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 *************************************************** $4 Million Spent Lobbying Congress on Domain Names http://domainnamewire.com/2010/04/21/4-million-spent-lobbying-congress-on-domain-names/ ICANN Board to Review UDRP Provider Relationship on Thursday http://domainnamewire.com/2010/04/20/icann-board-to-review-udrp-provider-relationship-on-thursday/ ICANN to begin accepting bids for new top-level domain name program http://www.blakedawson.com/Templates/Publications/x_publication_detail_content_page.aspx?id=58243 New 2LDs Considered for .AU http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=11061 http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/04/21/new-2lds-considered-for-au/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/new-2lds-considered-for-.au.html auDA considers new domain names for Australia http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-20042010/ auDA puts recycled domain names up for grabs http://www.itwire.com/it-policy-news/regulation/38464-auda-puts-recycled-domain-names-up-for-grabs To blog.au or not to blog.au. That is the question http://www.itwire.com/it-policy-news/regulation/38436-to-blogau-or-not-to-blogau-that-is-the-question Runet gets ready for new Cyrillic Domain in 2010: .?? http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/5642168-runet-gets-ready-for-new-cyrillic-domain-in-2010-- uk: Interview: Nominet chief executive Lesley Cowley http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/analysis/2261705/interview-nominet-chief IPv4 and IPv6 Demand Grows While Available IPv4 Addresses Near Exhaustion: NRO Report http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=11070 ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** IDN ccTLD Request from Jordan Successfully Passes String Evaluation ICANN is pleased to announce the successful completion of String Evaluation on proposed a IDN ccTLD string for Jordan. Details of the successful evaluation are provided here: http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-21apr10-en.htm Public Comment: Proposed Bylaws Amendment to Article III, Section 5, in Furtherance of the BGC Recommendation, Adopted by the Board on 12 March 2010, in Response to Reconsideration Request 10-1 During the 12 March 2010 Board meeting in Nairobi, the Board adopted the Board Governance Committee?s recommendation in response to Reconsideration Request 10-1. The recommendation called for an amendment of Article III, section 5 of the ICANN Bylaws to require the posting of Board approved resolutions within two (2) business days after the conclusion of each Board meeting and the posting of the preliminary report within seven (7) business days after the conclusion of each Board meeting. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-19apr10-en.htm $4 Million Spent Lobbying Congress on Domain Names 2009 lobbying expendituresDomain name companies and other companies with an interest in domain name matters spent about $4 million dollars lobbying Congress last year. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/04/21/4-million-spent-lobbying-congress-on-domain-names/ ICANN Board to Review UDRP Provider Relationship on Thursday ICANN has posted the agenda for its April 22 meeting, and item 10 reads: UDRP Policy ? relationships with service providers; changes in procedures http://domainnamewire.com/2010/04/20/icann-board-to-review-udrp-provider-relationship-on-thursday/ ICANN to begin accepting bids for new top-level domain name program ICANN is expected to start accepting applications for its new gTLDs program towards the end of 2010. http://www.blakedawson.com/Templates/Publications/x_publication_detail_content_page.aspx?id=58243 Top-level URLs not good for SMBs Small and midsize businesses will be penalized by the new gTLD launch due to the need for defensive registration, according to a nonprofit association against cybersquatting. http://www.zdnetasia.com/top-level-urls-not-good-for-smbs-62062715.htm If ICANN Were a Democracy? Comments overwhelmingly opposed to .xxx. But that doesn?t answer the question about what ICANN should do. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/04/19/if-icann-were-a-democracy/ ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** Initial .AT Report Shows Local Market is Still Growing Strong The number of .AT (Austria) domain names continues to grow with the one millionth registration expected in early 2010 according to the first .AT Report, a new publication on the state of the .AT ccTLD from nic.at. http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/04/20/initial-at-report-shows-local-market-is-still-growing-strong/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/initial-.at-report-shows-local-market-is-still-growing-strong.html New 2LDs Considered for .AU AuDA, the policy authority and industry self-regulatory body for the .AU domain space, is currently considering whether to create new second level domains (2LDs) in the .AU domain space. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=11061 http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/04/21/new-2lds-considered-for-au/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/new-2lds-considered-for-.au.html auDA considers new domain names for Australia auDA is currently considering whether to create new second level domains (2LDs) in the.au domain space, alongside existing 2LDs like com.au and org.au. http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-20042010/ auDA puts recycled domain names up for grabs The Australian domain name administration, auDA, is now publishing on its web site a list of existing .au domain names for which registration is about to expire, enabling anyone interested to try an secure a sought-after domain as soon as it becomes available: but the list includes names that auDA has already banned! http://www.itwire.com/it-policy-news/regulation/38464-auda-puts-recycled-domain-names-up-for-grabs To blog.au or not to blog.au. That is the question The Australian Domain Name Administrator (auDA) is seeking input on whether to create new second level .au domain names (2LDs), including blog.au, and what to do with the little used info.au and conf.au domain names. http://www.itwire.com/it-policy-news/regulation/38436-to-blogau-or-not-to-blogau-that-is-the-question Nigeria?s domain impact negatively on businesses The use of the .ng domain for online business transactions with other countries is said to be affecting business negatively, due to the high level of cyber crimes in the country. http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Money/Business/5557694-147/story.csp Runet gets ready for new Cyrillic Domain in 2010: .?? In 2009 Runet ? the term used to identify the Russian-speaking segment of internet activity ? got a new top-level national domain, in Cyrillic: ?.??? In a push to create a Cyrillic segment of the internet, the .?? domain which was supposed to be available for commercial purchase in the spring-summer of 2010, has generated both support and criticism. http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/5642168-runet-gets-ready-for-new-cyrillic-domain-in-2010-- New Site Devoted Entirely to .Tel Domain Owners Goes Live Fans of the .tel extension that was introduced in March 2009 got a new resource to draw on today when the TelMasters.com website went live. The site was founded by Mark Kolb and Scott Smith, two early adopter .tel evangelists who saw a need for an exclusive .tel "domain boutique" to address the unique requirements of the .tel community. http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2010/dailyposts/20100419.htm uk: Interview: Nominet chief executive Lesley Cowley Lesley Cowley spoke to V3.co.uk about generic top-level domains, and a more co-ordinated approach to internet security. http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/analysis/2261705/interview-nominet-chief ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** US Federal cybersecurity monitoring goes real-time and digital Agencies soon will be required to digitally monitor the security of their computer systems and feed summaries of their findings to a central website under new federal information security rules the White House issued on Wednesday. