Don't forget to check out http://auda.org.au/domain-news/ for today's edition of the complete domain news, including an RSS feed - already online! Headlines from the February 15 edition of the news include: ICANN Opens 31st International Public Meeting in New Delhi | Proposal: Yes to Dot-Pdf, No to Dot-123 | au: Domain Administration Needs Dispute Resolution Process | InternetNZ members back name-change | DNS Inventor Warns of Next Big Threat | Phishing attacks could be undetectable | UDRP: Lack of Use of a Domain is NOT Always a Defense | What's in a name? Cybersquatting case has an answer | The Futility of IPv4 Address Recycling by Larry Seltzer And see my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for daily updates in between postings. *************************************************** The domain name news is supported by auDA *************************************************** 2nd Summer School on Internet Governance (SSIG), Meissen, Germany, July 25 - August, 31, 2007 http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=3945 ICANN 31st International Public Meeting in New Delhi [This] Week http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-07feb08.htm Conclusion of JPA: ICANN CEO's message http://blog.icann.org/?p=274 ICANN Recovers Large Block of Internet Address Space http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-10feb08.htm Update on the 2008 ICANN Nominating Committee http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-3-10feb08.htm What is the JPA? by Bret Fausett http://blog.lextext.com/blog/_archives/2008/2/8/3512586.html .Asia Sunrise Completed with Over 30,000 Domain Applications [news release] http://www.domainpulse.com/2008/02/07/asia-sunrise-completed-with-over-30000-domain-applications/ Chinese hackers attack Australian govt networks [AAP] http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Chinese-hackers-attack-Australian-govt-networks/0,139023166,339285777,00.htm Ricky Ponting settles fake website case [AAP] http://news.smh.com.au/ricky-ponting-settles-fake-website-case/20080208-1qzk.html http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,23179792-2722,00.html Beware of Fake Domain Name Renewal Notices by Tucows' James Koole http://about.tucows.com/2008/02/07/beware-of-fake-domain-name-renewal-notices/ Domain Name Game Still Going Strong; Tad Less Secretive http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/newstex/IBD-0001-22895497.htm ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** 2nd Summer School on Internet Governance (SSIG), Meissen, Germany, July 25-31, 2008 Do you want to understand, how and by whom the Internet is governed and what the issues are which have made Internet Governance as one of the new global conflicts of the diplomacy of the 21st century? Do you want to know what the political, economic, social and legal implications of Internet Governance are and what is behind ICANN, RIRs, ccTLDs, gTLDs, iDNs, IPv6, IGF, WGIG and WSIS ? Do want to get more detailed information on how technical Internet Standards, Protocols and Codes, how the Domain Name System and the IP Address Space or the Domain Name market is evolving? Than you should apply for the "2008 Summer School on Internet Governance" (SSIG). http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=3945 http://www.domainpulse.com/2008/02/08/825/ http://www.domainnews.com/general/2008022452/ ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** ICANN 31st International Public Meeting in New Delhi [This] Week ICANN will open its 31 st International Public Meeting on 11 February 2008 in New Delhi, India, a country and a region certain to be a the forefront of the waves of changes coming to the Internet. "India and Asia are at the heart of the Internet?s future ? a future that ICANN is working on as we speak," said Peter Dengate Thrush, ICANN?s Board Chairman. "Internet penetration in India is at just over five percent and growing fast ? considering that one per cent is 11 million people coming online. ICANN?s work on Internationalized Domain Names and new top-level domains has the potential to reach out to rest of India and begin remaking the Internet as people connect in their own languages and scripts." http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-07feb08.htm Conclusion of JPA: ICANN CEO's message ... The international board of ICANN believes that ICANN is fulfilling the responsibilities it assumed in the JPA back in 2006. Moreover, the move towards greater community ownership has led to more effective and more efficient policy development. As such, ICANN believes it is now time to take the next logical step and recognize the successful completion of the joint project agreement. This will not change the way things are done now to coordinate the internet?s addressing system. http://blog.icann.org/?p=274 ICANN Recovers Large Block of Internet Address Space ICANN has found a little breathing room in the IPv4 address space with its recovery of a block of 16 million IPv4 addresses. The IP addresses recovered were once used to connect older protocol packet-data networks with the fledgling Internet. The block of addresses, technically referred to as 14.0.0.0/8, is also known as Net-14. http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-10feb08.htm ICANN: Independent Evaluator Seeks Public Input to At-Large Advisory Committee ('ALAC') Review Westlake Consulting Limited (WCL) was selected by ICANN's Board of Directors to conduct an independent review of the At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) . WCL's review team is gathering information from many different sources, including a series of in-person discussions and briefings at the ICANN meeting in New Delhi, from 10-14 February. WCL will conduct further interviews in person and electronically with a range of people who have an interest, directly or indirectly, in the ALAC, with a view to achieving the objectives of the Review: http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-10feb08.htm Update on the 2008 ICANN Nominating Committee This is an update on the progress of the 2008 ICANN Nominating Committee. The 2008 Nominating Committee began its