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.


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The domain name news is supported by auDA

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Red Register Loses ICANN Accreditation
http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-15sep09-en.htm

Republican lawmakers want answers from ICANN
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090916_9990.php
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/09/gop-lawmakers-want-answers-fro.php

Africa's liaison to ICANN: Outreach is under way [IDG]
http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=C46E0149-1A64-67EA-E44386295D938B49

Domain-name abuse proliferates; rogue registrars turn a blind eye 
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/091409-domain-name-abuse.html

How registrars tackle domain name abuse
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/091409-domain-name-abuse-side.html

Hathaway: US Feds Starting to Get Cybersecurity
http://www.internetnews.com/government/article.php/3839001

House Cyber Leaders Urge Swift Action
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/09/house-cyber-leaders-urge-swift.php


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DOMAIN NAMES
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**********************
 - ICANN
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Expressions of Interest Sought for Bulk Transfer of Registrations
As the result of the recent de-accreditation of registrar Red Register, Inc. (IANA ID 962), ICANN is seeking expressions of interest from ICANN-accredited registrars that might wish to assume sponsorship of the gTLD names that were previously managed by this registrar.
http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-16sep09-en.htm

Red Register Loses ICANN Accreditation
ICANN has terminated its accreditation agreement with registrar Red Register. Red Register has failed to comply with the requirements of the Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA), the contract between ICANN and registrars that governs the registration of domain names under generic top-level domains such as dot-com and dot-org.
http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-15sep09-en.htm

SSAC Briefing: Display and Usage of Internationalized Registration Data : Webinar provides essential background for understanding global Whois issues
Many Internet applications today support characters from local languages, alphabets or scripts. This type of ?internationalization? affects how information displays to Internet users, and how users submit information to applications.
http://gnso.icann.org/announcement/announcement-09sep09-en.htm

Public Comment: Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy Part B Policy Development Process
Input requested: The Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO), the body of ICANN responsible for policy development relating to generic Top-Level Domains, is asking for public comments on issues relating to procedures for modifying registration information and transferring domain names between registers to inform the deliberations of the Working Group created to address these issues. Specifically, comments on establishing a new urgent return procedure for challenging potentially fraudulent domain name transfers or alterations, potential measures to undo inappropriate transfers and the use of Registrar Lock Status are requested from the broader community. The details of the issues being considered are provided below.
http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-14sep09-en.htm

ICANN Formalizes Relationship with ccTLD Manager for Ukraine (.UA)
ICANN has announced today that it has signed an exchange of letters with the ccTLD manager for .UA, Communications System Ltd.
http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-16sep09-en.htm

Community view: Bled ccTLD meeting review by Jon Lawrence
Last week I attended the ?Second International Conference for ccTLD Registries and Registrars of CIS, Central and Eastern Europe?, held in the picturesque lakeside town of Bled, in Slovenia. Bled is one of the most beautiful places I?ve had the pleasure to visit and the conference, despite its rather cumbersome title, was similarly rewarding.
http://blog.icann.org/2009/09/community-view-bled-cctld-meeting-review/

Republican lawmakers want answers from ICANN
Two of the House Judiciary Committee's top Republicans wrote to the new head of the ICANN on Tuesday to express concerns about the proposed introduction of many new top-level domains -- such as .biz, .info, and .us -- and the expiration later this month of a memo formally joining the Commerce Department and the California-based entity that administers the world's Web addresses.
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090916_9990.php
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/09/gop-lawmakers-want-answers-fro.php

Congressmen Quiz ICANN on New TLDs, Price Caps and Independence
Two republicans on the House Judiciary Committee have written a letter to ICANN CEO Rod Beckstrom, quizzing him on plans to introduce new TLDs and the expiration of ICANN?s Joint Project Agreement, reports NextGov.
http://domainnamewire.com/2009/09/16/congressmen-quiz-icann-on-new-tlds-price-caps-and-independence/

Well 2 Members Of Congress ?Get It? When It Comes To New Domain Extensions & Lifting Of Price Caps
According to NextGov.com, Two of the House Judiciary Committee?s top Republicans wrote to ICANN?s CEO Rod Beckstrom, expressing their concern, that ICANN plan to add unlimited number of new gTLD?s, will carry ?serious negative consequences? for U.S. businesses and consumers.
http://www.thedomains.com/2009/09/16/well-2-members-of-congress-get-it-when-it-comes-to-new-extensions-lifting-of-price-caps/comment-page-1/

