CORPORADOS

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WAL-MART SPIED ON PROTESTERS

PR WATCH - In 2006, Wal-Mart [reports the Wall Street Journal] "had a
long-haired employee infiltrate an anti-Wal-Mart group to determine if
it planned protests at the company's annual meeting. . . . The company
also deployed cutting-edge monitoring systems made by a supplier to the
Defense Department that allowed it to capture and record the actions of
anyone connected to its global computer network." The system "could
detect the degree of flesh-tone on a viewed Internet image, and alerted
monitors that a vendor sharing Wal-Mart networks was viewing
pornography." The giant retailer "also directed its surveillance
operations at critical shareholders." These revelations come from
internal memos and Bruce Gabbard, a former member of Wal-Mart's "Threat
Research and Analysis Group." Gabbard was fired in March 2007, "for
unauthorized recording of calls to and from a New York Times reporter
and for intercepting pager messages"; his claims have been confirmed.
After the revelations surfaced, Wal-Mart "apologized to several
shareholder groups that the company had earlier evaluated as potential
threats." The retailer has apparently not apologized to Wal-Mart Watch,
ACORN, or Up Against the Wal, groups also targeted by Wal-Mart's "threat
research" operations.

http://www.prwatch.org/node/5941

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CYBER NOTES
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MICROSOFT JOINS MOVE TO DRM FREE SONGS

PLAYFULS - After EMI and Apple announced the introduction of DRM free
songs on Itunes store is Microsoft's turn to sign a similar deal.
Speaking with Times, Jason Reindorp, head of marketing for Zune, hinted
that Microsoft will sell DRM free songs via its Zune platform. "We've
been saying for a while that we are aware that consumers want to have
unprotected content.", Reindrop said. . .

http://www.playfuls.com/news_06879_After_Apple_Microsoft_
Wants_To_Sell_DRM_Free_Songs.html


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