions that work with illegal casinos. [Wired News] Feds'' PR Can''t Dispel Y2K Jitters -- Despite the US government''s (sometimes forked) reassurances that all will be well come 1 January 2000, many Americans are planning for Y2K disasters. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Fidnet Eases Up on Net Plan -- The government''s controversial surveillance network won''t pry into private business "or the Internet in general," says the DOJ. By Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] First-Hand Lesson in Censorship -- A student at Southern Utah University is booted out of the computer lab for viewing a site about Adolf Hitler. She says she was doing research. The university said she was violating the school''s Internet policy. By Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] Florida Court Airs Trial on Web -- A high-profile Florida case is the first to be broadcast on the Web by the judicial system itself, and experts say this ushers in a new era of access to the trial process. [Wired News] Foes Target ''Know Your Customer'' -- Got the jitters about the government''s plan to monitor all of your banking transactions? If congressional opponents prevail, you can sleep easy at night. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Forbes Squats on Bush Name -- Presidential candidate Steve Forbes snaps up a cache of domain names that show Bush as his GOP running mate -- and it ain''t George W. By Lindsey Arent. [Wired News] Forbes Trumpets GOP Run Online -- The magazine publisher puts up a press release on his Web site and calls it a first. [Wired News] Foreign Policy, Tech Collide -- China registers its "strong resentment" at Washington''s decision to block the US$450 million satellite deal. The fallout could spell big trouble for the US industry. [Wired News] France Weaves a Tangled Web -- More than 47,000 Web sites go black in France after a judge rules in favor of a fashion model who complained about nude pictures of her on a single Web page. Heather McCabe reports from Paris. [Wired News] Free Speech on Trial in Tacoma -- Carl Johnson didn''t stop ranting about the US government until it landed him in jail. Now the nation''s most outspoken crypto advocates are in court to defend him. Declan McCullagh reports from Tacoma, Washington. [Wired News] Freedom Helps, Not Harms, Kids -- Cyber-rights supporters defend online freedoms at the Cyberspace 1999 conference at the University of Leeds. Alan Docherty reports from York, England. [Wired News] Freeing Windows NT Source Code -- A small Connecticut software firm claims Microsoft has locked up the source code to Windows NT in an effort to stifle competition. The software behemoth denies the charges. [Wired News] GM Recalls Faulty Web Site -- Until today, spammers could tap into the personal data of more than 10,000 online sweepstakes entrants at Pontiac''s site. The company promised that would never happen. By James Glave. [Wired News] GOP: Save the Net Smut Law -- Five Republican congressmen ask a federal appeals court to save the Child Online Protection Act from the trash heap of history. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Gates: Microsoft ''More Than Fair'' -- Bill Gates denies that Microsoft tried to squash Bristol Technology in videotaped testimony played in a Connecticut federal court. [Wired News] Gates: Pick One, Not Both -- Microsoft gave its software partners a choice: They could distance themselves from Netscape or forget about their icons appearing on the Windows desktop. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Gates: Settlement Would Be Nice -- Microsoft chief Bill Gates says his company is talking with the Justice Department about a possible settlement in the antitrust trial. [Wired News] German Cops Combat Kiddie Porn -- A special force dedicated to fighting cybercrime zeroes in on child pornography and vows to turn up the heat on the people who propagate it. [Wired News] Germany Endorses Strong Crypto -- The German government encourages companies and citizens to use and develop strong data scrambling technologies to help shield the nation from prying eyes and ears. [Wired News] Germany Jails Software Pirate -- A German court sentences a man for importing pirated Microsoft software. Also: Sellers of US$20 million of stolen US software are jailed. [Wired News] Global Execs Back ICANN -- An international group of high-profile business execs says the world should get behind controversial Net oversight body ICANN. But the Global Internet Project is also wary of European regulatory initiatives. Karlin Lillington reports from Brussels. [Wired News] Going Postal over .us Domain -- A proposal to block the US Postal Service from acquiring the right to administer the .us domain is tabled by a House subcommittee. Proponents say domain names should be run by the private sector. By Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] Gore Going for High Tech -- This close to announcing his candidacy for president, Al Gore breezed through California, promising more millions for high technology. [Wired News] Gore Unveils Rise in IT Funding -- The vice president tells scientists the government will pump a lot more cash into basic infotech R&D. [Wired News] Government Info Site on Hold -- The Commerce Department changes its mind and pulls down a new fee-based government search engine, concerned that the charges might limit open access to public information. [Wired News] Government, MS Not Talking -- Rumors that the world''s largest software maker will settle its antitrust suit are just that: rumors. A government source says nobody''s talking. [Wired News] Greenspan: Hands Off Technology -- The Federal Reserve chairman warns against regulatory policies that could stem the growth of the technology industry and harm US productivity. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Grip on Crypto Loosening -- Despite the objections of the United States, most countries prefer placing few restrictions on the manufacture and sale of strong encryption, a survey finds. [Wired News] Group Wants EU to ''Save Web'' -- Feeling "a little desperate," a European grassroots coalition wants to bring attention to copyright and privacy issues on the Web. Steve Kettmann reports from Berlin. [Wired News] Groups Keep Heat on DoubleClick -- The nation''s leading privacy watchdogs tell DoubleClick''s shareholders that a proposed acquisition by the online marketer was bad news, indeed. By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] Guilty Verdict for Cypherpunk -- A federal judge rejects arguments that newsgroup rants against Bill Gates and the IRS were expressions of free speech. Carl Johnson is convicted of threatening public officials. Chris Stamper reports from Tacoma, Washington. [Wired News] Harsh Regs Hurt the Little Guy -- Privacy legislation may be aimed at protecting children from unscrupulous marketers and other online low-lifes, but some fear that the small-time Web-site operator is the guy who''ll take it on the chin. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] He Digs (Through) Gov''t Muck -- An otherwise obscure NYC architect amasses a huge collection of government documents and puts them online. And he''s getting some interesting eyeballs. By Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] Hillary Online: Socks, Not Sex -- The first lady tells all -- about the White House pets -- in an AOL chat session. Will Buddy stand beside her in a US Senate campaign? [Wired News] Hillary for President? -- There''s a page on the official Federal Election Commission Web site that says so, plain as day. So it''s not an Internet legend. But is it true? Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Hotmail Scofflaw? No Worries -- OK, so you took advantage of the Hotmail security hole and peeked at your arch enemy''s email. Should you be worried about legal recourse? Probably not. By Joanna Glasner. [Wired News] Hotmail, the Anti-Spam? -- The Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail elects a new board member from the MSN''s Hotmail email service. Will he give the anti-spamming organization some inside advice? [Wired News] House Leader Scorns UN Tax Plan -- House Majority Leader Dick Armey comes out swinging against a United Nations proposal to tax email and funnel the cash to developing nations. [Wired News] House Member Preps Privacy Bill -- Representative Ed Markey says he is putting the final touches on legislation that aims to give consumers broad control over how their data is collected and used online. [Wired News] House OKs Wireless Privacy Bill -- A bill that outlaws eavesdropping on private digital conversations easily clears the House. Now it''s on to the Senate. Privacy advocates have some reservations. By Heidi Kriz. [Wired News] House Panel Endorses Y2K Bill -- The House Judiciary Committee, led by Republicans, approves a bill to curb Y2K lawsuits. Democrats charge that the legislation could hurt consumers. [Wired News] House Passes Y2K Bill -- With the technology industry cheering them on, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would sharply limit the ability to sue companies over Y2K disasters. Now it needs Senate approval. [Wired News] House to Hold ICANN Hearing -- A Virginia republican has asked the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers to attend a House hearing and defend its plans to ding domain name holders. By Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] How Much Damage Did Mitnick Do? -- Companies targeted by Kevin Mitnick claim the notorious cracker cost them US$300 million. But a hackers'' journal supporting Mitnick thinks the figure is inflated. Douglas Thomas reports from Los Angeles. [Wired News] How to Fight a Cyberwar -- A think tank has some bizarre ideas for foiling tech-savvy terrorists -- ideas like itsy-bitsy aerial spies programmed to read "computer emanations." [Wired News] How to Reconcile Bank Privacy -- Congress prepares to debate fundamentally different philosophies about sharing customer data with the government. What are the privacy implications? Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] IBM Admits Shoddy Bookkeeping -- Big Blue underpaid Microsoft for software prior to the release of Windows 95, an IBM exec admits. Microsoft says that''s why they withheld a license to its new OS. The Justice Department is skeptical. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] ICANN Defends Funding Plea -- The instrumental Internet naming organization is under fire for asking a White House staffer for help, but claims it did nothing illegal or improper. By James Glave. [Wired News] ICANN Extends Testbed Deadline -- The Net''s new regulator loosens its deadline for testbed applicants for the new domain name registration business. [Wired News] ICANN Fracas Moves to Singapore -- A domain name activist wants to pull the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers out of the shadows. ICANN says she is barking up the wrong tree. By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] ICANN Points Finger at NSI -- The Internet monitoring agency responds to criticism from a House committee by placing blame on Network Solutions. By Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] ICANN Probe Aims at White House -- The head of the House Commerce Committee turns his ICANN probe toward