More Federal Open Source Appreciated, If it Behaves (FCW)
Tech groups weigh in on the White House’s new proposed policy to make software code used by federal agencies open source.  While many are voicing support, there is still concern that certain types of software that will be required to be made open source should not be made so.

German Court Ruling Threatens Apple’s Video Services (Reuters)
Apple was found by a German district court to have violated patents from the Swiss security company, Kudelski that are related to its video-streaming services.  Now there is pressure on Apple to seek a licensing deal with Kudelski unless it simply disables these features.

TP-Link Blocks Open Source Router Firmware to Comply with New FCC Rule (Ars Technica)
Due to an FCC rule to limit interference through preventing certain user modifications relating to radio frequency parameters, TP-Link says it will not allow for the loading of open source firmware on any routers it sells in the United States.

Amazon Wants the Patent for Pay-By-Selfie (ReCode)
Amazon filed a patent application for a process that would allow consumers to verify transactions with their selfies rather than a traditional password or pin.  This is so users can still make purchases in a more secure fashion as many users do not remember their passwords and store such sensitive information on their devices.

U.S. Still Leader in Patent Filings (AFP)
The United States was the world’s leader in patent filings in 2015.  In second and third places were Japan and China respectively.  U.S. patent filings went down by 6.7 percent in 2015 compared to 2014.

Christopher Mohr is General Counsel and VP, Intellectual Property Policy & Enforcement at SIIA.