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 *************************************************** Timeline Suggests New gTLDs by 2012 http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=10833 au: Bottle Domains parent now in liquidation http://www.zdnet.com.au/bottle-domains-parent-now-in-liquidation-339302162.htm au: Bolton's bolt-ons are turning to mush http://www.theage.com.au/business/boltons-boltons-are-turning-to-mush-20100330-rbmk.html Netregistry pulls out of China business http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/341422/netregistry_pulls_china_business .YU Slides Into History http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=10848 iPad Mania Brings Scams, Dubious Offers to Web http://www.pcworld.com/article/193048/.html au: Internode to formally offer consumers IPv6 this year http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/341750/internode_formally_offer_consumers_ipv6_year/ Lender wants Sex.com bankruptcy case thrown out http://in.reuters.com/article/fundsNews/idINN3014848420100331 Sex.com Dirt: Inside Details of What Went Wrong with Sex.com http://domainnamewire.com/2010/03/29/sex-com-dirt-inside-details-of-what-went-wrong-with-sex-com/ Sex.com Bankruptcy Takes Twists and Turns http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=10847 PETA Wants DOM Partners to Donate Multimillion-Dollar Sex.com Web Domain to Help Group Tout the 'Viagra' Effect of a Vegan Diet [news release] http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=14439 ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** ICANN Nominating Committee Extends Deadline for Statements of Interest to 15 April 2010 In order to provide additional time for candidates to apply, ICANN's 2010 Nominating Committee (NomCom) has extended the deadline for Statements of Interest until 15 April 2010 23:59 UTC. The 2010 NomCom is actively seeking qualified candidates for the following key positions within ICANN: http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-29mar10-en.htm Public Comment: GNSO Policy Development Process on Vertical Integration Between Registries and Registrars The GNSO Council is seeking comments regarding the commencement of a policy development process on the topic of vertical integration1 between registries and registrars. The public comment period ends on 18 April 2010. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-3-29mar10-en.htm Bulk Transfer of SBNames? and ISPREG?s Domains to PakNIC Ltd. ICANN has authorized a bulk transfer of gTLD domain names from registrars SBNames Ltd. and ISPREG Ltd. to registrar PakNIC (Private) Limited, due to compliance actions taken by ICANN that resulted in the de-accreditation of SBNames and ISPREG. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-29mar10-en.htm Podcast Catches On as Community Refines It Just about a month ago, I blogged about the launch of ICANN Start, the audio podcast that helps newcomers to our community start understanding key issues. As of this week, ICANN Start episodes have been downloaded one thousand times! http://blog.icann.org/2010/03/podcast-catches-on-as-community-refines-it/ New gTLD ICANN Timeline ICANN Board Member Bruce Tonkin gave a good post-Nairobi webinar last week. Among other things, he gave his sense of the timeline going forward, which accords with our own estimate, which we publish below. http://www.mindsandmachines.com/2010/03/new-icann-timeline/ Timeline Suggests New gTLDs by 2012 With the by-line that ?delay is a fact of life at ICANN? and that ?dates are subject to change?, Minds + Machines have published a new timeline for the introduction of new generic Top Level Domains. The timeline follows a post-Nairobi webinar from ICANN board member Bruce Tonkin. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=10833 http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/03/30/timeline-suggests-new-gtlds-by-2012/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/timeline-suggests-new-gtlds-by-2012.html Colombia Faces Uphill Battle to Host ICANN Meeting in December ICANN plans to hold a meeting in Latin America this December, but it hasn?t yet named a location. Colombia is frequently mentioned as a candidate, and the country?s Minister of Information and Communications Technologies has sent a letter to ICANN CEO Rod Beckstrom restating his country?s interest in hosting the event. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/03/31/colombia-faces-uphill-battle-to-host-icann-meeting-in-december/ Commentless Comment Periods at ICANN Nine different open comment subjects at ICANN close tomorrow ? and four of them don?t have a single comment. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/03/31/commentless-comment-periods-at-icann/ Tina Dam: Clearing the Confusion (Fast Track) Since the launch of the Fast Track Process, ICANN has received many questions about how the DNS Stability Panel will determine a confusingly similar string; that is, a requested string that is confusing similar with an existing ccTLD, gTLD or applied-for TLDs. http://www.idnnews.com/?p=9774 ICANN manager for Nigeria Internet forum Regional manager for Africa at ICANN, Ms Anne Rachel Inne, has confirmed participation at the 2010 edition of the Nigeria Internet Governance Forum. http://www.champion.com.ng/index.php?news=30183 http://allafrica.com/stories/201003310284.html ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** Argentina (.AR) Latest ccTLD To Adopt Identification Requirements The registry for the .AR ccTLD has passed identification rules for registrants for existing and new domains. http://www.thedomains.com/2010/03/30/argentina-ar-latest-cctld-to-adopt-identification-requirements/ au: Bottle Domains parent now in liquidation Nicholas Bolton's company Australian Style Services, the parent company of embattled domain company Bottle Domains, has entered into liquidation according to a report released by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission in early February. http://www.zdnet.com.au/bottle-domains-parent-now-in-liquidation-339302162.htm au: Bolton's bolt-ons are turning to mush A company controlled by Nicholas Bolton has gone into liquidation with debts exceeding $635,000, including a $385,000 tax bill and $250,000 of superannuation that has not been paid to staff. In February this year, creditors put Bolton's Australian Style Services into liquidation. The majority of Bolton's staff, including those working for the Bottle Domains domain name company he founded as a teenager, were paid by Australian Style Services. http://www.theage.com.au/business/boltons-boltons-are-turning-to-mush-20100330-rbmk.html http://www.watoday.com.au/business/boltons-boltons-are-turning-to-mush-20100330-rbmk.html http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/boltons-boltons-are-turning-to-mush-20100330-rbmk.html http://www.smh.com.au/business/boltons-boltons-are-turning-to-mush-20100330-rbmk.html http://www.businessday.com.au/business/boltons-boltons-are-turning-to-mush-20100330-rbmk.html be: Release blocked domain names Since April 2009, DNS BE has blocked almost 200,000 .be-domain names upon the advice of ICANN. When using the whois, the status 'blocked' was shown for these names http://www.dns.be/en/home.php?n=442 DNS.BE Announce Release of Blocked Domains Since April 2009, DNS BE has blocked almost 200,000 .be-domain names upon the advice of ICANN. When using the whois, the status 'blocked' was shown for these names. http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/03/31/dnsbe-announce-release-of-blocked-domains/ Netregistry pulls out of China business One of Australia's most prominent domain name registrars has joined the world's largest, GoDaddy.com, in ceasing to offer .cn services because of new regulatory obligations imposed by Chinese authorities. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/341422/netregistry_pulls_china_business http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/033010-netregistry-pulls-out-of-china.html http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=AFE89824-1A64-67EA-E4239F3AE3781607 http://www.itworldcanada.com/news/netregistry-pulls-out-of-china-business/140327 co: Cyber gangs cash in on typing errors [sub req'd] Cyber criminals will be presented with a fresh opportunity to attack companies all over the world later this year when Colombian domain names are made universally available. http://www.afr.com/p/business/technology/cyber_gangs_cash_in_on_typing_errors_QthA9DbKzK0RwhPA7hmp9J .co domain name up for grabs from 26 April Missed out on your preferred .com domain name? No stress, you can always try .co. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/341254/_co_domain_name_up_grabs_from_26_april/ http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/032910-co-domain-name-up-for.html http://www.infoworld.com/t/networking/co-domain-name-grabs-26-april-439 Businesses urged to consider ?.co? domains Domain name registrar Melbourne IT has urged businesses to consider taking up the ".co" domain name, with the application period to begin in just under one month. http://www.smartcompany.com.au/information-technology/20100330-businesses-urged-to-consider-co-domains.html Domain Name Registration in Germany The registry for the .de domain is administered by DENIC in Germany. The Domain Name Contract with DENIC can be concluded once the registration guidelines and general terms and condition laid down by DENIC are fulfilled. The contents of these provisions describe the rights and obligations of the Registry and the Registrant with respect to registration and all issues in relation to Domain Name. http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=articles&id=F324D6ED-6B4E-4FC7-B488-A6DF2ED918B1 Internet domain .lk can go vernacular The ICT Agency said yesterday soon it will be possible to replace the top level internet domain '.lk' by lanka or ilangai respectively in Sinhala or Tamil script in vernacular web-site addresses. http://www.dailymirror.lk/print/index.php/business/127-local/7103-internet-domain-lk-can-go-vernacular.html Leading American MLSs Form Association to Seek '.MLS' gTLD One has to wonder where people get the ideas for new generic Top Level Domains. The latest (seemingly not thought through) idea for a new gTLD to be made public is .MLS. What does ?MLS? stand for I hear you ask? At least I did. http://www.domainnews.com/en/leading-us-mlss-form-association-to-seek-.mls-gtld.html http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/03/30/leading-american-mlss-form-association-to-seek-mls-gtld/ MLSs seek control of '.MLS' domain Fifteen multiple listing services have formed a nonprofit company that will seek the authority to create and manage a new "generic" top-level Internet domain, .MLS, that only MLSs would be allowed to use. http://www.inman.com/news/2010/03/29/mlss-seek-control-mls-domain Leading MLSs Form Association to Seek ?.MLS? Top-Level Domain [news release] Fifteen leading multiple listing services (MLSs) in the U.S. have formed the MLS Domains Association, a non-profit national association created to obtain, manage and promote the orderly use of the ?.MLS? top-level domain (TLD) on the Internet. The Association will apply late in 2010 to ICANN under ICANN?s new gTLD process. If successful, MLSs will be able to obtain domains such as Maine.MLS, Chicago.MLS, etc. http://mlsdomains.org/2010/03/29/formation-press-release/ .?? priority registration period extended The priority period for registration of the .?? domain was due to end on 25 March after which the exploitation of the newly registered domain names would have begun. However, just a day before the deadline, it was agreed to extend the period of priority registration until 11 May 2010 due to an extensive amount of administrative queries from various organisations, wishing to reserve some domain names. http://www.marques.org/Class46/article.asp?XID=BHA1767 Qatar gets nod for Arabic Internet domain Qatar has received approval to have its Internet domains written in Arabic, one of the first countries in the world to receive approval to use non-Latin language scripts in domain names. Once implemented, Internet domains ending in the Arabic equivalent of ?.qatar? can be registered in Qatar?s native Arabic-language, announced ICANN here yesterday. http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=March2010&file=Local_News201003312382.xml Qatar receives approval for Arabic internet domains ICANN announced that Qatar has received approval to have its internet domains written in Arabic, one of the first countries in the world to receive approval to use non-Latin language scripts in domain names. http://www.ameinfo.com/228320.html Rwanda to Manage "Dot rw" Domain People, who want to set up websites with the ".rw" domain, will no longer have to go through Belgium, where the domain name is currently hosted and managed. http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14212&article=27437 http://allafrica.com/stories/201003291227.html Telnic Announces Launch of .TEL IDNs in Sixteen Languages Telnic have announced that as of 15 June registrants of .TEL domain names will be able to register their domain in any of sixteen languages. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=10849 http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/03/31/telnic-announces-launch-of-tel-idns-in-sixteen-languages/ Telnic Announces Launch Date of June 15th for IDNs in Sixteen Languages Telnic announced that the date for the upcoming launch of Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) in sixteen languages would be Tuesday, 15th June 2010. http://telnic.com/downloads/TelnicIDNAnnounced.pdf .YU Slides Into History The .YU country code Top Level Domain slid into darkness on Tuesday when it stopped functioning at midday local time. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=10848 http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/03/31/yu-slides-into-history/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/yu-slides-into-history.html .yu domain expires on Tuesday The .yu domain, associated with FR Yugoslavia, will officially expire on Tuesday, March 30, at noon. http://www.b92.net/eng/news/society-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=03&dd=29&nav_id=66128 '.yu' country code domain for Yugoslavia finally obsolete [AFP] The Internet country code domain .yu for the former Yugoslavia became obsolete Tuesday after 21 years, the Serbian National Register for Internet Domain Names said. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/yu-country-code-domain-for-yugoslavia-finally-obsolete-20100331-rbv1.html http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-technology/yu-country-code-domain-for-yugoslavia-finally-obsolete-20100331-rbv1.html http://news.ph.msn.com/sci-tech/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4003783 ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** iPad Mania Brings Scams, Dubious Offers to Web ... iPad Domains: Ebay is filled with speculative domain investors trying to sell iPad URLs including TheAppleiPadSucks.com, HotiPadGames.com and iPad3GHackz.com. The prices range anywhere from $1 to $5000. Ebay seller 4tip2toe is asking $4,999 for four iPad domains including theAppleiPads.com, BuyiPad3GS.com, iPad3G4U.com and iPad3GBUY.com. Another eBay seller is trying to pass off iPad-Facebook.com for $500. To be clear, that URL has no relation to the social network Facebook. http://www.pcworld.com/article/193048/.html iMEGA Motion Granted in Online Gambling Domains Case As first reported by Gambling911.com, the chief judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals has approved iMEGA's request to have its petition to send iMEGA, et al v. Commonwealth immediately back to the state's Supreme Court. The order, signed early Friday, allows the Supreme Court to now make a decision on the merits regarding the fate of the 141 domain names the Commonwealth has tried to seize from their owners. http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/imega-motion-granted-online-gambling-domains-case-032910.html Bing! Microsoft Wants Your Bing Domain Names Since launching its new Bing search engine last year, Microsoft has frequently called upon National Arbitration Forum to help it get Bing related domain names registered by cybersquatters. National Arbitration Forum records show that, since December 29, the company has won arbitration cases for at least 40 domain names. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/03/29/bing-microsoft-wants-your-bing-domain-names/ ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** Yahoo wants two-faced DNS to aid IPv6 deployment Many systems that purport to have connectivity to the IPv6 Internet, well, don't. According to measurements done by Google 18 months ago, about a third of a percent of all Web users' systems think they have IPv6, with huge regional differences. In reality, it doesn't work for 27 percent of those users. Last week at the IETF meeting in Anaheim, engineers from Yahoo proposed to solve this problem by only exposing a server's IPv6 addresses if a DNS query comes in over IPv6. http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2010/03/yahoo-wants-two-faced-dns-to-aid-ipv6-deployment.ars au: Internode to formally offer consumers IPv6 this year Internode will offer production IPv6 services to consumers by the end of 2010 as it continues to gain experience through a trial of the next generation Internet Protocol. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/341750/internode_formally_offer_consumers_ipv6_year/ ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Domain Renewal Scam Picks Up Speed An old domain name renewal scam that uses the domain name domainrenewalonline.org appears to be kicking into high gear. I received three scam emails from the company yesterday, each from three different sender names. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/03/29/domain-renewal-scam-picks-up-speed/ Tucows Hits 10 Million Domain Milestone Tucows Inc. announced today that it hit a major milestone: 10 million domain names under management. The company credits its OpenSRS reseller network for hitting the milestone. The reseller network includes 10,000 web hosting companies, ISPs, Internet consultants, and other service providers in over 100 countries. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/03/30/tucows-hits-10-million-domain-milestone/ ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Lender wants Sex.com bankruptcy case thrown out A lender which claims it is owed millions by the Sex.com domain name operator is asking a U.S. bankruptcy court to dismiss an involuntary bankruptcy case against the company, so it can resume a foreclosure auction, according to new court documents. http://in.reuters.com/article/fundsNews/idINN3014848420100331 http://in.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idINTRE62U00N20100331 http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN3014848420100331 http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62U00N20100331 Sex.com Dirt: Inside Details of What Went Wrong with Sex.com Documents filed in a bankruptcy case involving Sex.com owner Escom, LLC, provide intriguing details into who actually owns Sex.com and what went wrong with the company. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/03/29/sex-com-dirt-inside-details-of-what-went-wrong-with-sex-com/ Sex.com Bankruptcy Takes Twists and Turns The sex.com sale, or non-sale, is back in the news with a couple of stories about it. In one, Reuters is reporting ?a lender which claims it is owed millions by the Sex.com [registrant] is asking a U.S. bankruptcy court to dismiss an involuntary bankruptcy case against the company, so it can resume a foreclosure auction, according to new court documents.? http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=10847 http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/03/31/sexcom-bankruptcy-takes-twists-and-turns/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/sex.com-bankruptcy-takes-twists-and-turns.html PETA Wants DOM Partners to Donate Multimillion-Dollar Sex.com Web Domain to Help Group Tout the 'Viagra' Effect of a Vegan Diet [news release] This morning, PETA sent a letter to Scott R. Matthews of the law firm Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf asking him to urge his client DOM Partners LLC to donate the company's Sex.com Web domain to PETA so that the group can use it to educate visitors about the wonders of "veggie Viagra." PETA made the offer after learning that DOM Partners will auction off Sex.com on March 18. http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=14439 Mike Mann Conditionally Agrees To Donate His Portion Of Sex.com To PETA As if the whole saga of Sex.com being stolen and then given back to the original owner wasn?t a strange enough story, now Mike Mann, who is one of several reported owners of Sex.com, has agreed to donate his portion of the domain name to the animal rights activist group PETA. http://www.domainnamenews.com/legal-issues/mike-mann-conditionally-agrees-donate-portion-sexcom-peta/7409 Sex.com Investor: Give Sex.com Domain Name to PETA Sex.com investor Mike Mann is playing along with PETA?s request that it get the Sex.com domain name. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/03/30/sex-com-investor-give-sex-com-domain-name-to-peta/ ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** The iPad, internet, climate change link in the spotlight: Greenpeace report shows cloud computing GHG emissions tripling by 2020 [news release] On the eve of the launch of the iPad, our latest report warns that the growth of internet computing could come with a huge jump in greenhouse gas emissions. We follow the data streams back to the data centres providing a cautionary tale about how the boom could see internet servers become a major cause of climate change. But it doesn't have to be that way, the great innovators of the digital age can and should be leaders in promoting an energy revolution. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/ipad-cloud-climate-change-290310 Greenpeace issues warning about data centre power Greenpeace is calling on technology giants like Apple, Microsoft, Yahoo and Facebook to power their data centres with renewable energy sources. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8594431.stm Greenpeace says the cloud is a carbon polluter [IDG] A new report from Greenpeace warns that the growth in cloud computing will be accompanied by a sharp rise in greenhouse gas emissions, and calls on big companies like Facebook, Yahoo and Google to do more to help the environment. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/341589/greenpeace_says_cloud_carbon_polluter/ http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/033110-greenpeace-says-the-cloud-is.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/192988/.html Greenpeace: Facebook has a hand in global warming Greenpeace has charged that Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, Google and others are contributing to global warming by using coal to power data centers for their cloud-based services. The charges are dramatic --- but are they on target? http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/341571/greenpeace_facebook_has_hand_global_warming/ http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/033110-greenpeace-facebook-has-a-hand.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/192925/.html That Times paywall: how young is it expecting its readers to be? Rupert Murdoch's preregistration for the Times paywall seems to suggest that it'll welcome anyone - even newborns. But the 13-page Ts+Cs might put them off .. if the lack of security doesn't http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2010/mar/28/times-paywall-children-terms-conditions Has Viral Gone Viral? Over the last year, we?ve seen the rapid development of the real-time Web, incorporating the spread of news, status updates and the entertainment we share and consume. It?s as if the idea of ?going viral? has, well, gone viral itself. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/29/has-viral-gone-viral/ au: ABS: Over 500,000 net users get 24Mbps More than 60 per cent of all Internet connections are now at or above 1.5Mbps according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/341428/abs_over_500_000_net_users_get_24mbps/ au: Websites preferred over govt bureaucrats Internet and email were the most preferred and frequently used channels for Australians to interact with the government, according to a report on interacting with government released today, outweighing calling and face-to-face interviews. http://www.zdnet.com.au/websites-preferred-over-govt-bureaucrats-339302178.htm Net news likely to stay free in NZ Media magnate Rupert Murdoch has upped the ante over free news content on the web. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10635217 Wi-Fi anxiety: American sues neighbour to shut off electronics The Santa Fe plaintiff claims to suffer from 'electromagnetic sensitivities' set off by cellphones, routers and other electronic devices. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-hometown-santa-fe28-2010mar28,0,2528354.story With Hirings, Yahoo Steps Up Its News Coverage Yahoo has recruited nearly a dozen journalists from traditional and online media outlets and opened a bureau in Washington to push into original content and increase the popularity of its online news site. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/31/technology/31yahoo.html Dutch online sex shop a hit with Muslims An online sex shop for Muslims has been launched in the Netherlands to tap into a demand for erotica that does not offend Sharia law. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/netherlands/7540030/Online-sex-shop-a-hit-with-Muslims.html Google to produce internet guide ? in a leaflet Google, one of the world's most prominent evangelists for all things digital, has turned to one of the most traditional of old media routes to try to persuade more British people to go online: it is printing a leaflet. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/mar/28/google-leaflet-internet-guide us: Internet porn is 'sexual revolution times 1,000,' ex-official says About 1,000 Utahns were told to join the "war on pornography" Saturday at a conference aimed at teaching them how to protect themselves and their children against it or how to get help if they are addicted. http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14770529 ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Google Buzz Privacy Flaw Snags Another Victim: White House Deputy CTO Andrew McLaughlin It's been several weeks now since the disastrous rollout of Google Buzz's initial social networking platform. It was on February 9th that Google Buzz unleashed its newest foray into social media to compete with the likes of Facebook and Twitter. http://biggovernment.com/capitolconfidential/2010/03/30/google-buzz-privacy-flaw-snags-another-victim-white-house-deputy-cto-andrew-mclaughlin/ Facebook asks Aussie users to self-moderate Facebook appears to have directly contacted Australian administrators of Facebook Pages to remind them of tools available to moderate objectionable content within their sub-sections of the giant social networking site. http://www.zdnet.com.au/facebook-asks-aussie-users-to-self-moderate-339302137.htm au: Murdered Michelle's Facebook tribute defaced A tribute site set up to mourn the death of Mudgee teenager Michelle Morrissey has been defaced - on the day Facebook alerted its members on how to secure content. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/murdered-michelles-facebook-tribute-defaced-20100330-raj2.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/murdered-michelles-facebook-tribute-defaced-20100330-raj2.html Twitter's heady rise has Venezuela's Hugo Chavez in spin A jailed judge "tweets" to her followers from prison. The director of an opposition TV station uses Twitter to denounce a conspiracy to oust him. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE62T0BZ20100330 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-47309620100330 ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Dell targeted for breaking promise on toxic chemicals [news release] Greenpeace activists unfurled banners of every size today outside the offices of Dell in Bangalore, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen, just as Dell executives meet to discuss a roadmap to finally remove the worst toxic chemicals from their electronics. The message around the world to Dell's founder and CEO: "Michael Dell: Drop the Toxics!" http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/dell-breaking-promise-290310 ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ Combating Child Abuse on the Web: Germany Resists EU Plans to Block Child Porn Sites Germany's justice minister is fighting EU plans to block access to child pornography sites because she doesn't think the measures would work. She wants such sites shut down instead. The opposition Greens and SPD party agree with her. http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,686405,00.html Delete child abuse websites says German minister Germany has called for stronger action to combat images of child sex abuse online, saying material should be deleted rather than blocked. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8596650.stm Click On: What happens when your child clicks on the panic button of a social networking site? ... This week Simon finds out what happens as soon as your child hits the panic button on a social networking site. And with the growing dispute between Facebook and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre he asks why Facebook still refuse to provide a link to CEOP. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rm309 Australian government goes to war with Google over net censorship The Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, has launched a stinging attack on Google and its credibility in response to the search giant's campaign against the government's internet filtering policy. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/government-goes-to-war-with-google-over-net-censorship-20100330-r9bp.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/government-goes-to-war-with-google-over-net-censorship-20100330-r9bp.html http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/technology/technology-news/government-goes-to-war-with-google-over-net-censorship-20100330-r9bp.html Was the US only asking for filter info? The office of Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has issued a statement which appears to imply the US State Department had merely asked the Federal Government for background information on its controversial internet filtering project. http://www.zdnet.com.au/was-the-us-only-asking-for-filter-info-339302181.htm Conroy attacks Google in net filter row A war of words has erupted again over the Federal Government's plan to bring in a mandatory internet filter and this time internet giant Google has been dragged into the fray. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/30/2860617.htm Internet filtering with Minister for Communications Stephen Conroy The federal government will introduce mandatory internet filtering this year. And after recent abuse appearing on Facebook memorial sites, the government is also looking at establishing an internet ombudsman. So how far should control of the internet go for the sake of making the online world safer for children? Is it actually possible to make the internet safe? http://www.abc.net.au/rn/australiatalks/stories/2010/2835549.htm Banned website 'blacklist' won't be made public [AAP] Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has agreed that greater oversight of which websites will be banned under the Government's mandatory internet filter is needed but has ruled out making the list public. http://www.news.com.au/technology/banned-website-list-wont-be-made-public/story-e6frfro0-1225847193801 Conroy resolute: No opt-out for filter Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has rejected suggestions from ALP colleague Senator Kate Lundy that the Government offer an ''opt-out' for its plan for a mandatory ISP-level filter. http://www.itnews.com.au/News/170785,conroy-resolute-no-opt-out-for-filter.aspx US concern over Australian internet filter The US government says it has concerns about Australia's plan to introduce a mandatory internet filter. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/29/2858931.htm Google and Yahoo criticise Australia's 'heavy-handed' internet filter plans Australia came under fire today from the United States for its proposed internet filtering system, which, if implemented, would be the strictest of any democracy. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/29/google-yahoo-australia-internet-filter No US filter appeal to Conroy Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has said he had not had any direct contact with US Government officials over Australia's controversial internet filtering plans, despite reports the US had raised the issue directly with the Federal Government. http://www.zdnet.com.au/no-us-filter-appeal-to-conroy-339302123.htm US concerned by Australian Internet filter plan [AP] The United States has raised concerns with Australia about the impact of a proposed Internet filter that would place restrictions on Web content, an official said Monday. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100329/ap_on_hi_te/as_australia_internet_filter_4 http://www.startribune.com/world/89382742.html Conroy silent on US internet filter knock The Federal Government has remained quiet on alleged concerns raised by the US State Department on a proposal to install Internet content filters in Australia. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/341260/conroy_silent_us_internet_filter_knock/ http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/032910-conroy-silent-on-us-internet.html US Joins Chorus Opposing Australia's Internet Filtering Plan Australia's proposed Internet filtering plan has already drawn criticism from censorship foes around the globe, and the U.S. Department of State recently weighed in with its own concerns. http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/69644.html uk: We must speed up to protect children from online porn ? expert Action to protect children from pornography and other online threats must be accelerated to keep up with advances in technology, a Government adviser warned yesterday. http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/news/We-must-speed-up-to.6189344.jp Action to tackle online threats to children 'must speed up' Action to protect children from pornography and other online threats must be accelerated to keep up with advances in technology, a Government adviser has warned. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/7535560/Action-to-tackle-online-threats-to-children-must-speed-up.html Call to improve mobile internet controls [PA] Mobile phones should be fitted with improved parental controls so that children can be prevented from accessing harmful internet material, a Government advisor will say today. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/call-to-improve-mobile-internet-controls-1930209.html http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Calls-to-improve-moblie-phone.6187079.jp uk: Mobile phones 'should be fitted with anti-porn filter to protect children' Mobile phones should to be fitted with filters to prevent children viewing pornography, the Government's internet safety advisor said today. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1261943/Mobile-phones-fitted-anti-porn-filter-protect-children.html Kids' mobile phones need porn filters, says report Mobile phones should be fitted with porn filters to stop children accessing inappropriate content from their handsets, says Professor Tanya Byron. http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=3218823 http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/341693/kids_mobile_phones_need_porn_filters_says_report/ uk: Teachers reveal toll of violence against them in schools A quarter of school staff have suffered violence at the hands of a student and a third have been confronted by aggressive parents, a teaching union said today. http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/mar/29/violent-students-schools-teachers uk: A quarter of internet users aged 8-12 say they have under-age social networking profiles [news release] A quarter of children aged 8-12 who use the internet at home say they have a profile on Facebook, Bebo or MySpace, new Ofcom research revealed today. These sites have a minimum user age of 13. http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2010/03/nr_20100326a eu: Tougher action over child porn The EU Commission wants member states to agree to block access to child pornography websites and impose tougher punishments on child abusers and human trafficking gangs, it said on Monday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE62S4KQ20100329 http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/World/Story/STIStory_508307.html European Commission wants stronger sanctions against child sexual abuse, sexual exploitation and child pornography The European Commission today proposed new rules obliging EU countries to impose more severe punishment on those who sexually abuse children. The proposal also calls for criminal prosecution of activities like 'grooming' (befriending children with the intention of sexually abusing them) and "sex tourism", even if the child abuse has taken place outside the EU. The Commission also wants more to be done to prevent these offences and to protect the victims. It particularly wants to make sure that offenders can get tailor-made treatment so that they don't abuse again. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/379 Commission seeks to block child porn websites The European Commission has proposed that websites containing child pornography should be blocked across the European Union and that maximum sentences of five to ten years should be imposed on human traffickers. http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/2010/03/commission-seeks-to-block-child-porn-websites/67550.aspx nz: Paw Justice web abuse causes fallout An internet safety group is calling for closer inspection of social media websites after threatening and abusive comments were left on New Zealand's fourth-largest Facebook group webpage. http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/national/3525490/Paw-Justice-web-abuse-causes-fallout nz: Chief Censor to view violent music video The Nathan King music video causing an uproar from anti-violence groups will be viewed by the Chief Censor. http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=173276 us: 9 Teenagers Accused of Bullying That Led to Suicide It is not clear what some students at South Hadley High School expected to achieve by subjecting a freshman to the relentless taunting described by a prosecutor and classmates. ... The charges were an unusually sharp legal response to the problem of adolescent bullying, which is increasingly conducted in cyberspace as well as in the schoolyard and has drawn growing concern from parents, educators and lawmakers. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/us/30bully.html us: More students disciplined following girl's suicide More students have been removed from a Massachusetts school in the investigation of the alleged bullying campaign against a 15-year-old girl who committed suicide, a school official said Tuesday. http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/03/30/massachusetts.bullying.suicide/ ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** In Spain, Internet piracy is part of the culture Illegal downloading of movies and TV shows is so prevalent that studios may give up selling DVDs in the country. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-spain30-2010mar30,0,2736328.story French pirates 'dodge' tough laws Some forms of piracy are on the rise in France despite the passing of a tough anti-piracy law, suggests a study. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8592444.stm NZ's Labour party rejects cutting off pirates New Zealand's Labour party, currently in opposition, has stated that it would no longer support provisions for cutting off file sharer's internet accounts. http://www.itnews.com.au/News/170963,nzs-labour-party-rejects-cutting-off-pirates.aspx US Senator Hopes To Raise Awareness About P2P Risks During her spring break from Congress, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., is aiming to drum up interest in the privacy and security risks related to peer-to-peer file-sharing programs. Klobuchar hosted an event at a Best Buy store near Minneapolis Monday where members of Best Buy's technical staff known as the Geek Squad were expected to show how P2P networks work and some of the privacy and security risks associated with them. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/03/senator-hopes-to-raise-awarene.php ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** In the US, most wireless phones to be smartphones by 2011: Nielsen With all the attention on smartphones, especially the iPhone and the Droid, it might seem odd that only 21% of U.S. wireless phone subscribers were using a smartphone at the end of 2009. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9174331/Most_wireless_phones_to_be_smartphones_by_2011_Nielsen_says_ App market 'fertile ground' for cybercrime Web, social networking and smartphone applications are the "fertile ground" for cybercrime, not helped by the fact that the app market is still emerging and largely unregulated, a new study has warned. http://www.zdnetasia.com/app-market-fertile-ground-for-cybercrime-62062290.htm uk: Ofcom plans to cut cost of calls to mobiles The price of calling a mobile phone is due to drop further over the coming years with Ofcom this week expected to propose new caps on the price operators can charge each other and fixed line companies to connect calls on their networks. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/mar/28/ofcom-mobile-termination-rates US Airways joins growing list of airlines with Wi-Fi US Airways launched Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi service on five aircraft yesterday, joining eight other airlines working with wireless service provider Aircell. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9174382/US_Airways_joins_growing_list_of_airlines_with_Wi_Fi ANALYSIS - In mobile tech war, LTE haunts WiMax again Just as WiMax mobile broadband technology starts to recover from losing the big battle for industry dominance to Long Term Evolution (LTE), a new version of LTE is attacking it in its newly secured niche. http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-47331720100330 ********************** DIGITAL DIVIDE ********************** au: Joy as computer power comes to Yirrkala The dream first took form eight years ago when an American scientist imagined a world where every child in every country had a laptop computer. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/joy-as-computer-power-comes-to-yirrkala/story-e6frg6nf-1225848236378 ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Cyber criminals change tactics Mass indiscriminate computer attacks are giving way to highly targeted individual attempts in a new wave of professional cyber crime, experts say. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/enterprise/cyber-criminals-change-tactics-20100329-r88e.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/enterprise/cyber-criminals-change-tactics-20100329-r88e.html Symantec Announces March 2010 MessageLabs Intelligence Report [news release] Symantec Corp. announced the publication of its March 2010 MessageLabs Intelligence Report. Analysis of the origins of targeted attacks, malicious emails sent in small volumes aimed at gaining access to sensitive corporate data, reveals that the majority of targeted malware sent this month, originated in the United States (36.6 percent) based on mail server location, but when analyzed by sender location, more targeted attacks actually originated in China (28.2 percent), Romania (21.1 percent) and United States(13.8 percent). http://www.messagelabs.co.uk/resources/press/47235 Journalists' E-Mails Hacked in China In what appeared to be a coordinated assault, the e-mail accounts of more than a dozen rights advocates, academics and journalists who cover China have been compromised by unknown intruders. A Chinese human rights organization also said that hackers had disabled its Web site for five days in a row. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/world/asia/01china.html http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/31/world/asia/31china.html Some Yahoo email accounts hacked in China, Taiwan Yahoo email accounts of some journalists and activists whose work relates to China were compromised in an attack discovered this week, according to rights groups and foreign correspondents, days after Google said it would move its Chinese-language search services out of China because of censorship concerns. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE62U10120100331 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-47344820100331 Yahoo targeted in China cyber attacks The Yahoo e-mail accounts of foreign journalists based in China and Taiwan have been hacked, according to a Beijing-based press association. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8596410.stm E-mail accounts of foreign journalists in China hacked [IDG] The e-mail accounts of eight foreign journalists working in China and Taiwan were hacked recently, leading Yahoo to suspend several of the accounts last week, the Foreign Correspondent's Club of China (FCCC) said Wednesday. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/033110-e-mail-accounts-of-foreign-journalists.html http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9174483/E_mail_accounts_of_foreign_journalists_in_China_hacked http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/192990/.html Google Links Web Attacks to Vietnam Mine Dispute Google, fresh off a dispute with China over censorship and intrusion from hackers, says it has identified cyber-attacks aimed at silencing critics of a controversial, Chinese-backed bauxite mining project in Vietnam. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/world/asia/01vietnam.html Google says Vietnam mine opponents under cyber attack Internet giant Google says malicious software has been used to spy on tens of thousands of Vietnamese web users. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8596846.stm Web attacks hit Vietnam bauxite activists - Google Google Inc has said it identified cyber attacks aimed at silencing opposition to a Vietnamese government-led bauxite mining project involving a major Chinese firm, and said they were similar to those at the heart of the company's friction with Beijing. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE62U10P20100331 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-47346020100331 iPad Mania Brings Scams, Dubious Offers to Web The iPad is going on sale on Saturday, and it's not just the Apple Store and Best Buy that are gearing up for the big day. There are tons of people out there who want to sell you everything from iPad reservations, domain names, email addresses and more. Some people may get caught up in the iPad hype, but don't let yourself be fooled. Many of these iPad offers are claiming an inflated value for their wares in the hopes of making a quick buck. Here are the top 5 scams and inflated claims I found circulating the Web this morning. http://www.pcworld.com/article/193048/.html au/uk/us: Evony drops libel case against British blogger Bruce Everiss Evony, the American-registered games company that was suing the British games blogger Bruce Everiss for libel in an Australian court over a series of highly critical blog posts, has dramatically dropped its case after just two days of hearings. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/mar/31/evony-libel-case-bruce-everiss au: Hotel marketer Mantra wins trademark battle Hotel marketer and manager Mantra has won a victory in the Federal Court after a judge ruled an operator of websites used to source accommodation bookings has infringed Mantra's trademark rights. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/hotel-marketer-mantra-wins-trademark-battle/story-e6frg8zx-1225847182841 Australian Court delivers landmark IP judgment [sub req'd] The Federal Court has handed down a landmark judgment relating to websites misusing trademarks. http://www.afr.com/p/national/legal_affairs/court_delivers_landmark_ip_judgment_56FXrrAaknDubt78CwvqpN http://bigpondnews.com/articles/Technology/2010/03/29/Court_delivers_landmark_IP_judgment_445638.html Vic man jailed for 29 years for murder [AAP] A Victorian man whose identity has been revealed as Garry Francis Newman has been jailed for a minimum of 29 years for brutally bashing and drowning Adelaide teenager Carly Ryan. Newman, 50, whose identity had been suppressed until his sentence was handed down on Wednesday, used an internet alter-ego to communicate with the 15-year-old girl after meeting her through a gothic vampire website. http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/local/7006355/vic-man-jailed-for-29-years-for-murder/ Realestate.com.au warns against fake emails REALESTATE.com.au has confirmed its subscriber database was illegally accessed and the matter had been referred to Victoria Police. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/realestatecomau-warns-against-fake-emails/story-e6frgakx-1225847930373 Nigeria: PIN Boss Tackles Cybercrime at 2010 Internet Forum NIGERIA's Information Technology (IT) youth ambassador and Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN), Mr. Gbenga Sesan has been slated to speak on the menace of cybercrime among Nigerian youths at the 2010 Internet Governance billed for Lagos, nextmonth. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/03/30/pin-boss-tackles-cyber-crime-at-2010-internet-forum/ http://allafrica.com/stories/201003301135.html Nigerian rights group loses appeal in Facebook case A Nigerian civil rights group on Tuesday lost its appeal against the shutdown of its chat forums on Facebook and Twitter that criticise the practice of Islamic law in northern states. http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-47333720100330 Indexing company liable for UK users' infringement, says High Court A company which indexes and sorts postings to Usenet groups is liable for the copyright infringement of its users when they download films, software and television programmes, the High Court has said. http://out-law.com/page-10885 uk: Publisher not liable for search engine summary, rules High Court A publisher should not be responsible for a libel created by the out-of-context publication of material by a search engine, the High Court has ruled. http://out-law.com/page-10881 Google denies responsibility in Rosetta Stone ad lawsuit [Bloomberg] Google Inc., owner of the world's most popular Internet search engine, will try to convince a federal judge that it didn't infringe Rosetta Stone Inc.'s trademarks, in part because it's not responsible for the content of advertisements placed on its Web site. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/29/AR2010032903692.html Organizations Rarely Report Breaches to Law Enforcement Most organizations hit by breaches that don't require public disclosure don't call in law enforcement -- they consider it an exposure risk, with little chance of their gaining any intelligence from investigators about the attack, anyway. http://www.darkreading.com/database_security/security/attacks/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=224200824 Think ahead, protect online identity The recent hacking of China's number one search engine Baidu in January caused millions of dollars in losses and a sharp drop in the firm's share price - a chilling result of several hours of inaccessibility. http://www.todayonline.com/Business/Enterprise/EDC100331-0000103/Think-ahead,-protect-online-identity ************************** PRIVACY ************************** US tech coalition calls for new online privacy law US technology firms and privacy groups have called for an overhaul of privacy laws, saying the government has too much access to private online data. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8595775.stm Technology Coalition Seeks Stronger Privacy Laws A broad coalition of technology companies, including AT&T, Google and Microsoft, and advocacy groups from across the political spectrum said Tuesday that it would push Congress to strengthen online privacy laws to protect private digital information from government access. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/31/technology/31privacy.html Microsoft, Google Team Up For Privacy Law Update Google, Microsoft, AT&T, and a group of privacy advocates are teaming up to urge Congress to update the Electronic Communications Privacy Act to keep pace with technological advances and changes in consumer Internet habits, the newly-announced Digital Due Process coalition announced Tuesday. ECPA established standards for government access to electronic communications in criminal investigations. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/03/microsoft-google-team-up-for-p.php Why ECPA Should Make You Think Twice about the Cloud The Digital Due Process coalition is pushing Congress to modernize privacy laws in the United States. The coalition--comprised of technology companies and special interest groups, including Microsoft, Google, EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation), ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), eBay, and others--feels that existing privacy regulations do not adequately protect data in the digital era, and could stop businesses from embracing cloud computing. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/192989/.html US tech coalition pushes rewrite of online privacy law A broad coalition of companies including Google, Microsoft, and AT&T, joined by liberal and conservative advocacy groups, will announce a major push Tuesday to update federal privacy laws to protect mobile and cloud computing users, CNET has learned. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20001393-38.html US House Lawmakers Voice Concern About Google Buzz A group of House Energy and Commerce members are urging the FTC to investigate complaints that Google's Buzz social networking service and some of its other services may harm consumer privacy. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/03/house-lawmakers-voice-concern.php ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** 'Rape simulator' game goes viral amid Australian calls for censorship Attempts to ban a deplorable "rape simulator" video game have only caused it to spread virally across the internet, leading to calls for sites hosting the game to be blocked by internet censors. http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/games/rape-simulator-game-goes-viral-amid-calls-for-censorship-20100331-rcpz.html http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/games/rape-simulator-game-goes-viral-amid-calls-for-censorship-20100331-rcpz.html 'RapeLay' video game goes viral amid outrage The game begins with a teenage girl on a subway platform. She notices you are looking at her and asks, "Can I help you with something?" http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/03/30/japan.video.game.rape/ Google has censorship balancing act outside China [AP] Google Inc. didn't stop wrangling with censorship when the company moved its search engine out of mainland China to shed its restraints on what can be shown on the Internet. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/google-has-censorship-balancing-act-outside-china-20100401-rf7s.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/google-has-censorship-balancing-act-outside-china-20100401-rf7s.html Google Runs Into China's 'Great Firewall' Google Inc.'s search sites in China abruptly stopped working Tuesday, but the explanation for the outage shifted as the day wore on. The Internet giant first blamed itself, citing a technical change, but later reversed course and pointed to the heavy hand of China's "Great Firewall"?even as service appeared to be back to normal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304739104575153360362231700.html Access to Google Is Interrupted in China Google?s search engine was inaccessible in much of China late Tuesday. The exact cause of the disruption was not fully clear, but it led to speculation that the site was being blocked by the country?s Internet censors. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/31/technology/31google.html Google admits blame for search fault in China Google said it appeared to have inadvertently sparked the blockage of search queries from across China this evening, reassuring users who feared authorities were shutting off all access in response to the internet giant's decision to close its mainland service. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/mar/30/google-hong-kong-searches-blocked Google now says technical glitch not to blame in China [IDG] After blaming an internal technical glitch, Google now says it's not sure why people in China have had trouble using its search service. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/033110-google-now-says-technical-glitch.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/192985/.html Google says China's "great firewall" blocked search Google Inc blamed "the great firewall" of China for blocking its Internet search service in the country on Tuesday, but said it did not know if the stoppage was a Chinese technical glitch or a deliberate move in their face-off over Internet censorship. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE62T21J20100330 Google: Mobile services partially blocked in China Google Inc said its mobile services have been partially blocked in China for two days, while searches on its Chinese-language site became erratic, about a week after the company shut its mainland Chinese portal and rerouted Web searches to a Hong Kong site. http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-47326720100330 North Koreans Use Cellphones to Bare Secrets North Korea, one of the world?s most impenetrable nations, is facing a new threat: networks of its own citizens feeding information about life there to South Korea and its Western allies. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/29/world/asia/29news.html Technical error hits Google China Google has said that a problem that meant that Chinese users of its service were unable to access search results on 30 March was due to a technical error. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8595767.stm After Google's Move, a Shift in Search Terms Chinese searches for politically delicate terms peaked the day Google stopped filtering its search results, but the government pressed on with a campaign to remove online praise of the company. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/29/technology/29googletrends.html Google says China services partially blocked Google has confirmed that China is blocking its mobile internet services on the mainland, in the first concrete sign that Beijing is stepping up pressure after the search engine last week ended its compliance with the Chinese censors. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/bf52edf0-3b84-11df-a4c0-00144feabdc0.html Standard searches on Google Hong Kong site blocked, China web users say Web users across China today reported that all standard searches on Google's Hong Kong-based website were blocked, but suggested the problem could be unintentional rather than a bar by the Chinese authorities. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/mar/30/google-hong-kong-searches-blocked ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** Time to reform NZ's censorship laws? The first steps are being taken towards a possible overhaul of New Zealand's ageing censorship legislation. http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/3525995/Time-to-reform-NZs-censorship-laws Labour demands removal of New Zealand's Section 92A internet suspension rule Proposed anti-piracy legislation should not include a provision allowing copyright holders to seek the suspension of internet accounts held by illegal file sharers, says Labour. National disagrees, saying the provision, written into Section 92A of the Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Bill, is intended to strengthen enforcement measures and further deter online piracy. http://pcworld.co.nz/pcworld/pcw.nsf/feature/68FE5FDBAE7E5627CC2576F70070D1F2 nz: Teenagers taste censor's power New Zealand's censorship power passed into the hands of about 150 senior secondary school students last week. http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/3526029/Teenagers-taste-censors-power Opposition mounts to UK's Digital Economy Bill The government has published a new draft of a controversial clause in the Digital Economy bill, in an effort to ease its progress through parliament. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8597007.stm That new Digital Economy bill clause: what will it actually do? The government has published the Digital Economy bill's replacement Clause 18 (because 17 was killed off by the Liberal Democrat and Conservative peers, but they are now going to let it all slip away). http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2010/mar/31/digital-economy-clause-18 Government re-introduces controversial site-blocking powers Courts will be able to force ISPs to block all UK access to websites that are suspected of being involved, or even likely to be involved, in copyright infringing behaviour under just-published Government plans. http://out-law.com/page-10890 Internet's not special, says Australia's communications minister Web experts recoiled today at communications minister Stephen Conroy's assertion that the internet is not "special" and should be censored like books, films and newspapers. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/internets-not-special-says-communications-minister-20100401-rg7h.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/internets-not-special-says-communications-minister-20100401-rg7h.html Google to leave Australia over 'evil' filter [April Fool's story] Google will close its Australian operations, effectively blacklisting the country in response to the Federal Government's "evil" plan to filter the internet. http://www.zdnet.com.au/google-to-leave-australia-over-evil-filter-339302180.htm Canadian broadcast policy gives the web a wide berth by Michael Geist After months of intense lobbying and marketing that pitted broadcasters ("Local TV Matters") against cable and satellite companies ("Stop the TV Tax"), the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission weighed in last week with its much-anticipated broadcasting regulatory policy decision. http://www.thestar.com/news/sciencetech/technology/lawbytes/article/786754--geist-broadcast-policy-gives-the-web-a-wide-berth ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* PCC censures journalist for blog posting The former BBC Radio 4 Today editor Rod Liddle has been censured by the press watchdog for a blog on the Spectator website in which he incorrectly claimed that the "overwhelming majority" of violent crime in London was carried out by young Afro-Caribbean men. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/mar/29/rod-liddle-pcc-spectator Spectator blog claims were inaccurate, says press watchdog The UK's press regulator has ruled against a mainstream publisher's blog for the first time. It said that Spectator contributor Rod Liddle's claims about crime and black people failed the accuracy requirement of the regulator's Code of Practice. http://out-law.com/page-10889 ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** uk: Ofcom gets tough on internet suppliers over broadband speed claims Internet users are still not getting the broadband speeds promised by internet service providers, more than a year after the industry signed up to a voluntary code of practice, forcing Ofcom to threaten mandatory regulation. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/mar/29/broadband-ofcom-isp-internet nz: TCF structure queried by chair of numbering deed Does the Telecommunications Carriers Forum (the industry body that creates self-regulatory codes) need its governance structure overhauled? Richard Rowley, the independent chair of the Numbering Administration Deed (NAD) believes it does. http://www.techday.co.nz/telecommunicationsreview/news/tcf-structure-queried-by-chair-of-numbering-d/16046/6 ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR ONLINE CHILD PROTECTION ********************************** ca: Cops find child porn suspects in 20 countries It was a courtesy call last summer from Edmonton Police to their counterparts in Peel about a man delving into child pornography that sparked an international investigation. http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2010/03/30/13407596.html au: Man charged over internet child grooming A Melbourne man is facing numerous charges for allegedly using the internet to groom teenagers for sex. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/01/2861896.htm +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (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 Wed Mar 31 2010 - 20:27:21 UTC
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