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 Nairobi Meeting Gets Board Go Ahead http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=10434 Sex.com renews search for a sugar daddy http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10456592-71.html ********************** RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** The Multi-Stakeholder Principle in Asia by Y. J. Park [4th Communication Policy Research, South Conference, Negombo, Sri Lanka] Abstract: In 1998, ICANN started placing a high emphasis on the private sector-oriented decision-making process. The UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in 2003 initially kicked off as a traditional government-oriented decision-making forum in 2003, and it concluded that the future global negotiation will be operated in a multi-stakeholder environment in 2005. However, the nation states from the South failed to understand the emerging rules of the multi-stakeholder principle pushed by the North until now. The culture of working together with non-state actors as decision makers in the South, including many Asian countries, is still foreign to state actors. Consequently, they could not be effectively engaged with the global negotiations on Internet Governance. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1554228 The Chronicles of Electronic Commerce: Reverse Domain Name Hijacking Under the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy by Zinatul A. Zainol [European Law Journal] Abstract: Reverse Domain Name Hijacking is a unique concept under the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy. Its main purpose is to protect domain name registrants against unjustified claims of overreaching trademark rights by allowing domain name registrants, in some limited circumstances to retort against trademark owners. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1552547 ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** 19 February 2010 Nairobi Meeting Update ICANN's Board met at 3h UTC today, and resolved to proceed with plans to hold ICANN's 37th meeting in Nairobi, Kenya. http://nbo.icann.org/meetings/security-information-19feb10-en.htm Public Comment: One & Two-Character .INFO Domains ICANN is today opening a public comment forum on a proposed amendment from Afilias Limited to Appendix 6 & 7 of the .INFO Registry Agreement. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-18feb10-en.htm Landmark Step in ICANN?s Use of Accountability Mechanisms by Rod Beckstrom On Friday (19 February), we received the Declaration of the Panel from the first ICANN Independent Review Process (IRP) ... . This is a landmark step in ICANN?s use of the accountability mechanisms built into our bylaws. ICM?s initiation of the Independent Review process marks the first time the process has been used since its creation about six years ago. http://blog.icann.org/2010/02/landmark-step-in-icanns-use-of-accountability-mechanisms/ Cost Accounting and Procurement Guidelines Posted ICANN?s commitment to accountability and transparency is an ongoing full time quest. The recent posting of two financial guidelines are markers of the progress we have made in this quest. One is the Cost Accounting Guidelines and the other is the Procurement Guidelines. http://blog.icann.org/2010/02/cost-accounting-and-procurement-guidelines-posted/ Call for Applicants for the Position of Volunteer Review Team Member As requested by members of the community, the application deadline for the position of Review Team Members for the Accountability and Transparency review, called for by the Affirmation of Commitments, has been extended to March 7th 2010, 23:59 UTC. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-03feb10-en.htm ICANN Nairobi Meeting Gets Board Go Ahead In its latest meeting on the issue, the ICANN board decided on Friday that they will proceed with plans to hold their 37th meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, after considering all the security issues that have been raised in recent weeks. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=10434 http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/02/21/icann-nairobi-meeting-gets-board-approval/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/icann-nairobi-meeting-gets-board-go-ahead.html ICANN Nairobi goes ahead as planned The ICANN Board met yesterday and reconfirmed its commitment to the 37th international ICANN meeting in the Kenyan capital Nairobi from March 7 to 12. http://stephanevangelder.com/archives/307-ICANN-Nairobi-goes-ahead-as-planned.html ICANN Openness and Transparency: Actions Speak Louder than Words By Michael D. Palage ICANN has announced that they will be having a Special Meeting of the ICANN Board on 19 February 2010 (3:00 UCT) to discuss the "upcoming ICANN International meeting." It is reasonable to assume that the 17 February 2010 security update will be a topic of discussion... I trust that the ICANN Board will make the right decision balancing the obligations that ICANN has to the global Internet community, with the safety and security of those ICANN stakeholders that participate in person at these ICANN events. However, the ICANN Board needs to gain the trust of the global community in connection with this and other important decisions that it will be making. http://www.circleid.com/posts/icann_openness_and_transparency_actions_speak_louder_than_words/ VeriSign Joins List of Companies Not Going to Nairobi The world?s biggest registrar, Go Daddy, has already announced it is not sending anyone to the ICANN meeting in Nairobi due to security concerns. Now you can add the biggest registry, VeriSign, to the list. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/02/19/verisign-joins-list-of-companies-not-going-to-nairobi/ Accountability wins! Independent Review Panel upholds ICM Registry - .XXX is alive by Milton Mueller In a historic decision, ICANN's Independent Review Process has dealt ICANN's past leadership a severe rebuke. The three judge panel upheld ICM Registry's claim that ICANN treated its application for a .xxx top level domain in an unfair and discriminatory manner. The panelists ruled that the ICANN Board had decided on June 1, 2005 that the .XXX sTLD application met the required sponsorship criteria, and that its "reconsideration of that finding was not consistent with the application of neutral, objective and fair documented policy." If one understands what was at stake in this case, one realizes that this "defeat" for ICANN's past President and Board Chair (and the Bush Administration) is actually a great victory for ICANN as an institution. http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2010/2/20/4461417.html Study Suggests Introduction of New gTLDs Will Cost Less than $.10 for Each Trademark Worldwide Minds + Machines reports: "A quantitative analysis of UDRP data for all open generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs) concludes that the introduction of new gTLDs will result in approximately 316 new cases of cybersquatting, and that the resultant cost to trademark holders, overall, will be $870,000 per year?less than less than $.10 for each trademark registered worldwide, or about $.44 per trademark registered in the United States. http://www.circleid.com/posts/introduction_of_new_gtlds_cost_less_than_10_cents_per_trademark/ Minds + Machines: New gTLD?s Will Cause Only 316 New Cases Of CyberSquatting A report released tonight by Minds+Machines, predicts that the proposed gTLD?s will only cause 316 new cases of CyberSquatting and that the cost to trademark holders worldwide will be ?less than $.10?. http://www.thedomains.com/2010/02/19/minds-machines-new-gtlds-will-cause-only-316-new-cases-of-cybersquatting/ Dhaka seeks easier browsing in Bengali on the Internet [IANS] Bangladesh has filed an application with the global internet body to facilitate easier browsing on the net in Bengali. http://sify.com/news/dhaka-seeks-easier-browsing-in-bengali-on-the-internet-news-international-kcwl4cfagci.html http://www.malaysianews.net/story/604217 ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** One and Two Character .Info Domain Names on the Way .Info registry Afilias is asking ICANN to approve a plan to offer one and two character .info domain names for registration. As with other newer gTLDs, ICANN originally reserved all one and two character domains from being registered. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/02/18/one-and-two-character-info-domain-names-on-the-way/ New website and on-line management system published on 12 January 2009 NIC starts the new year with a renewed interface of the website and domain name on-line management system NIC24. NIC hopes that NIC24 will help domain name holders and other contact persons to administer their domain names and change technical data much more efficiently than before. http://www.nic.lv/resource/show/99 no: Working group to explore new top level domains of national interest The question whether Norwegian authorities want to introduce new TLDs of national interest, such as for instance .oslo or .trondelag, will be explored in a working group appointed by the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications. The Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority will chair the group. http://www.norid.no/nytt/arbgr-nyetoppdomener.en.html .ORG Registrations in 2009 Grew 8.4 Percent Over Previous Year .ORG, The Public Interest Registry today released the results of its second bi-annual domain name report, "The Dashboard," illustrating the continued growth of the world's third largest generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) since the first half of 2009. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20100218_org_registrations_in_2009_grew_84_percent_over_previous_year/ ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Cyber exercise aims to teach the good guys to think like the bad guys The National Defense University plans to hold its second cybersecurity contest in March as a way to teach federal information security professionals how hackers try to penetrate systems to cause damage, a skill overlooked in training but needed to be able to spot and block such attacks. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20100218_2405.php ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** The ITU looks at IPv6 addressing by Milton Mueller On March 15 and 16 the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) holds a meeting in Geneva focused on internet protocol version 6 addressing policy. One of the focal points of this meeting will be a paper I wrote for the ITU exploring the economics of IPv6 addressing, ?Economic Factors in the Allocation of IPv6 Addresses.? The paper put forward the idea of a Transferable Address Block Lease (TABL). This would be a set of address blocks, ranging from /48s to /32s in size, that would be allocated on a provider-independent basis to anyone willing to pay a recurring annual fee based on the size of the block. There would be no ?needs assessment,? just a fee. http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2010/2/16/4457837.html ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** XXX Saga Continues Sex and the internet. Put the two together and you are bound to find an interesting story. While the saga surrounding sex.com took a new twist in the last couple of days, with the