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Internet news reader programs (also known as "news aggregators") allow a web user to monitor the posting of new content on numerous websites or blogs automatically. Many news readers are available as freeware or at nominal cost. Generally, they trigger an alert when new content is available, display a headline and provide a direct link to the article or news story. Most resemble email programs and some can be integrated into such email programs as Microsoft's Outlook.
News readers receive their information streams via RSS feeds. RSS ("Rich Site Summary" - occasionally referred to as "Really Simple Syndication") is becoming increasingly popular as a format due to the time it saves in keeping current with several websites daily. Many free or low cost news readers can be downloaded from the Web. A comprehensive list is available at the Open Directory Project.
RSS feeds may also be viewed through Internet browsers without the need for installing additional software via specialized websites, which allow you to maintain your own personal set of RSS subscriptions. One such free Web service is Bloglines.
Content in Fraud Update is distributed in a continuously updated RSS feed available by clicking the orange RSS feed button available throughout the site. (The summary value in this feed is intentionally left blank to allow the option available on many news readers of displaying the targeted record automatically.)
Additional information about news readers and RSS feeds is available in an article entitled, "RSS For Non-Techie Librarians," By Steven M. Cohen at the Library Resource Exchange website. More technical details are available from the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School.
The Fraud Update RSS feed can be accessed through this button:
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