The Register reports that “

[t]elecoms watchdog OPTA has fined three Dutch firms and their two directors a total of €1m for the illegal distribution of spyware.  It is the first time OPTA has imposed fines for spreading malicious Trojans, and has been called ‘one of the biggest cases of illegal software crime,’ by the regulator.”

The New York Times writes that “[s]trong laptop sales are making this a hot holiday shopping season for PC makers, according to a report from IDC.  In its Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker, IDC projects that worldwide PC shipments will increase by 16.7% in the fourth quarter of this year, bolstered by the strong laptop sales. The growth projection is good news for manufacturers, who probably still vividly remember slogging through a slow second half of 2006. PC growth was merely 7.9% in the fourth quarter of 2006.  This fourth quarter is expected to fuel 2007’s overall growth rate of 14.6%, up from 10.1% in 2006, IDC reported.”

According to CNetNews.com, “[i]n the seemingly waning days of the U.S. government’s antitrust review of the Google-DoubleClick union, consumer groups are lodging a last-minute plea: don’t forget about privacy.  That was the message during a conference call with reporters Tuesday morning hosted by the Electronic Privacy Information Center and the Center for Digital Democracy.  The directors of those groups, who predicted a decision by the Federal Trade Commission is "imminent," voiced concern that the FTC may overlook the potential privacy implications raised by the combined user massive data stores of the two prominent companies. (The two Washington-based groups, who have positioned themselves as arguably the most vocal opponents of the merger, filed a privacy complaint with the FTC earlier this year.)”

In a different article, the Los Angeles Times reveals that “European lawmakers plan to take the unusual step of pressing antitrust regulators next month to look at privacy concerns raised by Google Inc.’s intended takeover of online ad tracker DoubleClick Inc.  […]  Both the European Commission and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission are scrutinizing the sale, with the U.S. looking mainly at privacy and EU officials focusing on how the deal could affect the Internet ad market. They plan to complete their inquiry by April 2.  Sophie in ‘t Veld, a Dutch Liberal member of the European Parliament, said European politicians would ask their regulators to take privacy into account and would hold a January hearing on it, echoing a U.S. Senate event held in September.  ‘It’s drawing attention to the fact that our reality is changing,’ in ‘t Veld said. ‘There are lots of companies collecting personal data; we volunteer our personal data to get services.’”

The Financial Times points out that “[l]eading Indian information technology companies are bracing themselves for a US backlash against the industry in the run-up to the 2008 presidential elections.  ‘It will be a potent combination of a weak economy and an election year,’ warned Nandan Nilekani, co-chairman of Bangalore-based Infosys Technologies. ‘Concern about [the transfer of US] jobs could rise and we are preparing for that.’  In the 2004 race, companies outsourcing to India found themselves targeted by talk show hosts, with John Kerry, the Democratic Party candidate, even dubbing their chief executives ’Benedict Arnolds’ – a reference to a treacherous 18th-century general.  Ron Somers, president of the US-India Business Council, an advocacy organisation representing top US companies investing in India, said he was worried that ‘a backlash against global sourcing could rise up yet again."