Don't forget to check out www.auda.org.au/domain-news/ for the archive of the last 3 months of the news. And see my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for daily updates in between postings. *************************************************** The domain name news is supported by auDA *************************************************** The net shapes up to get physical http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/oct/16/internet-of-things-ipv6 us: Keeping the Internet Free For a New Generation of Speakers http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leslie-harris/keeping-the-internet-free_b_133325.html us: A Platform to Keep the Internet Open, Innovative and Free http://cdt.org/election2008/ ICANN Widens Online Horizons: TLD Declassification http://domainersmagazine.com/20080929143/domainer-s-magazine-news/icann-widens-online-horizons-tld-declassification.html FBI: Several nations eye U.S. cybertargets [IDG] http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9117258 Go Daddy Celebrates Big Win in Battle Against Rogue Pharmacies [news release] https://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/news/release_view.asp?news_item_id=190&app_hdr= Confronting Ipv4 Address Exhaustion by Geoff Huston http://www.potaroo.net/ispcol/2008-10/v4depletion.html The Changing Foundation of the Internet: Confronting IPv4 Address Exhaustion by Geoff Huston, APNIC http://cisco.com/web/about/ac123/ac147/archived_issues/ipj_11-3/ipj_11-3.pdf ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** The net shapes up to get physical As the 'third age' of the internet takes root and our physical world becomes more and more connected, Sean Dodson looks at the implications and how life will change: Most people, if they bother to think about it at all, probably view the internet as an agent of profound change. In the 15 years since Tim Berners-Lee invented the world wide web, the life of almost everyone in the industrialised world has been touched by it. But just as many of us are getting to grips with its second stage, the mobile internet, very few are prepared - perhaps even aware - of the third and potentially most revolutionary phase of all: the internet of things. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/oct/16/internet-of-things-ipv6 us: Keeping the Internet Free For a New Generation of Speakers The Internet is at a crossroads. Down one path lies a future where digital technology enhances constitutional freedoms; spurs innovations in expression and entrepreneurship; and fulfills its ultimate promise of connecting and empowering the world. Down the other? A future where the Internet is turned against users; where government spying runs unchecked, and where innovation is stifled by a closed and locked system, controlled by a handful of entrenched players. The next president will play a key role in determining which path we take. This is the second in a series of entries over the next couple weeks about the critical technology and civil liberties choices facing the next president of the United States. Our complete transition guide for next president is available online. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leslie-harris/keeping-the-internet-free_b_133325.html us: A Platform to Keep the Internet Open, Innovative and Free America's next President and Congress will have the chance to take a fresh look at the challenges and opportunities of the Internet and to set a policy course for this vital medium that will keep it open, innovative and free. ... We often take the Internet for granted. In a short time, it has become a powerful engine for innovation, economic growth and democratization. The Internet has changed the way we "do" politics. Ordinary Americans are making their voices heard and organizing online. Political candidates are building networks of supporters, raising unprecedented funds from small donors, and educating the public on their policies and visions. http://cdt.org/election2008/ First European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) [news release] Representatives from the business community, governments and civil society will be meeting, at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg (France) on 20 and 21 October 2008, to discuss European perspectives on the Internet and its governance. http://www.isoc.org/isoc/headlines/20081009.shtml "Broad and Equitable Access to the Internet" to be subject of Internet Society conference in S?n?gal [news release] Questions of Internet access, infrastructure, and regulation are on the agenda for an upcoming Internet Society (ISOC) conference. The event, "Broad and Equitable Access to the Internet" will be held in Dakar, S?n?gal, on 16 October 2008. http://www.isoc.org/isoc/media/releases/081007pr.shtml ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** ICANN Widens Online Horizons: TLD Declassification A little over three months ago (June 26, 2008 to be exact), the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers or ICANN Board Members unanimously agreed to accept the proposal to declassify top-level domain (TLD) names. This decision has actually been 6 years in the making. ICANN has been moving towards opening up of internet addresses since its inception 10 years ago. ICANN has continued to seek ways since then to resolve the complexity and bureaucracy of registering new TLDs, which have so far been very effective at limiting the number of available top-level domains. http://domainersmagazine.com/20080929143/domainer-s-magazine-news/icann-widens-online-horizons-tld-declassification.html Registrars linked to spam warned, but continue to sell Web addresses The Internet's chief governing body said Wednesday it would take action against a Chinese company that sells Web addresses often linked to spam e-mails. ICANN said the Chinese company, DNS.com.cn, hadn't properly investigated who owns several of the Web addresses it sold. http://www.axcessnews.com/index.php/articles/show/id/16938 NTIA Seeks Public Comments for the Deployment of Security Technology Within the Internet Domain Name System [news release] Commerce?s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today issued a Notice of Inquiry seeking public comments regarding the deployment of Domain Name and Addressing System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) into the Internet?s DNS infrastructure, including the authoritative root zone. Comments are due by November 24, 2008. http://www.ntia.doc.gov/press/2008/DNSSEC_081009.html Public Comment: GNSO Council Member Term Limits Public comments are invited on a proposed change to the ICANN bylaws that would implement term limits for GNSO Council members. Currently there is no limit to the number of consecutive terms in which a GNSO Council member may serve. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-13oct08-en.htm ICANN and I Will in My Tongue In June 2008, ICANN approved a recommendation that will add another definition to the meaning of the World Wide Web: the creation of multilingual domain names. Although the program must still be approved by ICANN's board who expect a launch mid 2009, if the marketing hype is to be believed, the implications for those who retain an on-line presence will be significant. http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1221720713321&pagename=Zone-English-HealthScience%2FHSELayout ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** Telnic Invites Developers to .tel 'Webless Web' Platform Telnic invites developers to its .tel "Webless Web" platform with open source code and sample applications. .tel is a service that allows users to store and manage all their contact information and keywords directly in the Domain Name System without the need to build, host or manage a Web site. http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Application-Development/Telnic-Invites-Developers-to-tel-Webless-Web-Platform/ Developers gain access to .tel domain Telnic, the registry for the new .tel sponsored TLD, today announced it is releasing resources for developers to create applications and web services around the domain. http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2228272/dot-tel-opens-developers http://www.infomaticsonline.co.uk/vnunet/news/2228272/dot-tel-opens-developers http://www.whatpc.co.uk/vnunet/news/2228272/dot-tel-opens-developers Dot-travel domain set for major relaunch Dot-travel is planning a major relaunch of the top-level domain name across the globe. Tralliance, the organisation behind dot.travel, has chosen the European Tour Operators Association conference and WTM for a full UK launch. http://www.travolution.co.uk/Articles/2008/10/14/1809/Dot-travel+domain+set+for+major+relaunch.html Nominet Proposed Changes Take Effect The proposed changes to Nominet?s policies and procedures for .uk domain name dispute resolution services (DRS) in the United Kingdom have been approved and implemented. The new provisions impact claims filed on or after July 29, 2008, while all prior claims will be processed under the rules in effect at the time the claim was filed. The amendments have been set to deal with the recent influx of bulk domain registration. More specifically, Nominet tailored the rules to address the 52 percent of cases where there is no response to the DRS complaint from the domain owner. Unopposed disputes will now automatically be resolved in favor of the party claiming a right to the domain name, and a summary decision or a full judgment with reasoning can be sought for a fee, ?200 and ?750 respectively. http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=2204 ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** FBI: Several nations eye U.S. cybertargets [IDG] About two-dozen nations have developed cyberattack capabilities and have their eyes on targets inside U.S. businesses and government agencies, the top cybercrime law enforcement official in the U.S. said today. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9117258 http://computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;670066611 http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/101508-fbi-several-nations-eyeing-us.html FBI targets rise in cybercrime from U.S. and abroad The threat of cybersecurity attacks are on the rise from organized crime, terrorists, and foreign governments, an FBI official warned on Wednesday. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10067330-38.html FBI sees rise in computer crime Computer spying and theft of personal information have risen notably in the past year, costing tens of millions of dollars and threatening U.S. security, the FBI's cyber division head said on Wednesday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKTRE49E8J520081015 FBI warns of sweeping global threat to U.S. cybersecurity The FBI's newly appointed chief of cybersecurity warned today that "a couple dozen" countries are eager to hack U.S. government, corporate and military networks. While he refused to provide country-specific details, FBI Cyber Division Chief Shawn Henry told reporters at a roundtable cooperation with foreign law enforcement is one of the bureau's highest priorities and added the United States has had incredible success fostering overseas partnerships. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20081015_7578.php Storm May Finally Be Over It?s been nearly a month now since the Storm botnet sent its last spam run -- significantly long enough that botnet researchers now conclude this could be the end of most infamous botnet once and for all. http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=165798 South Korean PM warns of hacking threat by NKorea, China [AFP] South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-Soo on Tuesday warned his cabinet over attempts by Chinese and North Korean computer hackers to obtain state secrets, officials said. http://news.smh.com.au/technology/skorean-pm-warns-of-hacking-threat-by-nkorea-china-20081015-50sb.html http://news.theage.com.au/technology/skorean-pm-warns-of-hacking-threat-by-nkorea-china-20081015-50sb.html ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Go Daddy Celebrates Big Win in Battle Against Rogue Pharmacies [news release] President George W. Bush today signed into law bi-partisan legislation that provides Go Daddy and other Web companies much needed tools to take illegitimate Internet pharmacies offline. The legislation is aimed at stopping rogue pharmacies from operating online and helping to prevent the purchase of drugs without a valid prescription through the Internet. https://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/news/release_view.asp?news_item_id=190&app_hdr= Cybersquatters Infringed Anheuser-Busch and Patrick Dempsey Trademarks, We The People LLC Denied Domain Name Rights [news release] The National Arbitration Forum domain name dispute resolution program recently handed down decisions regarding the rights to BudRacing.com, BudweiserRacing.com, Patrick-Dempsey.org, and WeThePeople.com. Decisions are made by independent and neutral arbitrators on the National Arbitration Forum Panel in accordance with the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) of ICANN. http://domains.adrforum.com/newsroom.aspx?itemID=1455 Viable Defense for US Domain Owners A court in the Southern District of Florida recently barred a trademark owner, who sought possession of a domain that allegedly infringed on his mark, from asserting claims under then Lanham Act and the Anti-Cybersquating Consumer Protection Act (ACPA) due to the Doctrine of Laches, thus dismissing the case in favor of the defendant. http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=2203 SA ruling sets a precedent [sub req'd] A precedent-setting domain name decision last week awarded the mixit.co.za domain name to South African mobile chat operator MXit. Since November 2006, local domain name disputes are governed by the rules promulgated in the ZA Alternative Dispute Resolution Regulations. http://www.legalbrief.co.za/article.php?story=20081015082524537 