work in November 2007 following the ICANN Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, California, and is actively seeking qualified candidates for the following key positions within ICANN: http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-3-10feb08.htm What is the JPA? by Bret Fausett With the NTIA's mid-term review of ICANN's performance under the JPA underway, and ICANN writing to the United States to say "the JPA is no longer necessary and can be concluded," you might well ask yourself, "What is the JPA?" I did, and I'm as steeped in this as anyone. My guess is that I'm not the only one who is confused. http://blog.lextext.com/blog/_archives/2008/2/8/3512586.html India to focus on IDNS in ICANN international meet India will focus on introduction of IDNS for Indian languages in the first international meeting of ICANN, a body charged with overseeing Internets addressing system. http://www.deepikaglobal.com/ENG5_sub.asp?ccode=ENG5&newscode=13969 ICANN TO HOLD ITS FIRST INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC MEETING IN NEW DELHI FROM MONDAY [news release] ICANN is holding its 31st International Public Meeting in New Delhi beginning next Monday. This is the first meeting of the ICANN in India and it assumes significance as India is fast emerging as a country and a region at the forefront of the waves of changes to the Internet. http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=35235 http://www.indlawnews.com/6648615E43D8C4B9E9A622DA3877D898 Government to push for Indian language IDNs at ICANN Meet With the internet growing at a rocketing speed in India and the country at the forefront of technology change, ICANN is holding its international public meeting in New Delhi. The meeting, beginning on February 11, will conclude on February 15, with top people from government and private sector participating in it. An important issue, which is likely to be discussed prominently in this meeting, is a workshop on Internationalised Domain Names (IDNs) in Indian languages and scripts. http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=130058 Internet Corporation meeting in New Delhi ICANN will hold its 31st international public meeting here on February 11. This is the first meeting of the ICANN in India and it assumes significance as India is fast emerging as a country and a region at the forefront of the waves of changes to the Internet. http://www.dailyindia.com/show/214405.php/Internet-Corporation-meeting-in-New-Delhi http://www.thecheers.org/news/South-Asia/news_10800_Internet-Corporation-meeting-in-New-Delhi.html ISOC position on the ICANN Joint Project As noted earlier, The Joint Project Agreement (JPA) between the United States government and ICANN will have a mid-term review in March. As part of this review, the US government put out a Notice of Inquiry asking for comments on the continued transition to the private sector. ISOC has issued a draft statement that recommends, contrary to ICANN?s desire to complete the process forthwith, that the agreement be allowed to run its full course. http://www.isoc-ny.org/?p=130 ********************** - (cc)TLD NEWS ********************** .Asia Sunrise Completed with Over 30,000 Domain Applications [news release] Application periods for .Asia Sunrise successfully completed according to schedule last week on January 31, 2008. At the time of closing, DotAsia received a total of 30,780 domain name applications. These include domain names received through Pre-Sunrise, Sunrise 1, Sunrise 2, Sunrise 3, as well as the Pioneer Domains Programs. .Asia Landrush (open public registration) is set to launch at 12:00 noon UTC, February 20, 2008. http://dotasia.org/pressreleases/DotAsia-PR-SunriseComplete-2008-02-06_EN.pdf http://www.domainnews.com/registries/2008022431/asia-sunrise-completed-with-over-30000-domain-applications/ http://www.domainpulse.com/2008/02/07/asia-sunrise-completed-with-over-30000-domain-applications/ NIC Costa Rica to Release Second Level Domains NIC Costa Rica logoNIC Costa Rica will be releasing its second level ?.cr? domains. Starting in the near future (starting date not yet announced), they will hold a 90-day Sunrise for registrants of third level domains so they can secure their second level equivalents. After that, they will release the second level to all interested parties. http://www.domainpulse.com/2008/02/09/nic-costa-rica-to-release-second-level-domains/ http://www.domainnews.com/registries/2008022460/ AFNIC Sets Up a 24/7 Registration System for .fr Domains [news release] Since November 27th 2007, .fr domain names are directly published in the AFNIC's Whois directory (www.afnic.fr/outils/whois), at the moment of their creation, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. http://www.afnic.fr/actu/nouvelles/general/NN20080205_en http://www.afnic.fr/actu/nouvelles/general/NN20080205_fr [French] AFNIC No Longer Publishes List of Newly Registered .fr Domain Names [news release] Since 2000, the AFNIC publishes on its website the list of .fr domain names registered in the last 30 days. This list initially thought to inform has been used in different ways that must be supervised legaly. http://www.afnic.fr/actu/nouvelles/general/NN20080201_en http://www.afnic.fr/actu/nouvelles/general/NN20080201 [French] IE Domain Registry IPv6 Ready The IEDR welcomes the introduction of IPv6 root nameservers by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). IPv6 transition is a critical step in ensuring the resilience, expansion and future development of the internet. http://www.irishdev.com/NewsArticle.aspx?id=6158 The IEDR welcomes the introduction of IPv6 root nameserver addresses by IANA [news release] The IEDR welcomes the introduction of IPv6 root nameserver addresses by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). IPv6 transition is a critical step in ensuring the resilience, expansion and future development of the internet. http://www.iedr.ie/NEWS/News-07Feb08.php jp: The M-Root DNS server has its IPv6 address registered in the root zone, making DNS queries in IPv6 possible, and further accelerating transition to IPv6 [news release] The WIDE Project (Representative: Jun