Africa's liaison to ICANN: Outreach is under way [IDG]
The Highway Africa conference, held last week in Grahamstown, South Africa, is the largest gathering of African ICT journalists. Computerworld Kenya interviewed Anne-Rachel Inne, Africa's regional liaison at ICANN.
http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=C46E0149-1A64-67EA-E44386295D938B49
http://www.cio.de/news/cio_worldnews/898519/
http://www.thestandard.com/news/2009/09/16/africas-liaison-icann-outreach-under-way
http://www.infoworld.com/t/internet/africas-liaison-icann-outreach-under-way-073

Africa warned against using American networks
Accessing and providing information, goods and services as well as having fun over the internet are slowly gaining popularity in many parts of Africa. ... ?Juristically, it is not your content, but for other people (Americans),? said Ms Anne-Rachel Inn?, Africa regional relations manager of ICANN.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/business_power/Africa_warned_against_using_American_networks_91325.shtml

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 - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS
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Happy Birthday .CAT and ICANN by Eric Brunner-Williams
Today, four years after the launch of the Catalan linguistic and cultural registry, Google reports that there are 90 million pages of Catalan content under the some 36 thousand .CAT domains. As imperfect as Google's tools are as a metric, the correct observation is that the use of .CAT by Catalans vastly exceeds the expectations of its initial proponents, not simply by achieving commercial viability levels of registrations and renewals well before its 5th year of operation, but by displacing the pre-ICANN registries, .COM, .NET, .ORG and .ES, as the primary choice of Catalans registering domain names.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090916_happy_birthday_cat_icann/

EURid welcomes the Swedish a, the German u, and other characters new to .eu
EURid is pleased to announce that .eu will support IDNs effective 10 December. For the first time, residents of the European Union will be able to register a .eu domain name made up of non-Latin characters.
http://www.traveldailynews.com/pages/show_page/33006-EURid-welcomes-the-Swedish-a,-the-German-u,-and-other-characters-new-to-eu

kg: No Censorship Pledge from Domain Name Controller
The head of the government agency which has taken control of the ?kg? country domain name insists the change is to everyone?s advantage.
http://www.iwpr.net/?p=car&s=f&o=355921

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 - DNS SECURITY
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us: Blair sets intel goals, ranks cybersecurity high
Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair today unveiled an overarching strategy for the nation's intelligence agencies, which for the first time lists cybersecurity and counterintelligence as top mission priorities.
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090915_2113.php

China, Russia 'aggressive' in cyberspace: US intelligence [AFP]
China and Russia are "aggressive" players in cyberspace, the US intelligence chief said Tuesday as a report identified enhancing cybersecurity as a national priority. The 2009 National Intelligence Strategy (NIS), a four-year blueprint for the intelligence community, "elevates the importance of the challenges we face in the cyber domain," Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair said.
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/china-russia-aggressive-in-cyberspace-us-intelligence-20090916-fpws.html
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/china-russia-aggressive-in-cyberspace-us-intelligence-20090916-fpws.html

Domain-name abuse proliferates; rogue registrars turn a blind eye 
For legitimate businesses, a domain name is a way to hang a shingle in cyberspace. In the criminal world, domain names are a key part of botnet and phishing operations, and cyber-criminals are plundering domain-name registrars around the world to get them.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/091409-domain-name-abuse.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/171954/.html
http://www.itworld.com/security/77519/domain-name-abuse-proliferates-rogue-registrars-turn-blind-eye
http://www.thestandard.com/news/2009/09/14/domain-name-abuse-proliferates-rogue-registrars-turn-blind-eye
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/09/14/urnidgns852573C4006938800025763100278D6C.DTL
http://www.infoworld.com/d/security-central/domain-name-abuse-proliferates-rogue-registrars-turn-blind-eye-542
http://www.cio.de/news/cio_worldnews/898119/
http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=B809FA70-1A64-67EA-E4B5B30FF36D196B

How registrars tackle domain name abuse
Cybercriminals worldwide are amassing domain names to keep their botnet and phishing operations a step ahead of authorities
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/091409-domain-name-abuse-side.html
http://www.itworld.com/security/77520/how-registrars-tackle-domain-name-abuse
http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=B809FD10-1A64-67EA-E407F92DD22463C9
http://www.thestandard.com/news/2009/09/14/how-registrars-tackle-domain-name-abuse
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/09/14/urnidgns852573C4006938800025763100278CC0.DTL
http://www.cio.de/news/cio_worldnews/898120/