NiRA to deliver judgment on MTN.com.ng soon [IDG] The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), the administrator of Nigeria's top-level domain, said it is gearing up to deliver judgment in the case of MTN's Nigerian Web site address, mtn.com.ng. http://www.computerworld.co.ke/articles/2008/10/14/nira-deliver-judgment-mtncomng-soon http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/101408-nira-to-deliver-judgment-on.html http://www.cio.com/article/454716/NiRA_to_Deliver_Judgment_on_MTN.Com.Ng_Soon Kentucky Gambling Decision to be Released Thursday Due to computer issues, residents of Kentucky will need to wait at least one more day before the fate of internet gambling in the state is determined. http://www.casinogamblingweb.com/gambling-news/gambling-law/internet_gambling_domain_name_ruling_due_thursday_in_kentucky_49350.html http://www.pocketfives.com/online-poker-scene/kentucky-decision-to-be-released-thursday-3436684 Ruling in Kentucky domain name case due today Update: The ruling on the state of Kentucky's forfeiture motion was not released today as expected. According to the court clerk, computer problems have delayed the release of the ruling until sometime tomorrow. http://www.pokerlistings.com/ruling-in-kentucky-domain-name-case-due-today-31797 ?HOBBIT? Domain Names are Reclaimed by Tolkein Enterprises In a number of decisions issued by the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, parties who registered domain names that contained the word "hobbit" were required to relinquish their ownership of these registered domain names in favor of the company operating as Tolkein Enterprises. Following, there is an illustration of WIPO panel's position on these cases. http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=latestnews&id=2156 Cybersquatting: Domain Names of Famous Authors and Other Celebreties The administrative panel of the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center has issued numerous decisions addressing cases in which famous authors or celebrities have sought to prevent other individuals or entities from using their names or derivatives, or their names within registered domain names, a practice generally known as cybersquatting. Usually, in cases where the panel has found that the name was registered in bad faith or where the panel determined that the registrant did not have a legitimate interest in the use of the domain name, it has ordered the registrant to transfer the domain name to the respective authors. http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=articles&id=FDEEF486-5276-4F8F-9CC1-A34B2ACEAE88 ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** Confronting Ipv4 Address Exhaustion by Geoff Huston It should be entirely unsurprising that the next phase of the Internet's story, that of the transition of the underlying version of the IP protocol from IPv4 to IPv6, refuses to follows the intended script. Where we are now, in mid-2008, with IPv4 unallocated address pool exhaustion looming within the next 18 to 36 months, and IPv6 still largely not deployed in the public Internet, is a situation that was entirely uncontemplated and, even in hindsight, entirely surprising to encounter. http://www.potaroo.net/ispcol/2008-10/v4depletion.html The Changing Foundation of the Internet: Confronting IPv4 Address Exhaustion by Geoff Huston, APNIC Throughout its relatively brief history, the Internet has continually challenged our preconceptions about networking and communications architectures. For example, the concepts that the network itself has no role in management of its own resources, and that resource allocation is the result of interaction between competing end-to-end data flows, were certainly novel innovations, and for many they have been very confrontational. The approach of designing a network that is unaware of services and service provisioning and is not attuned to any particular service whatsoever?leaving the role of service support to end-to-end overlays?was again a radical concept in network design. The Internet has never represented the conservative option for this industry, and has managed to define a path that continues to present significant challenges. http://cisco.com/web/about/ac123/ac147/archived_issues/ipj_11-3/ipj_11-3.pdf IPv6 Transition at IETF72 by Geoff Huston The IETF's developmental work on IPv6 has included the study of the particular issues associated with transition to IPv6 from the outset. Starting with the TACIT work on transition in 1994-95, then NGTRANS from 1995 to 2002, and, more recently, the V6OPS Working Group which met first in early 2003 at IETF56. This study has now broadened in scope and today a number of IETF working groups are examining aspects of transition to IPv6 including the SOFTWIRE, BEHAVE and INTAREA Working Groups, in addition to V6OPS. In this article I'd like to look at the background to this IETF activity and review the current state of the IETF Working Groups that are looking at transition tools. http://www.potaroo.net/ispcol/2008-09/ietf72-ipv6trans.html Probe Sees Unused Internet: A survey shows that addresses are not running out as quickly as we'd thought. In a little more than two years, the last Internet addresses will be assigned by the international group tasked with managing the 4.3 billion numbers. And yet, while most Internet engineers are looking to Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), the next-generation Internet addressing scheme, a research team has probed the entire Internet and found that the problem may not be as bad as many fear. The probe reveals millions of Internet addresses that have been allocated but remain unused. http://www.technologyreview.com/web/21528/?a=f Tiny IPv6-ready protocol stack created Cisco, Atmel and the Swedish Institute of Computer Science (SICS) have announced that they?ve built one of the smallest IPv6 stacks ever, and have open sourced it for general use. http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2228327/tiny-ipv6-ready-protocol-stack UIPv6 protocol stack released Cisco, Atmel and the Swedish Institute of Computer Science (SICS) have announced the availability of uIPv6. http://itnews.com.au/News/NewsStory.aspx?story=86743 http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/10/14/uipv6-protocol-stack-released ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** us: Go Daddy Lauds New Law To Protect Kids From Online Sex Predators [news release] It just became easier for Go Daddy to shut down online predators who target children. Today, President George W. Bush signed the bi-partisan bill, known as the ?Protect Our Children Act of 2008,? into law. Go Daddy and others fought long and hard to secure passage of this much needed legislation. https://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/news/release_view.asp?news_item_id=188&app_hdr= ENUM for Everybody? ENUM (TElephone NUmber Mapping or ?Electronic Numbering?), developed by Cisco Engineer, Patrik Faltstrom and the Internet Engineering