• Home
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Digital technology
  • Cloud
  • Data analytics
  • Digital leaders
  • IoT
  • Opinion
  • Events
  • Resources
  • SMB Spotlight
  • Newsletters
  • Sign in
  • Events
    • Follow V3 Events

      Sign up to receive email alerts about our events

      Sign up
  • Resources
    • V3resources 120x194
      Network Security Forensics For GDPR Compliance

      An effective network security forensics strategy can assist an organization in providing key compliance-related details as part of any post-incident GDPR investigation.

      Download
      V3resources 120x194
      10 ways to increase productivity with managed Office 365

      For businesses large and small, relying on a cloud-based collaboration and productivity suite such as Microsoft Office 365 is becoming the norm. Enhancing productivity in your organisation is vital to get ahead in 2017 - and using Office 365 can help, if it's used right...

      Download
      Find resources
      Search by title or subject area
      View all resources
  • SMB Spotlight
  • Sign in
  •  
    •  

      You are currently accessing V3 .co.uk via your Enterprise account.

      Personalise your on site experience

      Download and use the apps

      Access your subscription from outside of the office

      Get relevant news and insight straight to your inbox

      • Sign in
     
      • Newsletters
      • Account details
      • Contact support
      • Sign out
     
  • Follow us
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • Newsletters
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Register
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Digital technology
  • Cloud
  • Data analytics
  • Digital leaders
  • IoT
  • Opinion
 
  •  

    You are currently accessing V3 .co.uk via your Enterprise account.

    Personalise your on site experience

    Download and use the apps

    Access your subscription from outside of the office

    Get relevant news and insight straight to your inbox

    • Sign in
 
    • Newsletters
    • Account details
    • Contact support
    • Sign out
 
V3.co.uk
  • Public Sector

Mattel sues over internet blocking software

Mattel has filed a federal lawsuit against two software programmers who have allegedly discovered how to get around the toy maker's CyperPatrol internet blocking software.

  • John Geralds in Silicon Valley
  • 17 March 2000
  • Tweet  
  • Facebook  
  •  
  •  
  • Send to  
0 Comments

Mattel has filed a federal lawsuit against two software programmers who have allegedly discovered how to get around the toy maker's CyberPatrol internet blocking software.

Microsystems Software, part of Mattel's Learning Company division, has asked a judge to order Eddy Jansson and Matthew Skala to stop distributing their Cphack program immediately, after they made the utility freely available for download.

Cphack lists more than 100,000 internet sites that are considered unsuitable for children, and if run on a parent's computer, can release the password, potentially providing minors with access to such sites.

Defendants Jansson and Skala live in Sweden and Canada respectively and the two internet service providers that host the websites are Scandinavia Online AB and Islandnet.com.

The lawsuit, which was filed in Massachusetts, claimed that Jansson and Skala violated US copyright laws by reverse engineering the software. The software licence agreement says users "may not reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble the software", according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit also alleged that the company has suffered "irreparable harm" from these actions. "The practical effect is that children may bypass their parents' efforts to screen out inappropriate materials on the internet," it said.

But Skala said: "I oppose the use of internet filtering software on philosophical grounds. The issue here was to see what CyberPatrol actually blocks. Parents have a right to know what they're getting and without our work, they wouldn't know."

Skala, who attends the University of Victoria in British Columbia, said he spent about six weeks analysing CyberPatrol with Jansson's help via email.

A spokesperson for Mattel said he could not comment on a pending lawsuit.

Mattel is in the process of restructuring its Learning Company subsidiary and is laying off various Interactive Division employees. Mattel acquired the software publisher last year for $3.6bn.

  • Tweet  
  • Facebook  
  •  
  •  
  • Send to  
  • Topics
  • Public Sector

V3 Latest

Citrix launches lawsuit against Workspot over claims of patent infringement
Citrix launches lawsuit against Workspot over claims of patent infringement

Citrix claims Workspot has 'continued to mislead the market' and use Citrix-patented features

  • Cloud Computing
  • 23 April 2018
Researchers develop data transmission technique that could triple broadband speeds
Researchers develop data transmission technique that could triple broadband speeds

Using proven technology from wireless, coax and ADSL/VDSL communication

  • Gadgets
  • 23 April 2018
Government plans crackdown on touts who use automated online tools to buy up tickets in bulk
Government plans crackdown on touts who use automated online tools to buy up tickets in bulk

Touts crowding genuine fans out of the market, claims government

  • Government
  • 23 April 2018
TSB online banking issues lead to customer data leaks
TSB online banking issues lead to customer data leaks

Users complain they haven't been able to access their accounts or withdraw money

  • Networks
  • 23 April 2018
Back to Top

Most read

Citrix launches lawsuit against Workspot over claims of patent infringement
Citrix launches lawsuit against Workspot over claims of patent infringement
AMD Ryzen CPU release dates, specs and price: AMD hints at Ryzen 7 2800X plan to counter 8-core Intel Coffee Lake CPUs
AMD Ryzen CPU release dates, specs and price: AMD hints at Ryzen 7 2800X plan to counter 8-core Intel Coffee Lake CPUs
Oracle: Java SE 8 business users must buy a licence from January next year
Oracle: Java SE 8 business users must buy a licence from January next year
TSB online banking issues lead to customer data leaks
TSB online banking issues lead to customer data leaks
Russia blocks Google IP addresses days after Telegram ban
Russia blocks Google IP addresses days after Telegram ban
  • Contact
  • Marketing solutions
  • Enterprise IT Events
  • About
  • Terms & conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Newsletters
  • Facebook
  • YouTube

© Incisive Business Media (IP) Limited, Published by Incisive Business Media Limited, New London House, 172 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5QR, registered in England and Wales with company registration numbers 09177174 & 09178013

Digital publisher of the year
Digital publisher of the year 2010, 2013, 2016 & 2017