Hathaway: US Feds Starting to Get Cybersecurity
In her first public address since leaving the White House, Melissa Hathaway issued an urgent warning about the severity of the cyber threats facing America's digital networks, a message she tempered with a cautious optimism about the mounting political will toward addressing the challenges.
http://www.internetnews.com/government/article.php/3839001

House Cyber Leaders Urge Swift Action
House Cybersecurity Caucus co-chairs Jim Langevin, D-R.I., and Michael McCaul, R-Texas, urged President Obama last week to swiftly appoint a permanent cybersecurity coordinator within the White House. In a Thursday letter, the pair said the absence of such an official "impedes the ability of federal agencies to move forward in updating and strengthening their aging cyber policies," while complicating efforts to collaborate with private institutions that also play a critical role.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/09/house-cyber-leaders-urge-swift.php

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 - DOMAIN DISPUTES
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Dealing With Internet Theft In The Travel Industry
... Legal Actions To Regain An Agent's Domain Name Registration ... The second available avenue is a unique procedure brought under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP). The UDRP process has been available to remedy domain name theft since 1999, when it was adopted by the Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers, known as ICANN. It applies to all domain names with generic top-level extensions such as ".com," ".org" and ".net." With a few exceptions, it does not apply to names with foreign country extensions.
http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=86006

Kentucky Supreme Court to Hear Internet Gambling Case
In January, the Kentucky Court of Appeals ruled by a 2:1 margin that the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet did not have jurisdiction to seize 141 internet gambling domain names. In October, the Kentucky Supreme Court will hear the case.
http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/kentucky-supreme-court-to-hear-internet-gambling-case-4957/

WIPO Decision: Use Of Privacy On Domain Registration = Bad Faith: ShoeZone.com
In a one panel WIPO decision ordering the transfer of the domain, ShoeZone.com to the holder of a UK trademark, the use of Moniker.com privacy service on its registration was found to be an indication of bad faith of the domain holder
http://www.thedomains.com/2009/09/15/wipo-decision-says-use-of-privacy-on-domain-registrationbad-faith-shoezone-com/comment-page-1/

Apple Fights for Mexican Domain Name
Apple, Inc. has launched a complaint with World Intellectual Property Organization over the domain name iTunes.com.mx.
http://domainnamewire.com/2009/09/16/apple-fights-for-mexican-domain-name/

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 - IPv4/IPv6
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Tunisia switches to ?next generation? Internet Protocol
The national commission in charge for the migration towards Internet Protocol Version IPV6 held its first meeting on September 13, 2009 in Tunis.
http://www.africanmanager.com/site_eng/detail_article.php?art_id=13945

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 - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET
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Lawyers: We Started Investigating Moniker in 2005
For the record, I have no idea if any of the allegations in Transamerica?s lawsuit against Moniker are true. But I do know that its lawyers bungled the first complaint they filed. It was rife with many ?gotchas? that could be proven false with cursory investigation.
http://domainnamewire.com/2009/09/14/lawyers-we-started-investigating-moniker-in-2005/

How do you value domains?
Going back to 2007 again for some perspective, there was much talk about this topic. What has really happened, or changed since?
http://www.domaininformer.com/guides/General_Information/articles/090914-value-domains

Back to Basics: Traffic is King
Sedo, discusses the benefits of building a domain portfolio of keyword domains to improve traffic to your site while improving conversions...
http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=2485

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INTERNET USE
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Microsoft's search engine boosts market share
Microsoft's Bing search engine is emerging as a challenger to the dominance of Google after capturing a near-11 per cent share of the market in little more than three months.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,26085466-7582,00.html

Latest Google news service promises publishers money and readers
Google is launching an experimental news service that it says will boost the revenues and readership of newspapers and allow people to mimic the experience of flicking through pages to find a good read.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/sep/15/google-news-service-experiment

Google Releases News-Reading Service
Google, long seen as an enemy by many in the news industry, is making a bold attempt to be seen as a friend with a new service it hopes will make it easier for readers to read newspaper and magazine articles.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/technology/internet/15google.html

Google turns page on news content
Google has unveiled a service called Fast Flip to let users consume news more quickly and to boost the flagging fortunes of the news industry.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8256054.stm

Google turns a new page in online news content
Google has stepped up its efforts to woo newspaper publishers with a search service that displays results in the style of a "virtual magazine".
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article6834456.ece
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,26076347-36418,00.html