Murai, Vice President, Keio University and Prof., Faculty of Environmental Information, Keio University) and Japan Registry Services Co., Ltd. (JPRS; Chiyoda-ku Tokyo; President: Koki Higashida) announced that the IPv6 address of M-Root DNS server, a jointly operated Root DNS server under responsibility of WIDE Project, has been registered with the Root zone by IANA. This registration enables DNS queries in IPv6 to Root DNS servers, and it is expected that it triggers the deployment of the IPv6. http://jprs.co.jp/en/press/20080205-e.html '90 Percent Internet Fraud Targeted Mr Kalu Ndukwe of the Nigerian Internet registration Association, NIRA has stated that over 90% of internet scams in the country is targeted at the financial sector. Ndukwe who made the disclosure in Lagos while unveiling the policies and structures that will guide the Nigerian Internet community. reiterated that NIRA holds every domain in trust for Nigerians. http://allafrica.com/stories/200802070366.html Nominet Retains First Class Star Status with Best Companies Workplace Award [news release] Nominet, the .uk domain name registry, has retained its 'First Class Star Status' Accreditation by Best Companies Ltd. The accreditation is based on a 'Michelin-style' star rating system and focuses on employee engagement with their organisation and acknowledges companies that provide an excellent working environment for its employees. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/releases/?contentId=4772 Nominet EPP goes live [news release] Nominet launched their Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP) service on February 4. This service gives registrars another method of registering and maintaining .uk domain names. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=4768 ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Chinese hackers attack Australian govt networks [AAP] Chinese computer hackers have once again been accused of launching attacks on classified Australian government computer networks. The cyberattacks have prompted an internal review of IT security, Fairfax newspapers report. The federal government will spend $70 million to improve IT security this year, a figure that could be increased after the recent spate of hackings. http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Chinese-hackers-attack-Australian-govt-networks/0,139023166,339285777,00.htm ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Ricky Ponting settles fake website case [AAP] Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has settled a damages claim over a fake website. http://news.smh.com.au/ricky-ponting-settles-fake-website-case/20080208-1qzk.html http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,23179792-2722,00.html http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23180122-662,00.html http://news.theage.com.au/ricky-ponting-settles-fake-website-case/20080208-1qzk.html Fake website case: Ponting agrees to out of court settlement Ricky Ponting has agreed for an out of court settlement in his suit against a company which owned a fake website bearing his name. http://sports.in.msn.com/cricket/stories/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1231744 http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Ponting-settles-out-of-court-in-fake-website-case/270657/ http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/E2F909370CF7EE92652573E90023AB01 au: Ponting's website suit settled out of court Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has resolved a damages' claim over a fake website. http://thatscricket.oneindia.in/news/2008/02/08/0802ponting-resolves-fake-website-suit.html Amazon Bullying Kindle Sites? Jason Schramm registered the domain KindleReport.com a while ago to report on Amazon?s ebook, the Kindle*. Jason also has an Amazon affiliate (aka Amazon Associates) account, which makes him some spare change when people buy Amazon stuff through his site. Sounds like Jason is a double-win for Amazon ? he provides a Kindle resource and also sells Amazon stuff. Right? Not quite, according to Amazon?s lawyers. They sent Jason the following letter signed with ?Amazon.com Account Specialist?: http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2008-02-08-n81.html What A Difference A Space Can Make In Cyber-Space!: The Ninth Circuit?s Trademark Decision In Perfumebay.Com v ebay The Ninth Circuit in Perfumebay.com Inc. v. EBay Inc, Case No. 05-56794 (9th Cir. Nov. 5th, 2007) was asked to decide which versions of the mark "Perfumebay" infringed upon the trademark "eBay", both being web-based shopping sites selling perfume. The Court affirmed the District Court?s ruling that the version "perfumebay" as a conjoined term is confusingly similar to "eBay," but rejected eBay?s contention of infringement against non-conjoined versions of the Defendant?s name in which the two terms are merely separated by a space ? like "Perfume Bay." In this case the Ninth Circuit upheld the District Court?s refusal to enjoin non-conjoined terms, on the basis that they were not likely to confuse or to dilute. http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=54828 ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** The great phone book in the sky: Web users should give thanks for humble men with beards and sandals Sometimes, a system works so well that we barely notice it. Twenty-five years ago this year, the Domain Name System was developed by Paul Mockapetris and Jon Postel. Most internet users will not know what this is, but anyone browsing the web or receiving email is relying on the good functioning of DNS. So, it's worth understanding a little bit about it. http://www.newstatesman.com/200802070041 IPv6: Do as I Say or Do as I Do? By Dan Campbell How important is it for a vendor, service provider or integrator to be using a service or technology that it is pushing on its clients? When Voice over IP (VoIP) came out Cisco began a gigantic push, having its salespersons pitch it to anyone and everyone on their client list. But Cisco had not yet deployed VoIP within its own corporate network. It was still making use of traditional voice systems from vendors that today it probably