NEW YORK - US INTERNET advertising revenue climbed in the fourth quarter in spite of the poor economy, but the growth rate was sluggish compared to previous years, according to an analysis released on Monday.

The report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau and PricewaterhouseCoopers said that revenue from online ads - which companies like Google and Yahoo heavily rely on - totaled US$6 billion (S$9 billion) in the last three months of 2008.

BOSTON - FRAUD on the Internet reported to US authorities increased by 33 per cent last year, rising for the first time in three years, and is surging this year as the recession deepens, federal authorities said on Monday.

Internet fraud losses reported in the United States reached a record high US$265 million (S$404 million) in 2008, according to a report released on Monday from the Internet Fraud Complaint Center, run by the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center.

BRUSSELS - SOME Internet companies are abusing consumers' personal data and this cannot be allowed to continue, a top European Union official will warn the industry on Tuesday.

Consumer Affairs Commissioner Meglena Kuneva will threaten EU intervention to set tougher rules on how Internet users' personal data is collected, analysed and shared by search engines and service providers.