Recession hasn't slowed global Internet traffic [IDG]
Not even the biggest economic downturn since the Great Depression could slow the ongoing explosion of traffic over international Internet connections, and service providers are still building to accommodate it.
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9138026/Recession_hasn_t_slowed_global_Internet_traffic
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/171985/.html
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/318562/

Google Docs 'widely used' at 1-in-5 workplaces, reports survey
The near total dominance of Microsoft Office in the workplace may be getting a serious challenge from Google Docs, according to a new survey by market research firm IDC.
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9138157/Google_Docs_widely_used_at_1_in_5_workplaces_reports_survey

Australia's growing addiction to wireless broadband
Australians can't get enough of mobile wireless internet, new Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows. Since December last year there has been a 51 per cent increase in subscribers to mobile wireless, the service that allows customers to access the net at places away from their home such as coffee shops and airport lounges. 
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26070919-601,00.html

ABS Report: Internet Activity, Australia, Jun 2009 - Highlights
At the end of June 2009, there were 8.4 million active internet subscribers in Australia
http://abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs§.nsf/mf/8153.0

Aussie web data consumption doubles
Australian internet users now consume twice as much data than they did a year ago, but figures by Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveal there are still over 200,000 businesses and government agencies on a dial-up connection.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Aussie-web-data-consumption-doubles/0,130061791,339298504,00.htm

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SOCIAL NETWORKING
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Facebook now reaches 300 million users - and makes money
Cynics have long dismissed social networking as a fad - but the appetite for connecting online appears to be growing more rapidly than ever, after Facebook announced today that it now has more than 300 million users worldwide.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/sep/15/facebook-300-million

300 Million and On by Mark Zuckerberg
As of today, Facebook now serves 300 million people across the world. It's a large number, but the way we think about this is that we're just getting started on our goal of connecting everyone.
http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=136782277130

Facebook makes money, tops 300 million users
Facebook is making enough money to cover its costs and now has 300 million users, the world's largest social networking site said on Tuesday, proving the Internet's newest star industry can be a viable business.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE58E80620090916
http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-42481820090916
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/2869807/

Facebook finally set to turn a profit [AFP]
Facebook has announced it is now earning more money than it is spending and has signed up its 300 millionth member.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/16/2687317.htm

Twitter gives traders voice in virtual open outcry
Twitter is resurrecting in cyberspace the teeming trading pits of yesteryear as traders sign up with the the social networking site to reconnect with global counterparts.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ff39ba8a-a2ef-11de-ba74-00144feabdc0.html

Twitter funding would value it at $1 bln - report
Twitter is closing a round of funding that will value the company known for its 140-character, stream-of-consciousness blogs at $1 billion (?606 million), technology news site TechCrunch reported on Wednesday.

The company will raise around $50 million, and Chief Executive Evan Williams told employees about the funding round, TechCrunch said, citing multiple unnamed sources.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE58F6NC20090917
http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-42513920090917
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/2874477/Twitter-valued-at-US-1b

au: 'Facebook Five' spat sparks privacy row
It is almost an Australian tradition to sit at the pub after work and sledge the boss, but six New South Wales prison officers have discovered you can run into trouble when you take that sledging online.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/17/2688792.htm

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES
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S'pore, Taiwan among world's most competitive
Five countries in the Asia-Pacific region have been identified among the world's top 20 economies in IT competitiveness, according to a new report released Thursday.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62057848,00.htm

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CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION
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750,000 paedophiles prowling the net: UN
About 750,000 sexual predators are constantly prowling the internet in a bid to gain contact with children, a United Nations report warned.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/17/2688234.htm

UN expert: child porn on Internet increases [AP]
The number of Web sites containing child pornography is increasing and more images show serious abuses, a U.N. expert said Wednesday.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/09/16/international/i101255D46.DTL
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/child-porn-networks-growing-warns-un-20090917-fscv.html
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/un-expert-child-porn-on-internet-increases-20090917-frxe.html

Cyber predators are 'enemy number one'
As Australian children spend more time unsupervised on the internet, police say cyber predators are posing one of the greatest social challenges to the community.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/16/2688031.htm

Dangers of the digital age
Being digitally connected around the clock brings huge benefits for many of us, but for an increasing number of children this new connectedness also brings with it the frightening world of 24/7 bullying.
http://www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/stories/2009/09/17/2679508.htm

