Fly too close, and your wings get, er, disconnected. The University of Florida continues to use its ICARUS system to stop file sharing of copyrighted materials. Students, who until previously displayed a voracious appetite for theft, are now disconnected from their Internet connection by UF's "Integrated Control Application for Restricting User Servies" if they attempt to download songs illegaly. The system's name evokes the legendary Icarus, who defied the laws of nature by making artificial wings for himself, only to have them melt when he flew too close to the sun. Students shouldn't be defying the law in any case, and SPN applauds the University for enforcing their stated anti-piracy policy with action.

A billion here and a billion there, and soon you're talking about real money. A report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) estimates that the annual cost of spam is $20.5 billion (as the Gipper used to say "that's Billion with a 'B'). Most of the spam in the world originates in the U.S., and most of it targets U.S. users. At least the feds are finally getting serious about a legislative component of the solution to this scourge, without going overboard the way California did.

Broadcast Flag Rises to Half-Mast. The FCC approved on Tuesday the controversial Broadcast Flag, asserting its anti-piracy benefits:

[The Broadcast Flag] is an important step toward preserving the viability of free over-the-air television. (Powell, Michael. Chairman, FCC)

With all due respect, Mr. Powell, free over-the-air TV is already six-feet under, yet the zombies who run the broadcast companies don't even know they're dead yet. Though a noble attempt, your flag will never stand at more than half-mast. Consumers are increasingly using TiVo/PVR technologies to remove the advertisements from the content, destroying the viability of the current broadcast TV model. While SPN laments this subtle form of piracy, this is a tide that cannot, and should not, be turned. The future instead lies in product placements and sponsorships, where, despite the Naderite objections, the ads will be embedded directly into the content. SPN predicts that once content and commerce ("Madison and Vine") are merged, the very same companies that demanded the broadcast flag's insertion will demand its removal.

A Gator by Any Other Name. SPN notes that Gator Corporation, the controversial provider of contextual pop-up ads, has changed its name to Claria. The move to shed its skin, according to the company, is to reflect a broader range of offerings. Claria has not, however, changed its mind about compensating publishers for using their content without permission.