Security concerns cost US e-tailers $2bn

A Gartner survey concludes that $2 billion in e-commerce sales will be lost in the US in 2006 because of consumer's concerns about the security of the Internet.

"The research group said recent security breaches (online and offline) are having a significant impact on buying patterns of US adults," writes ITNews Online.

Gartner surveyed 5 000 online US adults in August, and found that nearly half of online US adults, or 46% of more than 155 million people, said that concerns about theft of information, data breaches or Internet-based attacks have affected e-commerce behaviour.

The head of the UN's Environment Programme (UNEP) has reportedly lashed out at the world's richest nations, accusing them of dumping huge quantities of hazardous electronic waste on poor African countries.

Achim Steiner was speaking in Nairobi at the opening of a week-long conference to review the Basel Convention (aimed at reducing the movement of all types of hazardous waste), reports BBC News.

UNEP estimates that up to 50 million tonnes of waste from discarded electronic goods is generated annually; and the article adds that improper disposal of e-waste can release hazardous chemicals and heavy metals into the environment.

Red Hat, the world's largest Linux distributor, says it expects its shares to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) from 12 December.

This is according to News.Com, which says the stock will be listed under the RHT symbol.

The move "will increase Red Hat's visibility among investors, reduce trading volatility and offer more efficient pricing," says CFO Charlie Peters in a statement.

Goal-line technology will be in place in time for the 2007 Club World Cup in Tokyo, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said yesterday, according to The Guardian.

"The head of soccer's global governing body told reporters that a FIFA committee was assessing various forms of technology, but that whatever they plump for will be operational at the event next December," reads the article.

FIFA is reportedly studying two methods: camera-based goal-line technology, and a "smartball" containing a computer chip - which was tested at the under-17 World Championship in Peru last year.