EU to decide on Internet freedom

The European Union (EU) is set to decide today whether it will consider protecting net neutrality, reports Computing.co.uk.

The debate revolves around whether telecoms firms should be allowed intentionally to speed up or slow down traffic, based on the service or application being used.

While operators claim they want more control over availability, in order to provide a better quality of service to users, opponents argue they are motivated by a desire to favour their own services over competitors'.

Google has resolved a lawsuit from a US bank that accidentally sent 1 300 confidential tax IDs to an innocent Gmail account, but not before the Web giant complied with a court order to shutdown the account and disclose certain account info, says The Register.

It's unclear what information was disclosed. In mid-August, according to court documents, an employee with the Wyoming-based Rocky Mountain Bank was asked by a customer to send a group of loan documents to a Gmail account used by a third party.

The bank employee sent the documents to the wrong Gmail address - alongside another file that included the names, addresses, tax IDs, and loan info for 1 325 of the bank's customers.

The US government is expected to relax control over how the Internet is run when it signs an accord with regulator Icann on Wednesday, reports the BBC.

The "affirmation of commitments" will reportedly give Icann autonomy to run its own affairs for the first time. Previous agreements gave the US close oversight of Icann, drawing criticism from other countries.

Earlier this year, the EU called on the US to relinquish its control and Icann to become "universally accountable".

While there is consensus to ban text messaging while driving, it might be a while before the US state legislature enacts such a prohibition, says The Post Gazette.

Joseph Markosek, chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said House members likely will want a Bill that is more comprehensive than the texting ban passed by the Senate in July.

"Banning texting is a total no-brainer" that has nearly unanimous support among lawmakers and the public, he said. But various members want to address other distracting behaviours.