considers competitors. Many people on the receiving end of a sales pitch recognized this. http://www.circleid.com/posts/ipv6_do_as_i_say/ Businesses should not delay move to IPv6, caution experts While studies indicate North American IT managers don't yet feel any pressing need to switch over to IPv6, experts say it's advisable for businesses to get started now. http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/en/home/News.asp?id=47066 F5 warns organisations to plan carefully on IPv6 F5 Networks, Inc., the global leader in Application Delivery Networking, today warns organisations not to take a migration to IPv6 lightly and consider the resources required to make a smooth transition possible, in light of the news that ICANN, the organisation responsible for managing the Internet?s addressing system, has started to add addresses in the new format to its servers. http://www.bobsguide.com/guide/news/2008/Feb/8/F5_warns_organisations_to_plan_carefully_on_IPv6.html ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Time Warner, Yahoo Team Up to Cybersquat Time Warner?s Road Runner internet service has teamed up with Yahoo to typosquat on millions of unregistered domain names. The feature from the two companies is called ?Web Address Error Redirect Service? and automatically sends web users to a page full of search ads if they type in a web address that does not exist. It appears to override customer?s own preferences in their browsers for what to do if an address doesn?t exist. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/02/09/time-warner-yahoo-team-up-to-cybersquat/ Beware of Fake Domain Name Renewal Notices by Tucows' James Koole Domain name renewal schemes are nothing new - we?ve been dealing with them for years - but we figured it wouldn?t be a bad idea to bring them to your attention once again. A quick Google search brings up thousands of examples. http://about.tucows.com/2008/02/07/beware-of-fake-domain-name-renewal-notices/ This modern life: Calling it quits. Is the world running out of new names? On top of fears that the world will run out of ice caps and oil this century is the added worry that it will run out of nice names for new things. The theory is that quickening global communication and commerce, conducted in such a way as to avoid nomenclatic repetition, trademark clashes or offensive meaning in any language, will eventually result in every possible private and brand name being used up. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/feb/10/1 ********************** - DOMAINING ********************** Domain Roundtable focus is on networking by Susan Prosser Conferences: fantastic for networking ease and relaying new information. They are, nonetheless, also posing challenges for the future. The obstacle has more to do with character, and less to do with charisma, anymore. As new conferences fill the industry?s calendars, it only stands to reason that people will be choosy about where they spend their time - and their dollars. That is, a conference should really be a worthwhile experience. So, as industry conferences come of age, they are simultaneously put in a position to find a marketable identity. http://blog.domaintools.com/2008/02/domain-roundtable-focus-is-on-networking/ DomainersToolbar Makes Accessing Domain Sites Easy If you?re like me, you spend much of your day surfing to the various domain news sites, marketplaces such as Sedo and Afternic, and forums looking for good domain deals and heated discussions. It?s tedious. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/02/08/domainerstoolbar-makes-accessing-domain-sites-easy/ ********************** - AFTERMARKET ********************** Around the World in 7 Days with Sedo's Online [news release] Sedo would like to invite you to embark on a journey across some of the world?s greatest global and travel-related domain name terrain. This ?Around the World in 7 Days? auction will allow you to harness your inner explorer, and stake claim on the secondary domain market?s finest real estate. http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=1650&tracked=&partnerid=&language=us Domain Name Game Still Going Strong; Tad Less Secretive People scoffed when investment firm eCompanies paid $7.5 million for the Web address business.com in 1999 from a person who had paid $150,000 for it. http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/newstex/IBD-0001-22895497.htm http://biz.yahoo.com/ibd/080208/tech.html Moniker.com Completes $4.5 Millon Sale Moniker.com recently announced the largest group domain name sale of 2008, with $4.5 million worth of domains being sold. The combined sale, including the developed site Bored.com for $4 million as well as another 170 domains, was the second multi-million dollar sale reported by Moniker this year. http://www.domainnamenews.com/up-to-the-minute/monikercom-completes-the-largest-domain-name-sale-of-the-year/1429 Domain Roundtable focus is on networking Conferences: fantastic for networking ease and relaying new information. They are, nonetheless, also posing challenges for the future. The obstacle has more to do with character, and less to do with charisma, anymore. As new conferences fill the industry?s calendars, it only stands to reason that people will be choosy about where they spend their time - and their dollars. That is, a conference should really be a worthwhile experience. So, as industry conferences come of age, they are simultaneously put in a position to find a marketable identity. http://blog.domaintools.com/2008/02/domain-roundtable-focus-is-on-networking/ How Did Pool Score Shoppers.com? A Glitch. Pool sold Shoppers.com for over $166,000 this week, but the name should have been exclusive to NameJet. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/02/07/how-did-pool-score-shopperscom/ The Question of Domain Parking Arbitrage Leonard Holmes of ParkQuick.com discusses domain parking arbitrage. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/02/07/the-question-of-domain-parking-arbitrage/ Leap Day Auction by Jay Westerdal We are holding a February 29th live auction. The criteria is pretty simple, we are looking for the best domains at or under $250 reserves. I don?t know how many I will accept, but if I think the domain is worth over $2000 and the reserve is listed at $250 I will pop it into the auction. http://blog.domaintools.com/2008/02/leap-day-auction/ ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Behind the Great Chinese Firewall 210 million Chinese have web access and any day now China will have more users than the US. But instead of spreading freedom, the net has been tamed by Beijing's iron grip http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/feb/09/internet.china Caught in the Web: A cultural critic - and former blogger - looks at the Internet and finds nothing good. ... Siegel's book is a jeremiad against the ills the Internet has visited upon our lives. He raises important points, many of them previously made by others but forcefully recapitulated here: the Web's role in promoting social isolation; the confusion of popularity -- voting for favorites -- with true democracy; the economic motives driving the Web, and the use of "participatory culture" as a lure for customers; the constant delivery of undigested information bits, knowledge "withering away into information." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/07/AR2008020702946.html Internet service restored in Mideast and Asia [Reuters] Services on two of three broken undersea cables providing Internet services to parts of the Middle East and Asia have been restored and repairs on the third were nearly complete Sunday, the cables' operators said. http://iht.com/articles/2008/02/10/business/cable.php http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKL0872927920080208 Anchor caused cut in Internet cable in Persian Gulf, cause of Mediterranean cuts still unknown [AP] An abandoned anchor was responsible for cutting one of the undersea Internet cables severed last week, causing disruptions across the Middle East and parts of Asia, the cable's owner said Friday. http://news.smh.com.au/anchor-caused-cut-in-internet-cable-in-persian-gulf-cause-of-mediterranean-cuts-still-unknown/20080209-1r6b.html http://news.theage.com.au/anchor-caused-cut-in-internet-cable-in-persian-gulf-cause-of-mediterranean-cuts-still-unknown/20080209-1r6b.html One cable cut explained, but 4 others still a mystery [AFP] A ship's anchor severed one undersea Internet cable damaged last week, it was revealed on Thursday amid ongoing outages in the Middle East and South Asia, but mystery shrouds what caused another four reported cuts. There has been speculation that five cables being cut in almost as many days was too much of a coincidence and that sabotage must have been involved. http://news.theage.com.au/one-internet-cut-explained-but-four-others-still-a-mystery/20080208-1qx0.html http://news.smh.com.au/one-internet-cut-explained-but-four-others-still-a-mystery/20080208-1qx0.html Password pain looks set to ease Using your favourite websites and services could soon mean memorising far fewer passwords. Tech giants Microsoft, IBM, Google and Yahoo have joined the board of the Open ID Foundation which aims to streamline login systems across the web. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7234499.stm ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Facebook can ruin your life. And so can MySpace, Bebo... In the judicial backwater of a New Jersey federal court, a case is being heard that nominally affects two families but should also make millions of Britons think twice about something they do every day: put highly personal information on Facebook, MySpace or Bebo. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/facebook-can-ruin-your-life-and-so-can-myspace-bebo-780521.html Freedom Of Information: Facebook ? the new battleground in Iraq and Afghanistan Social networking sites present a PR problem for the Army. Robert Verkaik, Law Editor, examines newly released papers showing how the generals intend to tackle the new media http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/freedom-of-information-facebook-ndash-the-new-battleground-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-779766.html Social networking in the classroom?! There was a debate going on recently over at The Economist, and the pro-social-networking side won. For parents or anyone interested in social networking's benefits and not just its risks, let me zoom you in on a very meaty discussion, starting with points from the Economist debate's opening arguments, both pro and con (not answers, not just good food for thought): From Prof. Michael Bugeja at Iowa State University: "Facebook or MySpace are programmed for revenue generation, especially the vending of marketing data and the advertising base that can be established because of that data. To do so, those networks rely on technology developed by military (to surveil) and industry (to sell). The fact that both happen simultaneously is no fluke because the programming is designed to amass psychographics on users too busy depicting each other like products to notice the surveillance.... Social networks advertise access to this diverse world while simultaneously confining users to affinity groups so as to sell, sell, sell." http://netfamilynews.org/2008/02/social-networking-in-classroom.html Teens posting personal info: Study For their safety online, kids have been cautioned for years not to give out personal information online. Well, we now know from researchers at the University of New Hampshire's Crimes Against Children Research Center that giving out such info isn't in itself a safety risk. We now have further insights into teens' info-sharing practices in the Journal of Adolescence. Here's what Profs. Justin Patchin and Sameer Hinduja found: http://netfamilynews.org/2008/02/teens-posting-personal-info-study.html Facebook translated into Spanish Facebook has introduced a Spanish version of its popular social networking website as part of efforts to attract new audiences. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7234591.stm Facebook Says Hola to Spanish Amigos [Reuters] Facebook.com has introduced a version of the site for Spanish-language speakers, the first of several languages beyond English the social network site plans to offer, the company said on Thursday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKN0742117220080208 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/07/AR2008020703368.html http://informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=20610633 Facebook pokes Vodafone in mobile tie-up Social networkers will now be able to get messages and status updates sent directly to their mobile phones http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3328527.ece Facebook Links Up With Vodafone on Mobile Platform [IDG] Facebook took a new step into the mobile realm on Thursday, launching a platform for operators designed to make its social networking application work better on portable devices. http://www.nytimes.com/idg/IDG_002570DE00740E18802573E80035C23D.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,142239-c,pdacellphonehybrids/article.html ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Pushing Paper Out the Door - paper use plateaus After rising steadily in the 1980s and ?90s, worldwide paper consumption per capita has plateaued in recent years. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/business/10metrics.html Google squares up to Microsoft with the Gphone Google is preparing to shake up the mobile sector by unveiling the first ?Gphone?. The search giant, which is angling for a chunk of the potentially highly lucrative wireless advertising market, is expected to produce a prototype mobile handset next week at the Mobile World Congress show. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/telecoms/article3330854.ece First Google Android phone to debut next week? The first mobile phone to incorporate Google's open-source Android platform will debut at next week's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, a source close to British chipmaker ARM Holdings has told Reuters. http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/02/07/google-android-phone_1.html ********************** SPAM ********************** Another US spammer hit by CAN-SPAM [IDG] A US judge has ordered a Las Vegas company to stop making weight-loss and anti-ageing claims and to stop sending spam, the Federal Trade Commission has announced. http://www.techworld.com/security/news/index.cfm?NewsID=11323 ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Mobile phone companies join war on internet child porn The mobile phone industry will today announce its intention to shut off all access to child pornography on mobile phones that can access the internet, making the mobile internet safer than the world wide web. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/feb/11/mobilephones.technology Malicious programs hit new high The number of malicious programs found online has reached an unprecedented high, say security firms. Reports vary but some estimates suggest there were five times as many variants of malicious programs in circulation in 2007 compared to 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7232752.stm India to train thousands more cyberpolice Training centres for thousands more cyberpolice are planned in India as the country's IT industry tries to boost its security credentials. http://news.zdnet.co.uk/security/0,1000000189,39292697,00.htm nz: E-crime dangers on rise Almost 100,000 Kiwis have been victims of electronic identity theft and thousands more have been sent offensive or threatening emails. http://stuff.co.nz/4391898a11.html http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/thepress/4391890a6009.html http://stuff.co.nz/thepress/4391890a6009.html au: 'So sue me' taunt to agents over 'defamatory' web articles CONSUMER advocate Neil Jenman has called on two South Yarra real estate agents to sue him for defamation after they launched legal action to stop internet access to two of his articles. Paul Castran, managing director of the firm Castran Gilbert, and the company's sales director Mark Forytarz say they have been defamed by allegations of improper or illegal behaviour. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/02/08/1202234210693.html http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/02/08/1202234210693.html au: Teenagers reported over YouTube postings Adelaide police have reported two teenagers from the north-eastern suburbs who are alleged to have posted videos of illegal incidents on the internet site YouTube. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/08/2158286.htm Police probe fights, bullying on YouTube Police have vowed to charge several Adelaide teenagers they say have been involved in illegal incidents that have been posted on the internet site YouTube. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/07/2157105.htm RBN - pedopornography on the Internet In recent days, many people have brought to my attention the existence of a provider, Russian Business Network (RBN), which, it would seem, is based in Russia, although there are no references made to the location of its offices nor is any address or server indicated. The provider hosts hundreds of paedo-pornographic sites. http://www.ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/frattini/welcome/archives_2008_en.htm ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ uk: Ministers plan clampdown on 'unsuitable' video games A legally enforceable cinema-style classification system is to be introduced for video games in an effort to keep children from playing damaging games unsuitable for their age, the Guardian has learned. Under the proposals, it would be illegal for shops to sell classified games to a child below the recommended age. ... Ministers are also expected to advise parents to keep computers and games consoles away from children's bedrooms as much as possible, and ask them to play games in living rooms or kitchens facing outward so carers can see what is being played. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/feb/09/games.digitalmedia uk: From the Parliament of the UK: Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.? [Mr. Blizzard.] [6 Feb 2008 : Column 1089] Mr. Hugo Swire (East Devon) (Con): Seven or so years ago, a Home Office Minister said in a parliamentary answer on the task force for child protection that the ?aim is to make the United Kingdom (UK) the best and safest place in the world for children to use the internet?.?