Amazon sales rise in holiday quarter, shares jump

By Deepa Seetharaman SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Amazon.com Inc reported stronger than expected earnings on Thursday as North American sales surged during the crucial holiday quarter, sending its shares up 9 percent. The online commerce giant, which gets about a third of its revenue from October to December, reported earnings of 45 cents a share, trouncing Wall Street's average prediction for 17 cents

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U.S. insurance regulators aim to improve consumer cybersecurity protections

(Reuters) – The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has created a cybersecurity task force to increase protection of consumer information collected by insurers and held by state insurance departments as well as to monitor the cyber insurance market. The NAIC is the group through which state insurance regulators coordinate regulatory oversight for areas including health, life, property and other types of insurance

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Revenge porn website permanently barred by FTC

By Diane Bartz WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The owner of a “revenge porn site,” IsAnybodyDown.com, has agreed to not publish any nude pictures without the consent of the subject and to destroy his collection, the Federal Trade Commission said on Thursday. Craig Brittain, who opened his website in 2011 and closed it in 2013 after a blast of publicity, had solicited pictures of women he met on sites such as Craigslist, the FTC said in its complaint.

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Security software maker AVG approached by possible buyers: WSJ

(Reuters) – AVG Technologies NV has been approached by potential buyers amid a wave of deals for security-software makers, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. There is no formal sale process, but should there be a deal, it would likely come together in the coming months, according to the report.

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