Stories by Darren Pauli

Court upholds right to copy lucrative databases

The directories in the Yellow Pages, RealEstate.com and TV Week are at risk of being poached after the dismissal of a copyright case last week, legal experts say. The revelations have left the industry reeling from what legal experts predict will be a boom in opportunistic upstart companies created to scrape million-dollar investments and score an easy slice of lucrative profits.

Vic deploys airborne fire spies

The Victorian government has outfitted its fire-spotting aircraft with video cameras to spot fires and monitor the effectiveness of fire-fighting efforts.

Google: Government bureaucrats need a tech shakeup

An immobile culture in government departments is preventing bureaucrats from accessing crucial Web 2.0 and cutting-edge disruptive technologies, according to Google Australia engineering director, Alan Noble.

Exetel stops disconnecting pirates

Exetel will stop blocking customer accounts linked to copyright infringement as a result of last week's failed lawsuit against Internet Service Provider (ISP) iiNet.

Victoria to tip in $3M to spy on bushfires

Victoria’s troubled bushfire alert system may be bolstered with a fleet of fire-detection cameras after a $3 million government trial announced today is completed.

Extorted companies silent on stolen data

Desperate companies are buying off data thieves and extortionists to recover stolen data, according to experts. They claim it is “common” for some businesses operating in Australia to pay ransoms to hackers and disgruntled employees to re-secure sensitive information or prevent illicit corporate activities from becoming public.

Blog: AFACT v iiNet: Room 18C

Tension and anticipation cut the air in room 18C of the Federal Court of Australia during the dying moments before Justice Cowdroy yesterday ended a year of media and industry speculation, and announced the victory of a Perth-based telco over a band of entertainment giants.

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