Saudis dangle Web-filter contract
About a dozen companies are competing for a contract to help the Saudi government control what sites the kingdom's half-million Internet users see when they're online, reports the New York Times. Most of the sites blocked in Saudi Arabia are pornographic, but the government also halts access to a few sites for political or religious reasons, the Times said. By royal decree, almost all public Internet traffic in and out of the kingdom has been filtered through a single control center near Riyadh, the capital. Saudi Arabians have had Internet access for about three years, and in that time, the government has become the most active seeker of Internet filtering software in the Muslim world, the Times said. The newspaper said the countries considered for the contract include Secure Computing of San Jose, Calif; London company Surf Control; N2H2 of Seattle; and Symantec of Cupertino, Calif.
Papal text gets new delivery method
Pope John Paul II is expected to use the Internet to publish an official document for the first time Thursday, reports Computerworld. A Vatican spokeswoman said the pope would click the "Send" button during a special ceremony for the delivery of his apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in Oceania (The Church in Oceania). The pope normally delivers such documents in person, but he chose not to travel to the Pacific region this time. The document summarizes the conclusions of a synod of bishops from Oceania who met at the Vatican in 1998. "The idea is not to save money on paper or postal costs because paper versions of the document will be sent as well," the spokeswoman said. "Instead of delivering the document by hand, he will be giving it virtually over the Internet. Oceania is a long way away, and this saves him the journey."
FTC warns sites for anti-bioterror claims
The government is warning dozens of Web sites that they should stop selling unproven bioterrorism defense products. The Federal Trade Commission said Monday that it sent out about 40 email warnings to sites that were hawking items such as oregano oil and zinc mineral water as treatments for illnesses such as anthrax. The agency said it conducted a coordinated "surf" and found sites that claimed their products and therapies could "prevent, treat, or cure anthrax, smallpox, and other health hazards." Howard Beales, the FTC's director of consumer protection, said in a statement: "Essentially, these operators need to shut down these areas of their sites or face prosecution. Our best advice for consumers: Consult your physician immediately if you believe you may have been exposed to anthrax or any other biological agents." The statement can be found at ftc.gov.
Company ends CIA-funded privacy service
California security company SafeWeb has shut down a service partially funded by the CIA that allowed customers to surf the Web anonymously. The CIA's venture capital arm, In-Q-Tel, gave SafeWeb $1 million to help develop the service for users in countries such as China and Iran, where censors keep a close eye on Internet activity. SafeWeb said the service wasn't making enough money, and the company now will be focusing on corporate security. The move by SafeWeb comes about a month after Montreal-based Zero-Knowledge Systems shut down its own subscription-based Freedom privacy service for Web users.
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Nintendo takes Gamecube to the bank
Nintendo said Monday that it sold about $100 million worth of its new Gamecube video game console on Sunday, the machine's first day on U.S. shelves. The company said it shipped 700,000 of the $199 systems in preparation for the launch, which comes a week after the release of Microsoft's highly touted Xbox. Nintendo has one edge over the Xbox and Sony's popular Playstation 2 this holiday season: Its price tag is about $100 cheaper than either of the competitors.
Outsourcing: The future of Amazon.com?
The survival of Amazon.com is likely to come from its ability to take over the "Web stores and fulfillment activities" of other retailers that want solid online operations, according to Business Week. Amazon already is the online agent for the likes of Target, Toys 'R' Us, Circuit City and Borders, and the company told investors Nov. 14 that it would restructure itself to take better advantage of its technology services. Amazon spokesman Bill Curry told Business Week: "It's important to acknowledge who has what expertise. We have the expertise in online sales, fulfillment, and customer service. We can get to profitability sooner by playing off those skills." Analysts note, however, that Amazon needs to continue to develop its retail business -- selling books, CDs, DVDs and the like -- because it provides the company with expertise when handling other companies' online operations.
(Compiled by Joe Warminsky in Washington.)
