Most people can recognize Microsoft founder Bill Gates and know that hashtags belong in tweets, but are confused about whether having a privacy policy means that a company actually keeps consumer information confidential, according to a new Pew Research study released Tuesday.

The results underscore what many techies say is a growing problem for the U.S.: a generation reliant on the convenience that technology brings, but with little understanding of the risks of conducting nearly every transaction using zeroes and ones.

Twitter is expanding its reach into commerce with a new tool called "Offers."

Advertisers can post promotions and discounts in users' Twitter feeds, whether or not the users follow those merchants on the short-messaging service.

Internet mogul Kim Dotcom, accused of pocketing more than U.S.$175 million from pirated copies of movies and other material, claimed Wednesday he was broke and facing jail in New Zealand.

In a live video link from his New Zealand mansion to the UnBound Digital conference in England, the German-born entrepreneur said he had no money left to defend himself at a bail hearing in Auckland on Thursday.

Affordable access to the Internet should be a human right, as it represents hope for political freedom and economic prosperity to many around the world, according to a survey Monday.

Most people also do not want any one nation or organization to manage this global network of computers, in order to prevent crackdowns on free speech and political expression.

Struggling Sony warned Thursday it needs to carry out years of root and branch reform before it can turn around its battered smartphone arm.

The Japanese consumer giant, fresh from revealing a 172 billion yen ($1.5 billion) operating loss in the mobile communication segment for the latest quarter, said painful changes lay ahead.

Facebook's move to fulfill its ambition to be the personal "newspaper" for its billion-plus members is likely to mean more woes for the ailing news media.

The huge social network has become a key source of news for many users, as part of a dramatic shift in how people get information in the digital age.

A highly sophisticated cyberspying tool has been used since 2008 to steal information from governments, businesses and others, security researchers said Monday.

The security firm Symantec said the malware, known as Regin, was seen "in systematic spying campaigns against a range of international targets," including governments infrastructure operators, businesses, researchers and private individuals.

Aereo, an online startup that tried to offer a cheaper alternative to cable TV, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection less than five months after an unfavorable ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The company backed by media mogul Barry Diller allowed people to watch and record broadcast TV online for $8 a month on tablets, phones and other gadgets. Unlike Hulu and other online video services, Aereo offered live streaming of broadcast channels.

A U.S. judge signed off Friday on Apple's $450 million legal deal to compensate consumers harmed by an illegal price-fixing conspiracy for electronic books.

The settlement negotiated to avoid trial in the civil case brought by authorities in 33 states calls on Apple to reimburse consumers to the tune of about $400 million and then pay legal costs and fees.

Google on Thursday began rolling out a way for people to support websites they frequent and, in return, be rewarded with ad-free pages.

A "Google Contributor" experiment was introduced with a handful of partners including tech news website Mashable and The Onion, which is known for clever satires.