Short Takes

By Saya Weissman • April 5, 2011 •

Security breach: a hacker infiltrated online marketer Epsilon, which controls the customer email databases for U.S. companies, from banks and retailers to student-testing organizations. Customers of effected companies have been warned via email about the data breach. Reuters
AmEx is launching an analytics tool in the UK to help businesses harness their data for strategic growth plans. MarketingWeek
Bloomberg opened up NYC’s data to tech entrepreneurs so that they could compete to create the best new web and mobile apps that would use the data in cool and useful ways. The $10,000 grand prize went to Roadify, an app that sends alerts about subway, bus, and driving conditions. CNN
Swiss courts ruled against Google’s Street View map service in Switzerland, saying that the services infringes on privacy. WSJ
A grand jury investigation is looking into smartphone apps that shared personal data without the users’ knowledge or permission. Fast Compnay