Ebay United Kingdom

The proliferation of Internet-based services and commerce has dramatically changed the world we live in, and many of these changes have been for the better, with consumers able to make almost any transaction imaginable on line. Unfortunately, these computing advances also create a fertile ground for fraudulent activities and thus increase the pressing need for computer security. Testimony included in this hearing includes reports from executives of large software firms (Microsoft, Oracle), as well as major vendors (eBay and others). Issues covered include not only fraudulent scams, spam and viruses, but the threat of identity theft, and possible means to address these threats. ... [Read More]

Ireland

At end-2004, 490 IDA-assisted U.S. companies were operating in Ireland, employing 89,158 workers, representing roughly 75 percent of the total number of workers employed by IDA-supported foreign firms and 5 percent of total Irish employment. In 2003, Ireland secured 64 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, and, of these, 65 percent were by U.S. firms, including: Google, Overture, Ebay, PayPal, Centorcor, and Altera. The following U.S. firms are engaged in major expansion projects: Intel, Symantec, Wyeth, MBNA, Abbott, Cenzyme, Medtronic, Xilinx, Pepsi, Guidant, Merit Medical, Cook, and Pfizer. There are 120 companies with R&D investment plans in Ireland for the 2003-2005 period, and of these, 70 percent are U.S. firms, including, notably, IBM, HP, and Bell Labs. The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that U.S. companies' average return on investment (ROI) in Ireland is 24 percent. ... [Read More]