current owners going dotbomb, the .xxx story also took an interesting turn. http://www.isquattedyour.eu/2010/02/20/xxx-saga-continues/ http://www.circleid.com/posts/20100220_xxx_saga_continues/ ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Sex.com renews search for a sugar daddy In the world of URLs, www.sex.com was the sure thing. Whoever owned it was guaranteed riches beyond measure, pleasure beyond pain. And yet, ever since it was originally registered by Gary Kremen, founder of Match.com, the great domain has been a house of hurt. http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10456592-71.html Sex.com Goes In To Foreclosure In the ongoing drama that is Sex.com another major twist in the story has occurred. Sex.com has now been listed at Maltz Autctions as an asset to be sold at a foreclosure auction. Elliot Silver scooped the legal documents listing the domain name, the loan agents, as well as the investors involved. http://www.domainnamenews.com/domain-sales/sexcom-foreclosure/7208 Sex.com For Sale in Foreclosure Auction In exactly one month from today, we may see a new record set for the price of a domain sale. I just received an email from a friend with a link to a notice stating that SEX.com will be up for auction. The foreclosure auction will be held at the offices of Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP, 156 West 56th Street, New York, New York on March 18, 2010 at 11 am. http://www.elliotsblog.com/sex-com-for-sale-in-foreclosure-auction-63812 Sex sells ? but sex.com isn't worth $14m, owner of domain name finds The rights to one of the most notorious adult sites on the internet are up for sale just four years after they changed hands for a record $14m (?9m), with auctioneers hoping that sex can sell all over again. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/sex-sells-ndash-but-sexcom-isnt-worth-14m-owner-of-domain-name-finds-1905151.html Why Sex.com May Not Sell In The Foreclosure Auction As Elliot?s Blog discovered yesterday, the domain Sex.com is heading to a foreclosure auction on March 18th. http://www.thedomains.com/2010/02/19/why-sex-com-may-not-sell-in-foreclosure/ Sex.com on the lookout for a sugar daddy with $14m in pocket! Sex.com, the Internet's costliest address, is up for grabs after the adult site's owner Escom failed to pay its debts. http://sify.com/news/sex-com-on-the-lookout-for-a-sugar-daddy-with-14m-in-pocket-news-international-kcupagjgege.html http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-55500.html Mike Mann Speaks His Mind about Sex.com Mike Mann, who founded BuyDomains, is always one to speak his mind. So when news broke yesterday that Sex.com, in which he was a part investor, was going into foreclosure, he didn?t hesitate to speak up. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/02/19/mike-man-speaks-his-mind-about-sex-com/ Biking.com Brakes at $250,000 to Top This Week's Sales Chart - South African ccTLD Takes #2 Spot Stein Holdings, the same company that paid $250,000 for Boating.com to lead last week's Top 20 Sales Chart, is on top again this week after paying the same amount to acquire Biking.com through the AfternicDLS. Beta websites are already online for both domains. http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2010/20100217.htm ********************** RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** The Future of the Internet IV: new perspectives on the way the internet is affecting human intelligence and how information is shared Overview: A survey of nearly 900 Internet stakeholders reveals fascinating new perspectives on the way the Internet is affecting human intelligence and the ways that information is being shared and rendered. http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Future-of-the-Internet-IV.aspx ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** CEO Says Google Can 'Know Everything If We Want To' Google is being targeted by lawsuits and governments around the world with potential privacy invasions, so perhaps it wasn't the best choice of word when Google CEO Eric Schmidt told the Mobile World Congress in a keynote address a few days ago: "We can literally know everything if we want to." http://www.pcworld.com/article/189757/.html Microsoft offers web browser choice to IE users Millions of European Internet Explorer (IE) users will have the option to choose an alternative browser from 1 March, Microsoft has announced. It follows a legal agreement between Microsoft and Europe's Competition Commission in December 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8524019.stm IE to lose Windows monopoly next week in Europe Microsoft will start offering some European Windows users a choice of Web browsers next week, the company announced Friday, as it starts to publicly test its legally mandated browser choice process. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10456582-92.html Competition for Google: A German Library for the 21st Century The German Digital Library wants to make millions of books, films, images and audio recordings accessible online. More than 30,000 libraries, museums and archives are expected to contribute their digitized cultural artifacts. The idea, in part, is to compete with Google Books. But will it work? http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,676591,00.html Why the internet will help us read, write and be smarter The internet will make people smarter within the next decade and improve reading and writing skills, according to a new survey of experts and users. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/why-the-internet-will-help-us-read-write-and-be-smarter-20100220-omq2.html The Internet will make you smarter - experts An online survey of 895 Web users and experts found more than three-quarters believe the Internet will make people smarter in the next 10 years, according to results released on Friday. http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-46317920100219 Cries for Help via Text Messages Are Used to Direct Aid to Haiti From his makeshift workstation, Ryan Bank spends hours sifting through thousands of electronic cries for help from Haitian earthquake victims, many detailing the horrors of dead family members, hunger and homelessness. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/21/world/americas/21text.html au: Climate scientists 'under cyber attack' An organised cyber-bullying campaign, including abusive emails, is targeting Australian climate scientists who speak out on climate change, according to author Clive Hamilton. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/22/2826417.htm au: Climate experts, journos 'cyber-bullied' [AAP] Climate change scientists and journalists are becoming targets of cyber-bullying, academic Dr Clive Hamilton says. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/climate-experts-journos-cyberbullied-20100222-opus.html ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Welcome to FarmVille: Population 80 million ... Perhaps you've only heard of FarmVille from your cluttered Facebook news feed, informing you that so-and-so has just planted their 15th field of soybeans, or built their first barn, or earned a brightly coloured ribbon in recognition of their virtual agricultural achievements. Perhaps you've joined one of the Facebook groups that have been created in protest at the game's pervasiveness. But your protests would be in vain: FarmVille, the world's biggest social game, has almost 80 million players ? that's around 20 per cent of all Facebook users; more people than use Twitter or, indeed, live in the UK. Some 30 million of them tend their crops daily. When the site allowed its gamers to exchange virtual Valentine gifts online, 220m were sent and accepted within 18 hours; to get that into perspective, it's worth noting that Hallmark sells approximately 200m e-cards over the entire Valentine season. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/welcome-to-farmville-population-80-million-1906260.html British Twitter user faces jail over airport threat A man who posted a "joke" message on Twitter threatening to blow an airport "sky high" has been warned by a court that he could be sent to prison. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/twitter-user-faces-jail-over-airport-threat-1905133.html au: Conroy tells Facebook to boost security Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has demanded social networking giant Facebook detail how it will prevent cyber-vandalism in the wake of the defacing of an online memorial site for 12-year-old school stabbing victim Elliott Fletcher. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/conroy-tells-facebook-to-boost-security/story-e6frg6zo-1225831959592 Yuri Milner: DST Has $1 Billion for Social Media Digital Sky Technologies, investor in Facebook and Zynga, intends to make big investments in social Web startups over the next five years http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/feb2010/tc20100218_270634.htm ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ New Internet Legislation Embarrasses German Government A new bill to fight child pornography has been signed into law by Germany's president. There's only one problem: The government has decided it no longer wants it. They are now in the awkward position of relying on opposition help to repeal the legislation. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,678782,00.html au: Panic button to dob in online sex predators The Federal Government has set up a new website which will let children and parents send concerns about possible online predators to police. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/19/2824647.htm au: Microsoft, AFP extend cyber-safety program A school-based program organised by the Australian Federal Police, Microsoft and ninemsn to protect children from the darker aspects of cyberspace is to go national. http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/soa/Microsoft-AFP-extend-cyber-safety-program/0,130061744,339301215,00.htm Hardcore comics sidestep Japanese porn law Tourists in the Akihabara district of the Japanese capital are typically struck by the flashing signs, blaring jingles and garish outfits on its streets. http://www.smh.com.au/world/hardcore-comics-sidestep-porn-law-20100219-olu8.html http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/hardcore-comics-sidestep-porn-law-20100219-olu8.html http://www.theage.com.au/world/child-porn-row-exposes-mangas-dark-side-20100219-olwo.html Sahara Byrne: Parents, Kids and Online Safety Prof. Sahara Byrne, of the communications department at Cornell, is the Berkman Center?s lunch series speaker today. Prof. Byrne studies responses to Internet safety techniques. She?s interested in the ?recipes for disaster,? such as when parents love a given safety technique and kids hate it. She?s a believer in psychological reactance theory: that when kids really don?t like something, they?re going to work hard to get around it. http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/palfrey/2009/12/15/sahara-byrne-parents-kids-and-online-safety/ ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** nz: Top internet man backs disconnection for piracy [The Dominion Post] Opponents of tougher policing of copyright on the internet might feel they had a natural ally in Peter Dengate-Thrush, who has been appointed to the three-person Copyright Tribunal by