Info Tech
Microsoft asks Google to blacklist Microsoft.com
WASHINGTON – Like many copyright holders, Microsoft routinely asks Google to remove links from its search engine that contain copyrighted material. But last week, the software corporation mistakenly asked Google to remove its own web pages from search results.
Microsoft recently filed a Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown request against Microsoft.com, accusing its own website of copyright infringement, TorrentFreak first reported.
LeakID, a company working on behalf of Microsoft, submitted the request, which asked to remove links to Microsoft’s store, support pages and product descriptions from search results. Despite the two companies’ long-standing rivalry, Google noticed the mistake and kept the pages up.
But Microsoft has made mistakes in its takedown requests before, accusing credible and original websites of copyright infringement. TorrentFreak previously reported that Microsoft submitted nearly 5 million takedown requests in a one-year period.
Since these requests are often automated and are not always checked for accuracy, erroneous submissions often go through, potentially harming less prominent websites that rely on Google to garner page views.
Last year, the software giant’s automated software mistakenly targeted CNN, Wikipedia, Buzzfeed, TechCrunch, The Huffington Post, BBC, The Washington Post, Rotten Tomatoes, Real Clear Politics, AMC Theaters and numerous federal government websites. The National Institutes of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Health and Human Services were among those targeted by the software corporation. Microsoft claimed that these sites had distributed its Windows 8 Beta without authorization.
Prior to that incident, Microsoft asked Google to remove Spotify and Bing from its search results. Although most of these websites were prominent enough to remain unaffected by the requests, AMC Theaters and Real Clear Politics temporarily disappeared from Google in mid-2012.
Websites that are not whitelisted are more likely to disappear as a result of takedown notices. In the past month alone, Google has received 13,829,857 DMCA requests from 1,924 reporting organizations. Microsoft is among the top five copyright owners that have made requests, reporting 769,470 URLs over the past four weeks.
“As soon as you take down one page another pops up in its place,” Mark Mulligan, a technology analyst at Midia Consulting, told BBC. “It’s like playing Whac-A-Mole.”
Between January and July, Google deleted more than 100 million links from its search results, which is double the number of links that the search engine erased last year. Only 3 percent of takedown requests are rejected.
In May 2012, TorrentFreak reported that some of the world’s largest music and movie companies mistakenly reported content that promoted their latest works. Warner Bros. asked Google to delist an official trailer to the movie “Wrath of the Titans,” as well as all content that referenced it, such as news articles, an IMDb page and a listing that helps people find theaters to watch the movie.
It is unclear if Warner Bros. suffered financial consequences from the mistake, but companies who mistakenly file a DCMA request against themselves or are the victim of one can file a counter-notice to ask Google to reinstate the website in search results.
Google has also blacklisted and banned more than 11 million websites that were registered through the co.cc subdomain, which it classified as a “freehost”. The subdomain belonged to a Korean company that provided free or cheap domains and had a high percentage of malware-hosting websites.
Although the removal of co.cc from Google search results may have eliminated some phishers and spammers from search results, it also eliminated bloggers who had done no wrong, but were simply looking for the cheapest platform to acquire a domain.
“Some blog owners who wish to continue to offer their blogs to the mainstream public have conveyed their frustration at not being given a just opportunity to cater to potential new readers who would now have great difficulty locating their blogs,” Tech Hamlet wrote in 2011. “To remedy this, many blog owners are expected to try to continue their efforts using different domains.”
Bloggers and small business owners who purchase their domains from more reputable providers will not likely see their websites banned, but could easily be at the end of a DMCA takedown request.
Although Google noticed Microsoft’s mistake and kept the rival company’s links in its search results, less prominent websites might not be so lucky, and could quickly disappear from the web in the daily flood of DMCA requests.
In efforts at spicing up the 2023 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue, the management of ITREALMS Media has partnered with E-waste Producer Responsibility Organization of Nigeria (EPRON) membership organisations for a day-long collection scheme of small electronic waste on Friday, December 15, 2023.
The EPRON members aligning their partnership with 2023 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue are EL-AS Tech Enterprises Limited and WEEE Eco-Friendly.
ITREALMS’ day-long collection scheme is part of the commemoration of 2023 international E-Waste Day (IEWD) within the ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue with the theme “You Can Recycle Anything with a plug, battery or cable” at Welcome Centre Hotels, International Airport Road, Lagos.
Revealing this collaboration, the Group Executive Editor, ITREALMS Media, the organisers of the 2023 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue, Sir. Remmy Nweke, urged mobile device enthusiasts to come along with their devices that have reached their end-of-life to the venue for proper disposition by professionals who would also be on grounds to address some topical issues.
The collection of small electronic wastes especially mobile phones and like-devices, would be carried out by EPRON member organisation, EL-AS Tech Enterprises Limited as facilitated by ITREALMS Media group as part of this year’s ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue on Friday, December 15, he added.
