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 *************************************************** IDN ccTLD Delegations approved by the ICANN Board by Tina Dam http://blog.icann.org/2010/04/idn-cctld-delegations-approved-by-the-icann-board/ ICANN approves first four internationalized country domains [IDG] http://www.cio.com.au/article/344711/icann_approves_first_four_internationalized_country_domains/ au: New auDA Policy on Domain Name Renewal, Expiry and Deletion - No One Likes to Be Dropped http://www.mondaq.com/australia/article.asp?articleid=99128 CNNIC: '.Zhongguo' domain name approved http://en.ce.cn/National/stech/201004/29/t20100429_21339450.shtml European Union Gets Serious on Cybercrime Including Right to Revoke Domain Names http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=11124 EU mulls new central cybercrime agency http://out-law.com/default.aspx?page=10974 VeriSign Reports First Quarter 2010 Results - Company Highlights Record New Domain Name Registrations [news release] https://press.verisign.com/easyir/customrel.do?easyirid=AFC0FF0DB5C560D3&version=live&prid=613170&releasejsp=custom_97 ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** IDN ccTLD Delegations approved by the ICANN Board by Tina Dam This is a very brief blog post with quite the big content. Last week was a special week at ICANN, with several IDN milestones meet. Many were included in the 22 April 2010 ICANN Board meeting. The ICANN Board approved the first IDN ccTLD delegation requests for four countries. These countries are: Egypt, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. This means that we will soon start seeing domain names ending in: ???, ??, http://blog.icann.org/2010/04/idn-cctld-delegations-approved-by-the-icann-board/ A change, and some reflections? by Doug Brent Dear ICANN Community, At the end of July, I will be leaving my post as ICANN?s Chief Operating Officer. While my engagement in the work of ICANN has made this a difficult decision, the reasons I am leaving are simple. I accepted my role with ICANN in December 2006 with the expectation that I?d commute the 300 miles to Los Angeles four days a week. I did that for twenty months, after which I chose to relocate to Los Angeles ? both to do a better job for ICANN, and to see my wife of 27 years every once and a while :-) . After relocating for what will be more than two years, and much family discussion, we?ve determined that our life is not in Los Angeles. http://blog.icann.org/2010/04/a-change-and-some-reflections/ Public Comment: Publication for Public Comments of the Draft Final Report of the RSSAC Review Working Group The RSSAC Review Working Group releases today its draft Final Report for public comments. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-27apr10-en.htm Report of the February 2010 Kyoto DNS Symposium Released ICANN is today releasing Measuring the Health of the Domain Name System. This paper presents the findings from the 2nd Global Annual Symposium on DNS Security, Stability and Resiliency, conducted 1-3 February 2010 at Kyoto University in Kyoto, Japan. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-26apr10-en.htm 82 Statements of Interest Received by the 2010 Nominating Committee On 15 April 2010, the nomination period closed for the seven ICANN leadership positions to be filled this year. The 2010 Nominating Committee (NomCom) received 82 Statements of Interest from candidates worldwide during the nomination period from 13 November 2009 to 15 April 2010. (The 2009 Nominating Committee received a comparable number: 86). 78 of this year's candidates are men and 4 are women. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-26apr10-en.htm Jordan Moves One Step Closer to Using Arabic for Entire Internet Address Names The Kingdom of Jordan has successfully completed the second step in a three step ICANN process aimed at bringing non-Latin based language scripts to an entire Internet address name. http://icann.org/en/news/releases/release-21apr10-en.pdf ICANN Gives Final Approval for Four Countries to Use Non-Latin Languages in Internet Address Names The ICANN Board of Directors has approved the last application step for four countries to use their national language scripts in the last portion of Internet address names. http://icann.org/en/news/releases/release-22apr10-en.pdf Temporary Drafting Group Work Session on New gTLD Implementation Issues ? to be held 3 May 2010 The 23 April 2010 blog post about a New gTLD Consultation referenced exploration of a legal working group and a follow-up consultation to be convened on 3 May 2010. This blog post provides information about an open drafting consultation group and its first session that has been scheduled for 3 May at 15:30 UTC. http://blog.icann.org/2010/04/temporary-drafting-group-work-session-on-new-gtld-implementation-issues-?-to-be-held-3-may-2010/ .xxx Rejected [satire] ICANN, the U.S.-based corporation that assigns Internet domain names, rejected the designation ".xxx" earlier this month under pressure from conservative American lawmakers. What do you think? http://www.theonion.com/articles/xxx-rejected,14999/ ICANN Documentary Information Disclosure Policy Request by Michael D. Palage Listed below is correspondence that I have submitted to ICANN's general counsel in connection with the organization's stated documentary information disclosure policy. http://www.circleid.com/posts/icann_documentary_information_disclosure_policy_request/ .XXX? Just Wait Until They Learn About New TLDs I?ve written a couple times about the comment period for what to do with ICM Registry and the .xxx top level domain name. The majority of comments submitted to ICANN are from people opposed to pornography in general. Religious and conservative leaders are calling on others to submit similar comments. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/04/27/xxx-just-wait-until-they-learn-about-new-tlds/ ICANN approves first four internationalized country domains [IDG] ICANN has approved the first four country-code domain names written in non-Latin script, it announced Tuesday. http://www.cio.com.au/article/344711/icann_approves_first_four_internationalized_country_domains/ http://www.pcworld.com/article/195144/.html http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9176071/ICANN_approves_first_four_internationalized_country_domains http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/344711/icann_approves_first_four_internationalized_country_domains/ Net domain names in Indian languages If everything goes well as planned, India will be ready to have internationalised domain names (IDN) on the internet in seven Indian languages ? Hindi, Bangla, Punjabi, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu and Gujarati ? by next year. http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/net-domain-names-in-indian-languages/393298/ New UDRP study shows signs of unreliable procedures. I just happened to come across an article that shows what appears to be another hit in the process that ICANN has placed much of its future on - that is the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution System (UDRP) of course. It all started when attorney Zak Muscovitch released a study concerning the way one of ICANN's accredited UDRP providers - the National Arbitration Forum - is distributing its case load to its various employees. His results show that some of the panelists receive a substantial amount of cases with the majority of these cases being decided in favor of the complaining party (trademark owner). This prompted DomainNameWire to conduct its own study of WIPO panelists and its conclusions were that many of the top 10 panelists have recorded the lowest complainant win. http://konstantinoskomaitis.blogspot.com/2010/04/new-udrp-study-shows-signs-of.html ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** au: New auDA Policy on Domain Name Renewal, Expiry and Deletion - No One Likes to Be Dropped ... A policy in relation to the renewal, expiry and deletion of .au domain names, which came into effect on 18 April 2010. The new policy changes the way in which expired and deleted .au domain names are removed from the domain name registry. http://www.mondaq.com/australia/article.asp?articleid=99128 de: S036.NET attacked by German Police The Berlin police have searched on Monday from 10 clock the Berlin Internet provider SO36.NET. The aim of the campaign was to identify those responsible for anti-militarist bamm.de website. The site of the National Federation of Berlin and Brandenburg, the German Peace Society - United conscientious respondents (DFG-VK) is reached at http://www.bamm.de (Google cache) and hosted by SO36.NET. Specifically affected by the search were the server rooms of SO36.NET and the private residence of a person's registration as technical contact for the domain at the registry for bamm.de Domains DENIC. http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/04/449852.html CNNIC: '.Zhongguo' domain name approved The China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) announced Wednesday that the top-level Chinese domain name ".zhongguo" (written in pinyin) has been approved by the board of ICANN, a nonprofit body that oversees Internet addresses, chinanews.com.cn reported. http://en.ce.cn/National/stech/201004/29/t20100429_21339450.shtml http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-04/29/content_9788439.htm ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** European Union Gets Serious on Cybercrime Including Right to Revoke Domain Names The Council of the European Union has proposed the establishment of a European centre be established to combat cybercrime that would include the right to revoke domain names and IP addresses, according to a statement from a Council meeting on April 26. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=11124 http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/04/28/eu-cybercrime-revoke-domain-names/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/european-union-gets-serious-on-cybercrime-including-right-to-revoke-domains.html EU mulls new central cybercrime agency The European Commission will investigate the establishment of a new EU agency to tackle cybercrime. The new agency could be part of Europol, EU ministers have said. ... The Council proposal also calls for EU countries to adopt a common anti-cybercrime approach in relation to IP addresses and internet domain names. It has asked the Commission to help to establish common action on the revocation of domain names and IP addresses. http://out-law.com/default.aspx?page=10974 EU plans IP address snatch to battle cybercrime An international cybercrime centre will be able to revoke domain names and IP addresses under new proposals by European governments. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/04/27/eu_cybercrime/ Council conclusions concerning an Action Plan to implement the concerted strategy to combat cybercrime - 3010th GENERAL AFFAIRS Council meeting, Luxembourg, 26 April 2010 The Council adopted the following conclusions: "THE COUNCIL, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT: 1. The Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime of 23 November 2001, that, inter alia, calls for international cooperation to protect society against this phenomenon; http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/jha/114028.pdf ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Google slams Oz start-up with legal bid An Australian online start-up called Groggle has received a legal letter from Google's lawyers requesting it cease trading and hand over its domain name groggle.com.au. ... The search giant pointed to the dispute resolution process offered by Australian domain name regulator auDA, where Google had ordered two domain name holders to transfer the domains googler.com.au and googlebay.com.au to Google. http://www.zdnet.com.au/google-slams-oz-start-up-with-legal-bid-339302741.htm WIPO Panelist Study Sheds More Light on UDRP Practices Attorney Zak Muscovitch released a study last month about distribution of cases to panelists at National Arbitration Forum. His findings were shocking. Not only were there ?runaway panelists? who have heard a disproportionate number of cases, but those runaway panelists happen to find in favor of complainants much more than the typical panelist. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/04/26/wipo-panelist-study-sheds-more-light-on-udrp-practices/ ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** New IPv6 testing tool ships Mu Dynamics announced on Monday a test suite for IPv6 that custom generates tests based on the user's existing IPv4 network traffic rather than from pre-determined, standard test cases. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/042610-ipv6-test-tool-ships.html http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/344413/new_ipv6_testing_tool_ships/ http://www.itworld.com/networking/105791/new-ipv6-testing-tool-ships ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** VeriSign 1Q profit falls 21 percent on charges [AP] VeriSign Inc., a technology company that helps route users securely to Web sites and manages domain name registrations, said Wednesday that charges helped drag its first-quarter profit down 21 percent. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011728513_apusearnsverisign.html http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/04/28/financial/f160955D00.DTL http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/verisign-1q-profit-falls-21-percent-on-charges-20100429-tt4z.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/verisign-1q-profit-falls-21-percent-on-charges-20100429-tt4z.html VeriSign Reports First Quarter 2010 Results - Company Highlights Record New Domain Name Registrations [news release] VeriSign, Inc., the trusted provider of Internet infrastructure services, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010. ... VeriSign Naming Services ended the quarter with approximately 99.3 million active domain names in the adjusted zone for .com and .net, representing a 7% increase year-over-year. In the first quarter, VeriSign added 8.1 million new domain name registrations, a record in quarterly new registrations. https://press.verisign.com/easyir/customrel.do?easyirid=AFC0FF0DB5C560D3&version=live&prid=613170&releasejsp=custom_97 Providing Whois Privacy Isn?t Free In the recent uproar about Name.com introducing a fee for whois privacy, a number of people have said that such a service costs the provider essentially nothing. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/04/28/providing-whois-privacy-isnt-free/ Name.com Faces Backlash Over Whois Privacy Charge When you give something away for free, it?s really hard to then start charging for it. Just ask Name.com. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/04/26/name-com-faces-backlash-over-whois-privacy-charge/ When a Domain Partnership Goes Bad If you?ve ever formed a partnership or had a business partner in a venture, you know how contentious it can get. When you draft the legal documents, the lawyer wants a provision for every possible outcome under the sun. Everyone is on good terms at the time, so you don?t suspect there?s any reason for half of the provisions. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/04/26/when-a-domain-partnership-goes-bad/ ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Median Domain Sale Prices Increase In 1Q-2010 But Lack of Blockbuster Sales Sends Total Dollar Volume Down Our latest free monthly newsletter was emailed to opt-in subscribers Sunday night. In it we broke down domain sales results for the 1st quarter of 2010. While total dollar volume was down 18% from the same quarter a year ago, the entire year over year difference can be attributed to the three biggest sales in each of those quarters. http://dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2010/dailyposts/20100426.htm The Domain Aftermarket Redux: Are Domainers "Investors" Yet? What better way to kick things off than to review the domain aftermarket, three years after my then infamous "Domain Aftermarket Overdue For An Asset Repricing" article which caused a bit of a stir at the time. http://www.circleid.com/posts/the_domain_aftermarket_redux_are_domainers_investors_yet/ ********************** REPORTS & RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** Government Online: The internet gives citizens new paths to government services and information Overview: Government agencies have begun to open up their data to the public, and a surprisingly large number of citizens are showing interest. Some 40% of adult internet users have gone online for raw data about government spending and activities. This includes anyone who has done at least one of the following: look online to see how federal stimulus money is being spent (23% of internet users have done this); read or download the text of legislation (22%); visit a site such as data.gov that provides access to government data (16%); or look online to see who is contributing to the campaigns of their elected officials (14%). http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Government-Online.aspx ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Australians take to mobile internet Nearly half of all Australian mobile phone users now own an internet-capable phone, but only a third accesses the web regularly on them, according to new research by The Nielsen Company. http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/mobiles/australians-take-to-mobile-internet-20100429-tszn.html http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/mobiles/australians-take-to-mobile-internet-20100429-tszn.html U.S. newspaper circulation slides The rate of decline, though still severe, slows from the previous reporting period. The Los Angeles Times? circulation falls 14.7% on weekdays and 7.6% on Sundays. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-newspaper-20100427,0,335605.story US newspaper circulation drops 8.74 percent [AFP] Circulation figures for US newspapers released Monday provided another dose of bad news for an industry that has seen a wave of bankruptcies, closures and cutbacks in newsrooms across the country. