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 *************************************************** Beckstrom: I came to change Icann - Q&A http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/emerging-tech/2011/09/24/beckstrom-i-came-to-change-icann-40094014/ London could get its own internet domain name http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15034876 Scottish government calls for .scot internet domain http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-15046986 au: Netregistry hit by DDoS attack http://www.zdnet.com.au/netregistry-hit-by-ddos-attack-339323053.htm au: Foreign spies with cyber eyes on our government http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/foreign-spies-with-cyber-eyes-on-our-government-20110923-1kpgs.html US Government Violates Free Speech Rights with Domain Name Seizure - EFF Urges Appeals Court to Scrutinize Seizure Campaign https://www.eff.org/press/archives/2011/09/23 Internet Domain Seizure Program Rankles Speech Advocates http://www.pcworld.com/article/240553/internet_domain_seizure_program_rankles_free_speech_advocates.html ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** Global Internet governance fight looms The global fight between governments over control of the Internet is heating up amid a flurry of documents, the opening of the United Nations? General Assembly (GA) and next week?s Internet Governance Forum (IGF). http://news.dot-nxt.com/2011/09/22/internet-governance-fight-looms European Commission Paper #5: ccTLDs and yet another power grab by Milton Mueller In the 4th paper of our series analyzing the European Commission papers on ICANN, we examine their paper on country code top level domains (ccTLDs). As usual, the EC?s primary concern is not the interest of the Internet-using public or the health and vitality of the internet, but the privileges and powers of itself and its member governments. http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2011/9/21/4904077.html Internet Society Announces Eleven New Ambassadors for IGF 2011 The Internet Society today announced that it has selected 11 new Ambassadors to attend the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Nairobi, Kenya, 27 ? 30 September 2011. Five returning Ambassadors will also attend the IGF meetings. http://isoc.org/wp/newsletter/?m=201109 Evolving Internet governance for the new connected world by Lesley Cowley ?Internet governance? means different things to different people, and indeed the term has evolved over time. In the early days of the internet, the job was to establish the basic rules of the road to allow the internet to function effectively: just making sure everything worked together and behaved itself was often a challenge! We needed common standards, a robust addressing scheme, and of course the Domain Name System. Almost all internet policy was made by pioneers to whom we who owe so much and ?internet governance version 1? was about debate largely conducted within and between technical experts. http://blog.nominet.org.uk/insight/2011/09/evolving-internet-governance-for-the-new-connected-world/ ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Kurt Pritz to David Maher and Mason Cole Process for amending RAA http://www.icann.org/en/correspondence/pritz-to-maher-26aug11-en.pdf Beckstrom: I came to change Icann Q&A: Icann is gearing up for new generic top-level domains. Between January and April next year, governments and other organisations will be able to apply for internet extensions, for example .wales or .pacific, in place of the existing ones such as .com and .net. http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/emerging-tech/2011/09/24/beckstrom-i-came-to-change-icann-40094014/ Call for Survey Participation: Review of ICANN Address Supporting Organization (ASO) The consultancy firm ITEMS International is conducting an organizational review of the ICANN Address Supporting Organization (ASO). The aim of the survey is to assess how well the ASO has been performing within the ICANN system and to determine whether any change in its structure or operations is desirable to improve its effectiveness. https://www.arin.net/announcements/2011/20110920.html ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** Canadian Internet authority mulling accents for URLs [Canadian Press] The group that oversees Canadian Internet addresses wants French URLs to be spelled correctly. http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/SciTech/20110923/canadian-internet-authority-mulling-accents-for-urls-110923 http://www.thespec.com/sports/article/599368--canadian-internet-watchdog-considers-accents Should .com get a thick Whois? The ICANN community has taken another baby step towards pushing VeriSign into implementing a ?thick? Whois database for .com and .net domain names. http://domainincite.com/should-com-get-a-thick-whois/ TRA launches phase