He disclosed that the exercise would commence at Welcome Centre Hotel by 9am till close of work hours the same day.
Nweke pointed out that the collection of small e-waste items would include mobile phones, pointers mouse, earpieces, rechargeable torches, phone chargers, to name a few.
Further, he said, that this initiative has become time-serving because some people may have missed any other opportunity before now for the year-long campaign, hence this awareness on e-Waste has to be continuous, “ITREALMS came up with this scheme.”
Nweke beckoned on Nigerians, especially mobile phone users, to leverage the opportunity in disposing of their mobile devices they no longer use, of course in exchange for a voucher or gift item.
In her reaction to this year’s day-long small waste collection, EPRON Executive Secretary, Mrs. Ibukun Faluyi, described the initiative as commendable, expressing confidence it would intensify the collection of end-of-life devices for proper disposition.
Mrs. Faluyi, also urged Nigerians to take advantage of this day-long collection of small wastes courtesy of ITREALMS Media.
Recalling for instance that in October 2022, EPRON had partnered SLOT alongside some UN agencies for collection of small e-waste items in Lagos, including the United Nations Information Centres (UNIC), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), International Labour Organisation (ILO), Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
This is even as the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Dr. Aminu Maida and Director-General, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Prof. Aliyu Jauro, would both lead speakers at the 2023 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue slated for this Friday, December 15, in Lagos.
Today, September 12, the tech corporation Apple will introduce the iPhone 15, their newest iPhone model.
According to a Forbes story, this model, which will be introduced at the company’s “Wanderlust” event in Cupertino, California, will be available in four variations: the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Here are five things you should know about the new iPhone 15 model.
1. The new model is made of titaniu, not stainless steel as some other Apple smartphone models, Senior research analyst at DIGITIMES, Luke Lin reports.
2. The Pro Max model will feature double the optical zoom on the iPhone 14 as it comes with a newly-introduced ‘periscope lens upgrade, performing 5-6x optical zoom.’
3. The Pro models will carry an A17 bionic chip expected to make it perform faster.
4. The iPhone 15 model will feature a USB-C charging port, the same port featured on some Android phone models.
5. Due to its titanium shell, the new model is anticipated to be more expensive to purchase. The following is the speculated price list, as reported by Forbes:
The iPhone 15 starts at $799, the iPhone 15 Plus at $899, the iPhone 15 Pro at $1,099 ($100 increase), and the iPhone 15 Pro Max at $1,299 ($200 increase).
In an effort to reduce the exorbitant cost of Premium Motor Spirit, better known as petrol, the Infrastructure Bank Plc announced its collaboration with FEMADEC Group on Monday to offer 500 buses powered by autogas (Compressed Natural Gas).
Partners in the agreement claimed that the project was created to provide citizens with dependable, affordable, and environmentally friendly travel options, taking into account the negative effects of the nationwide increase in PMS costs.
Under Decree No. 51 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s 1992 Constitution, the Infrastructure Bank, originally known as the Urban Development Bank of Nigeria Plc, was founded in 1992 to promote the quick development of infrastructure throughout the nation.
In a statement issued in Abuja on its partnership with FEMADEC, the bank said, “The preliminary offer extended by TIB lays a solid foundation for the expansion of FEMADEC Group’s CNG bus fleet.
“With plans to introduce 500 CNG buses within the next five years, commencing with an initial batch of 50 buses in the forthcoming year, this proposal stands poised to instigate significant change.
“The acceptance of this proposition by FEMADEC Group, notably championed by Fola Akinnola, the Group Chief Executive Officer, is a testament to their zeal and dedication to this alliance.”
The bank described the partnership as a “pivotal endeavour that is primed to redefine Nigeria’s public transportation landscape, offering dependable, cost-effective, and ecologically conscious travel alternatives for citizens, while harmonising with the nation’s broader sustainability ambitions.”
“This partnership represents a remarkable stride towards a more ecologically aware future for Nigeria’s transportation sector, highlighting the shared commitment of both TIB and FEMADEC Group to sustainable advancement and progress.”
It said FEMADEC Group’s strides in operating Compressed Natural Gas buses, including the existing fleet of 20 CNG buses under LAMATA, underscored their unwavering dedication to ecologically sound solutions, a commitment predating the fuel subsidy removal.
“Their leadership within the CNG value chain is undeniable, and the new alliance with TIB underscores their foresight.
“This partnership seamlessly aligns with TIB’s sustainability objectives, echoing their resolute endorsement of the government’s net-zero and climate change agenda.
“The bank’s aspiration to champion Nigeria’s infrastructure progress is evident in its endorsement of pivotal initiatives like this, yielding expansive positive impacts on both the environment and society,” the bank stated.
The bank added that it would continue to make a significant contribution to the country’s growth as a leading financial institution committed to advancing effective and long-lasting infrastructure projects.
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