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Microsoft used as tool of repression by Russian government

by John Moe // Posted: 09/13/10 12:02 PM

A New York Times article got plenty of buzz in tech circles over the weekend. It’s about how the Russian government is using the construct of the Microsoft license agreement to crack down and silence dissenters and activist groups. What happens is the authorities will raid an office or organizing location under the premises of making sure that all copies of Windows are licensed. Then they take the computers belonging to those groups, on which is all their organizing information. Lawyers for Microsoft have said they support the government’s efforts, saying it’s necessary to stop software piracy. But now the company is backtracking, saying they’re concerned about the situation and vow to have closer oversight of legal issues in Russia.

Comments | Filed Under: world law privacy

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What will we do with all this "white space"?

09/26/10 11:15 AM

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There’s a vote coming up this week in Washington that will have a big impact on how you use the internet, what’s available to you, how much faster you’ll be able to get things online. On Thursday, the FCC is expected to open up unused parts of the broadcast spectrum, a lot of people call it “white space”. This is space that was positioned to be something of a buffer between television stations but such padding is proving less essential since the conversion to digital TV.

On today’s show, we talk to Glenn Fleishman from Wi-Fi Networking News and The Economist about how the spectrum works and what kind of new space we’re talking about. We also check in with Tim Wu from Columbia Law School about the companies that will look to use the space and what it all might mean for you and me as internet consumers.