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20100421_5175.php DNSSEC Status Report: Signing Infrastructure Well Underway, User Experience Still Needs Work by Jeremy Hitchcock The registries (gTLDS) are all moving towards signing in about a year. PIR and .org is going to be first with .edu, .biz, and others closely behind. The root is scheduled to be signed in the beginning of July (end of June looking at the holiday calendar) being the biggest milestone. Some of the roots already contain DNSSEC information. Other ccTLDs continue to turn DNSSEC on with countries on every continent signed. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20100420_dnssec_status_report_signing_infrastructure_and_user_experience/ The DNS Infrastructure of the Money Mule Recruitment Ecosystem by Dancho Danchev What's the most static element of the vibrant money mule recruitment ecosystem? It's the DNS infrastructure that the the cybercriminals behind the campaigns repeatedly use to push new scams. ...cybercrime should stop being treated as a country/region specific problem, instead it should be treated as an international problem, with each and every country having its own share of cybercrime activity. http://www.circleid.com/posts/the_dns_infrastructure_of_the_money_mule_recruitment_ecosystem/ ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Oasis.com: Another Creative Agency Tries to Grab Generic Domain Name On the one hand, it?s great to see that creative agencies are starting to ?get? the importance of having a good, easy-to-remember domain name. There was Media Rain, a Utah digital creative agency that tried to get the domain name Rain.com. Now we can also add Oasis Technology Partners, Inc to the list. The Boston company tried to snag the domain name Oasis.com through UDRP. It too has failed. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/04/21/oasis-com-another-creative-agency-tries-to-grab-generic-domain-name/ ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** At the ARIN Meeting by Milton Mueller I have been attending the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) meeting in Toronto. ARIN is one of the RIRs, i.e., the Internet address registry and policy making authority for North America. Although I have observed and participated on RIR lists for some time and interacted with RIR representatives at ICANN, WSIS and IGF, this is the first time I have been able to attend a meeting. I'm glad I did. http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2010/4/20/4509826.html http://www.circleid.com/posts/at_the_arin_meeting/ Number Resource Organization Report Highlights Strong Growth in Both IPv4 and IPv6 Allocations [news release] A new report issued by the Number Resource Organization (NRO) has found that demand for both IPv4 and IPv6 address space is continuing to grow. The Internet Number Resource Status Report for the first quarter of 2010 is based on data collected by the five Regional Internet Registries (1) (RIRs) that oversee the allocation of all Internet number resources, and outlines RIR allocation of IP address space (IPv4 and IPv6), as well as AS number assignments. http://nro.net/media/nroReportHighlights.html IPv4 and IPv6 Demand Grows While Available IPv4 Addresses Near Exhaustion: NRO Report Demand for both IPv4 and IPv6 address space is continuing to grow with the number of available IPv4 addresses declining to 8.5 per cent of the total number available according to the Internet Number Resource Status Report for the first quarter of 2010, released to coincide with the ARIN meeting that concluded Wednesday in Toronto, Canada. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=11070 http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/04/22/ipv4-and-ipv6-demand-grows-while-available-ipv4-addresses-near-exhaustion-nro-report/ IPv4 addresses dwindling as allocations hit record high The number of available IPv4 addresses continues to decrease after the Number Resource Organisation (NRO) announced that it had seen record numbers of allocations in the first quarter of 2010. http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2261773/ipv4-addresses-dwindling http://uk.news.yahoo.com/16/20100421/ttc-ipv4-addresses-dwindling-as-allocati-6315470.html IPv6 upgrade needs work: Experts At the public policy meeting of the American Registry for Internet Numbers, the group?s CIO said some ISPs may run out of IPv4 addresses as early as next year. But the Internet won?t suddenly go kaputt, Richard Jimmerson said http://www.itworldcanada.com/news/ipv6-upgrade-needs-work-experts/140481 IPv6 Address Space Allocated Grows Nearly 30% in 2009 A new report issued by the Number Resource Organization reports that demand for both IPv4 and IPv6 address space continues is grow, and while the volume of IPv4 addresses dips dangerously below eight percent, IPv6 address allocations grew nearly 30 percent. http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/042110_IPv6_Address_Space_Allocated_Grows_Nearly_30_in_2009 As IPv4 addresses run low, fears of IP cybersquatting increase Psst! Wanna buy a used IP address? In as little as 18 months, the world may run out of IP addresses, which could lead to the emergence of an illicit market in IP address trafficking, says John Curran, president of the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN), a regional Internet registry that controls the distribution of Internet addresses for most of North America. http://blogs.computerworld.com/15966/as_ipv4_addresses_run_out_fears_of_ip_cybersquatting_increase ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Melbourne IT gets protective [sub req'd] Online fraud is one of the world?s fastest growing industries and while authorities are struggling to cope, domain name registrar Melbourne IT is pinning its future on helping organisations minimise the impact. http://www.afr.com/p/business/technology/melbourne_it_gets_protective_XJXmzI5S5AhtuHtkyALopN ********************** REPORTS & RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** Teens and Mobile Phones Overview: Daily text messaging among American teens has shot up in the past 18 months from 38% of teens