Bid to NZ keep kids safe online [Papakura Courier]
The internet and cellphones are part of everyday life for Kiwi kids but both present risks so Telecom, NetSafe and police have collaborated on a Keeping Kiwi kids safer in Cyberspace pamphlet for parents.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/papakura-courier/2867281/

NZ?s Hector?s World & Google Launch [news release]
Today Hector?s World Limited launches its new brand channel on YouTube, the world?s leading resource for video sharing and watching. RanjeetHector?s World? is an internationally recognised education initiative which helps children 2-9 years old stay safe online and learn about digital citizenship. HWL is one of the first charities in New Zealand and Australia to have such an ad-free channel.
http://hectorsworld.netsafe.org.nz/2009/09/nz%E2%80%99s-hector%E2%80%99s-world-google-launch/

Conroy confirms receipt of internet filtering report
Greens communications spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam today confirmed that Senator Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has taken receipt of his ISP-level filtering report, but was yet to release it.
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/155933,conroy-confirms-receipt-of-internet-filtering-report.aspx

Internet filtering pilot: Conroy waits for report
As Senate Greens turned up the volume on demands for more detail of Government plans for mandatory internet filtering, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy recommitted to releasing a consultants report on the issue when it is completed.
http://www.itwire.com/content/view/27803/53/

Has Conroy's dept received filter report?
Uncertainty reigns about whether Stephen Conroy's Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has received Enex Testlabs' report into the feasibility of ISP-level content filtering.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Has-Conroy-s-dept-received-filter-report-/0,130061791,339298583,00.htm

Aussie censors persist in making a bad fist of it
Male masturbation and extreme anal fisting are now PG, as far as the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) are concerned.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/09/15/ozzie_censorship_mess/

Sony refuses to rule out Australian PlayStation adult content
Sony Australia may allow downloadable adult content on its popular PlayStation 3 console locally as it prepares to launch a local video download service.
http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/318774/

Could Internet filtering cause more harm than good?
Countries around the world are steadily rolling out filtering systems which block citizens from viewing child abuse imagery. With the United Kingdom and New Zealand with independent filters in place, and Australia potentially soon after, Internet censorship is becoming common practice across the world.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/igeneration/?p=2799

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ONLINE TV & MUSIC
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Lily Allen hits out at file sharers as Tories mock government plans
The battle within the music industry over how to deal with internet pirates intensified today as the Conservatives announced their opposition to government plans to disconnect repeat offenders from the internet, and Lily Allen condemned artists who have spoken out against the proposals.
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6835043.ece

UK music industry ready for climbdown on internet piracy demands
The music industry is preparing to back down from its demands that people caught downloading songs illegally be disconnected from the internet after a revolt by leading musicians.
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6836104.ece

French 'pass' piracy legislation
The French National Assembly has passed a draft law that would allow illegal downloaders to be thrown off the net.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8257720.stm

French piracy bill approved - '1000 a day could be taken offline' [AP]
France's lower house of parliament approved a pioneering bill yesterday, allowing authorities to cut off internet access to people who download illegally, a measure that entertainment companies hope will be a powerful weapon against piracy.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10597617

Ilegal downloaders face web ban in France [AFP]
A bill that will allow authorities to cut illegal downloaders off from the worldwide web was on Tuesday approved by French lawmakers.
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/ilegal-downloaders-face-web-ban-in-france-20090916-fpww.html
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/ilegal-downloaders-face-web-ban-in-france-20090916-fpww.html

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DIGITAL DIVIDE
**********************
New Africa broadband link 'ready'
A new high-speed undersea cable connecting East Africa with the rest of the world is poised to go live, Kenya's top internet official has told the BBC.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8257038.stm

**************************
ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL
**************************
UK lawyer threatens Facebook, mulls action against ISPs to block defamation
The lawyer who has threatened Facebook with a defamation suit on behalf of boxing promoter Frank Warren has said that he may take action against internet service providers (ISPs) for US-published defamation.
http://out-law.com/page-10378

us: Blair sets intel goals, ranks cybersecurity high
Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair today unveiled an overarching strategy for the nation's intelligence agencies, which for the first time lists cybersecurity and counterintelligence as top mission priorities.
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090915_2113.php

China, Russia 'aggressive' in cyberspace: US intelligence [AFP]
China and Russia are "aggressive" players in cyberspace, the US intelligence chief said Tuesday as a report identified enhancing cybersecurity as a national priority. The 2009 National Intelligence Strategy (NIS), a four-year blueprint for the intelligence community, "elevates the importance of the challenges we face in the cyber domain," Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair said.
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/china-russia-aggressive-in-cyberspace-us-intelligence-20090916-fpws.html
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/china-russia-aggressive-in-cyberspace-us-intelligence-20090916-fpws.html

