New Cards Week 8

China toughens its restrictions on use of the internet

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2012/12/29/world/asia/china-toughens-restrictions-on-internet-use.xml

 

By KEITH BRADSHER

Published: December 29, 2012

29 December 2012

New rules from the Chinese government mean internet users must now provide real names to service providers. Internet companies will also have more responsibility for deleting forbidden postings and reporting them to the authorities. Whilst bloggers can still use pseudonyms, they must provide their real names first. This is in a country where internet users can be jailed for politically-sensitive comments.

Recently, internet users in China exposed scandals that led to resignations or dismissals of local officials. Furthermore, following international news media reporting the accumulation of wealth by the families of China's leaders, many sites were blocked. The government deny the new rules are to prevent the exposure of corruption. Instead they claim the measures will protect users from misuse of their personal data.

Meanwhile, China continues to block more foreign web sites and VPNs, virtual private networks, which are used to encrypt computer communication used by businesses and individuals in China to prevent government monitoring.

It seems that China is willing to have a freer economy in the future, the new internet restrictions show that free political discussion is still not wanted.

 

 

News Card VII

Instagram Does an About-Face 

By NICOLE PERLROTH and JENNA WORTHAM

December 20, 2012, 8:30 pm

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/20/instagram-does-about-face-reverts-to-previous-policy/?ref=technology

Photo-sharing service Instagram angered customers earlier this week by announcing its users’ data would be used by Facebook’s advertisers. Later on, however, Instagram changed this decision due to customers’ dissatisfaction.

Instagram will instead change its advertising policy after its users were concerned their information and photographs would be shared with Facebook and its advertisers. Instagram users had threatened to use other services, e.g. Flickr or the application Pheed, but the company promised to revise its plans. However, even these changes have not stopped users leaving Instagram.

The problem is that Facebook bought Instagram earlier this year for $735 million and is under pressure for it to make more money. Instagram is currently a free service. Banner advertising is not enough, and users’ data are far more valuable.

Despite competition, Instagram has 100 million members, but this success could change in light of recent events. Facebook and Instagram have so far declined to say if they had seen any significant number of account deletions.

News Card VI-

New Windows chief explains why Microsoft redesigned Windows

By Rick Burgess on December 14, 2012, 4:00 PM

Source: http://m.techspot.com/news/51101-new-windows-chief-explains-why-microsoft-redesigned-windows.html

 

 

New Windows chief explains why Microsoft redesigned Windows

 

New head of Microsoft’s Windows Division Julie Larson-Green discusses below some of the changes made to Windows.

 Windows was created 25 years ago, and computing is now completely different. Windows 8 features a kind of dashboard display with Live Tiles and touch display. In the future, the vast majority of PCs will have touch screens.

 Planning of Windows 8 began before the introduction of the iPad, with its mobile and touch features, but many of the iPad’s features were similar to Windows’ future plans. Windows 8 allows the user to type with the traditional keyboard and mouse or the touch screen. Windows state users need only up to two weeks to adjust to the new system, and a new customer experience improvement program shows positive results. Microsoft has also introduced its own hardware, the Surface Tablet, for Windows.