Don't forget to check out http://www.auda.org.au/domain-news/ for the archive of the last 3 months of the news. And see my website - http://GoldsteinReport.com/ - for daily updates in between postings. *************************************************** The domain name news is supported by auDA *************************************************** ICANN: Plan for Enhanced Internet Security, Stability and Resiliency http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-21may09-en.htm ICANN: SSAC Review: Public Comment Period to the Independent Reviewers? Final Report http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-21may09-en.htm Senators push to monitor ICANN-government relationship http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090521_3747.php NIC Argentina Tells Domainers - No More http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/05/24/nic-argentina-tells-domainers-no-more/ 'Operational' Cyber Approach Needed http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/05/operational-cybersecurity-appr.php Kaspersky impressed by botnet slickness http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10246721-83.html DNS attack downs Internet in parts of China [IDG] http://www.pcworld.com/article/165319/.html Pool.com and Quintaris Receive 300,000 Pre-Registrations for new gTLDs in One Month http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/05/24/poolcom-and-quintaris-receive-300000-pre-registrations-for-new-gtlds-in-one-month/ ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Plan for Enhanced Internet Security, Stability and Resiliency ICANN has developed a plan to enhance the security, stability and resiliency of the Internet's naming and addressing systems as called for in its Strategic Plan and in accordance within its bylaws. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-21may09-en.htm SSAC Review: Public Comment Period to the Independent Reviewers? Final Report ICANN appointed JAS Communications as the consultants for the independent review of SSAC, the Security and Stability Advisory Committee. The consultants released their draft final report, which was presented and discussed at the ICANN Mexico City meeting. Slides used during the presentation and transcript of the discussion are available here. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-21may09-en.htm Application Round Opens for Seoul Meeting Fellowships ICANN has launched the eighth round of fellowship program applications for its 36th International Public Meeting to be held in Seoul, Korea from 25-30 October 2009. For this meeting, the National Internet Development Agency of Korea ( NIDA) is partnering with ICANN to support the fellowship program and increase participation from the Asia Pacific region. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-22may09-en.htm Senators push to monitor ICANN-government relationship Senators are pressing Commerce Secretary Locke and Assistant Secretary-Designate Larry Strickling to pay close attention to the relationship between the U.S. government and ICANN, a private entity based in California that administers the Internet addressing system. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090521_3747.php What the ICANN Board needs to know about the new SG charters by Milton Mueller ICANN?s Board meets tomorrow to discuss the charters of the new Stakeholder Groups that will make up the new, reformed GNSO. As we have explained in other posts, this reorganization is an important, long overdue reform. It has the potential to create a fairer, more balanced and more productive GNSO. It is still possible, however, for ICANN?s Board to fumble the ball. That is because there are groups who don?t want to fix the GNSO. Rather, they want to prolong or worsen its problems so that special interests can hang on to power and continue to play the obstructionist games that have made the GNSO an exercise in futility for so long. http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2009/5/20/4193044.html ICANN 37 To Be Held In Kenya ICANN's 37th public meeting, which is to be held from March 7th to March 13th 2010, is to take place in Kenya. http://www.isquattedyour.eu/2009/05/22/icann-37-to-be-held-in-kenya/ Uncharted territory ICANN?s plans to liberalise the domain name system by introducing an additional tier of new generic top-Level domains has left many brand owners worried about their online brand strategies. Three experts offer guidance and argue for reform, while ICANN?s Paul Levins defends the plans http://www.cpaglobal.com/ip-review-online/3333/uncharted_territory On your marks At the INTA Annual Meeting 2008, ICANN announced plans to liberalise top-level domain names by launching a rash of new gTLDs. But why are they necessary, how will they be awarded, and won?t this make the difficult job of managing brands online even harder for IP Rights owners? http://www.cpaglobal.com/ip-review-online/3101/on_your_marks New leadership: an interview with Dr Francis Gurry New leadership: an interview with Dr Francis Gurry WIPO?s new director general, Dr Francis Gurry, has the unenviable task of leading the organisation into a new era of IP policy. He explains his priorities and the challenges he expects to face to Edward Fennell ... An Australian national with a doctorate from Cambridge, Gurry has spent most of his career within WIPO. He started there as a consultant and senior programme officer 24 years ago and is proud of the work he has undertaken along the way, establishing WIPO?s Arbitration and Mediation Center, spearheading the domain name process and the organisation?s work in the areas of traditional knowledge and life sciences and overseeing international patent policy development and the Patent Cooperation Treaty. He says he also gets satisfaction from the part he played in enhancing the organisation?s role as a facilitator of international IP debates and as a provider of IP services. http://www.cpaglobal.com/ip-review-online/widgets/interview/more/3331 Senators Push for Strickling to Keep Eye on ICANN U.S. Senators Olympia Snowe (of the infamous ?Snowe Bill? ), R-Maine, and Bill Nelson, D-Fla, are pushing for incoming National Telecommunications & Information Administration chief Larry Strickling to keep a watchful eye on ICANN, reports Nextgov. http://domainnamewire.com/2009/05/21/senators-push-for-strickling-to-keep-eye-on-icann/ Domain Name System Expansion Creates Opportunities, Risks for Companies The Internet is changing in ways that companies need to closely monitor. As of the end of last September, there were more than 160 million domain names in existence. Beginning at the end of 2009, however, the Internet's domain name system, overseen