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Putting a priority on privacy

Government offices and Web giants team on privacy efforts, while Google gets slammed for privacy. Also: Microsoft Office app for iPad?

Steven Musil Night Editor / News
Steven Musil is the night news editor at CNET News. He's been hooked on tech since learning BASIC in the late '70s. When not cleaning up after his daughter and son, Steven can be found pedaling around the San Francisco Bay Area. Before joining CNET in 2000, Steven spent 10 years at various Bay Area newspapers.
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Steven Musil
3 min read

week in review With an eye on protecting consumers' privacy while online, the White House and the Federal Trade Communications unveiled the "Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights," which will serve as a policy outline for future legislation and public policy.

The administration also worked with online advertising associations, such as the Digital Advertising Alliance and others, to revive "Do Not Track" technology and best practices. This technology will allow consumers to change settings in their browsers to notify advertisers that they do not wish to be tracked as they move from Web site to Web site online.

Consumer advocates say the Obama administration's blueprint for protecting consumers' privacy online is a good first step, but they will be watching closely to see how it's implemented. Some groups said they are concerned that the administration's support of the advertising industry's self-regulation for Do Not Track may undercut efforts already underway by the W3C to create a strict Do Not Track standard.
•  Chrome to support Do Not Track privacy feature
•  Tech firms agree to privacy protections for mobile apps
•  Microsoft: Google bypassed IE privacy settings too

More headlines

Microsoft targets Motorola Mobility, claims patent abuse

The software giant says Motorola is attempting to use essential patents "to kill video on the Web." It also didn't miss the opportunity to take a swipe at Google.
•  Google to replace Motorola CEO, says report

Microsoft Office app coming to iPad?

The Daily reports that Redmond may soon make its Office suite app available for the Apple iPad, giving tablet users access to Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
•  Microsoft pooh-poohs latest Office for iPad report
•  Microsoft Office for the iPad: To be or not to be

Google Music not living up to expectations

Google Music was supposed to have an inside track marketing music to the 200 million Android users, but performance so far is not what was expected.

Watchdog group: Foxconn hid young workers before inspection

One of the organization's employees also says Foxconn banned 16- and 17-year-old workers from overtime while inspections are ongoing.
•  Could a Foxconn factory worker ever afford an iPhone?
•  Former factory workers add pleas to sign Apple labor petition

Scared of Anonymous? NSA chief says you should be

The director of the National Security Agency says the hacktivist group is growing more powerful and could eventually attack our power grid. So beware.
•  Hackers nip at LA police canine group

Microsoft SkyDrive aiming to outcloud iCloud

Beyond tight integration with Windows 8, SkyDrive could be due for a slew of new features and enhancements in its next version.
•  Microsoft confirms SkyDrive app for Windows 8
•  Microsoft extends consumer support for Windows 7, Vista

Apple touts N.C. solar array in environmental footprint report

Company says array powering massive data center will be the largest end-user-owned operation in the country.
•  Apple planning environmental audits of Chinese supply chain

Proview files iPad lawsuit in U.S. court

Chinese company claims Apple committed fraud when it acquired the iPad trademark from one of Proview's subsidiaries in 2009.
•  Apple sidesteps iPad ban in Shanghai, but Proview is far from done
•  Lower Chinese court rules iPads should be pulled from retailers

Black hole clocks fastest wind ever recorded by NASA

Born from the collapse of a massive star, a recently detected stellar-mass black hole is breaking high-speed records.
•  NASA spots soccer-ball shape buckyballs in space

Also of note
•  Spam continues to dip, but malware marches merrily on
•  Implantable device propels itself through bloodstream