Google, BlackBerry, EarthLink, and Red Hat Sends Comments To The FTC and DOJ Around “Patent Troll” Issues

Matthew Bye, the Senior Competition Counsel at Google, has reported that Google has submitted comments with BlackBerry, EarthLink, and Red Hat to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) about the growing harm that is caused by “patent trolls.”  Google was encouraged by the recent attention on the problems that patent trolls cause, which is estimated to be around $30 billion per year according to a Boston University law study.  Patent trolls hurt consumers and they stifle innovation.

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Facebook Works With The FBI To Take Down Hackers In $850 Million Heist

Facebook and FBI partnered to take down 10 hackers that had stolen $850 million in the last 2 years.  The hackers were spread across Bosnia, Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, New Zealand, Peru, the United Kingdom, and the U.S.  Those hackers were responsible for “more than 11 million compromised computer systems and over $850 million in losses via the Butterfly Botnet, which steals computer users’ credit card, bank account, and other personal identifiable information.”

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Apple Subpoenas Amazon In E-Book Pricing Case

Apple has asked the Justice Department to release interviews that they have conducted with Amazon employees as part of the e-book pricing lawsuit.  ”Amazon was the driving force behind the Government’s investigation, and it told a story to the Government that has yet to be scrutinized. Amazon talked with the government repeatedly throughout the investigation, even hosting a two-day meeting at its Seattle headquarters,” said Apple in a statement last month according to paidContent.  If the motion is transferred, Judge Denise Cote has agreed to “promptly address the discovery dispute.”  The Justice Department’s trial against Apple, Penguin, and Macmillan is expected to happen next June.  The Justice Department has settled with three other publishers.  Below is the embedded subpoena:

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Justice Department Wants AU Optronics To Pay $1 Billion Fine

The U.S. Department of Justice wants AU Optronics (AUO) to pay a $1 billion fine and two former executives to serve 10 years in prison.  AUO is a Taiwan based company that participated in a long-term price-fixing conspiracy.  This fine would be the largest ever obtained by the DOJ’s antitrust division and would be double the next highest fine.

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Apple Criticizes DoJ Over E-Book Collusion Trial

Apple has criticized the U.S. Department of Justice over a settlement that was made with several book publishers as part of an ongoing trial that revolves around price fixing.  Apple is arguing that a settlement would nullify their existing contracts with companies like Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster before a witness could be called in to testify and before the court has reviewed the details of the case.

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Washington DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier Defends Citizens’ Rights To Record Police

Cathy Lanier, the police chief at Washington D.C. has issued a general order.  The order explains the constitutional right for citizens to take photos of and record officers on video.  The order is part of a settlement in a case by Jerome Vorus.

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Justice Department Investigating Cable Companies Regarding Online Video Treatment

The government is investigating whether cable companies like Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and AT&T are restricting competing online video companies like Netflix and Hulu by enforcing data caps. The Justice Department spoke to video providers like Netflix and Hulu and several cable companies regarding the probe. The cable companies said that the data caps are a way to deal with massive increases in traffic on their expensive networks. However the online video companies said that the caps are being used to limit competition for the cable companies’ own offerings.
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