God knows how much local consumers need protection from unscrupulous business operators who give entrepreneurship a bad name. Like a long laundry list, the foul activities of some businesses range from over-pricing to selling of sub-quality products to downright fraud.

There are instances, however, when governments can go overboard with its efforts to protect consumers and other businesses. Too much government interference, for example, can stifle innovation and creativity in the private sector.

Take the case of Microsoft. Undoubtedly, some of the government actions taken against the software giant were justified. The behemoth from Washington, in most cases, deserved the lawsuits and sanctions that befell it. But, I guess, any reasonable men and women out there would agree that some complaints filed against Bill Gates’ company cross the border of being trivial, even vindictive.

This comes to mind as the European Union once again is investigating allegations that the software company had illegally taken advantage of its market position to crush rival Internet browsers and competing software vendors whose businesses depend on Microsoft products. Last year, a court ruled in favor of an EU complaint against Microsoft, declaring the company guilty of bruising its way into other software markets with the use of its near-monopoly of the desktop operating system market.

So, is this a good or bad thing for consumers? Only the results of the probes would tell. But this early, I cannot help but think that it is getting to be a predictable pattern. Microsoft launches a new product, lawsuits and probes come next. It is either the software giant is the evil empire its rivals claim it is, or somebody cannot hack it without governments and courts backing them up.

I guess, some people out there would say they knew it was coming. After all, there have been a number of Web sites and software products designed to help students write essays for their school work. Now comes a software designed to help teachers in grading their students’ handwritten essays.

A project of computer scientists from the University at Buffalo’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the university’s Graduate School of Education, the software may also help students enhance their reading comprehension.

I guess, the Professional Regulation Commission should keep an eye on this software technology. After all, that government agency can use something like this in grading the essay parts of the licensure examinations it regularly administers, taking out the guesswork on test results in the process.

Social networking Web site MySpace has entered into a deal with attorneys general from 45 states to "help prevent sexual predators and others from misusing it," according to an Associated Press report. Previously, there have been many reports of incidents involving sexual predators disguising themselves as teenagers to get in contact with children.

Terms of the agreement also call for creation of a working group to come up with technologies that would protect MySpace users from sexual predators and similar characters.

Soon, when your MySpace contacts and friends say they are 16 years old they won’t likely turn out as some balding guys in their 40s who cannot get themselves a proper date.

Still, do not let your guard down. Parents, keep watch of your children’s Internet activities. After all, it’s a wild, wild online world.

That’s all for the meantime, folks. Join me again next time as we keep on watching IT.