Top home computing stories of 2009

January
The beginning of the year was dominated by concerns over BT’s plans to use the controversial advertising technology Phorm, which monitors the websites visited by internet users in order to show them more relevant adverts. After the end of a test the company said it expected “to move towards deployment”.

Meanwhile, Microsoft released an early testing version of its Windows 7 operating system for the public to try, while Nintendo’s hugely popular Wii games console caused trouble. Molly Elvig of Colorado sued Nintendo for $5m (£3m) after a Wii controller flew from her son’s hand and smashed a television.

February
February saw computer security experts warning of rising infections spreading via USB memory keys. The Conficker worm, still active almost a year later, was exploiting part of Windows called Autorun to spread via USB devices.

The newly arrived head of Ofcom, Dr Collette Bowe, told the Government that everyone in the UK should have the right to access a broadband connection, including those in rural areas where the cost of building the necessary equipment is higher than the revenue companies can collect in subscription charges.

March
In March children’s charities called on the Government to take action to limit access to websites showing images of child abuse. The NSPCC claimed that around 700,000 households were connected to the internet via internet service providers (ISPs) that did not subscribe to the Internet Watch Foundation block list.

Music lovers found themselves up against a different block list as a spat between Youtube and the Performing Right Society (PRS) came to a head. Thousands of music videos were made unavailable in the UK.

April
Fake security software that fools users into paying for unnecessary ‘virus removal’ was a major problem in 2009, and it hit the headlines in April after security company Finjan claimed scammers could earn $10,800 (£7,452) per day.

According to another report, some of those tricked by dodgy software might not even notice they have lost money. Security firm CPP reported that British cardholders were unable to account for more than £10.8bn of transactions in the preceding year, with more than a third of those surveyed unable to account for a fifth of their monthly transactions.