According to the latest rules, all internet cafes in Beijing must install cameras to record the identities of their internet users, who must by law be 18 or over. There are more than 250 million internet users in China, approximately 10 times more than there were in 2000.

Brussels wants to pave the way for possibly the biggest revolution that the Web has ever seen: the emergence of an Internet of Things, whereby objects have a virtual identity and communicate between each other to provide services of every kind, from healthcare to transport security.

At present, four separate EU directives cover consumer rights, some dating from two decades ago and therefore predating the era of Internet shopping.

Google lost two copyright cases in Germany on Monday but the search company reportedly plans to appeal.

New Zealand: A controversial clause in the Copyright Act due to come into force in February could be changed if ICT groups and copyright owners can reach a compromise.