Ban on MP3 transmitters is lifted
Ofcom legalises the use of FM transmitters which allow iPods and other MP3 players to play through car radios.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6177820.stm

What the Democrats’ win means for tech
Now that this week’s elections have switched control of the House and Senate back to the Democrats, the outlook for technology-related legislation has changed dramatically overnight. On a wealth of topics–Net neutrality, digital copyright, merger approval, data retention, Internet censorship–a Capitol Hill controlled by Democrats should yield a shift in priorities on technology-related legislation.
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-6133833.html

Regulation for gaming on the Web
British officials called for international coordination to regulate online gambling as policy makers and investors scramble to salvage high-stakes bets on the industry in the wake of an effective U.S. ban on the business.
http://iht.com/articles/2006/10/31/business/gamble.php

UK gaming to be ‘mark of quality’UK backs internet gambling rulesOnline gambling sites registered in the UK would offer a “hallmark of quality” to players around the world, Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell claims.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6100012.stm

us: Black arts of politics move into cyberspace
Coming soon to a polling station near you — or at least a computer screen — may be some of the blackest and newest arts of American politics. The latest weapons in the campaign for control of Congress, known by names such as Google bombing and Wikipedia vandalism, have been deployed to varying effect in the US elections, which are more reliant than ever before on such techniques.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2429423,00.html

Watchdog eyes net rules
Any attempt by internet service providers to favour some online services or restrict others will be examined by the competition regulator, which is looking at the thorny issue of net neutrality.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,20672736%5E15306%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html

Virtual world: tax man cometh
People making virtual fortunes in virtual worlds such as World of Warcraft or Second Life could face a real tax bill, the Australian Tax Office warns.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/10/30/1162056925483.html

uk: US gambling law flawed – Jowell
The US crackdown on online gambling is a “new prohibition”, which is likely to fuel a rise in fraud and exploitation, the UK culture secretary has said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6090358.stm

US Congress steps into cyberspace
The BBC reports that “US politicians could soon be rubbing shoulders with orcs and night elves in World of Warcraft.” Further, the BBC says that it’s unlikely that in-game trading will be taxed and the Joint Economic Committee, who is conducting the investigation, has said the investigation was prompted by the “dramatic increase in the popularity of online gaming”.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6065534.stm

EU ‘threat’ to internet freedom
Internet broadcasters should not be subject to the same rules which govern television, peers have been told. Attempts to update the 1989 TV without Frontiers EU directive, are being considered by a Lords committee.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6056942.stm