Hathaway: US Feds Starting to Get Cybersecurity
In her first public address since leaving the White House, Melissa Hathaway issued an urgent warning about the severity of the cyber threats facing America's digital networks, a message she tempered with a cautious optimism about the mounting political will toward addressing the challenges.
http://www.internetnews.com/government/article.php/3839001

House Cyber Leaders Urge Swift Action
House Cybersecurity Caucus co-chairs Jim Langevin, D-R.I., and Michael McCaul, R-Texas, urged President Obama last week to swiftly appoint a permanent cybersecurity coordinator within the White House. In a Thursday letter, the pair said the absence of such an official "impedes the ability of federal agencies to move forward in updating and strengthening their aging cyber policies," while complicating efforts to collaborate with private institutions that also play a critical role.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/09/house-cyber-leaders-urge-swift.php

Skype Founders File Copyright Suit Against eBay
The founders of Skype are escalating their legal battle with eBay. Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, who became billionaires after selling Skype to eBay in 2005, filed a copyright lawsuit on Wednesday against Skype in the United States District Court of Northern California. The suit comes a little more than two weeks after eBay announced it would sell most of Skype for $1.9 billion, to a consortium of investors led by the private equity firm Silver Lake Partners.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/technology/companies/17skype.html

Skype founders file copyright suit against Skype
Joltid, a peer-to-peer software company established by Skype's founders, filed a copyright suit against Skype Wednesday alleging Joltid's technology is being infringed on by Skype users "in the United States at least 100,000 times each day."
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10355258-2.html

Skype founders go to court to seek damages
The original founders of Skype initiated a legal action tonight, demanding billions of dollars in damages against the investment group that has just agreed to buy the internet telephony company from eBay for $1.9 billion (?1.2 billion).
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/article6837583.ece

Report: Skype founders sue Skype [IDG]
With a similar legal battle playing out in the U.K., a company owned by Skype's founders has reportedly filed suit against Skype in the U.S.
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9138151/Report_Skype_founders_sue_Skype
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/318926/

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PRIVACY
**************************
Swiss watchdog threatens to sue Google over Street View [AFP]
Switzerland's data protection watchdog on Monday threatened to sue Google over its "Street View" facility, saying that measures taken by the American Internet giant to address privacy concerns were inadequate.
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/swiss-watchdog-threatens-to-sue-google-over-street-view-20090915-fo1i.html
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/swiss-watchdog-threatens-to-sue-google-over-street-view-20090915-fo1i.html

Standing on guard in Canada for privacy - before Facebook by Michael Geist
The recent Canadian privacy case involving Facebook attracted international attention as the world's leading social networking site agreed to implement a series of changes that will affect 250 million users. While the case is a significant victory for Canadian privacy, the issue might never have been addressed but for a second, little-noticed privacy decision released two weeks later.
http://www.thestar.com/article/695147

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CENSORSHIP
**********************
Schools Defy Beijing, Remove Web Filter
Some Chinese schools are removing the Web-filtering software that Chinese authorities ordered installed on all computers this summer, further weakening the influence of a controversial censorship measure that was intended for PC users throughout China.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125310519098115697.html

**************************
GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
**************************
FTC to Host Public Roundtables to Address Evolving Consumer Privacy Issues [news release]
The Federal Trade Commission will host a series of day-long public roundtable discussions to explore the privacy challenges posed by the vast array of 21st century technology and business practices that collect and use consumer data.
http://ftc.gov/opa/2009/09/privacyrt.shtm

FTC To Host Privacy Workshops
As Congress contemplates Internet privacy and data security legislation, the FTC will host the first in a series of public roundtable discussions on Dec. 7 to explore challenges posed by the array of 21st century technology and business practices that collect and use consumer information. Such practices include social networking, cloud computing, behavioral advertising, mobile marketing, and the collection and use of information by retailers, data brokers and third parties, the FTC said in a Tuesday notice. The events will help the Commission determine how best to protect consumer privacy while supporting beneficial uses of the information and technological innovation.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/09/ftc-to-host-privacy-workshops.php

