Hasta La Gadget!

Singapore isn’t necessarily known for its generous media freedoms, but the Southeast Asian city-state is planning to tighten the reigns even further next month. Beginning June 1st, any online news outlet with more than 50,000 unique monthly visitors within Singapore that also reports on the country at least once each week will need to obtain an operating license from the Media Development Authority. According to a press release, the objective of such a policy, which already covers print publications, is to “provide greater clarity” when it comes to text and visual media the government will not allow to be published, such as “content that undermines racial or religious harmony.” The agency’s release lists a total of 10 online publications that will be affected by the new policy, including sg.news.yahoo.com, businesstimes.com.sg and straitstimes.com. According to a Reuters report, blogs are currently excluded, though we could see stricter regulation on that front in the future.

Filed under: Internet, Alt

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Source: AsiaOne, Reuters

Google has no doubt been on pins and needles wondering whether or not the European Commission will accept the search engine changes it’s proposing to avoid an antitrust showdown. If what we’re hearing is right, Larry Page and crew might just get to relax in the near future: sources for the New York Times claim that the EU agency has accepted Google’s proposal. Reportedly, the terms of the deal are close to what had been mentioned last week. Google would have to explicitly label search results that come from its own services while sometimes showing those results from others. It would also have to test the results in the field to get feedback from both the Commission and competitors. While neither Google nor European officials have confirmed the apparent leak so far, any truth to the story could mean the long-running saga might draw to a close before it gets ugly.

Filed under: Internet, Google

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Source: New York Times

If you hadn’t gathered, Uber’s app-based taxi service isn’t always welcome wherever it goes. The company is tired of that fighting just to maintain its business, so it’s defining its expansion policies through a new white paper. Deployments will occur in regions where Uber sees “tacit approval” from regulators — in other words, areas where there hasn’t been direct legal action against competing services for at least 30 days. Just in case authorities change their minds, the company plans to go “above and beyond” commercial licensing requirements, including a $2 million insurance policy on trips and more stringent background tests. While Uber would much rather have explicit permission to operate as it sees fit, the strategy could have the firm venturing into territories where competitors with unlicensed drivers have (seemingly) free rein.

Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation

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Via: TechCrunch

Source: Uber

There’s no question that most of the talk between Google and EU regulators over the firm’s search ranking practices have taken place behind closed doors, but now the antitrust inquiry is one step closer to a binding resolution. Following a preliminary assessment in which the European Commission laid out its concerns, Google has offered up a formal list of commitments in attempt to assuage the regulator — and in the process, avoid a nasty fine that could top $5 billion. Reuters sources suggest that one concession may involve labels within search results that distinguish Google’s services from those of its rivals, but whatever the final resolution entails, EU Commissioner Joaquin Almunia asserts that it’ll be a legally binding agreement. As for the next step, Google’s proposal will be subject to input from its peers, which includes complainants such as Microsoft. If there were ever an opportunity to kick up some dust, we reckon this’d be it. Then again, it could be that Redmond is more preoccupied with Android nowadays.

Filed under: Internet, Google

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Source: Reuters

You can’t completely pigeonhole Skype when it serves both as a partial substitute for traditional phone service and an instant messaging service with voice and video on top. Unfortunately, French telecom regulator ARCEP doesn’t trade in ambiguities. It’s launching an investigation into Skype after the Microsoft-owned division reportedly ignored requests to register itself as a telecom provider in the country. The authority is concerned that Skype is offering phone service without following local laws, including requirements to offer emergency calls and avenues for legal wiretaps. We’ve reached out to Skype for its side of the story, although there’s no certainty that ARCEP will have to take action, regardless — Skype has long disclaimed that it’s not a full phone replacement and won’t work for true emergencies. If France asks for compliance, however, Skype may have to either solve a seemingly unsolvable problem or face withdrawing at least some of its services. We wouldn’t count on always having VoIP in Versailles.

Update: A Skype spokesperson answered back, and the company’s view is clear: it doesn’t believe that its service fits the definition of a communication provider under French law and thus doesn’t have to be registered. Skype adds that it’s been talking with ARCEP and plans to keep that up in a “constructive” fashion, although there clearly hasn’t been much progress on that front. Read the full response after the break.

[Image credit: Alexandre Vialle, Flickr]

Filed under: Internet, Microsoft

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Via: New York Times

Source: ARCEP (translated)