Task Force?s (IETF?s) Telephone Number Mapping working group, is a Domain Name System (DNS)-based service that maps a standard telephone number to a list of contact URLs. It thus builds a bridge between the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and the Internet. http://ipcommunications.tmcnet.com/topics/enterprise-voip/articles/42985-enum-everybody.htm Should You Invest in the .mx? The recent rapid growth in registrations of the .mx, the ccTLD for Mexico, has astounded many. http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=2202 The Los Angeles Domain World, Day 1 I arrived in Los Angeles yesterday morning around 9am. After getting my rental car and checking into the hotel, it was off to ICANN. I didn?t know what to expect of ICANN. For some reason I had a vision of this grand building under maximum security. But when you consider much of ICANN?s role is to develop and manage policies that vision quickly fades. Indeed, ICANN?s offices are in a non-descript building overlooking the bay. ICANN isn?t the main tenant; they have offices on parts of two floors in the building. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/10/15/the-los-angeles-domain-world-day-1/ ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Google, Yahoo said to be in DOJ settlement talks to avoid antitrust challenge Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc. are in early settlement negotiations with the U.S. Department of Justice in an effort to avoid an antitrust challenge to a proposed search advertising deal between the two companies, the Wall Street Journal reported today. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9117139 Google, Yahoo Seek to Avoid Antitrust Suit [sub req'd] Google and Yahoo are in talks with the Justice Department in an effort to head off an antitrust challenge to their ad deal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122393254528030085.html DBS: Domain Name Sales Up Domain name company sees robust domain names sales. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/10/13/dbs-domain-name-sales-up/ Value Your Domain Names the Dark Blue Sea Way A look at how Dark Blue Sea values domain names. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/10/14/value-your-domain-names-the-dark-blue-sea-way/ Put Domain Monetization to the Test As the financial crisis continually looms over what seems to be an endless economic downturn, companies are finding themselves increasingly cautious when it comes to making sure their marketing efforts are receiving the highest return on investment (ROI). Although an increasing number of businesses already utilize the flexibility and reliability of online advertising , many have yet to tap into the potential profit that Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising through domain monetization can offer. http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=2201 September GreatDomains Auction: The results are in! The September GreatDomains auction witnessed a handful of solid sales, including Address.net at US$20,010, Canadians.com at $10,099, 659.com at $9,900 and Brews.com at $9,100. Both Planet.com and Fly.com received healthy bids ($200,000 and $1,000,000 respectively) during the listing as well, although neither name met reserve price. http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=2200 ********************** RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** Intellectual property crime and enforcement in Australia [Australian Policy Online] This report deals with the nature and extent of intellectual property crime in Australia, its organisation, social and economic impacts, and the efficacy of responses through legislation, law enforcement and criminal prosecution. Response strategies encompass surveillance, regulatory mechanisms and litigation. The report calls for better understanding of the impact of IP crime through monitoring and intelligence gathering, research into enforcement and prosecution activities, and econometric cost modelling, using educational, good practice and legislative reform initiatives. http://www.apo.org.au/linkboard/results.chtml?filename_num=235277 Bridging the digital divide: young people's perspectives on taking action by Michelle Blanchard, Atari Metcalf and Jane Burns Marginalised young people really do care about political and social issues, but that their day-to-day experiences often make it difficult for them to take action to create change in their communities, according to the findings of this report. http://www.apo.org.au/linkboard/results.chtml?filename_num=235535 Modding: Games and Web 2.0 When scholars discuss elements of gaming that hold promise for engaging youth and connecting games to learning, one thing they often point to is modding. Modding involves taking the source code of the game and changing it to alter something about the game ? anything from the location and theme of the game, to creating new levels, new characters, new objects for the game. Modding is generally done by a third party ? either a game player or someone who did not help to design or build the game. Counterstrike is an example of a mod gone mainstream. The game started out as a mod of the game Half-Life, and was eventually released on its own as a separate (and now extremely popular) first person shooter game. Modding is technical and creative, and allows the user to shape their gaming experience ? Web 2.0 brought to games. Machinima, or movies made from games and through the games themselves is another example of user creativity brought into the gaming sphere. http://www.pewinternet.org/pipcomments.asp http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/p/1513/pipcomments.asp ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Internet use 'good for the brain' For middle aged and older people at least, using the internet helps boost brain power, research suggests. A University of California Los Angeles team found searching the web stimulates centres in the brain that control decision-making and complex reasoning. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7667610.stm The internet beats books for improving the mature mind, say neuroscientists Browsing the internet is better than reading books for boosting the brain power of middle-aged and older adults, new research has found. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/debates/3195748/The-internet-beats-books-for-improving-the-mature-mind-say-neuroscientists.html Googling is good for the ageing brain Could Googling actually be good for you? That is the conclusion drawn by researchers who believe that searching the internet could improve brain function ? at least among older people. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/oct/15/google-ageing-research Workout for brain just a few clicks away - study Searching the Internet may help middle-aged and older adults keep their memories sharp, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday. http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-35964520081014 http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE49D97A20081014 Googling good for geriatrics [AFP] A team of US researchers has found that searching the internet stimulates brain activity in the elderly and middle-aged and may help keep their minds sharp. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/16/2392581.htm au: Website 'name and shame' for fine defaulters Tasmanians who do not pay their fines will soon have their personal details published on the internet. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/15/2391676.htm ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** How green is Apple now? Apple touted its new MacBooks unveiled on Tuesday as the "industry's greenest notebooks," and on reduction of toxic chemicals they may be. But environmental groups point to greenhouse gas emissions and recycling as areas where more needs to be done. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10066521-37.html ********************** SPAM ********************** FTC Shuts Down Global Spam Ring The Federal Trade Commission won a preliminary legal victory against what it called one of the largest spam gangs on the Internet, persuading a federal court in Chicago on Tuesday to freeze the group?s assets and order the spam network to shut down. http://nytimes.com/2008/10/15/technology/internet/15spam.html U.S. authorities shut down international spam ring An Illinois district court in the United States on Tuesday ordered an international spam network to shut down, stopping what the U.S. Federal Trade Commission says was one of the most prolific spam gangs on the Internet. http://nytimes.com/2008/10/15/technology/internet/15spam.html http://iht.com/articles/2008/10/14/technology/15spam.php Global spam operation is shut down [AP] Billions of e-mails were sent out urging people to click on websites featuring allegedly false drug claims, authorities said. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-fi-spam15-2008oct15,0,7958717.story Three arrested after 2 million spam messages sent to NZers Three New Zealanders allegedly involved in a major international spamming operation could face financial penalties of up to $200,000 each. http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/27391/three-arrested-after-2-million-spam-messages-sent-nzers Kiwi spam network was 'world's biggest' A vast international internet spam operation run from New Zealand has been cited by American authorities as one of the world?s largest, and for a time responsible for up to a third of all unwanted emails. http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4729188a28.html Anti-spam law gets its first workout in Christchurch In the first court action under new anti-spamming laws, the Department of Internal Affairs has asked the High Court to impose penalties of $200,000 on each of three New Zealanders allegedly involved in an international spamming operation. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/8D970CCB86C6155ACC2574E200636699 FTC, NZ authorities hit massive spam operation Government agencies in the US and New Zealand say they have sued the people behind one of the world's largest spamming operations. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/scrt/859F2E2982B79562CC2574E3000DBD9D Christchurch spam raid has sequel in court The Department of Internal Affairs has asked the High Court to impose financial penalties of $200,000 on each of three New Zealanders involved in a major international spamming operation. This is the first court action since the introduction of the anti-spam law, the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act on 5 September 2007 and follows a raid on four Christchurch addresses last December. http://www.tone.co.nz/news/8622/christchurch-spam-raid-has-sequel-in-court World's largest spam bust linked to Australia A New Zealand man living in Australia has been fingered by US authorities as a ringleader of the largest spam operation in the world, responsible for sending out billions of unsolicited emails in recent years. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/10/15/1223750102617.html http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/10/15/1223750102617.html World's biggest spam operator shut down The world's largest spam e-mail operator has been silenced. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2008-10-14-spam_N.htm FTC Shuts Down, Freezes Assets of Vast International Spam E-Mail Network [news release] A U.S. district court has ordered a halt to the operations of a vast international spam network that peddled prescription drugs and bogus male-enhancement products. The network has been identified as the largest ?spam gang? in the world by the anti-spam organization Spamhaus. The Federal Trade Commission has received more than three million complaints about spam messages connected to this operation, and estimates that it may be responsible for sending billions of illegal spam messages. At the request of the FTC, the court has issued a temporary injunction prohibiting defendants from spamming and making false product claims, and has frozen the defendants? assets to preserve them for consumer redress pending trial. Authorities in New Zealand also have taken legal action, working in tandem with the FTC. http://ftc.gov/opa/2008/10/herbalkings.shtm HerbalKing spam operation goes limp after FTC injunction The FTC announced that it's secured an injunction against a vast international spam ring today, in a move that will hopefully slow the flood of herbal supplement and natural male enhancement advertising into all of our mailboxes. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081014-herballife-spam-operation-goes-limp-after-ftc-injunction.html Will the Real Spam King Please Stand Up? As more and more spammers are arrested, prosecuted, and sued under state and federal antispam statutes, there's one thing you can count on: Someone somewhere will invariably call the targeted spammer a "spam king." It seems the bulk e-mail industry has more kings than a pinochle deck. But who is really the king of kings? The following ten spammers are all heavyweight contenders for the crown. http://www.pcworld.com/article/152114/spam_king_roundup.html ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** FBI: Several nations eye U.S. cybertargets [IDG] About two-dozen nations have developed cyberattack capabilities and have their eyes on targets inside U.S. businesses and government agencies, the top cybercrime law enforcement official in the U.S. said today. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9117258 http://computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;670066611 http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/101508-fbi-several-nations-eyeing-us.html FBI targets rise in cybercrime from U.S. and abroad The threat of cybersecurity attacks are on the rise from organized crime, terrorists, and foreign governments, an FBI official warned on Wednesday. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10067330-38.html FBI sees rise in computer crime Computer spying and theft of personal information have risen notably in the past year, costing tens of millions of dollars and threatening U.S. security, the FBI's cyber division head said on Wednesday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKTRE49E8J520081015 FBI warns of sweeping global threat to U.S. cybersecurity The FBI's newly appointed chief of cybersecurity warned today that "a couple dozen" countries are eager to hack U.S. government, corporate and military networks. While he refused to provide country-specific details, FBI Cyber Division Chief Shawn Henry told reporters at a roundtable cooperation with foreign law enforcement is one of the bureau's highest priorities and added the United States has had incredible success fostering overseas partnerships. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20081015_7578.php Hackers could target mobile phones, security experts warn Internet hackers are moving their attention to mobile phones and could harness thousands of devices to dial up premium rate numbers, security researchers have warned. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/3201146/Hackers-could-target-mobile-phones-security-experts-warn.html German court: Google Image thumbnails infringe on copyright As much as people complain about the challenges of balancing copyrights and fair use in the US, overseas courts have been happy to provide examples that remind us that some aspects of US copyright law are actually fairly liberal. The latest such reminder comes courtesy of a case in Germany that revisits an issue that appears settled in the US: the right of image search services to create thumbnails from copyrighted works to display with the search results. The German courts have now determined that this is not OK in Germany, where Google has just lost two copyright suits over image thumbnails. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081013-german-court-google-image-thumbnails-infringe-on-copyright.html Google Loses German Copyright Cases Over Image-Search Previews Google Inc., owner of the world's most popular Internet-search engine, lost two copyright lawsuits in Germany over displaying photos and artworks as thumbnails in a preview of search results. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601204&sid=a_C1wVkCvPww German court says IP addresses in server logs are not personal data A German court has ruled that website operators are allowed to store the internet protocol (IP) addresses of their visitors without violating data protection legislation. Without additional information, IP addresses do not count as personal data, it said. http://out-law.com/page-9505 http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/10/15/ip_address_personal_data_ruling/ Google to appeal German copyright decisions Google lost two copyright cases in Germany on Monday but the search company reportedly plans to appeal. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10064740-93.html http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/0,1000000097,39515801,00.htm Google Will Appeal German Copyright Decisions [IDG] Google will appeal two German court decisions that found it violated copyright law by showing thumbnails of works by two artists in search results, the company said Tuesday. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/152218/google_will_appeal_german_copyright_decisions.html Cyber security threats grow in sophistication, subtlety and power The annual report from Georgia Tech Information Security Center identifies five evolving cyber security threats, and the news is not good. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/101508-cybersecurity.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/152330/botnet_spam_attacks_to_target_cellphones_report_warns.html Cellphone Botnets, Blackmailing VOIP & a Healthy Cybercrime Economy Cellphones will become members of botnets. VOIP systems will get hit by blackmailing denial-of-service attacks. The cybercrime economy will thrive, even as the global economy struggles. http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=166029 ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Big Brother database: the revolt grows Jacqui Smith faces a parliamentary backlash over "Orwellian" plans to intercept details of email, internet, telephone and other data records of every person in Britain. Labour MPs joined opposition parties in expressing doubts about plans announced by the Home Secretary which could lead to a vast database of information about Britons' calls and internet habits. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/big-brother-database-the-revolt-grows-962717.html Storm over UK's Big Brother database Early plans to create a giant "Big Brother" database holding information about every phone call, email and internet visit made in the UK were last night condemned by the Government's own terrorism watchdog. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/exclusive-storm-over-big-brother-database-961388.html Leading article: The threats to our liberty just keep on coming The defence of liberty against this government is less like a single battle, and more akin to a prolonged campaign against a determined insurgency. This was shaping up to be a heartening week for those concerned about civil liberties. On Monday night, the Government's bill to extend pre-charge detention for terror suspects to 42 days was thrown out by the House of Lords. Instead of pledging to send the Counter-Terrorism Bill directly back to the upper chamber, the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she would park the measures indefinitely. http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/leading-articles/leading-article-the-threats-to-our-liberty-just-keep-on-coming-961304.html UK security services want personal data from sites like Facebook The British government is drawing up plans to give the police and security and intelligence agencies new powers to access personal data held by internet services, including social network sites such as Facebook and Bebo and gaming networks. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/oct/15/terrorism-security Giant database plan 'Orwellian' Proposals for a central database of all mobile phone and internet traffic have been condemned as "Orwellian". Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said the police and security services needed new powers to keep up with technology. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7671046.stm Government to store records of all calls, e-mail and internet visits Government proposals to ?collect and store? records of every phone call, e-mail and internet visit in Britain were announced by the Home Secretary today, who said the move was necessary to counter the growing terrorist threat. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4948602.ece Jacqui Smith plans broad new 'Big Brother' surveillance powers Telephone calls, internet use and email will be monitored by the police as part of a broad extension of the ability of the state to snoop on citizens. The move comes after the police and the security services warned that criminals were becoming increasingly sophisticated in their use of technology to avoid detection. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/3202766/Jacqui-Smith-plans-broad-new-Big-Brother-surveillance-powers.html us: AT&T Promises Not To Spy on You... Sort of You would think that AT&T, Verizon and Time Warner execs had turned a page and formed a new front in defense of your online rights. Late last month, they lined up before the Senate to mouth principles that would, in their words, ensure that "consumers have ultimate control over the use of their personal information and guards against privacy abuses." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/timothy-karr/att-promises-not-to-spy-o_b_134239.html ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** AC/DC's iTunes boycott is on Highway to Hell AC/DC, the iconic Australian rock band, has been talking to reporters as part of the promotion of its upcoming album. The group has also used the opportunity to take swipes at Apple. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10066360-93.html The online battles for US president US presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain continue to pave new trails as they use online media in their campaigns. Senator Obama has become the first presidential candidate to advertise in video games. Meanwhile, the McCain campaign has complained to YouTube that it unfairly removed campaign videos that feature copyrighted content. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7671626.stm us: McCain begs for YouTube takedown immunity After having several campaign videos removed from YouTube for alleged copyright violations, Republican presidential candidate John McCain wants the video-sharing web site to consider special takedown privileges for politicians and their ilk. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/10/15/mccain_campaign_wants_youtube_dmca_special_treatment/ ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Kazakh bloggers say can't access popular website Internet users in Kazakhstan complained of censorship Friday after being unable to access the popular blogging service Livejournal, but the state-owned telecoms company denied it was blocking it. http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKTRE4995D020081013 ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ us: New laws track child predators online Child predators will be easier to track online because of two new laws President Bush signed Monday. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10064738-38.html us: Go Daddy Lauds New Law To Protect Kids From Online Sex Predators [news release] It just became easier for Go Daddy to shut down online predators who target children. Today, President George W. Bush signed the bi-partisan bill, known as the ?Protect Our Children Act of 2008,? into law. Go Daddy and others fought long and hard to secure passage of this much needed legislation. https://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/news/release_view.asp?news_item_id=188&app_hdr= au: Jury out on ISP filtering trial Internet service providers (ISPs) are sitting on the fence on whether to participate in the government's upcoming live trial for ISP-level filtering of undesirable internet content, with their involvement depending heavily on the terms of the trial. http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Jury-out-on-ISP-filtering-trial/0,130061791,339292621,00.htm us: Two new laws try to keep kids safe from online creeps POCA KIDSPA may sound like some sort of disturbing NAMBLA resort, but those are actually two pieces of legislation recently signed by President Bush?the Protect Our Children Act and the Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators Act?that actually aim to frustrate Internet Uncle Ernies. Online watchdog groups, however, are questioning both their likely effectiveness and constitutionality. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081015-two-new-laws-try-to-keep-kids-safe-from-online-creeps.html us: Web Site Lets Kids Report Cyberbullying Six Utah schools have started using a Web site that allows students to anonymously report bullies. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,437607,00.html us: Kids Hide Cyberbullying Incidents from Parents Cyberbullying is more common than you think, and teens aren?t telling their parents about it, says a new study in the Journal of School Health. http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6604017.html ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** Council of Europe plans extension of broadcast rules to on-demand material The Council of Europe aims to increase the scope of a convention that affects the regulation of TV broadcasting to include video on-demand services and some online video. The changes will match those already made by the European Union. http://out-law.com/page-9502 Bush signs RIAA-backed intellectual-property law President Bush on Monday signed into law an intellectual-property enforcement bill that would consolidate federal efforts to combat copyright infringement under a new White House cabinet position. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10064527-38.html Bush Enacts PRO-IP Anti-piracy Law [IDG] U.S. President George W. Bush Monday signed into law a bill designed to increase protection of intellectual property (IP) such as software, films and music by raising penalties for infringement and creating a national "IP czar." http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/152214/bush_enacts_proip_antipiracy_law.html Bush signs controversial anti-piracy law U.S. President George W. Bush signed into law on Monday a controversial bill that would stiffen penalties for movie and music piracy at the federal level. http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-35942320081013 http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKTRE49C7EI20081013 Bush Signs Bill Boosting Intellectual-Property Enforcement [Bloomberg] President George W. Bush signed legislation that increases funding to combat intellectual property theft and pushes for coordination of U.S. efforts against counterfeiting and piracy. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601127&sid=aJHyDw5hcsE0 Intellectual Property Bill Signed Into Law The President Monday signed a pro IP bill into law, despite Congress' creation of an IP coordinator post in the White House that the administration didn't favor. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6605056.html Intellectual Property Bill Becomes Law: Critics Say It Goes Too Far President Bush yesterday signed a bill that toughens current laws on the theft of intellectual property and establishes a new White House cabinet position to oversee the IP infringement effort. http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=165924 nz: Controversial copyright bill gets slight extension [NZPA] In response to industry outrage over sections of the newly passed copyright amendment bill, the government has allowed a slight time extension to assist ISPs in coming to grips with their new responsibilities. http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/controversial-copyright-bill-gets-slight-extension-36488 ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** BT picks fast fibre pilot sites Residents of Muswell Hill, in London, and Whitchurch, in South Wales, are to be the first to try next generation broadband in the UK. Exchanges in both areas are to become pilot sites where the fibre-based broadband will be tested. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7667761.stm au: ISP dispute blamed for rural internet disconnection Dozens of country internet users have been disconnected because of a dispute between a service provider and its wholesale reseller. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/15/2391632.htm au: NBN cost estimates have dipped: Conroy THE federal government has rejected claims that the cost of building a national broadband network (NBN) has increased because of the global financial crisis. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24500753-15306,00.html au: Keep Telstra separation on table: Glasson THE competition watchdog should have a role in deciding whether there should be a structural separation of Telstra, the head of a government advisory panel says. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24501188-15306,00.html NZ Telecom pulls out of Aust broadband consortium: report [AAP] Telecom, a key member of a consortium bidding to build Australia's national broadband network (NBN), has pulled out, according to a report. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4729221a13.html http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10537797 AAPT withdraws from Terria AAPT, the telco owned by Telecom New Zealand, has withdrawn from the Terria consortium bidding for the national broadband network. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24504887-15306,00.html Blow for Aussie comms minister as Telecom NZ quits Terria One of the key parties in the Terria consortium seeking to bid for the national broadband network grant has withdrawn from the process, delivering a severe blow to the federal government's A$4.7 billion tender. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/51CD630729A3EF25CC2574E30080A9A4 ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Get ready for next-gen mobile Apple iPhone, move over. At least, that's the hope of Google and Research in Motion as they ready the first serious competitors to the iPhone, in the "mobile 2.0" market that Apple invented. http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/10/13/42NF-mobile-sneak-peek_1.html ACMA gives thumbs up to in-flight mobile use The Australian Communications and Media Authority says it supports the installation of in-flight mobile phone systems by Australian airlines for domestic and international use. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/15/2392131.htm ACMA proposes to allow in-flight mobile phone systems [news release] The Australian Communications and Media Authority is proposing to permit the possession and installation of in-flight mobile phone systems by Australian airlines for domestic and international services. http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311446 NZ Telecom spends $574m on new 3G network Telecom has awarded Alcatel-Lucent a contract to build a $574million nationwide 3G mobile network using wideband CDMA technology but the decision to increase the speed of its rollout has flagged a potentially lowered earning forecast. http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4728025a28.html One Step Closer To US-wide Free Wireless Internet The FCC has announced that they had finished a series of tests of a swatch of radio band that they're setting aside for a nation-wide, cost-free wireless internet service. Those tests concluded that that spectrum will not interfere with current mobile carriers signals (though ATT, T-Mobile, and all the rest are bitching already), which means that all systems are pretty much go for implementing this thing. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-sinker/one-step-closer-to-nation_b_134606.html FCC chairman gives support for use of 'white spaces' Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin said today that he will support allowing conditional unlicensed use of the so-called "white spaces" television spectrum. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/101507-fcc-white-spaces.html FCC report: White space devices work as "proof of concept" The FCC's long-awaited report on white space devices finds that current prototypes have issues, but they meet the "proof of concept" standard. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081015-fcc-report-white-space-devices-work-as-proof-of-concept.html FCC looks set to back "white spaces" as Chairman signs on On the day that the FCC report on white spaces is set to debut, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin took to the microphone to express his support for the idea. TV broadcasters, get ready for a little unlicensed wireless competition. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081015-fcc-looks-set-to-back-white-spaces-as-chairman-signs-on.html FCC chairman backs use of 'white space' spectrum Companies lobbying the Federal Communications Commission to access unused spectrum known as "white spaces" won a big victory on Wednesday when Chairman Kevin Martin threw his weight behind the proposal citing findings in an FCC report that was also issued Wednesday. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10067331-94.html ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN ********************************** au: Not guilty plea to child porn charges A Launceston man has pleaded not guilty to accessing child pornography on the internet. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/14/2390477.htm au: Townsville businessman speaks out after child porn charges dropped A PROMINENT Townsville businessman has been cleared of a charge of possessing child pornography. "I'm angry, but I'm also frustrated because I really just don't know who to be angry with," John Dooley, a car dealer, said last night. Mr Dooley's three-year legal nightmare ended in the District Court yesterday. http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2008/10/15/16899_hpnews.html au: Townsville car dealer has child porn charges dropped CHILD pornography charges have been dropped after a prominent Townsville businessman spent up to $80,000 trying to clear his name. He says he's still angry. http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,20797,24499886-3102,00.html --------- 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 Make the switch to the world's best email. 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