by ICANN, will begin expanding dramatically, creating both opportunities and additional costs for brand owners. http://www.law.com/jsp/ihc/PubArticleIHC.jsp?id=1202430056037 Global Internet community to gather in Sydney [news release] InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) encourages all New Zealanders with an interest in global Internet governance to attend a meeting of ICANN being held next month in Sydney. http://www.internetnz.net.nz/media/media-releases-2009/global-internet-community-to-gather-in-sydney .PRO Announces Official Sponsorship of 35th ICANN International Meeting in Sydney, Australia RegistryPro, the exclusive operator of the .PRO top-level domain on the Internet, announced today it will serve as an official sponsor of the 35th ICANN International meeting in Sydney Australia, June 21-26, 2009. The Sydney meeting is the first public ICANN meeting sponsorship for .PRO, the only TLD reserved exclusively for business and service professionals. http://registry.pro/press-releases/2009/0519.shtml Icann develops plans to enhance internet security [sub req'd] Icann has developed a plan to enhance the security, stability and resiliency of the internet's naming and addressing systems as called for in its strategic plan and in accordance within its ... http://www.telecompaper.com/news/ ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** NIC Argentina Tells Domainers - No More Domain name holders in the .AR ccTLD will no longer be able to have more than 200 domain names, a move that appears aimed at domainers. The change in policy to limit the number of domain registrations sees each entity limited to a maximum of 200 COM.AR or ORG.AR domain names. http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/05/24/nic-argentina-tells-domainers-no-more/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/nic-argentina-tells-domainers-no-more.html Nigeria takes control of the .ng domain name Nigeria has assumed control of the domain name, .ng, after a successful transfer was effected last week. http://www.234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Money/Business/5419198-147/story.csp .tel continues momentum with over 200,000 domains registered [news release] Telnic Limited ... announced that over 200,000 registrations of domains had been received within two months of General Availability. http://telnic.com/downloads/tel_continues_momentum.pdf 200,000 .TEL domain names registered Telnic, the .TEL registry operator, have announced there are now over 200,000 .TEL domain names registered, the milestone being achieved within the first two months of General Availability. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=8181 http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/05/21/200000-tel-domain-names-registered/ 200,000 .tel domains registered Telnic confirms landmark for service that turns your personal details into a mobile web page. http://www.mobile-ent.biz/news/33314/200000-tel-domains-registered 1 and 2 character domains coming to .TRAVEL Tralliance, the .TRAVEL registry, submitted a registry service request to ICANN yesterday (May 18). It wants to offer 1 and 2 character domain names before the year is out. http://domainesinfo.fr/english/278/1-and-2-character-domains-coming-to-travel.php Shape the future of the domain name industry in the UK Nominet is running a consultation that gives you the opportunity to have your say about potential changes to the self-regulation model of the domain name industry in the UK. Nominet wants to hear your opinions about the recommendations made by Professor Garratt and Mutuo on their recent independent governance review. Now is the time to act to ensure that self-regulation continues and to avoid the potential increased costs, slower pace of change and possible fines for non-compliance that could become a part of everyday life if the industry were to be regulated. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=6503 Nominet grows to meet global ambitions Emily Taylor, Director of Legal and Policy at Nominet, the .uk domain name registry, has been appointed by the United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Anan, to serve on the Advisory Group for the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). http://www.net4now.com/?p=3580 ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** 'Operational' Cyber Approach Needed Ahead of a comprehensive Obama administration review of the U.S. government's cybersecurity posture, consulting firm Gartner said Thursday that the country needs to take a more operational approach toward the problem rather than focusing on strategies to drive higher spending or higher visibility for security. Although there is a definite role for government to play in accelerating progress toward higher levels of cybersecurity, it will be more akin to trying to deal with global warming than dealing with telephone, banking, or automotive industry policies, Gartner Vice President John Pescatore said. "Different approaches are required to ensure reliable and secure services in cyberspace than on old telecom networks, and the development of public policy has to proceed very differently, as well," he said in a press release. Government policy that attempts to force top-down solutions onto an inherently peer-to-peer problem will always fail, he said. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/05/operational-cybersecurity-appr.php us: Experts make push for cybersecurity coordination center President Obama should create a national cybersecurity coordinating center with public and private sector representation that can provide near real-time warnings and share threat data with government and industry stakeholders about high-tech attacks against critical infrastructure, a panel of experts said Thursday. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090522_5667.php Kaspersky impressed by botnet slickness Cybercrime fighter Eugene Kaspersky can't help but be impressed by the slick operations behind the Conficker botnet, and says that it could have been worse had the botnet been after more than just money. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10246721-83.html http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/security/0,39044215,62054273,00.htm http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-303959.html Cybersecurity Groups Launch "Chain of Trust" Initiative to Combat Malware [news release] Three of the world's leading cybersecurity groups today launched a new initiative to combat malicious software (malware) by establishing a "Chain of Trust" among all organizations and individuals that play a role in securing the Internet. http://cdt.org/press/20090519press.php DNS attack downs Internet in parts of China [IDG] An attack on the servers of a domain registrar in China caused an online video application to cripple Internet access in parts of the country late on Wednesday. http://www.pcworld.com/article/165319/.html http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9133376 http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/304123/ http://computerworld.com.au/article/304123/ Online attack locks up Net in several provinces An organized Internet attack on Tuesday night caused serious congestion in several provinces and autonomous region, left millions of users unable to access the Internet, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said. http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2009/200905/20090522/article_401711.htm DNSPod Reports Hacking To Chinese Public Security Organ Chinese domain name service provider and registrar DNSPod has reported hacking activities that affected its services and caused network outages in various provinces this week to its local public security organ under the requirement of China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. http://www.chinatechnews.com/2009/05/22/9824-dnspod-reports-hacking-to-chinese-public-security-organ/ DDoS attack chokes Chinese net surfing Millions of internet users in China had trouble accessing websites earlier this week after an attack on a domain registrar in that country touched off a network traffic jam. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/05/21/chinese_ddos_attacks/ DNSSEC Industry Coalition Symposium is Announced [news release] The DNSSEC Industry Coalition Symposium is announced today in collaboration with Google, Nominum, Inc. and ICANN and will be held June 11-12, 2009, in Washington, DC. The purpose will be to discuss and identify potential and perceived issues with the Domain Name System (DNS) and DNSSEC deployment due to signing the DNS root zone. During the first part of the symposium, participants will present issues along with any proposed solutions. During the second part, recommended solutions or next steps for reaching solutions will be discussed. http://pir.org/index.php?db=content/News&tbl=Press&id=24 Why DNS Is Broken, Part 2: DoS Target Continuing from where we left off last time... Before we get into what DNSSEC is and the benefits of it, let's talk about some of the other potential pitfalls of DNS. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090521_why_dns_is_broken_part_2_dos/ Hackers target NZ flood warning system Flood warning systems in Southland are secure in the wake of an attempted hacking. Environment Southland has thwarted an apparent attempt by internet vandals to interfere with its flood warning systems. The hackers used emails with addresses containing Chinese and other domain names. http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=100458 ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** ICA Travels to San Francisco to Tell IRT That Domainers Need a Fair and Open Process For UDRP Reform ICA Counsel Philip Corwin recently traveled to San Francisco to present ICA?s views to the Implementation Recommendation Team (IRT) created by the ICANN Board to propose ?solutions? addressing the concerns of trademark owners about new gTLDs. http://www.internetcommerce.org/node/181 Chinese 'copycat' site sued for $1.4m A popular Chinese networking site is suing for 10 million yuan ($1.4 million) in compensation after a competitor used what it said was a similar name to steal and mislead users. Kaixin001.com, a social networking site operated by the Beijing-based Kaixinren company, was launched in March last year and has become popular with white-collar workers for its games and other features. http://www.china.org.cn/living_in_china/news/2009-05/22/content_17819705.htm http://english.cctv.com/20090522/104299.shtml http://www.china.org.cn/china/news/2009-05/22/content_17819172.htm http://english.cri.cn/6826/2009/05/22/168s486837.htm http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/6663381.html US Newspaper domain name hijacked Mel Thompson won't be running for mayor after all, and he blames it on a daily newspaper that was critical of the political blog Thompson has run for the past several years. http://www.connpost.com/ci_12422605 ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** NRO Response to the National Advanced IPv6 Centre of Excellence (NAv6) Survey [news release] The Number Resource Organization (NRO) acknowledges Resolution 64 as a positive outcome of the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA 2008), held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 21- 30 October 2008. http://nro.net/news/nav6-survey-response.html NRO response to TSB ?Questionnaire on IPv6 address allocation and encouraging the deployment of IPv6? On 27 March 2009, the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB) issued a ?Questionnaire on IPv6 address allocation and encouraging the deployment of IPv6? to all Member States of the Union, to be returned by 12 June 2009. http://nro.net/news/nro-response-to-itu.pdf New site launched to encourage IPv6 adoption Ripe NCC, a not-for-profit internet infrastructure organisation, has launched a new web site designed to help companies find out more about migrating to the new IPv6 protocol. http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2242702/site-launched-encourage-ipv6 IPv6 PR machine cranks up The Internet industry has been warning for years that IPv4 addresses are running out and, generally, bemoaning the slow uptake of IPv6. Now action is being taken to accelerate IPv6 adoption with two separate IPv6 promotional initiatives launched in the past week http://www.itwire.com/content/view/25178/127/ Thoughts on IPv6 Security, Take Two A few months ago, I made a post about IPv6 security. I've caught some flak for saying that IPv6 isn't a security issue. I still stand by this position. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090522_thoughts_on_ipv6_security_take_two/ Interop Las Vegas 2009 IPv6 Survey We've heard on this site and many other trade journals that the IPv4 address space is running out (and a unique proposal about simulating outages) and that dire consequences occur if we do not act. Last week in Las Vegas, the Interop show took place. An unofficial count of 14,000 technology buyers and enthusiasts attended. While much lower than its record (over 100,000 strong), the show is still the biggest technology show which features a major presence by virtually every networking vendor. ...we decided to walk the Interop Expo and ask the IPv6 support question to see if the mainstream corporate and enterprise space agrees with the need to think beyond IPv4. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090524_interop_las_vegas_2009_ipv6_survey/ ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Pool.com and Quintaris Receive 300,000 Pre-Registrations for new gTLDs in One Month Pool.com and Quintaris have received around 300,000 pre-orders for registrations with new gTLDs despite no new gTLDs having been confirmed as of yet and not likely until 2010 at the earliest. http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/05/24/poolcom-and-quintaris-receive-300000-pre-registrations-for-new-gtlds-in-one-month/ 10,000 Domain Names Pre-Ordered Daily for Likely New Top-Level Domains Last month Pool.com and Quintaris started a joint project to let consumers pre-order?without cost?domain names in new gTLDs for which ICANN will likely get an application (see ICANN Board Approves Sweeping Overhaul of Top-level Domains). Latest stats released by the group is showing strong demand?about 10,000 per day in the first month of the program. http://www.circleid.com/posts/10000_a_day_pre_ordered_new_gtlds/ Huge success for new gTLD pre-orders A company running an ingenious pre-order system for new gTLDs which it expects will be launched once ICANN's program gets underway claims to have received over 300,000 pre-orders since it started the service a month ago. http://domainesinfo.fr/english/279/huge-success-for-new-gtld-pre-orders.php Going Digital The Internet has radically transformed IP strategies in the past 20 years and it is showing no signs of slowing down. In an extract from CPA Global?s latest white paper, Dominic Speller sets out expert advice on how to manage and monitor rapidly-developing digital content. http://www.cpaglobal.com/ip-review-online/2938/going_digital What Makes a Top Level Domain Successful? In light of yesterday?s news that .me has hit 250,000 registrations and .tel has already reached 200,000, a number of people are asking if that makes these TLDs successful. Michael Berkens asked a similar question today. My answer is that it?s way too early to say they are or are not successful. http://domainnamewire.com/2009/05/21/what-makes-a-top-level-domain-successful/ Is 200K and 250K Registrations Really That Impressive? Yesterday I read many bloggers posting the news that .me registrations, had reached 250,000 registration and that .tel reached 200,000 registrations and generally the tone was that these extension had reached some sort of impressive number. http://www.thedomains.com/2009/05/21/is-200k-and-250k-registrations-really-that-impressive/ Another Silly Patent Application: 104 Domains This morning I wrote about a company trying to patent ?virtual domain names?. Another patent application published today is for a geo-targeted directory made up of domain names starting with ?104?. Here?s the problem the patent tries to address, according to its author: http://domainnamewire.com/2009/05/21/another-silly-patent-application-104-domains/ The Addressing System for the Next (Wireless) Internet I gave a talk yesterday at Northwestern called A DNS in the Air. My idea is that, in order to scale, the emerging wireless Internet needs something analogous to the domain name system (DNS)?the infrastructure that allows you to reach sites across the Net. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090521_addressing_system_for_next_wireless_internet/ Changing domains? Check out these 3 cheap registrars If you haven't looked into the domain registrar market in the past year, you may have missed some big changes. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9132959 http://www.thestandard.com/news/2009/05/21/changing-domains-check-out-these-3-cheap-registrars http://www.infoworld.com/t/e-commerce/changing-domains-check-out-these-3-cheap-registrars-469 ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Sedo?s Q1 Domain Market Study We are happy to announce our findings from our Secondary Domain Market Study for Q1 2009. We?ve seen some interesting trends and changes in the industry, as represented on our marketplace. For example, we?ve seen a rise in the number of domains changing hands this quarter, although the average sales price is continuing to decline. Another interesting trend to note: we?re seeing an increase in the number of fixed price domains changing hands. http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=2399 High End of the Market Missing This Week But Low to Mid Range Marches On The price tag on this week's #1 domain is the lowest I recall for a chart topper in a very long time. A British ccTLD, GGG.co.uk, leads the pack after selling at Sedo.com for ?17,700 ($26,904). Another Sedo sale, B4.com at $26,002 was right behind. While the high end of the market was missing in action, the low to mid range (favored by small to medium sized businesses) continues along its merry way. Median prices have remained almost unchanged over the past year despite the severe recession. http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2009/05-19-09.htm NameJet and .ME Registry Announce A Limited-Time Auction of Premium .ME Names NameJet, the leading domain auction company offering an exclusive inventory of deleted and expired domain names, announced today the company will offer premium .ME names on the platform for a limited-time auction. Through an agreement with the .ME Registry, NameJet will be the exclusive auction platform for 15 never-before-released .ME domains, including Copy.ME, Catch.ME and Teach.ME. http://www.nic.me/news.php?news=168 ********************** RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** Online Classifieds Use Doubles in Past Four Years: Pew survey Overview: The number of online adults who have used online classified ads has more than doubled in the past four years. Almost half (49%) of internet users say they have ever used online classified sites, compared with 22% of online adults who had done so in 2005. On any given day about a tenth of internet users (9%) visit online classified sites, up from 4% in 2005. http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/7--Online-Classifieds.aspx OECD: The role of communication infrastructure investment in economic recovery Policy makers need to evaluate the costs and benefits of any public investment in telecommunication infrastructure and select projects which can stimulate current demand but simultaneously expand the productive capacity of the economy in the longer term. http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/4/43/42799709.pdf Coppa 2.0: The New Battle Over Privacy, Age Verification, Online Safety & Free Speech by Berin Michael Szoka & Adam D. Thierer [Progress & Freedom Foundation Progress on Point Paper] Abstract: Online privacy, child safety, free speech and anonymity are on a collision course. The 1998 Children?s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) already mandates certain online privacy protections for children under 13, but many advocate expanding online privacy protections for both adolescents and adults. Furthermore, efforts continue at both the federal and state levels to institute new regulations, such as age verification mandates, aimed at ensuring the safety of children online. There is an inherent tension between these objectives: Attempts to achieve perfectly ?safe? online environments will likely require the surrender of some privacy and speech rights, including the right to speak anonymously. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1408204 ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Web Classified Ads Double in Use Over Last Four Years Almost half of Internet users have used online classified ads, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center?s Internet & American Life Project. http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/05/22/web-classified-ads-double-in-use-over-last-four-years/ Google Earth maps out discrimination against burakumin caste in Japan A handful of innocent-looking antique maps, one offensive word and tens of thousands of offended ?untouchables? have plunged Google into an unspoken class war that has raged in Japan for centuries. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6337499.ece Pornographic videos flood YouTube Video-sharing website YouTube has removed hundreds of pornographic videos which were uploaded in what is believed to be a planned attack. The material was uploaded under names of famous teenage celebrities such as Hannah Montana and Jonas Brothers. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8061979.stm YouTube besieged by porn videos YouTube is deleting thousands of sexually explicit videos after it was hit by an organised attack yesterday in a prank known as "Porn Day". http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/may/22/youtube-porn-day Ad Revenue on the Web? No Sure Bet For anyone with a crazy idea for a Web business, the way to make it pay was once obvious: get a lot of visitors and sell ads. Since 2004, venture investors have put $5.1 billion into 828 Web start-up companies, and most of them are supported by ads, according to the National Venture Capital Association. http://nytimes.com/2009/05/25/technology/start-ups/25startup.html Illegal drug business on Internet is ?the new frontier? People can?t buy heroin or cocaine online, but a few clicks of the mouse get them darned close. For every CVS, Walgreens or Costco filling legitimate prescriptions over the Internet, dozens of shadowy Web sites sell painkillers and other powerful drugs to addicts, pushers and kids looking to get high. http://www.bradenton.com/news/breaking_news/story/1460608.html ABCe: Guardian.co.uk takes top spot The exclusive video of a policeman assaulting the man who died in last month's London G20 protests helped make guardian.co.uk the most popular UK newspaper website in April, with its second highest ever number of unique users. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/may/21/abce-guardian-telegraph ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Learning, and Profiting, from Online Friendships A question: If you have 347 followers on the Twitter microblogging service, what are the chances that they'll click on the same online ad you clicked on last night? Advertisers are dying to know. Or, say you and a colleague exchange e-mails on a Saturday night. Can managers assume that you have a tight working relationship? Researchers at IBM and Massachusetts Institute of Technology are investigating. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_22/b4133032573293.htm Walking the Cyberbeat: To make Facebook advertiser-friendly, its 'porn cops' delete risqu? content and enforce decorum. It's just before lunchtime in the sunny, high-tech headquarters of Facebook in Palo Alto, Calif., and Simon Axten is cuing up some porn. A photo of a young couple sloppily making out pops onscreen. It's gross, but not against the rules, so Axten punches a key to judge the image appropriate. Next up: a young woman in panties only, covering her breasts with her hands. "That's pretty close," Axten says, pondering the image. There's nothing arbitrary about his judgments: at Facebook, they have developed semiformal policies like the Fully Exposed Butt Rule, the Crack Rule and the Nipple Rule. In this photo there's no visible areola, he decides, so it stays. The next photo is a male clad only in a black thong and angel wings. Utterly nonplussed, Axten OKs the picture. After delivering a verdict on 75 of the 438,848 outstanding photos flagged by Facebook users?buff guy soaping up in the shower (OK); girl blowing an epic cloud of pot smoke (he deletes it); an underage user drinking from two liquor bottles at once (ditto)?Axten is off to a meeting. It's just another day at the office of the world's fastest-growing social-networking site. http://www.newsweek.com/id/195621 Twitter passes Bebo and Linkedin while MySpace heads earthwards Though you may think that Twitter gets, oh, far too much attention, the reality is that this is something that is growing fast. Damn fast. So fast that it has recently left not only the New York Times but also Digg - remember Digg? - and social networks Bebo and LinkedIn in its rear-view mirror. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/may/21/twitter-myspace-bebo-nytimes-growth-decline Indonesian Muslim clerics frown at Facebook [AFP] Indonesian Islamic clerics warned Muslims on Friday not to use popular Internet networking sites like Facebook for flirting or gossiping. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/indonesian-muslim-clerics-frown-at-facebook-20090523-bihy.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/indonesian-muslim-clerics-frown-at-facebook-20090523-bihy.html http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2434630/ ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Step forward on Australia's e-waste law Mandatory recycling of old electronic equipment is a step closer, with the nation's environment ministers agreeing to consider new laws aimed at keeping dangerous and bulky e-waste out of landfill. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25523583-15306,00.html $35 waste tax to keep Australia's old TVs, coputers out of landfill Australians face a new tax on electronic goods such as televisions and computers next year - in return for guarantees the electronic waste will not be dumped in landfill or shipped overseas. ... A meeting of environment ministers in Hobart yesterday agreed a national "e-waste" recycling scheme would start after November. http://www.smh.com.au/environment/35-waste-tax-to-keep-old-tvs-out-of-landfill-20090522-bia9.html UK 'worst electrical recycler' in Europe A study on recycling suggests Britons are the worst in Europe when it comes to recycling electrical equipment. Computer manufacturer Dell found that fewer than half of UK residents regularly recycled old hardware, compared with more than 80% of Germans. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8063115.stm Gadget boom sends electric bills soaring Britain's addiction to power-hungry gadgets could raise electricity bills by ?100 per year for every household and hamper progress in meeting the country's greenhouse gas emissions targets, according to experts. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/may/24/gadgets-appliances-climate-change-emissions-targets ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ Optus starts filtering trials The nation's second-largest ISP has fired the starter's gun on its live internet filtering trial, a program by the federal Government as part of its bid to censor the web. The trial will conclude in early July after some six weeks of testing. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25521790-5013040,00.html Australia?s impotent censors Over the last six months, I have been keeping a close watch on events ?down under?. The Australian government has proposed ? to widespread dismay from individuals and Internet providers alike ? the installation of a hi-tech firewall that will block all inappropriate content, US-hosted child abuse, for instance, at point of entry. http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2009/05/australias-impotent-censors/ ITU/MIC Strategic Dialogue, 2-3 June 2009 - Safer Internet Environment for Children, Tokyo, Japan Children and young people can benefit greatly from being online, but they also face increasing dangers in cyberspace. As a result, a global response is needed from all segments of society in order to address what has become a global issue. http://www.itu.int/osg/csd/cybersecurity/gca/cop/meetings/2009-june-2-3.html Guidelines proposed for Child Online Protection (COP) initiative - Focus on children, parents, teachers, policy-makers and industry [news release] Guidelines for the protection of children in cyberspace were presented as drafts for discussion on Monday, 18 May in connection with the theme for the 2009 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. The draft guidelines will be reviewed at the Strategic Dialogue on Safer internet Environment for Children in Tokyo, 2?3 June. http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2009/14.html UK National Centre For Tackling the Sexual Abuse of Children Announces Record 3RD Year Results [news release] 346 children have been safeguarded in the last three years, the UK?s national centre for tackling the sexual abuse of children ? the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre - announced today. http://ceop.gov.uk/mediacentre/pressreleases/2009/ceop_20052009.asp IWF Welcomes CEOP?s 3rd Annual Review [news release] CEOP reports that 139 children were safeguarded in the last 12 months while over 700 suspected offenders have been arrested since the organisation was launched in April 2006. 334 suspected offenders were arrested in the last year alone. http://iwf.org.uk/media/news.260.htm Russia and South Africa join INHOPE [news release] New alliance welcomed as Russia and South Africa join forces with the INHOPE network in the fight against online child sexual abuse content. http://iwf.org.uk/media/news.259.htm ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** The High Cost of Selling Cheap Music Services After writing about how Napster renegotiated its deals with record labels to offer its music subscription service at a lower price, I called RealNetworks, which offers the Rhapsody service, to see if its executives were excited about cutting similar deals that would allow it to offer its own $5-a-month music service. For years, after all, people trying to popularize music subscriptions ? which allow you to listen to anything you want for a monthly fee ? have been telling me the concept is great but the price the record labels want is too high. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/the-high-cost-of-selling-cheap-music-services/ YouTube strikes deal with UK broadcasters to test pre-roll ads Channel 4 is one of several UK broadcasters that have struck a deal with the video-sharing site YouTube to split advertising revenue in a trial that will see pre-roll advertising run around TV shows and clips on the site. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/may/21/youtube-channel-4-pre-roll-advertising-trial 1000 web users a day face disconnection under French law [AP] A thousand French internet users a day could be taken off-line following approval of President Nicolas Sarkozy's pet project - an unprecedented law to cut the internet connections of people who repeatedly pirate music and movies. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10573938 http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2432501/ http://www.usatoday.com/tech/world/2009-05-21-french-internet-piracy_N.htm http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/new-french-law-on-internet-piracy-meets-skepticism-20090522-bhc5.html Pirate Bay: Sweden searches for an unbiased judge The search for unbiased judges in the high-profile Pirate Bay case in Sweden seems never-ending. Finding legal authorities who are not connected to the people involved in the case is apparently difficult in a country that counts only 9 million inhabitants. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10248264-38.html http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/internet/0,39044908,62054311,00.htm ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** In South Korea, All of Life Is Mobile It has been a while since the mobile phone became more than just a phone, serving as a texting device, a camera and a digital music player, among other things. But experts say South Korea, because of its high-speed wireless networks and top technology companies like Samsung and LG, is the test case for the mobile future. http://nytimes.com/2009/05/25/technology/25iht-mobile.html The mobile playground is now open The mobile games industry had a shaky start - but the latest platforms are opening up the market and creating new opportunities: In 2006 the world's largest games company, Electronic Arts, signed its biggest-ever deal and acquired the mobile games company Jamdat for $680m (then ?395m). http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/may/21/mobile-games-industry North Korea starts 'limited' mobile internet service [AP] North Korea has begun limited internet service for mobile phone users, a government website reported, months after launching an advanced network in cooperation with an Egyptian telecommunications company. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10573976 Apple bans iPhone program over sex claims A British-made iPhone program has been banned by Apple - because it could allow people to read the Kama Sutra. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/may/21/apple-iphone ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Clickjacking: Hijacking clicks on the Internet What if you reached to grab a newspaper out of a news stand and you found a rock in your hand instead? How about opening the front door to a grocery store and ending up on a boat? http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10247327-83.html http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/security/0,39044215,62054310,00.htm English cricket calls for tough new laws on ticket touts The England and Wales Cricket Board has called for tough new laws against ticket touts, after private investigators employed by the board tracked down more than 1,900 "black market" tickets for the ICC World Twenty20 made available through internet sites such as eBay. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/may/22/ticket-touts-twenty20-ashes-cricket EBay win against L'Oreal in UK High Court [IDG] EBay Inc. cannot be held legally accountable for the sale of fake L'Oreal goods, including perfumes and face creams, on its Web site, according to a decision in the U.K. High Court. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9133422 http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/052209-ebay-win-against-loreal-in.html Ebay Prevails in U.K. Ruling on Counterfeits The British High Court on Friday ruled eBay Inc. can't be held legally accountable for the sale of counterfeit L'Oreal SA products through its online marketplace. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124299592214947123.html EBay wins UK court trademark battle vs L'Oreal EBay has won a UK court battle against French cosmetics group L'Oreal, which had claimed the online marketplace was jointly liable for trademark infringements committed by its users. http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-39827320090522 http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE54L2XH20090522 Fake Goods Not eBay's Problem, London Court Rules [AP] A British court on Friday ruled that Internet marketplace eBay is not liable for bogus beauty products sold on its Web site, dealing a blow to cosmetics company L'Oreal's campaign against the online auction giant. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/ebay-wins-court-fight-against-loreal-in-uk-20090522-bieg.html http://ecommercetimes.com/story/Fake-Goods-Not-eBays-Problem-London-Court-Rules-67140.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/ebay-wins-court-fight-against-loreal-in-uk-20090522-bieg.html http://www.usatoday.com/tech/techinvestor/corporatenews/2009-05-22-ebay-loreal_N.htm US Judge Backs Craigslist in South Carolina Case [AP] A federal judge on Friday blocked South Carolina's attorney general from making any move to prosecute Craigslist Inc. executives for ads that lead to prostitution arrests while the company pursues a lawsuit against the state. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124302848649848301.html Unlikely Allies Say U.K. Libel Laws Limit Speech The American Civil Liberties Union may not often see eye-to-eye with the American Center for Democracy, a research group with neoconservative credentials. But the two organizations are united on at least one thing: their distaste for British libel laws, which they say are being exploited to suppress free speech in Britain and beyond. http://nytimes.com/2009/05/25/business/media/25iht-libel.html 'Gumblar' PC virus targets Google users, warn experts A computer virus that targets Google users is mutating rapidly, turning it into what some are calling the biggest threat to online security today. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/may/22/gumblar-google-malware ************************** PRIVACY ************************** In Germany, widespread spying is back, this time electronically by corporations Hundreds of thousands of employees have had their mobile phone, e-mail and computer records secretly searched. Companies say they did it to expose misconduct. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-germany-spying23-2009may23,0,1524773.story ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** UK Telegraph lawyers shut down Tory MP's blog Nadine Dorries, the Conservative frontbencher who claimed the Daily Telegraph's revelations on expenses could drive MPs to suicide, has had her blog shut down by lawyers acting for the newspaper. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/may/23/dorries-tory-mp-blog-taken-down au: COMMENT: Web filtering pulls plug on euthanasia debate by Michael Duffy They held a debate last week at the Oxford Union on the subject of voluntary euthanasia. Dr Philip Nitschke, the advocate of legalisation, was invited to speak. He accepted but the invitation was cancelled by union president Corey Dixon. http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/web-filtering-pulls-plug-on-euthanasia-debate-20090521-bh0s.html Microsoft blocks Messenger in US-embargoed countries Microsoft this week decided to turn off its Windows Live Messenger service for five countries: Cuba, Syria, Iran, Sudan, and North Korea. All five of these countries have a few things in common, but the one that apparently concerns Microsoft is that the US has put embargoes on each of them. Users in these countries get the following error: "810003c1: We were unable to sign you in to the .NET Messenger Service." The user is not informed as to the actual reason for the block. Currently, it's not clear how broad the block is or how long it will last. http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/05/microsoft-blocks-messenger-in-us-embargoed-countries.ars Iran 'blocks access to Facebook' Iran's government has blocked access to social networking site Facebook ahead of June's presidential elections, according to Iran's ILNA news agency. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8065578.stm Iranian government blocks Facebook access Iran has blocked access to Facebook, prompting government critics to condemn the move as an attempt to muzzle the opposition before next month's presidential election. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/24/facebook-banned-iran Iran bans Facebook ahead of election Iran has blocked the use of the popular social networking site Facebook in a move critics claim is an attempt to muzzle the opposition ahead of next month's election. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/5378082/Iran-bans-Facebook-ahead-of-election.html Facebook decries Iranian ban [AFP] Facebook on Saturday said it had received reports its wesbite had been blocked in Iran, lamenting the apparent government bar as "a shame." http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/facebook-decries-iranian-ban-20090524-bj2t.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/facebook-decries-iranian-ban-20090524-bj2t.html Cuba's cyberwar intensifies [AFP] Cuban bloggers are fighting a cyberwar with the government to give their own version of reality on the communist island, from hotels and using memory sticks and laptops obtained from abroad. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/cubas-cyberwar-intensifies-20090523-bihx.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/cubas-cyberwar-intensifies-20090523-bihx.html Anyone can browse the Internet... unless they are Cuban On the anniversary of the Republic of Cuba?s creation on 20 May 1902, Reporters Without Borders calls for continued diplomatic efforts that could help improve access to news and information on the island. When Ra?l Castro was installed as president on 24 February 2008, he said he wanted to do away with ?the excess of prohibitions and regulations? but Cubans are still denied the Internet access enjoyed by foreign visitors and 24 journalists are still in prison. http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=31386 ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** EU consults on state aid rules for high-speed Internet The European Commission yesterday (19 May) launched a public consultation on draft guidelines that will determine when governments can grant public funds for rolling out high-speed broadband networks. http://euractiv.com/en/infosociety/eu-consults-state-aid-rules-high-speed-internet/article-182537 High-level OECD Conference: ICTs, the Environment and Climate Change, 27-28 May 2009 On 27-28 May 2009 the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation will host a high-level OECD Conference on how Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can improve environmental performance and mitigate climate change in all sectors of the economy. The theme of ?Green ICTs? will be discussed in the context of the economic crisis and the role of innovation for green growth. http://www.oecd.org/document/15/0,3343,en_2649_34223_40472783_1_1_1_37441,00.html Samuel gives broadband network the nod The head of Australia's consumer watchdog has sparked a row with the Opposition by giving an extraordinary endorsement of the Federal Govern-ment's plans to build a new national broadband network. http://business.smh.com.au/business/samuel-gives-broadband-network-the-nod-20090521-bh2m.html http://business.theage.com.au/business/samuel-attacked-for-nbn-support-20090521-bh5q.html ACCC chief welcomes broadband network The head of Australia's competition watchdog has praised the Government's $43 billion broadband proposal. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/21/2577443.htm NBN announcement 'momentous' says ACCC [news release] "The most momentous policy initiative in the Australian telecommunications sector since the introduction of full competition over a decade ago," was how Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Chairman, Mr Graeme Samuel, described the National Broadband Network announcement to the ATUG 2009 Regional Conference in Canberra today. http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/873252/fromItemId/142 ACCC Samuels endorses Telstra break-up Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Graeme Samuel yesterday endorsed Telstra's structural separation, which has drawn strong criticism from the Liberals. http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/ACCC-Samuels-endorses-Telstra-break-up/0,130061791,339296578,00.htm Pro-internet piracy party on course for EU seats The Pirate Party, a single-issue Swedish group that campaigns to encourage internet copyright infringement, is on course to win several seats in the European parliament. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article6342810.ece ********************************* COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS ********************************* Mystery over Australia's Google's missing millions Google is refusing to explain the gulf between the revenues filed in its latest accounts and the almost $1 billion paid by Australian companies to the technology giant to buy up search terms on the internet. http://business.smh.com.au/business/mystery-over-local-googles-missing-millions-20090522-biav.html http://business.theage.com.au/business/google-silent-on-disparity-20090523-bigq.html ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** nz: With mobile broadband pricing, geography is destiny A 1GB mobile data plan might cost as twice as much in New Zealand as Australia. But as one reader points out, New Zealand has roughly the same geographical area as the UK. http://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/chris-keall/with-mobile-broadband-pricing-geography-destiny au: Pipe dream coming true for net users When cable ship Tyco Durable set off from Sydney's northern beaches to lay a 9000km undersea fibre-optic link to Guam, via Papua New Guinea, last Tuesday, it carried much more than the hopes of its main investor, Pipe International. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25533252-5013040,00.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2009 --------- David Goldstein email: goldstein_david§yahoo.com.au web: http://davidgoldstein.tel/ http://goldsteinreport.com/ phone: +61 418 228 605 - mobile; +61 2 9665 5773 - office/home mail: 4/3 Abbott Street COOGEE NSW 2034 AUSTRALIA "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 Need a Holiday? Win a $10,000 Holiday of your choice. Enter now.http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylc=X3oDMTJxN2x2ZmNpBF9zAzIwMjM2MTY2MTMEdG1fZG1lY2gDVGV4dCBMaW5rBHRtX2xuawNVMTEwMzk3NwR0bV9uZXQDWWFob28hBHRtX3BvcwN0YWdsaW5lBHRtX3BwdHkDYXVueg--/SIG=14600t3ni/**http%3A//au.rd.yahoo.com/mail/tagline/creativeholidays/*http%3A//au.docs.yahoo.com/homepageset/%3Fp1=other%26p2=au%26p3=mailtaglineReceived on Sun May 24 2009 - 22:09:43 UTC
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