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/us-newspaper-circulation-drops-874-percent-1955269.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/us-newspaper-circulation-drops-874-percent-20100427-tnjg.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/us-newspaper-circulation-drops-874-percent-20100427-tnjg.html Declining newspaper sales threaten toilet roll Declining newspapers sales threatens to cause a headache for toilet roll manufacturers, recycling companies say. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/7637589/Declining-newspaper-sales-threaten-toilet-roll.html Many Americans surfing for hard facts about government Forty percent of adults who use the Internet are surfing for data about the business of government, a proportion that shocked researchers, according to a survey published on Tuesday. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20100427_4918.php Poll: Americans connecting with government online [AP] More and more Americans are interacting with local, state and federal government offices online. They are turning to the Web to renew driver's licenses and car registrations, to apply for hunting and fishing permits, to pay parking tickets and other fines and even to track campaign contributions and stimulus spending, according to a study being released Tuesday. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/poll-americans-connecting-with-government-online-20100427-tp2a.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/poll-americans-connecting-with-government-online-20100427-tp2a.html ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** US Senators attack Facebook privacy policy Facebook on Tuesday came under renewed attack over its privacy policy after four US senators launched a broadside at its plans to share information with third-party websites. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3b7eb742-5250-11df-8b09-00144feab49a.html Senators tell Facebook: tighten privacy policy [Reuters] U.S. lawmakers told Facebook on Tuesday they were concerned about changes in its privacy policy that would allow personal information to be viewed by more than friends, and options on other websites that would allow third parties to save information about Facebook users and friends. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/27/AR2010042702969.html Senators Ask Facebook for Privacy Fixes Four senators are raising privacy concerns over new features that Facebook introduced last week and have asked the social networking company to roll back some of the changes. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/senators-ask-facebook-for-privacy-fixes/ US Senator calls on FTC to tackle social-net privacy New York Senator Charles Schumer has come out swinging against new announcements by Facebook that modify how much member data is shared with third-party companies, suggesting that the Federal Trade Commission needs to promptly address the issue of social-network privacy. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-20003415-36.html Schumer: Decision By Facebook To Share Users' Private Information With Third-Party Websites Raises Major Privacy Concerns; Calls On Ftc To Put In Place Guidelines For Use Of Private Information And Prohibit Access Without User Permission [news release] Schumer: Reports Show Facebook Will Now Share Information with Third Parties and Is Eliminating Users Ability to Keep Certain Information Private; Calls on Feds to Provide Industry Guidelines for Social Networking Sites and Require Full Disclosure of How Sites Use Private Information http://schumer.senate.gov/new_website/record.cfm?id=324175 Facebook Execs Answer New Privacy Criticisms [IDG] Facebook will work with U.S. lawmakers to address concerns about privacy following the social-networking site's announcement a week ago that it was sharing users' personal information with other sites, company officials said Wednesday. http://www.pcworld.com/article/195189/.html http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/042810-facebook-execs-answer-new-privacy.html Australian Facebook site urges hooker attacks Sex workers in Adelaide's western suburbs were targeted over the weekend in an "evil and sick" game promoted by a Facebook site. http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/facebook-sites-urges-hooker-attacks/story-e6frea83-1225859081622 http://www.news.com.au/technology/facebook-page-urges-attacks-on-prostitutes/story-e6frfro0-1225859102025 Engineer says he has discovered Facebook privacy loophole An engineer may have uncovered a privacy loophole in Facebook?s new strategy of connecting the Web. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/04/engineer-says-he-has-discovered-facebook-privacy-loophole.html ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** We Have Met the Enemy and He Is PowerPoint Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the leader of American and NATO forces in Afghanistan, was shown a PowerPoint slide in Kabul last summer that was meant to portray the complexity of American military strategy, but looked more like a bowl of spaghetti. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/world/27powerpoint.html ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ More than 2m child pornography images were circulated by just 100 paedophiles convicted in past 20 months More than two million indecent internet images of children were circulated by 100 child sex offenders convicted in the past 20 months, an NSPCC investigation found. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1269389/More-2m-child-pornography-images-circulated-just-100-paedophiles-convicted-past-20-months.html US Justices to Consider Law Limiting the Sale of Violent Video Games The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide whether California may forbid the sale of violent video games to children. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/us/27scotus.html US Supreme Court to weigh in on restricting violent game sales The Supreme Court of the United States has agreed to review the case of Schwarzenegger v. Video Software Dealers Association, a lawsuit that arose from a challenge to a law that would ban the sale or rental of violent video games to anyone under the age of 18. http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2010/04/supreme-court-to-weigh-in-on-restricting-violent-game-sales.ars U.S. top court to rule on California video game law The U.S. Supreme Court said on Monday it would decide whether a California law banning the sale and rental of violent video games to minors violated constitutional free-speech rights, the first time it will rule on a video game case. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE63P5WD20100426 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-48016420100426 US Supreme Court to review violent-video-game laws Stemming from a California case, justices will take up issue of whether First Amendment protects minors who want to buy violent video games. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20003448-38.html http://www.zdnetasia.com/us-supreme-court-to-review-violent-video-game-laws-62062888.htm Free speech versus kids and violent video games [AP] The Supreme Court will decide whether free speech rights are more important than helping parents keep violent material away from children. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/free-speech-versus-kids-and-violent-video-games-20100427-tnqm.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/free-speech-versus-kids-and-violent-video-games-20100427-tnqm.html Kids beware: your ISP has rated this website "PG" UK ISP Tibboh is selling "safe" mobile broadband targeted at kids. For ?19.99, you get a cheap USB HSPA modem, "10Gb" [sic] of data a month, and Internet access that's filtered like the movies. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/04/kids-beware-your-isp-has-rated-this-website-pg.ars Australian opt-in ISP-level Internet filter wasn't feasible: Academics An opt-in/opt-out ISP-level filter, first suggested in the February 2008 Feasibility Study into ISP Level Content Filtering, was never a feasible alternative to the current ACMA blacklist, according to academics and industry experts. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/344796/opt-in_isp-level_internet_filter_wasn_t_feasible_academics/ Australian internet filter proposal postponed Australia has shelved its internet filtering legislation until after the country?s next general election, scheduled to be held in a year?s time, or possibly sooner. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/australian-internet-filter-proposal-postponed Rudd retreats on web filter legislation KEVIN Rudd has put another election promise on the backburner with his controversial internet filtering legislation set to be shelved until after the next election. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/rudd-retreats-on-passing-web-filter-legislation/story-e6frgakx-1225859630452 Australian youngsters warned over 'sexting' [AFP] Australia's government urged young people not to join the "sexting" craze on Wednesday, warning that sending provocative images by mobile phone could have "very bad long-term consequences". http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/australian-youngsters-warned-over-sexting-20100428-ts4m.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/australian-youngsters-warned-over-sexting-20100428-ts4m.html NZ?s Hector?s World launches in Bermuda New Zealand?s digital citizenship resource for 2-9 year olds, Hector?s World?, is being launched this week in Bermuda during their national Tech Week ?10 celebration. Bermuda is one of the countries with the highest levels of broadband penetration per capita in the world. http://hectorsworld.netsafe.org.nz/2010/04/hector-launches-in-bermuda/ Wikipedia rejects child porn accusation [AFP] Wikipedia has strongly rejected its departed co-founder's accusation that the online encyclopedia served up child pornography. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/wikipedia-rejects-child-porn-accusation-20100429-tsvh.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/wikipedia-rejects-child-porn-accusation-20100429-tsvh.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/wikipedia-blasts-talk-of-child-porn-at-website-20100429-tssg.html Wikipedia rejects co-founder's charge it was distributing child porn [AFP] Wikipedia today strongly rejected its departed co-founder's accusation that the online encyclopedia served up child pornography. http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/breaking-news/wikipedia-rejects-co-founders-charge-it-was-distributing-child-porn/story-e6frea73-1225859795188 http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/TechandScience/Story/STIStory_520439.html us: NJ Principal Asks Parents To Ban Social Networking A controversial proposal has students horrified at a Bergen County middle school on Wednesday. The principal is asking parents to join a voluntary ban on social networking. http://wcbstv.com/local/facebook.social.networking.2.1662565.html ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** Internet music service spots gap in the market for next generation of mixtapes It is a hark-back to the days when music was held on a shelf, not a hard drive. A time when people discovered new bands by scouring the record collections of others, or first heard tracks when a friend put them on a tape. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article7109000.ece Spotify promises 'massive' revamp Spotify has announced big changes which will allow users to share music with one another in what it claims is one of the biggest shake ups to the music streaming service since it launched in late 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/newsid_10080000/newsid_10087400/10087477.stm Spotify upgrades with social and library features Spotify begins a major upgrade today that will see the music streaming service add significant social features including a ?Spotify Music Profile? and Facebook friend integration. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/7636638/Spotify-upgrades-with-social-and-library-features.html We7 shows ad-funded model can work for online music The online music service We7 has succeeded where many similar companies have failed: it has managed to get its advertising revenues to cover not only its own costs but, more importantly, the cost of the royalties it pays to the artists whose tracks it plays. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/apr/28/we7-online-music-service iiNet case appeal set for August The film industry will get four days in the NSW Federal Court's August sittings to appeal a court decision that internet service provider iiNet did not authorise its users to infringe on the film industry's copyright. http://www.zdnet.com.au/iinet-case-appeal-set-for-august-339302746.htm ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Smartphone usage set to rocket to 1.7 billion by 2014 The number of smartphones in use globally is expected to hit 1.7 billion by 2014, driven by an explosion in purchases in emerging markets. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/smartphone-usage-set-to-rocket-to-17-billion-by-2014-1955258.html RIM eyes 100m BlackBerry users; Mike Lazaridis sets aggressive target for BlackBerry 6 Research in Motion chief Mike Lazaridis has set an aggressive target of more than doubling the number of BlackBerry users from the current 41 million, buoyed by an interface that has undergone an extreme makeover. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/telecommunications/mike-lazaridis-sets-aggressive-target-for-blackberry-6/story-fn4iyzsr-1225859284510 Microsoft claims Android steps on its patents The mobile phone wars got a more interesting late on Tuesday as Microsoft publicly asserted for the first time that Google's Android operating system infringes on its intellectual property. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20003602-56.html Apple sued by Elan Microelectronics over touch-screen technology The sale of Apple's iPhone and iPad in the US is under threat after the US International Trade Commission initiated a formal investigation into the company for allegedly infringing a patent covering multi-touch technology. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article7109632.ece Apple Needs to Do More to Keep Porn off iPhones, Watchdog Group Says Looking for porn? Get a Google phone, Steve Jobs said recently, defending Apple's role as moral watchdog following complaints that a political satire app had been flagged as pornography. http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/04/27/apple-iphones-porno-apps-stimulating-opposition-parents/ Most young Chinese use mobiles to get online: survey [AFP] Most young Chinese use mobile phones to access the Internet as these are cheaper and easier to obtain than desktop computers, according to a survey by a government-linked body. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/most-young-chinese-use-mobiles-to-get-online-survey-20100427-tprd.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/most-young-chinese-use-mobiles-to-get-online-survey-20100427-tprd.html http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100427/tc_afp/lifestylechinaitinternetyouth Hewlett-Packard buys struggling Palm for $1bn in cash Palm, a pioneer in the smart phone business, is being bought by US computer giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) for $1bn (?657m) cash. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8650504.stm With Palm, HP reboots mobile strategy With its purchase of Palm, Hewlett-Packard acquired more than just a smartphone maker. It also picked up a whole new strategy for its mobile devices. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-20003716-260.html Palm being bought by Hewlett-Packard for $1 billion Hewlett-Packard is buying Palm for nearly $1bn in cash, ending a brief period when it had looked as though the troubled smartphone maker might be bought by rival phone makers HTC or the Chinese computer maker Lenovo. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2010/apr/28/palm-hp-takeover Scam hits Kiwi cellphones New Zealand mobiles are being targeted by a text message scam. http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/3639336/Scam-hits-Kiwi-cellphones ********************** SPAM ********************** China drops out of spam 'dirty dozen' China has dropped out of one security vendor?s ?dirty dozen? of the top spam-sending nations for the first time. http://news.techworld.com/security/3221999/china-drops-out-of-spam-dirty-dozen/ US is king of spam; India comes second The United States of America continues its unpopular reign as the king of spam, relaying more than 13 per cent of global spam, accounting for hundreds of millions of junk messages every day, said Sophos, an IT security and control firm. http://www.ciol.com/News/News/News-Reports/US-is-king-of-spam-India-comes-second/135551/0/ UK makes the 'dirty dozen' of global spam-relaying countries Security firm Sophos has released its latest top 12 list of the worst countries for relaying spam, placing the UK at ninth. http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2262160/sophos-ids-dirty-dozen-spam Dirty dozen spam-relaying countries revealed by Sophos, Q1 2010 [news release] IT security and control firm Sophos has published its latest report into the top twelve spam relaying countries, covering the first quarter of 2010. The United States of America continues its unpopular reign as the king of spam, relaying more than 13 percent of global spam, accounting for hundreds of millions of junk messages every day. http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/news/articles/2010/04/dirty-dozen.html ********************** DIGITAL DIVIDE ********************** Indonesian Govt Pledges to Address Inequality in Net Access Addressing criticism that parts of the nation were being left behind