*********************************
MISCELLANEOUS
*********************************
linux.conf.au 2010 Announces Three Funding Programmes!
linux.conf.au 2010 Organisers are proud to announce three funding programmes! The three funding programmes - InternetNZ Oceania Programme, InternetNZ Kiwi Fellowship and Google Diversity Programme - have been created to assist those delegates contributing to the Open Source community who, without financial assistance, would not be able to attend LCA2010.
http://www.lca2010.org.nz/media/news/89

Intel Says Europe Erred in Levying $1.4 Billion Fine [AP]
The Intel Corporation, the computer chip maker, is claiming in court documents that European Union regulators made serious mistakes in levying a record fine of ?1.06 billion (US$1.45 billion) last May on a charge of illegally restricting a competitor.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/technology/companies/16chip.html

**********************
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
**********************
France T?l?com bosses to hold crisis talks over staff suicides
The French government will hold a crisis meeting with the boss of France T?l?com today as concern mounts over a spate of suicides among staff which unions have blamed on workplace stress.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/15/france-telecom-suicide

nz: Joyce unveils ultra-fast broadband proposal
Communications and Information Technology Minister Steven Joyce today released the details of the government's $1.5 billion ultra-fast broadband investment initiative.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10597644

NZ Industry welcomes broadband plan
User-focused ICT interest groups hailed the government's broadband announcement today, with one saying it represented a "fundamental" break from the past.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/036DAFA9DDAD6F5ECC257632007F19B2
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/2870822/
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/2870822/

Government finalises broadband investment proposal
ICT minister Steven Joyce has finally released details of the government?s planned $1.5 billion broadband investment initiative, which broadly follows the outline of the government's original regional investment structure.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/B9DE9FBAF33A6A1ACC257632007699A6

NZ Govt details NZ$1.5Bn NBN roll-out
The New Zealand Government today released the final details of its nationwide NZ$1.5 billion ultra-fast broadband roll-out, saying priority would be given to connecting schools, hospitals, health service providers and homes in new sub-divisions.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/NZ-Govt-details-NZ-1-5Bn-NBN-roll-out/0,130061791,339298557,00.htm

nz: Play ball, or we will overbuild networks, says government
The final version of government?s $1.5bn ?ultra-fast? broadband proposal has delivered a none-too-subtle warning to incumbent telcos that excessive charging or other non-competitive practices regarding access to their networks will not be tolerated.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/8D7D02A0F7DE3D09CC257633000A94EB

User Groups welcome broadband proposal
TUANZ and Internet NZ have both released statements welcoming the government?s final proposal for its $1.5 billion broadband rollout.
http://www.telecommunicationsreview.co.nz/200909163483/user-groups-welcome-broadband-proposal.php

Broadband door opens to Telecom [The Dominion Post]
The Government reopened the door to Telecom taking part in its plan to roll out ultrafast broadband to millions of homes, businesses and schools, after chief executive Paul Reynolds yesterday complained it had been slammed shut.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/2872107/
http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/business/2872107/
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/features/technology/2872556/

Telecom role unclear in govt broadband plan [NZPA]
The government blueprint for managing its $1.5 billion investment in ultra-fast broadband released on Wednesday won much praise but left many people wondering what Telecom's role will be.
http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/telecom-role-unclear-in-govt-broadband-plan-2994652

Telecom's fibre network dilemma
Telecom faces carving off its retail division or ceding control of its investment if it joins with the Government in building an ultra-fast broadband network.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10597775

Telecom could still get slice of $1.5b broadband plan
Communications Minister Steven Joyce has left the door open for Telecom's Chorus division to buddy up with the government's new investment company to roll-out ultrafast broadband.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10597703

Telecom, TelstraClear man the dark fibre barricades
Buying or leasing optical fibre cables that are unlit ? that is, without termination equipment and services such as Ethernet running over them ? is an option that?s becoming increasingly popular overseas, as it provides an economical alternative to costlier, traditional telco-supplied circuits.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/F9AFAF6ACB8DBC36CC257632007970D6

NZ Telecom welcomes Telstra split
The Australian government is pressuring Telstra into splitting into two separate businesses, leap-frogging New Zealand's May 2006 reforms of Telecom with its own more draconian approach to regulation.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/774C5DE9275211C4CC2576320073BEFD

ICT industry welcomes government broadband plan : InternetNZ calls on Telecom to consider structural separation of Chorus
User-focused ICT interest groups hailed the government's broadband announcement today, with one saying it represented a "fundamental" break from the past.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/036DAFA9DDAD6F5ECC257632007F19B2

