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lawmakers

U.S. lawmakers alarmed over risks of insulin pump hacks

Two members of the U.S. Congress are asking government auditors to investigate the security risks of wireless medical devices, after they learned of a security researcher who found he could remotely control his own insulin pump and blood-sugar monitor.

Representatives Anna G. Eshoo, a California Democrat, and Edward Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts, senior members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office earlier this week asking the GAO to examine whether the Federal Communications Commission is ensuring that new medical devices and implants that use wireless technology can't be tampered … Read more

What does the file sharing strikeout mean to us?

In the ongoing war between file sharing and opposing organizations, we're constantly reminded by just how ridiculous some of the battles really are. Case in point: the "three strikes and you're out" regulation that has been flying around lawmaking bodies in Europe and now, possibly Canada.

According to the experts, lawmakers are desperately trying to find ways to stop file sharing and with the help of organizations that can't stand the thought of songs or movies being downloaded "illegally", they're doing everything they can to go after the wrong people. Simply put, the "Three strikes and you're out" policy stipulates that if an Internet user is caught file sharing three times, ISPs will be forced to terminate that subscriber.

"The policy - occasionally referred to as "graduated response" - received support last fall from French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who pressured the private sector to negotiate an agreement to implement the three strikes system," Michael Geist wrote in an article describing the rule. "The policy soon attracted global attention as the United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia all announced that they were contemplating a similar approach."

As this policy spreads across the world, what can we expect from it? My guess: nothing.… Read more