by a growing information technology gap, the government on Wednesday vowed to provide cheaper and more widespread Internet access. http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/govt-pledges-to-address-inequality-in-net-access/372048 ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** EU to establish cybercrime agency EU ministers have asked the European Commission to assess whether it should set up a centralised agency on tackling cybercrime to prevent online fraud and child pornography. http://www.euractiv.com/en/infosociety/eu-establish-cybercrime-agency-news-486715 EU mulls new central cybercrime agency The European Commission will investigate the establishment of a new EU agency to tackle cybercrime. The new agency could be part of Europol, EU ministers have said. http://out-law.com/default.aspx?page=10974 Council conclusions concerning an Action Plan to implement the concerted strategy to combat cybercrime - 3010th GENERAL AFFAIRS Council meeting, Luxembourg, 26 April 2010 The Council adopted the following conclusions: "THE COUNCIL, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT: 1. The Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime of 23 November 2001, that, inter alia, calls for international cooperation to protect society against this phenomenon; http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/jha/114028.pdf Rising cybercrime costs UK ?10bn a year A sharp rise in hacking attacks is costing UK businesses ?at least ?10bn? a year ? more than double the sum two years ago ? reversing a trend of falling losses from cybercrime. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/976f675a-521d-11df-8b09-00144feab49a.html Google and Sony caught in Indian cricket probe The multi-billion dollar television and internet broadcasting rights held by Sony and Google for the Indian Premier League, the world?s most lucrative cricket tournament, are expected to be investigated as part of a sweeping corruption probe into the competition. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2726de78-50ed-11df-bc86-00144feab49a.html Google convictions in Italy based on legal error, says expert The Italian court which sentenced three Google executives to a suspended jail term made a legal error, according to an Italian legal expert who has studied the judgment. Elvira Berlingieri told OUT-LAW that Google was likely to win any appeal. http://out-law.com/page-10971 Google faces Brazil fine for providing forum in which defamation could take place Google has been fined in Brazil for allowing a user of its Orkut social networking service to defame a priest. Google is partly responsible for the user's post, the court is reported to have said. http://out-law.com/page-10970 Google warning on fake anti-virus software Fake anti-virus software that infect PCs with malicious code are a growing threat, according to a study by Google. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10088949.stm UK launches competition to find cyber security experts A national public competition has begun to find people with a talent for keeping computers and networks secure. The competition aims to find those with relevant analytical, forensic and programmming skills using web-based games and challenges. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8645041.stm Groggle boggled by Google mean spirit An Australian web entrepreneur says draconian legal threats from Google could force him to pour two years of work and tens of thousands of dollars down the drain. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/biz-tech/groggle-boggled-by-google-mean-spirit-20100428-trq5.html http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/3636964/Grog-site-hit-by-Google-threat http://www.theage.com.au/technology/biz-tech/groggle-boggled-by-google-mean-spirit-20100428-trq5.html Google slams Oz start-up with legal bid An Australian online start-up called Groggle has received a legal letter from Google's lawyers requesting it cease trading and hand over its domain name groggle.com.au. http://www.zdnet.com.au/google-slams-oz-start-up-with-legal-bid-339302741.htm Australian Cereal Hacker on Defacement Rampage The websites of Kellogg's, Nutri-Grain, Vogel's and Specialty Cereals were hit in a string of mass defacements on Sunday. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/344488/cereal_hacker_defacement_rampage_/ http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/195120/.html QLD senator defaced in hack attack The web page of Queensland Labor Senator and Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, Jan McLucas, has been brought to its knees after a hacker defaced the web site. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/344674/qld_senator_defaced_hack_attack/ Costs Of Data Breaches Much Higher In U.S. Than In Other Countries, Study Says A data breach in the United States may cost enterprises twice as much as the same breach costs companies in other countries with less stringent disclosure and notification laws, according to a study published today. http://www.darkreading.com/vulnerability_management/security/management/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=224700013 Flying 2.0? Study of Internet of Things/RFID in air travel launched [news release] Following up on European Commission communication on IoT Action Plan for Europe, the EU?s ?cyber security? Agency ENISA - The European Network and Information Security Agency, has analysed the risks associated with a future air travel scenario, enabled with ?Internet of things?, IoT / RFID technology. The report identifies major security risks, as well as privacy, social and legal implications and also makes concrete policy and research and legal, recommendations. http://www.enisa.europa.eu/media/press-releases/flying-2.0-study-of-internet-of-things-rfid-in-air-travel Legality of raid on home of iPhone blogger raid queried The examination of computers belonging to a technology blogger who bought an iPhone prototype has been put on hold. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10089786.stm Gizmodo considers suing police after iPhone raid A lawyer for Gizmodo says the gadget blog could sue the sheriff's office in San Mateo County, Calif., for raiding an editor's home last Friday as part of a criminal probe into an errant iPhone prototype. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20003664-37.html Federal Agencies Wrestle With Cybersecurity's Harsh Realities "FedScoop Cybersecurity Leadership Summit " In a perfect world, U.S. federal agencies would be able to prevent all attacks -- and identify those who launch them. In a perfect world, agencies would comply with all security regulations and provide open access to public information while tightly securing all data that might be important to national security. http://www.darkreading.com/vulnerability_management/security/government/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=224700147 ************************** PRIVACY ************************** FTC says it is creating Internet privacy framework amid growing concerns The Federal Trade Commission said Tuesday that it plans to create guidelines on Internet privacy, amid a growing cry by privacy advocates and lawmakers to protect consumers from abuse of their personal data by social networks, search engines and location tracking on cellphones. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2010/04/ftc_says_it_is_creating_intern.html ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** China Moves to Tighten Data Controls China is on the verge of requiring telecommunications companies and Internet service providers to halt and report leaks of what the government deems to be state secrets, the latest in a series of moves intended to strengthen the government?s control over private communications. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/28/world/asia/28china.html China set to tighten state-secrets law forcing Internet firms to inform on users [AP] China is poised to strengthen a law requiring telecommunications and Internet companies to inform on customers who discuss state secrets, potentially forcing businesses to collaborate with the country's vast, dissent-stifling security apparatus. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/27/AR2010042704503.html http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/04/27/international/i001252D64.DTL http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-technology/china-wants-telecom-companies-to-inform-on-clients-20100427-tq89.html http://www.smh.com.au/technology/enterprise/china-wants-telcos-to-dob-on-clients-20100428-tr0b.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/enterprise/china-wants-telcos-to-dob-on-clients-20100428-tr0b.html ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** nz: Questions around benefits of $1.5b network There is little understanding about what difference the government?s $1.5 billion Ultra Fast Broadband network will make, says NetSafe executive director Martin Cocker. http://www.techday.co.nz/telecommunicationsreview/news/questions-around-benefits-of-15b-network/16246/ Under financial overhaul, FTC could gain enforcement power over Internet The Federal Trade Commission could become a more powerful watchdog for Internet users under a little-known provision in financial overhaul legislation that would expand the agency's ability to create rules. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/26/AR2010042604335.html us: Kirk Urges Patience On ACTA U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk Monday defended efforts to craft an international agreement aimed at curbing the counterfeiting and piracy of intellectual property against those who say it will not adequately protect the rights of IP users. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/04/kirk-urges-patience-on-acta.php Poll: Americans connecting with government online [AP] More and more Americans are interacting with local, state and federal government offices online. They are turning to the Web to renew driver's licenses and car registrations, to apply for hunting and fishing permits, to pay parking tickets and other fines and even to track campaign contributions and stimulus spending, according to a study being released Tuesday. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/poll-americans-connecting-with-government-online-20100427-tp2a.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/poll-americans-connecting-with-government-online-20100427-tp2a.html Google on FCC broadband authority: We're staying out of it Google will stay on the sidelines as others debate how the Federal Communications Commission should ensure its ability to regulate broadband services. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2010/04/google_on_fccs_ability_to_regu.html British Election: Can Pirate Party UK emulate Sweden success? A movement inspired by the success of Sweden's pro-internet file sharing Pirate Party in the European elections hopes to make waves in the UK on 6 May. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/election_2010/8644834.stm ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* Instant Messaging Pioneer ICQ sold to Facebook Backers It was one of the first major deals of the late 1990s tech boom, but AOL?s acquisition of instant messaging pioneer ICQ has finally been unwound after it sold the Israeli company to Russian investor DST for $187.5 million. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article7110553.ece ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** Skype eyes Mideast telecom partnerships Internet telephony firm Skype is close to signing partnerships with Middle East telecom carriers as the lure of a young population offsets operating restrictions in some countries, according to a senior official. http://www.ciol.com/Global-News/Global-News/News-Reports/Skype-eyes-Mideast-telecom-partnerships/135489/0/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (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 28 2010 - 20:59:22 UTC
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