[ Official Report, 4 February 2002; Vol. 379, c. 671W.] Last year, however, 32 per cent. of children said that they had received unwanted, nasty or sexual comments while on the web. Freedom of information and the unhampered exchange of that information are, of course, at the heart of a free world. What we do not want is Government control of the internet, such as exists in China and elsewhere. The internet is a space for creativity, communication and a fantastic tool for use in education. Too often, any discussion of internet safety leads to the internet being labelled as a bad thing. Clearly, the reverse is the case, but internet users should expect a degree of protection not least from fraud and illegal content, and, for our children, from harmful content. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080206/debtext/80206-0024.htm http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080206/debtext/80206-0025.htm PC Magazine on parental controls Parents might be interested in the latest reviews of filtering and monitoring software here at PC Magazine. The top-rated products are Net Nanny 5.6, Bsafe Online, Safe Eyes, and Webroot Child Safe. http://netfamilynews.org/2008/02/pc-magazine-on-parental-controls.html http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,2806,1639158,00.asp au: Safer Internet Day: ACMA participates in worldwide event to promote cybersafety [news release] School children from around the country will participate tomorrow in Safer Internet Day, an international program run in over 50 countries to raise awareness of the importance of cybersafety. ?Safer Internet Day is a fun and effective way to raise awareness of issues affecting children online,? said Chris Chapman, chairman of the Australian Communications and Media Authority, which is co-ordinating Safer Internet Day activities in Australia through its cybersafety program. http://acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_310963 us: Parents seek more funds for child-porn victims Parents of children kidnapped, tortured or murdered by sexual predators, citing new research that shows hundreds of thousands of child pornography leads go uninvestigated, planned to call today for increased funding. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-02-06-kidporn_N.htm us: States push for cyberbully controls The problem of cyberbullying gained national attention last November when the story surfaced of a 13-year-old Missouri girl who killed herself following an Internet hoax. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-02-06-Cyberbullying_N.htm au: Labor?s $30M technology funding cut will not affect the industry The Labor government has taken a blade to some of the previous government's pre-election promises for the 2007-08 fiscal year, including $30 million from the federal technology budget. ... Cuts to technology related spending, include marketing dollars for the controversial NetAlert program, amount to $30 million. http://www.itnews.com.au/News/NewsStory.aspx?story=69791 NetAlert funding slashed in Labor bugdet cuts The Labor government has cut funding to NetAlert, the previous government's home and public library free filtering scheme. http://securecomputing.net.au/news/69792,netalert-funding-slashed-in-labor-bugdet-cuts.aspx Porn-blocker hit as Razor Gang slash AU$30m off tech The Rudd government's so-called Razor Gang has taken the blade to some of the Howard government's pre-election promises for the 2007-08 fiscal year, including AU$30 million sliced from the federal tech budget. ... The total spending cuts amount to AU$642.9 million, affecting environmental, cultural, communications and technology initiatives. Cuts to technology related spending, including marketing dollars for the controversial NetAlert program, amount to AU$30 million. http://www.builderau.com.au/news/soa/Porn-blocker-hit-as-Razor-Gang-slash-AU-30m-off-tech-/0,339028227,339285727,00.htm ********************** FILE SHARING ********************** us: RIAA boss: Move copyright filtering from ISPs to users? PCs ... At a Washington, DC, tech conference last week, RIAA boss Cary Sherman suggested that Internet filtering was a super idea but that he saw no reason to mandate it. Turns out that was only part of the story, though; Sherman's a sharp guy, and he's fully aware that filtering will prompt an encryption arms race that is going to be impossible to win... unless users somehow install the filtering software on their home PCs or equipment. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080207-riaa-boss-spyware-could-solve-the-encryption-problem.html ********************************* COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS ********************************* Yahoo Expected to Reject Microsoft?s Takeover Offer Yahoo's board plans to reject Microsoft's US$44.6 billion hostile bid in a letter on Monday, saying the offer undervalues Yahoo, people involved in the discussions said Saturday. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/business/10yahoo.html Microsoft, Yahoo! and Google: Giants in combat This was the week that seemed to confirm the new balance of power in the technology industry. Computing is moving online, away from the desktop?and away from Microsoft, the desktop-software leviathan, to Google, master of online search. Microsoft's determination not to lose the struggle became clear when it bid $44.6 billion in cash and shares for Yahoo!, an ailing internet giant (see article). If the deal goes ahead, it will reshape the technology industry and clear the way for a straight fight between Microsoft and Google for dominance in the internet era. But whether Microsoft's bid succeeds or fails, it changes how all three firms are perceived. http://economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10651824 Microsoft v Google - When clouds collide The collision of two clouds is a gentle affair?except, that is, in the digital skies of the technology industry. But such a virtual collision is the best image to keep in