Seattle recently played home to Gnomedex 5, a gathering of bloggers, publishers and developers interested in the intersection of technology and publishing.

There was a lot to report on from Gnomedex. Developer and influential blogger Dave Winer discussed his latest work, and his vision for the future of the web. Microsoft gave the first public demo of Internet Explorer 7, and introduced their plans for embracing RSS within Longhorn, the next version of Windows. Adam Curry discussed podcasting, and how podcasters and bloggers want to “take back our media”.

While there was a lot to talk about on-stage, the most interesting aspect of the conference was the new paradigm for conferencing, public relations and publishing that was being demo’d at the conference.

Offsite Link: Gnomedex 5 demos future of conferences

In case dealing with Internet security issues and staying current with Internet technology is not enough to worry about, a new study out of the UK suggests that using the Internet can reduce your intelligence.

The study, sponsored by Hewlett Packard, finds that two-thirds of adults are “addicted” to checking their email and electronic messages, even outside office hours and on holidays. Half of those surveyed will respond to email within 60 minutes, and one in five are happy to interrupt a business or social meeting to respond to email or phone messages.

The study characterizes this messaging addition as “info-mania”. The most worrisome finding of the study, though, is the effect that “info-mania” has on workers’ measured intelligence.

Offsite Link: Does using the Internet reduce your intelligence?

Phishing and other cyber attacks are undermining consumer confidence in online commerce, according to a recent Gartner report. These cyber attacks may also have a direct effect on the growth of ecommerce.

Three out of every four online shoppers surveyed said they are more cautious about where they buy goods online, and one out of three reports buying fewer items than they otherwise would, because of security concerns.

“Companies need to take steps quickly to beef up online security,” states Gartner’s Avivah Litan. “Businesses cannot rely on the Internet to lower costs and improve marketing efforts indefinitely if consumer trust continues to decline.”

Offsite Link: Cyber attacks hindering growth of ecommerce