Praise for NZ broadband rollout
The Telecommunications Users Association is touting the new broadband initiative as the biggest and most fundamental change to the sector in 20 years.
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=163274
http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=105126

NZ govt unveils $1b fiber plan, warns Telecom NZ
The New Zealand has government has unveiled details of its NZ$1.5 billion ($1.07 billion) high-speed broadband plan with a warning that incumbent Telecom NZ will need to structurally separate if it wants to take part.
http://www.telecomasia.net/content/nz-govt-unveils-1b-fiber-plan-warns-telecom-nz

Telstra break-up will be pain for telco and gain for consumers
Stephen Conroy's radical reshaping of the telecommunications industry will not change the way Australians use their mobiles, surf the internet or watch pay-TV.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26080215-5013404,00.html

Stephen Conroy rings in a new era for telcos
The Rudd government has given Telstra an ultimatum to split its wholesale and retail businesses or it will be forced to sell key assets and locked out of new broadband and mobile phone opportunities, in the biggest shake-up of the communications sector in a generation.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26080618-601,00.html

Telstra may benefit from Stephen Conroy's separation plan: comment by John Durie
The morning after the Conroy bombshell has revealed that life will not nearly be as bad as the doomsayers had predicted.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,26081480-5013408,00.html

Government makes the right call on telco split: comment by Michelle Grattan
The Federal Government is strong-arming Telstra into separating out its network and retail business, and Telstra is predictably squealing. But it's a mutually beneficial play, given Telstra's very limited options, and it should lead to more transparency and lower prices for consumers.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/government-makes-the-right-call-on-telco-split-20090915-fpok.html

Ultimatum to Telstra carries $10m fines
Telstra will face fines of $10 million if it fails to comply with tougher mandatory consumer protection standards under the Federal Government's proposed restructure.
http://www.theage.com.au/business/ultimatum-to-telstra-carries-10m-fines-20090915-fpq3.html

Telstra has to separate or lose out, analysts say
Telstra could be deprived of a large revenue stream from mobile phones and broadband if it refuses to bow to the strongest form of separation proposed by the Federal Government.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/telstra-has-to-separate-or-lose-out-analysts-say-20090915-fpqz.html
http://www.theage.com.au/business/telstras-separation-anxiety-20090915-fppo.html

NBN process already taking shape
The Rudd government may be forcing the break-up of Telstra to help realise its national broadband network dream, but the first NBN rollout is already under way, bypassing Telstra.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26080079-5013404,00.html

Ground broken for network
In A paddock between an oyster lease and Hobart Airport, the first cable trench of the national broadband network was dug yesterday.
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/ground-broken-for-network-20090915-fppc.html

Telstra toyed with the big split
The Telstra reform package outlined yesterday not only rates as the most serious and beneficial micro-economic reform of the present government, but better still, it simply suggests a plan the company itself has long considered.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,26078968-5013408,00.html

Wipe-out: $2b lost on threats to Telstra
The days of Telstra's stranglehold on the telecommunications market are numbered after the Rudd Government announced a dramatic shake-up that wiped nearly $2 billion off the value of the company's shares yesterday.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/wipeout-2b-lost-on-threats-to-telstra-20090915-fpqt.html

Telstra gets plenty of stick but no carrot: Comment
The Rudd Government yesterday brought out that big stick again - the one it uses to make sure that Telstra remembers that when it comes to negotiating, the Government has the ultimate control.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/telstra-gets-plenty-of-stick-but-no-carrot-20090915-fpr2.html

The game's up for the old Telstra
The Rudd Government has moved to break Telstra's stranglehold on Australian telecommunications, announcing a forced restructure that prompted investors to strip nearly $2 billion in value from the company's shares yesterday.
http://www.theage.com.au/business/the-games-up-for-the-old-telstra-20090915-fpo4.html

Conroy draws the line at Telstra's monopoly
Telstra will face fines of $10 million if it fails to comply with tougher mandatory consumer protection standards under the Federal Government's proposal to restructure it.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/conroy-draws-the-line-at-telstras-monopoly-20090915-fpqu.html

Telco's break-up good for consumers, bad for shareholders
The Government's decision to split Telstra may prove a boon to consumers but has incensed shareholders of the telecommunications company who had no inkling their investment would be cut in two when they acquired shares at privatisation.
http://www.theage.com.au/business/telcos-breakup-good-for-consumers-bad-for-shareholders-20090915-fppp.html


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(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


"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



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