the White House. Did the Clinton administration illegally help raise money for the domain name organization? By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] ICANN Rules on Dot Com Disputes -- The Net domain name arbiter is finally setting rules for disputes, adopting guidelines similar to the US trademark office. [Wired News] ICANN Signs Up a Spin Doctor -- Sensitive to charges that it is secretive and noncommunicative, the organization charged with governing the Internet turns to a bigshot PR agency for help. By Leander Kahney. [Wired News] ICANN Simmers in Singapore -- At a pivotal meeting this week in Asia, the Internet''s future domain authority will work to hammer out its identity and formal structure. Analysis by Chris Oakes. [Wired News] ICANN Too Tax You -- The fledgling organization that oversees domain name registration takes heat from government watchdog groups for its lack of taxpayer accountability. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] ICANN to Unveil New Rules -- The group charged with governing the Internet plans to test the waters of competition among domain-name registrars in coming months. First step: a trial run. By Joanna Glasner. [Wired News] ICANN''s Success in Singapore -- The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers concludes its first major gathering with a plan for overseeing the Net''s domain name system. Critics? Sure -- but consensus too. By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] INET 99: Let Industry Lead -- Panelists and pundits say the Net may be booming, but it''s still too young and vulnerable to endure government regulation. Heidi Kriz reports from San Jose, California. [Wired News] ISP Reveals Scientology Critic -- AT T WorldNet releases the identity of the Scientology critic to attorneys for the church. The critic says he fears for his safety. By Polly Sprenger. [Wired News] ISPs Accuse China of Infowar -- Two Canadian ISPs fend off sustained network attacks that they say originated with a government institution in China. They call the attacks an act of political infowar. By Oscar S. Cisneros. [Wired News] ISPs Clean Their Own Stables -- An independent report praises the British Internet industry for stamping out kiddie porn without the government''s help. The Home Office thinks that''s smashing. Alan Docherty reports from London. [Wired News] ISPs May Bear Content Liability -- In the latest suit brought by a one-man Net libel crusader, a British judge is set to make a ruling that could significantly change Net law in the United Kingdom. Alan Docherty reports from London. [Wired News] India Loosens Telecom Policy -- Indian broadcasting could get a boost from private and foreign investment as the government hold is broken on telephone and satellite competition. New legislation goes into effect 1 January 2000. [Wired News] India: Code-Smuggling? Absurd -- The FBI "suggests" that India may be responsible for the entry of security-threatening code. India tells the US to get real. [Wired News] Indonesia, Ireland in Info War? -- An Irish ISP says the Asian government is behind a series of sophisticated attacks against its servers, which host the East Timor country domain. By Niall McKay. [Wired News] Industry Crypto Bill in Peril -- An industry-supported measure on encryption could become its worst nightmare if a version favored by the House Armed Services Committee wins approval. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Industry May Get Its Way on Y2K -- The Senate rejects a White House-backed bill limiting Y2K liability lawsuits, clearing the way for a measure backed by the software industry. [Wired News] Infoseek Exec Faces Sex Charge -- An Infoseek executive has been arrested for allegedly propositioning a teen-age girl in an online chat room. Authorities say Patrick Naughton was actually sending messages to an FBI agent. [Wired News] Inside the MS Spin Machine -- Internal Microsoft emails shown at the company''s antitrust trial offer a glimpse into the company''s media-handling strategy. [Wired News] Inside the Virus Writer''s Mind -- Hackers who author the programs that infect PCs are not all adult sociopaths or adolescent dropouts. But they are usually male and well-to-do. Vince Beiser reports from Las Vegas. [Wired News] Intel Says Spamming is Trespass -- A California judge grants the chipmaker an injunction that bars a former employee from sending anti-company emails to current workers. The worker vows an appeal. [Wired News] Intel on Privacy: ''Whoops!'' -- The world''s largest chipmaker, under fire from both Washington and civil liberties groups, will offer Pentium III users the ability to deactivate a controversial surveillance technology. By Polly Sprenger. [Wired News] Internet ''Kidnapping'' Debunked -- It seemed like another Internet chat room nightmare -- woman meets man online, man kidnaps woman. But this story has a different ending. Matt Friedman reports from Montreal. [Wired News] Internet Latest ''Great Satan'' -- An Iranian cleric worries that the Internet and satellite television could undermine Islam if people are allowed to surrender to their passions. He suggests making more movies with Islamic themes to divert eyes elsewhere. [Wired News] Internet Ratings Redux -- A global summit in Munich pushes for an international system to rate the Net''s sites: Is it another doomed stab at making Web ratings work -- or an idea whose time has come? By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] Internet Taxes, Round One -- The fractious federal commission on Net taxation erupts in conflict, and members are quick to choose sides. Declan McCullagh reports from Williamsburg, Virginia. [Wired News] Internic Poser to Pay Up -- The FTC and an Australian consumer commission force an Internic copycat to reimburse overcharged domain name owners to the tune of US$161,000. [Wired News] Intuit: Gates Behind Contracts -- The company''s CEO says the Microsoft chief was personally involved in forcing Intuit to give up Netscape -- contrary to Gates'' videotape testimony. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Iraqi Paper''s Online Edition -- A weekly newspaper owned by Saddam Hussein''s son launches a Web site to give the world an inside perspective on Iraq. The site may reveal more than he intended. By Polly Sprenger. [Wired News] Is MS Beyond the Law? -- Utah law doesn''t apply. Neither do European and Japanese laws. Microsoft lawyers make their case for dismissing parts of Caldera''s antitrust lawsuit. Chris Stamper reports from Seattle. [Wired News] Israeli Court Freezes Sex Domain -- An Israeli man with high hopes for striking it rich on the Net takes his domain-name dispute to the nation''s highest court. Tania Hershman reports from Jerusalem. [Wired News] It''s a Microsoft World After All -- In testimony that was at times heated, an MIT economist told the court in the antitrust trial that we may all be bound to a life on Planet Windows. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Japan Risks Digital Pearl Harbor -- Japan''s leadership is ossified when it comes to understanding technology, leaving the country vulnerable to cyberterrorism and other forms of electronic attack, a critic says. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Japanese Cops Storm PC Maker -- Authorities seize the assets of a computer maker because it is suspected of having ties to the doomsday cult that launched the 1995 nerve gas assault on a Tokyo subway. [Wired News] Jerry Brown''s Oakland.net -- The former California governor is Oakland''s new mayor. His challenge is to revive a major city that sits smack in the middle of high-tech America. So what''s the plan? Christopher Jones reports from Oakland, California. [Wired News] Jesse Jackson''s New Campaign -- The civil rights leader says he''ll fight to bridge the so-called digital divide between some minorities and the upper echelons of the technology industry. By Joseph Rose. [Wired News] Journalist Admits Eavesdropping -- A freelance writer who taped phone conversations of celebrity couple Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise pleads guilty to a wiretapping charge. [Wired News] Judge Bork: Break Up Microsoft -- Keep Microsoft in line by splitting the company three ways, says the former Supreme Court nominee. [Wired News] Judge: COPA Went Too Far -- Hours before the controversial Child Online Protection Act was to become law, it''s declared unconstitutional. What now for Net censorship? Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Justice Department Appeals COPA -- With only hours to spare, the Justice Department appealed its loss of a lawsuit that restricted online erotica in the name of protecting children. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Keeping Disaster Data Offline -- A House committee passes a bill to keep worst-case chemical disaster assessments off the Internet. By Louise Knapp. [Wired News] Keeping Tabs on Sex Offenders -- Texans -- and everyone else -- can locate the whereabouts of sex offenders by dropping in at the Texas Department of Public Safety Web site. Not everybody thinks that''s a good idea. By Jill Priluck. [Wired News] Keeping the FCC''s Mitts Off Net -- New legislation introduced Friday will end the Federal Communications Commission''s policy of charging for metered Internet connections. Or will it? Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Kennard Takes Up AOL''s Cause -- AOL gets a boost from the FCC in its quest to regulate what sorts of Internet access that cable companies will be allowed to provide. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Key US Computer Lags on Y2K -- The US Department of Health and Human Services switches its tactics on Y2K compliance, jeopardizing federal funding for everything from Medicare to airports. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Kid Glove Treatment for Gates -- Microsoft''s chief gets a polite, if guarded, reception on Capitol Hill, where he''s taking part in a technology summit. His antitrust troubles are scarcely mentioned. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] King for the Domains in Sight -- The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers finalizes proposals that will lay down the law on .com -- as well as .biz, .xxx, and other future top-level domains. By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] Klein Mum on MS Trial -- The Justice Department''s top antitrust lawyer disappoints an audience waiting to hear his take on Microsoft. Free markets? Just another term for nothing left to sue. Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News] Know Your (Customer) Rights -- The defeat of far-reaching bank monitoring regulations won''t protect individual accounts from surveillance. Privacy advocates of all political stripes mount protests online. By Declan McCullagh. [Wired News] Kosovo Won''t Be Televised -- International live TV transmission from Kosovo went black Wednesday before the bombs started falling. Serbian police are blamed for a satellite shutdown, preventing Baghdad-like live telecasts. By Chris Oakes. [Wired News] Landmark Ruling on Encryption -- A presidential order limiting encryption exports is ruled unconstitutional by a federal appeals panel, which says encryption software is protected by the First Amendment. By Declan McCullagh. [Wired News]