mind when trying to understand why Microsoft, the world's largest software company, has bid a whopping $44.6 billion for Yahoo!, an ailing online giant. As computing moves online, the sources of power and money will increasingly be enormous ?computing clouds?, as the cognoscenti call them, hosted on the internet. The Yahoo! deal is mainly about inflating Microsoft's cloud so that it can at last match that of its most dangerous rival, Google. http://economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10650607 Is It Too Late for Yahoo? One of the first questions that Jerry Yang and his top lieutenants pondered after he became chief executive of Yahoo last summer was whether the company could remain independent. They quickly answered yes. But Mr. Yang, who founded Yahoo along with David Filo in 1995, had a harder time coming up with convincing answers for many of the more complex questions facing the company. How exactly would an independent Yahoo sharpen its focus, shed marginal projects and become a stronger competitor to Google, the runaway leader in online search and advertising? http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/08/technology/08yahoo.html Microsoft, the sleeping giant, wakes again Bill Gates worried that something like Google would come along before it even existed. In 1995, the Microsoft leader recognized how a powerful Internet player could topple his company from the high-tech pyramid and launched an attack on all potential threats. Netscape, Sun Microsystems and other competitors paid the price. http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-me-microsoft10feb10,1,863623.story Facing Free Software, Microsoft Looks to Yahoo Nearly a quarter-century ago, the mantra ?information wants to be free? heralded an era in which news, entertainment and personal communications would flow at no charge over the Internet. Now comes a new rallying cry: software wants to be free. Or, as the tech insiders say, it wants to be ?zero dollar.? A growing number of consumers are paying just that ? nothing. This is the Internet?s latest phase: people using freely distributed applications, from e-mail and word processing programs to spreadsheets, games and financial management tools. They run on distant, massive and shared data centers, and users of the services pay with their attention to ads, not cash. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/09/technology/09free.html Yahoo! In The Balance - Board weighs options The Yahoo! board is reportedly meeting Feb. 13 to decide how it will respond to Microsoft's unsolicited $44.6 billion buyout offer. In advance of the scheduled, all-day meeting at Yahoo!'s headquarters in Sunnyvale, Calif., Chief Executive Jerry Yang went over the company's options Friday in a phone meeting with board members, according to The Wall Street Journal's blog All Things D. http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/02/08/microsoft-yahoo-merger-tech-intel-cx_wt_0208yhoo.html Yahoo?s Directors Discuss How to Face Microsoft Bid A week after Yahoo learned that it would be the target of a $44.6 billion hostile bid by Microsoft, the company?s board met on Friday to consider its options, a person briefed on the meeting said. The directors listened to a series of presentations from Yahoo?s management and its bankers, who argued that the company was worth more than what Microsoft has offered. The board was also presented with various options for maintaining Yahoo?s independence, this person said. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/09/technology/09yahoo.html Report: Yahoo Board Strategizes on Microsoft Bid [Reuters] Yahoo Inc's board met by telephone on Friday and discussed strategy for getting Microsoft Corp to raise its $42 billion offer for the company and the possibility of hiring Google Inc to run Yahoo's search, the Wall Street Journal said. Chief Executive Jerry Yang did not present such a Google alliance as "a preferred choice," the newspaper said. http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKN0846502220080209 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/08/AR2008020801350.html ********************** VoIP ********************** VOIP struggles to break into the mainstream The engineers at Challenger Mobile, a software company in Stockholm, worked for more than a year to create an Internet telephone program with the goal of selling digital voice service to homes and businesses in Scandinavia. Two years later, Challenger's program is sitting on a shelf. http://iht.com/articles/2008/02/08/technology/voip11.php ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN ********************************** au/my: Child porn pilot convicted A MALAYSIAN Airlines co-pilot has been convicted and fined for bringing child pornography into the country on his personal computer. http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23179728-2682,00.html au/my: Visiting pilot fined over child porn A Malaysia Airlines pilot who was caught importing child pornography to Australia yesterday has faced court. http://au.news.yahoo.com/080208/21/15rza.html Spanish police detain 76 in major Internet fraud probe [AFP] Police in Spain have detained 76 people acrosss the country as part of what they described Sunday as their biggest-ever probe into Internet fraud. http://news.smh.com.au/spanish-police-detain-76-in-major-internet-fraud-probe/20080211-1rex.html http://news.theage.com.au/spanish-police-detain-76-in-major-internet-fraud-probe/20080211-1rex.html http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080210/tc_afp/spaininternetcrime_080210165558 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2007 --------- David Goldstein address: 4/3 Abbott Street COOGEE NSW 2034 AUSTRALIA email: Goldstein_David §yahoo.com.au phone: +61 418 228 605 (mobile); +61 2 9665 5773 (home) "Every time you use fossil fuels, you're adding to the problem. Every time you forgo fossil fuels, you're being part of the solution" - Dr Tim Flannery Get the name you always wanted with the new y7mail email address. www.yahoo7.com.au/y7mailReceived on Fri Feb 15 2008 - 02:26:36 UTC
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