texting friends daily in February of 2008, to 54% of teens texting daily in September 2009. And its not just frequency ? teens are sending enormous quantities of text messages a day. Half of teens send 50 or more text messages a day, or 1,500 texts a month and one in three send more than 100 texts a day, or more than 3,000 texts a month. Older teen girls ages 14-17 lead the charge on text messaging, averaging 100 messages a day for the entire cohort. The youngest teen boys are the most resistant to texting ? averaging 20 messages per day. http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Teens-and-Mobile-Phones.aspx ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Opinion: Riders on the Storm - Internet Users Browse Far and Wide ... Sunstein?s fear was that the Internet might lead to a more ghettoized, polarized and insular electorate. Those fears were supported by some other studies, and they certainly matched my own experience. Every day I seem to meet people who live in partisan ghettoes, ignorant about the other side. ... Gentzkow and Shapiro found that the Internet is actually more ideologically integrated than old-fashioned forms of face-to-face association ? like meeting people at work, at church or through community groups. You?re more likely to overlap with political opponents online than in your own neighborhood. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/opinion/20brooks.html Debate on Internet?s Limits Grows in Indonesia Displeased that a statue of a 10-year-old Barack Obama was installed in a park here, Indonesians took their protest not to this capital?s most famous traffic circle but to Facebook. More than 56,000 online protesters later, city officials gave in to arguments that the park should be reserved to honor an Indonesian. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/world/asia/20indonet.html Briton's media consumption on the increase Survey finds increase in number of hours public spends watching TV, playing video games and using the internet http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/apr/19/media-consumption-survey ICT research: EU invests ?500 million in Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) to improve people's lives [news release] Developing intelligent artificial hands for hand amputees, neural devices to help people suffering from vertigo, dizziness and other vestibular disorders and the possibility to see how your brain responds while learning are a few examples of European research carried out in the area of future and emerging information and communication technologies (FET) that are being presented in the European Parliament in Strasbourg today. Twelve outstanding science projects funded under the European Commission's Future and Emerging Technologies programme will be showcased at the exhibition on "Science beyond Fiction: an Excursion into Future and Emerging Technologies". Europe is taking the lead in FET by proposing to invest around ?500 million in exploratory research into high risk future Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/10/140 ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Facebook Wants to Know More Than Just Who Your Friends Are Facebook Inc. announced an ambitious plan to get its tentacles further out into the Internet by better linking people, places and things, as it looks to turn a massive audience into a pool of well-understood consumers. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704133804575198270167901364.html http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/news/facebook-unveils-new-like-button/story-e6frg90x-1225856723849 Facebook Spreads Itself Across the Web Call it Facebook to go. On Wednesday, Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive of Facebook, lifted the curtain on the company?s plan to spread itself across the Web. I previewed much of the company?s plan in a New York Times article on Monday. It includes a number of new features for users and developers that will make it easy for Web sites to provide ?social experiences.? And it will allow users to bring some of their interactions with Facebook friends to the sites they visit. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/facebook-spreads-itself-across-the-web/ Fast-growing Facebook aims for more social Web Facebook's user base is growing at its fastest rate ever, the online social network company said on Wednesday as it rolled out features that link the company's platform more tightly with outside Web sites. http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-47888620100421 http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE63K66U20100421 Facebook wants the Web's default to be social [IDG] Facebook has revamped its application development platform to make it possible for the social-networking site and other Web sites to mesh what they know about their end-users and automatically personalize the experience people have online. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/344003/facebook_wants_web_default_social/ http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9175907/Update_Facebook_wants_the_Web_s_default_to_be_social http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/042110-facebook-wants-the-webs-default.html Facebook spins a wider web -- including on Washington Post site Facebook launched a set of initiatives that will expand its reach across and into numerous third-party sites, The Post's included. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fasterforward/2010/04/_facebooks_attempt_to_build.html Facebook CEO says site use increasing Social networking leader Facebook said on Wednesday its user base has swelled to more than 400 million and shows no sign of slowing. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE63K51K20100421 uk: Facebook offers charities free ads in child safety row Facebook is offering millions of pounds of free advertising to children?s charities as part of a charm offensive following a row with police over the installation of an online safety button. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article7101529.ece ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ uk: Facebook rejects CEOP panic button, police say Facebook will not adopt or test a button designed to protect children from bullying and abuse, according to police. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/7610731/Facebook-rejects-CEOP-panic-button-police-say.html au: John Jarrat to fight cyber-bullying on the big screen The name might not ring as many bells as the face, but Aussie actor John Jarrat now calls the coast home and far from living the life of his famous character in Wolf Creek, his latest project sees him hoping to stop cyber bullying dead in its tracks. http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2010/04/19/2876655.htm au: Academic expert: Internet filter isn't future-proof The Federal Government?s proposed Internet filter will be impotent in a few years time, an IT pundit claims. University of Sydney associate professor of IT, Bjorn Landfeldt, said the ISP-based blacklist filtering system suggested by the Government was impractical and unworkable long-term. He was on the team that reported on the clean-feed?s viability for the Australian Government in 2008. http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/343721/academic_expert_internet_filter_isn_t_future-proof/ Big ISPs to benefit from mandatory Internet filter: Academic The burden of managing the costs associated with the implementation of ISP-level filtering could put many of Australia?s smaller ISPs out of business, according to a University of Sydney academic. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/343576/big_isps_benefit_from_mandatory_internet_filter_academic/ au: Alarm over children using the internet CHILDREN as young as seven are routinely surfing the net on mobile phones and new generation gaming devices. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/alarm-over-children-using-the-internet/story-e6frf7l6-1225856585029 nz: Mother's chilling cyberbullying discovery A Dunedin mother whose 13-year-old daughter was a victim of "cyber grooming" tells her story to reporter Ellie Constantine. http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/102773/mother039s-chilling-discovery ie: Putting up barriers to a free and open internet The government has had extensive private discussions on introducing internet blocking ? barring access to websites or domains ? according to material obtained under a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2010/0416/1224268442542.html uk: Beyond a Facebook 'panic button' A button for reporting abuse is crucial, but online child safety measures also need to address data protection and privacy http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2010/apr/20/prioritise-safety-online-children uk: Film classification takes to the web An internet service provider offering web filtering that uses the same classification certificates as the UK film industry has launched. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8636136.stm uk: Online help for victims of bullying As the new school term began in January, Charlie Bowdin was feeling better about life. Once, he had been bullied almost every day ? at school, on the way home, even on the internet. Now, in year 10, the bullying was behind him. Better still, the 14-year-old had found a new group of friends at his school in Cambridgeshire. http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/apr/19/bullying-online-mentors us: FTC To Consider COPPA Changes The FTC will host a June 2 workshop that will examine whether the commission should make changes to a law imposing certain requirements on Web sites aimed at children. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/04/ftc-to-consider-copa-changes.php FTC to Host Public Roundtable to Review Whether Technology Changes Warrant Changes to the Children?s Online Privacy Protection Rule In light of rapidly changing technology such as the increased use of smartphones and other devices to access the Internet, the Federal Trade Commission will host a public roundtable, ?Protecting Kids? Privacy Online: Reviewing the COPPA Rule,? on June 2, 2010 to explore whether to update the Children?s Online Privacy Protection Rule. The Rule was enacted in 2000 and requires Web site operators to obtain parental consent before collecting, using, or disclosing personal information from children under 13. Roundtable topics will include: http://ftc.gov/opa/2010/04/coppa.shtm us: Bill to ban 'cyberbullying' in Louisiana advances [AP] Harassing or intimidating someone by text message, e-mail or posts on social networking sites like Facebook would be deemed "cyberbullying" and would be a crime under a bill that advanced Tuesday in the Louisiana Legislature. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/04/20/financial/f122544D78.DTL http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/bill-to-ban-cyberbullying-in-louisiana-advances-20100421-ss22.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/bill-to-ban-cyberbullying-in-louisiana-advances-20100421-ss22.html Young People, Privacy, and the Internet There's a lot out there on this topic. I've already linked to danah boyd's excellent SXSW talk (and her work in general), my essay on privacy and control, and my talk -- "Security, Privacy, and the Generation Gap" -- which I've given four times in the past two months. http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2010/04/young_people_pr.html ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** Irish court says Eircom disconnections do not breach privacy laws Ireland's biggest ISP Eircom has been given the go-ahead to cut off customers accused of copyright infringement by Ireland's High Court. The practice does not breach data protection law, the Court said. http://out-law.com/page-10930 ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Study of American's teen cellphone use reinforces impression that they're always using them The cellphone -- that be-all of teen life -- is ever more indispensable to the youngest generation, embraced not just for calling friends and sending a barrage of text messages but also increasingly for playing games, snapping photos, sharing videos, listening to music and going online. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/19/AR2010041904995.html 'Texting eclipses talking' among US teens Texting has become the most popular form of communication among young people in the US, research indicates. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8633435.stm Third of U.S. teens with phones text 100 times a day A third of U.S. teenagers with cell phones send more than 100 texts a day as texting has exploded to become the most popular means of communication for young people, according to new research. http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-47833820100420 Study: Teens prefer texting to talking Like previous generations, today's teens seem to be constantly on the phone. But now they're doing a lot more texting than talking. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20002917-93.html nz: Teens texting more than ever A new study in the US shows the number of teens who text has skyrocketed over the past few years. http://www.3news.co.nz/Teens-texting-more-than-ever/tabid/412/articleID/152164/Default.aspx ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Australian miners fear secrets stolen by Chinese cyber-spies The internal communications of Australia's major iron ore producers have been aggressively targeted by cyber attacks that many senior executives and members of the Rudd government suspect originate in China. The potential breaches of security and the continuing threat of more are thought to be so widespread that some senior industry executives have their more sensitive phone and email communications - even when in Australia - encrypted, with the assistance of the federal government. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/miners-fear-secrets-stolen-by-chinese-cyber-spies/story-e6frg9df-1225855718533 Australian firms fear Beijing's cyber tentacles Australian corporations are increasingly being targeted by cyber attacks from unknown parties in China, and as yet there is no effective defence. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/australian-firms-fear-beijings-cyber-tentacles/story-e6frg8zx-1225856142427 Chinese Whispers [ABC 4 Corners - TV] Stern Hu has not spoken to the media. The hearings that led to his conviction were closed, and the precise nature of the evidence used to convict him has still not been made clear. Four Corners reporter Marian Wilkinson reveals new details of the events surrounding his arrest, and looks at the fall-out generated by the Hu case. http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2010/s2873955.htm Chinese cyber attacks on miners: report The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) last night revealed that Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Fortescue Metals had been hit by Chinese "cyber attacks", one being in the lead up to the sentencing of former Rio Tinto mining executive Stern Hu. http://www.zdnet.com.au/chinese-cyber-attacks-on-miners-report-339302540.htm ABC fingers China over cyber attacks The ABC's Four Corners program has aired an investigation in which it claimed that the IT systems of Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Fortescue Metals were all hacked in attacks originating in China in the lead up to the sentencing of former Rio Tinto mining executive, Stern Hu. http://www.itnews.com.au/News/172554,abc-fingers-china-over-cyber-attacks.aspx Cyberattack on Google Said to Hit Password System Ever since Google disclosed in January that Internet intruders had stolen information from its computers, the exact nature and extent of the theft has been a closely guarded company secret. But a person with direct knowledge of the investigation now says that the losses included one of Google?s crown jewels, a password system that controls access by millions of users worldwide to almost all of the company?s Web services, including e-mail and business applications. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/technology/20google.html Google hackers duped system administrators to penetrate networks, experts say The hackers who penetrated the computer networks of Google and more than 30 other large companies used an increasingly common means of attack: duping system administrators and other executives who have access to passwords, intellectual property and other information, according to cybersecurity experts familiar with the cases. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/20/AR2010042005300.html Google cyberattack hit password system - report A December cyberattack on Google Inc computers hit the company's password system that millions of people worldwide use to access almost all of the company's Web services, The New York Times reported, citing a person with direct knowledge of the investigation. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE63J0BY20100420 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-47828120100420 Report: Google attack targeted 'Gaia' password system [IDG] The information stolen from Google in cyberattacks late last year included a password system that gives users access to multiple services after just one login, according to a news report. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9175824/Report_Google_attack_targeted_Gaia_password_system http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/security/report-google-attack-targeted-gaia-password-system Web hit by hi-tech crime wave Hi-tech criminals are racking up more than 100 attacks a second on the world's computers, a survey suggests. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8630160.stm Emerging nations see rise in malicious Net activity Emerging markets such as the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) nations are moving up the ranks and accounting for more malicious online activity globally, according to a new security report. http://www.zdnetasia.com/emerging-nations-see-rise-in-malicious-net-activity-62062729.htm Cybercrime's Financial and Geographic Growth Shows No Slowdown during the Global Economic Crisis [news release] Symantec Corp. today (20/4) released its new Internet Security Threat Report volume XV, which highlights key trends in cybercrime from Jan.1, 2009 to Dec. 31, 2009. In a year bookended by two very prominent Cyber attacks ? Conficker in the opening months of the year and Hydraq at the very end ? Symantec?s Internet Security Threat Report reveals continued growth in both the volume and sophistication of cybercrime attacks. http://www.symantec.com/about/news/release/article.jsp?prid=20100419_02 Luxury brands welcome EU law to restrict online sales Manufacturers will be allowed require their distributors to have 'brick and mortar' shops as well as an online presence under a Regulation published today that will change competition law across the EU from next month. http://out-law.com/page-10933 British eBay seller faces ?50,000 fine for auction fixing A seller on eBay who drove up prices for goods by secretly bidding for them faces fines of up to ?50,000. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/apr/20/ebay-seller-convicted-auction-fixing Zeus banking virus is back warns security firm Zeus, a virus that steals online banking details from infected computer users, is more powerful than ever, warns a web security company. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8634356.stm US Federal cybersecurity monitoring goes real-time and digital Agencies soon will be required to digitally monitor the security of their computer systems and feed summaries of their findings to a central website under new federal information security rules the White House issued on Wednesday. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20100421_5175.php ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Privacy Commissioners Take Aim at Google Google is being criticized for its privacy practices on the very day it is unveiling a new site meant to show the extent to which governments are forcing it to hand over its users? private data. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/european-privacy-commissioners-target-google/ Google rapped over privacy issues by 10 nations Canada's Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart has sent an open letter to Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8632517.stm Watchdog calls for tighter Google privacy controls Britain's privacy watchdog has joined senior government officials from nine other countries to push Google to adopt stricter privacy controls. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/apr/20/google-privacy-controls Privacy officials criticize launch of Google Buzz Ten privacy commissioners from countries including Germany, Canada, and the U.K. have sent a letter to Google CEO Eric Schmidt saying the company "failed to take adequate account of privacy considerations" when launching Google Buzz. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20002926-38.html NZ joins Google Buzz privacy backlash New Zealand's Privacy Commissioner has joined an international chorus in calling on internet giant Google to review its policies on sharing users' private information. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10639786 Regulators call on Google to respect users' privacy Ten government regulators, including New Zealand's Privacy Commissioner, have sent an open letter to Google calling on the company to respect national laws on privacy. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/security/regulators-call-on-google-to-respect-users-privacy Ten countries urge privacy changes at Google Data protection and privacy chiefs from 10 countries issued a joint letter pushing search engine giant Google to improve respect for data privacy, Canada's Office of the Privacy Commissioner said on Tuesday. http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-47855820100420 Gov't Regulators Slam Google's Privacy Efforts [IDG] Google and other online companies need to stop "willfully" disregarding privacy laws in many countries when rolling out new products or privacy policies, or they may face fines and other sanctions, data protection commissioners from 10 countries said Tuesday. http://www.pcworld.com/article/194624/.html Privacy guardians warn multinationals to respect laws Ten data protection authorities from around the world say Google Inc. and other international corporations are overlooking privacy values and legislation when they launch new online products. http://www.priv.gc.ca/media/nr-c/2010/nr-c_100420_e.cfm Letter to Google Inc. Chief Executive Officer The Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Jennifer Stoddart, and the heads of the data protection authorities in France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain and the United Kingdom sent the following letter to the chief executive officer of Google Inc. to express their concerns about privacy issues related to Google Buzz. http://www.priv.gc.ca/media/nr-c/2010/let_100420_e.cfm Young care about privacy but have deluded sense of legal protection, says research Young people care about privacy just as much as older people but behave more recklessly online because they think the law gives them more protection than it actually does, a study has shown. http://out-law.com/page-10952 US Commerce Department scrutinizes Internet privacy The U.S. Commerce Department Wednesday kicked off an initiative to take a close look at how the privacy of individuals is impacted broadly in the Internet economy with the goal of providing advice to the White House on how both the president and government policymakers might regard the topic. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/042110-whitehouse-internet-policy.html Commerce Secretary Locke Announces Public Review of Privacy Policy and Innovation in the Internet Economy, Launches Internet Policy Task Force [news release] U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today announced the launch of an initiative designed to gather public input and review the nexus between privacy policy and innovation in the Internet economy. In addition, Locke also announced the formation of a Department of Commerce-wide Internet Policy Task Force to identify leading public policy and operational issues impacting the U.S. private sector's ability to realize the potential for economic growth and job creation through the Internet. http://www.commerce.gov/NewsRoom/PressReleases_FactSheets/PROD01_009159 ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Google releases tool to show government censorship requests Google has hit out at state attempts to clamp down on the internet by revealing governments' requests to remove data from the web and get information about users. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/apr/20/google-google-street-view Google reveals government data requests and censorship For the first time Google has released details about how often countries around the world ask it to hand over user data or to censor information. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8633642.stm Greater transparency around government requests by David Drummond, SVP, Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights states that "everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." Written in 1948, the principle applies aptly to today's Internet -- one of the most important means of free expression in the world. Yet government censorship of the web is growing rapidly: from the outright blocking and filtering of sites, to court orders limiting access to information and legislation forcing companies to self-censor content. http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/greater-transparency-around-government.html Government requests directed to Google and YouTube (includes the "tool") Like other technology and communications companies, we regularly receive requests from government agencies around the world to remove content from our services, or provide information about users of our services and products. The map shows the number of requests that we received between July 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009, with certain limitations. http://www.google.com/governmentrequests/ Google releases data on governments' demands for user data, site censorship Advertisers aren't the only ones hungry for data on online users. So are U.S. and foreign governments, according to Internet giant Google. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/20/AR2010042005106.html Google widens focus on censorship attempts Google on Tuesday shone a spotlight on governments that seek to censor its services or request personal information about its users, widening its campaign against internet restrictions beyond China and other oppressive regimes. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a8033c26-4cd3-11df-9977-00144feab49a.html Australia makes Google's top 10 censorship list Australia comes in at number 10 on a list of countries that have asked the search engine Google to hand over user data or to censor information. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/21/2879345.htm Google exposes government takedown and data requests In just six months, Google received 155 requests from the Australian government for users' personal data and 17 government requests to remove content from its services. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/google-exposes-government-takedown-and-data-requests-20100421-stas.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/google-exposes-government-takedown-and-data-requests-20100421-stas.html Britain heads Google?s European censorship list The British Government made more requests for content to be removed from Google last year than any other country in Europe, according to figures released by the company today. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article7103435.ece Google attempts to open up on government censorship Google has gone on the offensive in its battle against Internet censorship, launching a tool which it says will achieve greater transparency on its dealings with Governments and will lead to less Internet censorship. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/343918/google_attempts_open_up_government_censorship/ Google says its services are widely blocked, censored [IDG] Google's services are blocked or censored to some degree in one-fourth of the countries where it operates, the company said Monday. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9175827/Google_says_its_services_are_widely_blocked_censored Google Government Search Tool: State Censorship, User Data Requests Released By Google [AP] Google Inc. has set up a new tool to show where it's facing the most government pressure to censor material and turn over personal information about its users. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/20/google-government-search-_n_545318.html Google battle over Internet censorship goes far beyond China Google Inc.'s fight with China over Internet censorship made headlines around the world, but it has been engaged in similar battles around the globe. At least 25 countries, many of them with repressive regimes but even those with democracies, have at times blocked the public's access to Google over the last several years. All told, more than 40 countries actively censor the Internet, compared with a handful in 2004, which is when the OpenNet Initiative, a group of academics, began tracking global censorship. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-google-censor-20100420,0,6553563.story ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** Copyright and wrong: Why the rules on copyright need to return to their roots When Parliament decided, in 1709, to create a law that would protect books from piracy, the London-based publishers and booksellers who had been pushing for such protection were overjoyed. When Queen Anne gave her assent on April 10th the following year?300 years ago this week?to ?An act for the encouragement of learning? they were less enthused. Parliament had given them rights, but it had set a time limit on them: 21 years for books already in print and 14 years for new ones, with an additional 14 years if the author was still alive when the first term ran out. After that, the material would enter the public domain so that anyone could reproduce it. The lawmakers intended thus to balance the incentive to create with the interest that society has in free access to knowledge and art. The Statute of Anne thus helped nurture and channel the spate of inventiveness that Enlightenment society and its successors have since enjoyed. http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15868004 US Spectrum The Talk Of State Of the Mobile Net Representatives of top telecommunication companies, industry stakeholders and some government officials gathered on Capitol Hill Wednesday to discuss mobile Internet communications with much debate focused on how to ensure future growth and innovation is not stifled by limits on the availability of spectrum. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/04/spectrum-the-talk-of-state-of.php Editorial: The F.C.C. and the Internet With the Internet fast becoming the most important communications channel, it is untenable for the United States not to have a regulator to ensure nondiscriminatory access, guarantee interconnectivity among rival networks and protect consumers from potential abuse. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/opinion/19mon1.html Google Urges Mix of Privacy Legislation, Self-Regulation Google Monday released comments it filed with the FTC last week on ways to enhance consumer privacy online as it finds its advertising practices and those of other online firms under increased scrutiny by privacy advocates. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/04/google-urges-mix-of-privacy-le.php EU Commission releases anti-counterfeiting plan The European Union executive released on Wednesday a proposal to combat Internet piracy and counterfeiting and said it believed the draft framework would not curb civil liberties or harm consumers. http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-47874220100421 ACTA Copyright treaty, now public, confirms critics' fears ACTA, the anticounterfeiting trade agreement that has ignited debate over its provisions for clamping down on copyright abuse on the internet, was made public today, but the fears it sparked while it was being negotiated secretly will not go away. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/counterfeiting-treaty-now-public-confirms-critics-fears http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/042110-counterfeiting-treaty-now-public-confirms.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/194698/.html InternetNZ welcomes release of ACTA text [news release] InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) welcomes the release of the ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement) negotiating text and thanks the New Zealand Government for supporting the call for transparency. http://internetnz.net.nz/news/media-releases/2010/internetnz-welcomes-release-acta-text Acta copyright treaty draft gets first public airing A draft copy of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement has been officially released for the first time, confirming leaks that outlined the treaty's provisions to counter file-sharing and circumvention of digital rights management. http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/regulation/2010/04/21/acta-copyright-treaty-draft-gets-first-public-airing-40088719/ Secret copyright treaty published A secretive global negotiation on new copyright rules will not force countries to adopt 'three strikes' internet disconnection policies. A draft of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) has been published officially for the first time. http://out-law.com/page-10936 ACTA copyright pact to go public Negotiators from around the world have unanimously agreed to publish a draft version of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, following calls for transparency. http://www.zdnetasia.com/acta-copyright-pact-to-go-public-62062699.htm ACTA: ISPs to be liable for piracy If Australia signs the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), internet service providers (ISPs) may be obliged to hand over the identity of its users to those defending copyright. http://www.zdnet.com.au/acta-isps-to-be-liable-for-piracy-339302601.htm Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement draft released The draft text of the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) being negotiated by 10 nations and the European Union has been released. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/344018/anti-counterfeiting_trade_agreement_draft_released/ http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/042110-anti-counterfeiting-trade-agreement-draft.html ACTA treaty aims to deputize ISPs on copyrights After years of political skirmishing, a previously secret draft of digital copyright treaty has been made public. It encourages broadband providers to disable access to infringing Web sites. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20003005-38.html ACTA arrives (still bad, but a tiny bit better) We've been covering the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) for two years now, and in that entire 24 month period no official text of the agreement has been released. Remarkable, really, given the intense scrutiny, but there you have it. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/04/acta-is-here.ars Release of ACTA Text Unlikely To Quell Controversy After coming under pressure by public interest groups and some lawmakers, the negotiating parties involved in a proposed trade agreement aimed at curbing global counterfeiting and the piracy of intellectual property released a public text of the proposal Wednesday. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/04/release-of-acta-text-unlikely.php Experte warnt vor weitreichenden Folgen durch ACTA Der kanadische Rechtsprofressor Michael Geist tut sich seit einiger Zeit als Experte f?r das Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) hervor, das sich offiziell gegen Produktf?lschungen und Urheberrechtsverletzungen richten soll. http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Experte-warnt-vor-weitreichenden-Folgen-durch-ACTA-973905.html ACTA: Offizieller Entwurf ver?ffentlicht Die Unterh?ndler des internationalen Anti-Piraterie-Abkommens ACTA haben nach drei Jahren Verhandlungen hinter verschlossenen T?ren erstmals einen konsolidierten Text ver?ffentlicht, der den Stand der Dinge wiedergibt. Speziell das Internet-Kapitel ist noch stark umstritten. Die Gr?nen ?ben scharfe Kritik an dem Entwurf. B?rgerrechtler und Konsumentensch?tzer wollen weiter gegen das Abkommen k?mpfen http://futurezone.orf.at/stories/1645437/ US Communications Law Is Outdated, Panelists Agree Congress needs to update telecommunications law to better address broadband issues. That's a single idea that united speakers with starkly different ideas on FCC authority at the Politics Online conference on Monday. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/04/communications-law.php Aust govt agencies move on social media policy Australia federal Government departments have revealed they are moving ahead to implement social media policies, despite government having not yet responded to recommendations in Government 2.0 Taskforce report. http://www.zdnetasia.com/aust-govt-agencies-move-on-social-media-policy-62062698.htm Telecoms ministers back European Digital Agenda The European Commissioner for the Digital Agenda has welcomed an official ministerial declaration from EU telecoms ministers supporting the European Digital Agenda. http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2261658/eu-telecom-ministers-give ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* Best Non-Holiday Quarter for Apple The mobile computing revolution unleashed by Apple three years ago with the release of the iPhone is picking up speed, and Apple is reaping the rewards. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/technology/21apple.html iPhone sales push Apple revenue up almost 50 percent Thanks in part to the increasing momentum of the iPhone, Apple has bested Wall Street's predictions again, this time for its second quarter 2010 earnings. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20002964-37.html Young iPod users risk permanent hearing damage, warns expert Young people who listen to iPods at full volume are subjecting their ears to the same noise intensity as an aircraft taking off, and could be doing themselves permanent harm, an expert warned today. More than 90% of young people listen to a personal music player, many with the sound cranked up to full volume. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/apr/21/young-ipod-users-risk-hearing-damage Asia computer sales up 38 percent in first quarter: IDC [AFP] Sales of personal computers in the Asia-Pacific region outside Japan rose 38 percent in the first quarter from last year, driven by demand for notebooks, industry consultancy IDC said Tuesday. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/asia-computer-sales-up-38-percent-in-first-quarter-idc-1949767.html German IT body - IT's still a man's world Some 20,000 jobs in the German IT industry are vacant but the male dominated sector has traditionally attracted few women and the little appeal the industry does have may be declining, a study showed. http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-47875220100421 ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** Undersea telcoms cables face growing risks-report Investors should urgently diversify the web of undersea cables that serve as the world's information and banking arteries to address soaring demand and piracy concerns and reduce the risk of catastrophic outages. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE63J3T720100420 Yet another cable fault cripples Middle East Internet The Middle East unfortunately has limited Internet connectivity to the rest of the world, and that connectivity was slowed dramatically this weekend after the main SeaMeWe-4 cable suffered a "shunt fault" and came into contact with sea water somewhere in the Mediterranean. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/04/yet-another-cable-fault-cripples-middle-east-internet.ars nz: OECD economist praises broadband plan A bit unusual, but unusually good ? that is how Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development economist Taylor Reynolds labels the Government's $1.5 billion plan to wire up three-quarters of homes and businesses with fibre-optic cable. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/telecommunications/oecd-economist-praises-broadband-plan OECD economist praises broadband plan A bit unusual, but unusually good ? that is how Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development economist Taylor Reynolds labels the Government's $1.5 billion plan to wire up three-quarters of homes and businesses with fibre-optic cable. http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/3599046/OECD-economist-praises-broadband-plan Global eyes on Australian NBN, filter Several speakers at the Communications Day Summit in Sydney this week raised the issue that Australian communications policy initiatives such as the National Broadband Network (NBN) and the internet filter have attracted international attention ? but not always in a good way. http://www.zdnet.com.au/global-eyes-on-australian-nbn-filter-339302602.htm Stranded Travelers Turn to Videoconferencing Stranded travelers and businesses are turning increasingly to audio and video conferencing to get around the global travel restrictions caused by the volcanic eruption in Iceland, businesses that supply conferencing services and equipment said Monday. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/technology/20video.html US broadband has no regulator, BitTorrent CEO says [IDG] The Internet industry has to regulate itself by responding to consumer demands in the wake of the recent U.S. federal court ruling that the Federal Communications Commission didn't have authority to enforce its net neutrality rules, BitTorrent CEO Eric Klinker said Monday. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9175823/Broadband_has_no_regulator_BitTorrent_CEO_says ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR ONLINE CHILD PROTECTION ********************************** Internet child porn ring charged German prosecutors say they have indicted nine suspected operators of an international child porn ring with around 500 members worldwide. http://bigpondnews.com/articles/Technology/2010/04/20/Internet_child_porn_ring_charged_453193.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (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 Apr 21 2010 - 20:03:40 UTC
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