Commerce Minister Simon Power. http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/3358146/ Musik-Downloads: 40 Prozent Umsatzplus im Jahr 2009 Im Jahr 2009 haben die Deutschen Musik im Wert von 112 Millionen Euro heruntergeladen. Damit wuchs der Umsatz mit Online-Musik im Vergleich zum Vorjahr um 40 Prozent, berichtet die GFK in einer vom Branchenverband Bitkom in Auftrag gegebenen Studie. Demnach h?tten die Nutzer im vergangenen Jahr 51 Millionen Mal einen Song oder ein ganzes Album im Netz erworben. Der durchschnittliche Preis eines Einzelsongs betrug dabei 1,08 Euro. http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Musik-Downloads-40-Prozent-Umsatzplus-im-Jahr-2009-935254.html ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Mobile everywhere in 2020 but video could crash party In 2020 the mobile phone will be ubiquitous, it will be connected to everything from bus stops to bookshops and it will be the single device that people cannot live without. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/mobile-everywhere-in-2020-but-video-could-crash-party/story-e6frgakx-1225832105054 SIM card dashboard brings broadband to the car The explosive growth of mobile broadband has been due to the popularity of 3G enabled devices such as phones and notebooks but now the technology has a new domain to rule: the car. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/sim-card-dashboard-brings-broadband-to-the-car/story-e6frgakx-1225832111024 Skype CEO Predicts Big Mobile Growth Josh Silverman, chief executive officer of Skype Technologies SA, talks with Bloomberg's Mike McKee about the outlook for growth in mobile-phone calling using the company's software http://feedroom.businessweek.com/index.jsp?fr_story=6478a8f8eed4321b0ae07aa962ffc27aa37e0d79 ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Internet scammers target Haiti aid donations United Nations agency UNICEF says internet scammers are using its name for fake donation requests, claiming the money will go to the Haiti earthquake relief. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/19/2824122.htm Cybercriminals exploit Haiti tragedy with malicious attacks [MIS Asia] There was no let up in spamming and phishing activities last month even as the entire world watched with sympathy the tragedy in Haiti. To add to the sorrow behind the devastating earthquake on 12 January, cyber criminals took advantage of the tragedy to launch spamming and phishing attacks. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/021910-cybercriminals-exploit-haiti-tragedy-with.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/189861/cybercriminals_exploit_haiti_tragedy_with_malware.html http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/336917/cyber_criminals_exploit_haiti_tragedy_malicious_attacks Two Chinese Schools Said to Be Tied to Online Attacks A series of online attacks on Google and dozens of other American corporations have been traced to computers at two educational institutions in China, including one with close ties to the Chinese military, say people involved in the investigation. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/19/technology/19china.html Google attacks 'traced to Chinese schools' A spate of internet attacks that hit Google and other companies have been traced to two schools in China, according to reports ? but Chinese sources have responded by denying knowledge of the strikes. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/feb/19/google-attacks-chinese-schools People's Republic of Hacking: 'Panda' Exploit Offers Rare Inside Look at China's Cybercrime Networks Some of today's biggest cybersecurity worries trace their roots to this central Chinese city, where a hacker with a junior high school education slapped cartoon pandas onto millions of computers to hide a destructive spy program. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704140104575057490343183782.html au: Nintendo wins battle against R4 pirates [AAP] GAMING giant Nintendo has won a legal battle against a manufacturer of game copying devices. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/nintendo-wins-battle-against-r4-pirates/story-fn3dxity-1225832129203 France's eBay ruling is a distraction ? it's next month's AdWords decision that counts OPINION: A Paris court ruled last week that eBay infringed the trade marks of Louis Vuitton by sponsoring misspellings of its brand as search engine keywords. But speculation about the impact of the ruling is pointless: the big decision comes next month. http://out-law.com/page-10762 ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Google's Orwell Moment: On the Web, privacy has its price. Google recently introduced a new service that adds social-networking features to its popular Gmail system. The service is called Buzz, and within hours of its release, people were howling about privacy issues?because, in its original form, Buzz showed everyone the list of people you e-mail most frequently. Even people who weren't cheating on their spouses or secretly applying for new jobs found this a little unnerving. http://www.newsweek.com/id/233773 ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** China PLA officer urges new Internet control agency A senior Chinese military officer has called for a new national body to enforce Internet controls, while China faced fresh claims on Monday about the source of hacking attacks that hit search giant Google. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE61L11J20100222 ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** InternetNZ member consultations InternetNZ is holding its annual round of member consultations in Auckland and Wellington in late February. http://blog.internetnz.net.nz/?p=308 EBay urges rethink on EU's Internet sales plan Ebay Inc urged European regulators to drop a requirement for Internet retailers to have "bricks-and-mortar" shops, warning it would hurt small firms, keep prices high and stifle e-commerce. http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-46279220100218 Lawmakers want to tax Amazon sales in California The retail giant is among several that have no physical presence in the state. Legislative Democrats think a levy on them could bring in up to $150 million annually. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-amazon20-2010feb20,0,3686007.story au: Illegal poker websites could bring an end to online ban AN ILLEGAL online gambling company is setting up office in Australia and advertising for staff even though the business is prohibited, not taxed and subject to fines of up to $1.1 million a day. http://www.smh.com.au/national/illegal-poker-websites-could-bring-an-end-to-online-ban-20100220-ompj.html au: More powers to nab net racists LAWS to tackle racism on the internet are set to be strengthened to give authorities more power to act against offenders. Online content is now responsible for almost one in five complaints about racial vilification. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/more-powers-to-nab-net-racists-20100220-ompi.html http://www.theage.com.au/national/law-to-take-on-internet-racism-20100220-omrr.html au: Tassie protests its anonymous comment law A number of Tasmanian organisations have expressed displeasure at what they claim are out-of-date laws requiring citizens of the state to disclose personal information when they comment online about elections. http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Tassie-protests-its-anonymous-comment-law/0,139023166,339301239,00.htm ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* Microsoft-Yahoo search deal approved Microsoft's plans to buy Yahoo's internet search and search advertising businesses have been cleared by both European and US regulators. The European Commission ruled that the deal "would not significantly impede effective competition". Under the deal, Yahoo's website will use Microsoft's Bing search engine, and the two firms will share the revenues. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8522606.stm Europe rubber stamps Microsoft's Yahoo deal The proposed link-up between Microsoft and Yahoo has been approved by European regulators, paving the way for the two companies to combine their search engines and take on Google together. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/feb/19/microsoft-yahoo EU, Justice Clear Microsoft, Yahoo Deal Both the Justice Department and European Commission have green-lighted a search alliance between Yahoo and Microsoft, which owns the search engine Bing, the companies said Thursday. Teaming up to better challenge search leader Google, the companies announced the partnership in July but had to wait for approval from regulators. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/02/eu-justice-clear-microsoft-yah.php 'Microhoo' search deal given go-ahead Microsoft and Yahoo! have won regulatory approval for their search partnership to challenge Google, the marker leader. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article7032691.ece Microsoft steps up search assault on Google Microsoft Corp's assault on search engine leader Google Inc took a major step forward on Thursday as U.S. and European regulators cleared the software company's search partnership with Yahoo Inc. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE61H4CX20100219 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-46281420100219 ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR ONLINE CHILD PROTECTION ********************************** nz: Asperger's child porn offender's appeal successful A Palmerston North student who suffers from Asperger's syndrome has won an appeal against a seven-month jail term for downloading child pornography. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/3349133/Aspergers-child-porn-offenders-appeal-successful http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/6828440/child-porn-sentence-quashed-on-appeal/ Child porn sentence quashed on appeal [NZPA] A seven-month jail term for a Palmerston North student convicted of downloading child pornography was "manifestly excessive", a High Court judge has found. http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/6828440/child-porn-sentence-quashed-on-appeal/ au: Boy charged over child porn videos The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have arrested and charged a Queensland boy over child pornography offences. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/19/2825137.htm au: Chinese mining exec banned from returning home A Chinese mining executive charged with importing child pornography claims he faces financial ruin - and an uncertain future for his family - after a judge ruled he cannot return to China while on bail. http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/chinese-mining-exec-banned-from-returning-home-20100212-nxcy.html au: Man in child porn case in clinic CAUGHT with 19,000 images of children downloaded from the internet, mostly photos of naked girls, a young Northern Rivers man has been sent to the Richmond Mental Health Clinic for assessment. http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/2010/02/22/mental-health-issues-in-child-pornography-case/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2010 --------- 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 FlanneryReceived on Mon Feb 22 2010 - 01:46:14 UTC
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