to register special domain names Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA) is pleased to announce the opening of registration in the Arabic domain name (DotEmarat) for special names. The registration will be open from 4th of September until the 3rd of October, and it can be done through accredited registrars. http://tra.gov.ae/news_TRA_launches_phase_to_register_special_domain_names-331-1.php AFNIC Workshop - 18 October 2011: "Protecting your name on the Internet" Following the new legal framework for domain names since 1 July, AFNIC will be holding a new workshop entitled "Protecting your name on the Internet". http://www.afnic.fr/en/about-afnic/news/general-news/4991/show/afnic-workshop-18-october-2011-protecting-your-name-on-the-internet-1.html HKIRC Announces Top 10 ?.hk? Website Competition 2011 Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited (HKIRC) today announced the launch of the Top 10 ?.hk? Website Competition 2011 in Hong Kong. The competition is open for application from today through 28 October 2011. To facilitate greater digital inclusion in our society, one of the judging criteria this year will include the ?Web Care? element as promoted by the local Internet industry. https://www.hkirc.hk/company_info/pressrelease.jsp?item=444 The.nlyst 4 is out now The fourth edition of The.nlyst, which was published today, highlights the issue of internet governance. The magazine includes an interview with the scientist Michel van Eeten and Roelof Meijer (CEO, SIDN) focussing on the main issues surrounding internet governance, as wells as articles by Wolfgang Kleinw?chter from the Summer School on Internet Governance and by Ot van Daalen, director Bits of Freedom. https://www.sidn.nl/en/news/news/article/thenlyst-4-is-out-now/ Brits registering .uk domains mostly get first choice Most Brits think it's easy to find a .uk address for their websites, but almost half admit to having settled on a domain that was not their first choice, according to a new survey. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/23/domain_name_blues/ uk: Issue group update - Domain expiry policy We have published three papers for the issue group on Domain Expiry, in advance of the group's first meeting on 27 September 2011. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=8708 ********************** - NEW TLDS ********************** London could get its own internet domain name London could get its own internet domain name. London & Partners, the official promotional agency for the capital, has said it is interested in applying for a 10-year license for the .london suffix. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15034876 Capital announces interest in dot London top level domain application London has today announced its interest in applying for the 10 year ICANN licence to operate a new gTLD for London. London will be joining a number of other cities who have expressed their interest in applying for their relevant city gTLDs including New York, Paris, Sydney, Rome and Berlin. http://www.londonandpartners.com/media-centre/press-releases/2011/110922-capital-announces-interest-in-dot-london-top-level-domain-application Capital gets trendy address: .London on its way Official city promoter London & Partners is set to announce later today that it is looking for companies to help submit a bid for .london to global domain name overseer ICANN. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/21/dot_london_is_on_its_way/ London Joins Cities To Apply for gTLD London has joined cities such as Berlin, Paris, New York, Cologne, Munich and Vienna in announcing they will apply for their city name as a generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) when ICANN opens its three month window and begins accepting applications on 12 January next year. http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/09/23/london-joins-cities-to-apply-for-gtld/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/london-joins-cities-to-apply-for-gtld.html Scottish government calls for .scot internet domain The Scottish government has sought fresh backing for the creation of an internet domain for Scotland. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-15046986 PIR Partners With the Digital Empowerment Foundation To Bring More India-Based NGOs Online Earlier this summer, the Public Interest Registry (PIR) - manager of the .ORG domain - expressed its intention to apply for the management of a new top-level domain, .NGO, when the domain becomes available in January 2012. Now, as part of its ongoing efforts to engage the non-governmental organization (NGO) community worldwide on- and offline, PIR has partnered with the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) to host a series of eNGO Workshops - training programs to help NGOs develop and manage an online presence - across India. http://pir.org/pr/2011/defengo Getting NGOs Online In India As we continue our outreach with global non-government organizations (NGOs) discussing our role in serving this community, we are getting important input on our proposed new top level domain - .NGO. We have been in many locations, working with local NGOs as well as larger international NGOs, adding new partnerships. http://pir.org/blog/2011/defengo ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Fi-domain names more secure than ever - improved service Approximately 50,000 fi-domain names are applied for each year. Currently, the number of valid fi-domain names exceeds 270,000, and they are estimated to grow intensely in the coming years. On 19 September 2011, FICORA introduced an improved fi-domain name service which will enhance information security even more. https://domain.fi/info/en/index/tietoa/ajankohtaista/2011/P_31_15.html JPRS Revised DNSSEC Practice Statement for the JP Zone (JP DPS) On September 22th, JPRS revised "DNSSEC Practice Statement for the JP Zone (JP DPS)". This action is a consequence of annual re-examination of JP DPS, which is regulated in section 1.4.3 of JP DPS itself. http://jprs.co.jp/en/topics/2011/110922.html Test .si DNSSEC We invite you to give DNSSEC a go and try validating your .si domain names with our testing recursive server or by setting up your own. http://www.registry.si/news/news-item/article/test-si-dnssec.html au: Netregistry hit by DDoS attack Web host and domain reseller, Netregistry, had to fend off a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack this morning, thwarting the main attack in just over an hour, although it still doesn't know which one of its customers may have been the intended target. http://www.zdnet.com.au/netregistry-hit-by-ddos-attack-339323053.htm Cybercrime: is it out of control? by Misha Glenny Spam, phishing, viruses, malware and identity theft ? cyber criminals are getting more audacious. Can anything be done? http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/sep/21/cybercrime-spam-phishing-viruses-malware au: Foreign spies with cyber eyes on our government Australian defence networks are being attacked more than 30 times a day by foreign spies and hackers, with the incidence of such attacks increasing by more than 350 per cent in two years, according to Australia's peak electronic intelligence agency. http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/foreign-spies-with-cyber-eyes-on-our-government-20110923-1kpgs.html On the Success of Malware by Gunter Ollmann There's often a lot of discussion about whether a piece of malware is advanced or not. To a large extent these discussions can be categorized as academic nitpicking because, at the end of the day, the malware's sophistication only needs to be at the level for which it is required to perform -- no more, no less. Perhaps the "advanced" malware label should more precisely be reattributed as "feature rich" instead. http://www.circleid.com/posts/on_the_success_of_malware/ The Human Factor in DDoS Attacks by Mark F. Bregman Ripped from the headlines: A recent DDoS attack lasted an entire 60 days. In other news, a single site was attacked 218 times in Q2 alone. To those of us in the business of protecting Web infrastructure, these stories are hardly surprising. What's notable, though, is where they were reported, in The Financial, whose focus is banking and financial services, not technology. The reporters used the term "DDoS" as if it were as common as "hedge fund," something everyday business people, not just techies, grasp. It's this human element that caught my interest and got me thinking a little. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20110925_the_human_factor_in_ddos_attacks/ us: Bad new world: Cyber risk and the future of our nation [CIO] In September 2007, in a remote laboratory in Idaho, researchers began to show that that picture had begun to change, dramatically and irreversibly. Dubbed "Aurora," the researchers' project demonstrated the ability of a cyber hacker to destroy physical equipment--in this case a generator used to create electricity for the power grid. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/092211-bad-new-world-cyber-risk-251154.html ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Court Axes $100K Award in GoPets Cyber Warfare The minds behind "virtual pets" cannot tweak what it means to register a domain name on the Internet, the 9th Circuit ruled Thursday, setting aside a $100,000 victory for the South Korean company in a long-running cybersquatting case. http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/09/22/39999.htm Following the Money: A Better Way Forward on the Protect IP Act by David G. Robinson [Yale Law School; Yale Information Society Project] Abstract: The Internet addressing and filtering provisions of the proposed PROTECT IP Act should not become law. They cannot promise efficacy, and they threaten significant collateral harm. However, the bill offers potentially useful new tools to reduce the revenue of sites dedicated to selling, or profiting from, infringing media or counterfeit goods. These financial provisions have earned much less controversy than the Internet addressing and filtering provisions. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1930013 us: Federal Court Rules Bad Faith Under ACPA Applies Only To Initial Registration Not To Renewals Or Transfers A federal Appellate court has made a ruling on a lawsuit under the AntiCybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA), which I think is really important for all domainers. http://www.thedomains.com/2011/09/22/breaking-federal-court-rules-bad-faith-under-acpa-applies-only-to-initial-registration-not-to-renewals-or-transfers/ ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** DomainWire Stat Report Council of European National Top Level Domain Registries DomainWire Stat Report gives an update on some basic internet statistics with a focus on domain names particularly in Europe. - Autumn 2011 https://www.centr.org/main/6513-CTR/version/6/part/12/data/DomainWire Stat Report (Autumn 2011).pdf US Government Violates Free Speech Rights with Domain Name Seizure - EFF Urges Appeals Court to Scrutinize Seizure Campaign The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) urged a federal appeals court in an amicus brief today to order the return of two domain names seized by the U.S. government in violation of the First Amendment. https://www.eff.org/press/archives/2011/09/23 Internet Domain Seizure Program Rankles Speech Advocates A controversial Internet domain seizure program has notched another victory for the federal government even as free speech advocates continue to raise concerns. http://www.pcworld.com/article/240553/internet_domain_seizure_program_rankles_free_speech_advocates.html http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=1C4D1EEB-1A64-67EA-E42F9AF8FCD193FF http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/opinion/photo-video/3305832/internet-domain-seizure-program-rankles-speech-advocates/ Go Daddy Poised to Hit 50 Million Domain Milestone Next Week The Go Daddy Group, which includes domain name registrar GoDaddy.com, is likely to cross the 50 million domain milestone next week. http://domainnamewire.com/2011/09/22/go-daddy-poised-to-hit-50-million-domain-milestone-next-week/ Bob Parsons worth $1.5bn, ranked 293 on Forbes 400 Go Daddy executive chairman Bob Parsons is the 293rd wealthiest person in America, with a self-made fortune of $1.5 billion, according to the latest Forbes 400 rich list. http://domainincite.com/bob-parsons-worth-1-5bn-ranked-293-on-forbes-400/ NBT agrees to $236m buy-out Following in the footsteps of larger rival Go Daddy, the UK-based registrar Group NBT has agreed to be bought out by private investors for ?153 million ($236m). http://domainincite.com/nbt-agrees-to-236m-buy-out/ ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Are Fewer People ?Playing Around? With Domains? Many sectors of the domainer industry have experienced a steep fall since about 2007. Has the number of people dabbling in domain names also dropped? http://domainnamewire.com/2011/09/22/are-fewer-people-playing-around-with-domains/ Rick Latona is Back in the Game - Bags Biggest Domain Sale Reported Over the Past Two Weeks The last many of you heard, Rick Latona had sold his domain sales newsletter to partner Toby Clements and ridden off into the sunset, headed for a new specialty selling developed websites rather than domains. It turns out reports of Latona's domain only sales demise were a bit premature. Latona got in touch with me just before I left the country for last week's DNCruise (the only domain conference held on a cruise ship) to let me know that he had brokered the $120,000 sale of Swag.com. http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2011/20110921.htm ********************** REPORTS & RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** Emerging Issues in Internet Regulation: The Unstable Role of Wikileaks and Cyber-Vigilantism by Alison Powell [Research Handbook on Internet Governance] Abstract: This paper outlines the emerging issues in internet regulation introduced by distributed organizations and cyber-vigilantism: notably, the contributions of WikiLeaks and Anonymous to the problematics of internet governance through an uneven disruption of the power held by existing institutions including the state, but also the mass media. Drawing on Christopher Kelty's (2004) observation that persuasive arguments can be made both through language and by technology, it examines how existing definitions of governance, which are often focused on rule-making, engage with this broader set of 'arguments-by-technology' and what the consequences of these new arguments might be. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1932740 Lessons Learned Too Well by A. Michael Froomkin Abstract: This paper, prepared for a presentation Sept. 22, 2011 at the Oxford Internet Institute?s Conference, A Decade in Internet Time: Symposium on the Dynamics of the Internet and Society, examines, contextualizes, and critiques an international trend towards the regulation of anonymity. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1930017 ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Analysis reveals South Korea fastest, most reliable; US ?above average? at 26th; Eastern Europe dominant in Top 10 [news release] A study released today by Pando Networks revealed the speed and reliability of Internet connections around the globe with some surprising findings. Based on 27 million downloads by 20 million computers in 224 countries from January through June 2011 , the study provides a comprehensive look at worldwide data accessibility, singling out the very best and the very worst places to link up with the web. http://www.pandonetworks.com/Pando-Networks-Releases-Global-Internet-Speed-Study Social media gives women a voice in Iran Female protesters were beaten, raped and intimidated in a post-election crackdown by the Iranian authorities. Silenced by stigma and fear, these women are now using social media to bear witness to the horror http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/sep/22/social-media-women-iran Mexico?s drug war and the internet: The fog of war descends on cyberspace Mexico's national media have followed every gruesome twist of the government?s battle with organised crime. But in some of the most dangerous areas, local papers are curiously short on details. Last year five newspapers admitted in print that they would stop covering sensitive drug-war stories, such was the risk to their reporters. The year also saw 15 attacks on media offices, up from two in 2009, according to Article 19, a free-speech lobby group. The gangs are even dictating copy. Imagen, a daily in the state of Zacatecas, ran an article last year attacking the army on the orders of a mafia that had kidnapped one of its reporters. Milenio, a TV station, ran part of a mob-scripted report after some of its staff were abducted. http://www.economist.com/node/21530146 Mexico Turns to Social Media for Information and Survival Before the police or news reporters had even arrived at the underpass outside Veracruz where gunmen held up traffic and dumped 35 bodies at rush hour last week, Twitter was already buzzing with fear and valuable information. ... Many Mexicans now say they trust Twitter more than local news outlets, and in some areas, parents and grandparents are being taught by their children how to get online ? specifically so they can be safe. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/25/world/americas/mexico-turns-to-twitter-and-facebook-for-information-and-survival.html Woman Decapitated in Mexico for Web Posting [AP] Police found a woman's decapitated body in a Mexican border city on Saturday, alongside a handwritten sign saying she was killed in retaliation for her postings on a social networking site. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/09/24/world/americas/AP-LT-Drug-War-Mexico.html ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** CDT & Berkman Report Provides Guidelines for Dilemmas of Account Deactivation and Content Removal A report released today by the Center for Democracy & Technology and the Berkman Center for Internet & Society highlights the dilemmas companies and users face when enforcement of a website's Terms of Use policy results in deactivation of user accounts or removal of user-generated content. The report recommends principles, strategies, and tools that both companies and users can adopt to lessen the negative effects of account deactivation and content removal. http://cdt.org/pr_statement/report-provides-guidelines-dilemmas-account-deactivation-and-content-removal Every click you make, Facebook tracker will be watching you Facebook has again raised the ire of Australia's privacy watchdog after announcing an overhaul of profile pages on its social networking site. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/exposure-warning-as-facebook-wheels-out-web-usage-tracker/story-e6frgakx-1226144921037 Facebook tracks you even after logging out An Australian technologist has caused a global stir after discovering Facebook tracks the websites its users visit even when they are logged out of the social networking site. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/facebook-tracks-you-even-after-logging-out-20110926-1ksfk.html http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/5686468/Facebook-tracks-you-even-after-logging-out http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/facebook-tracks-you-even-after-logging-out-20110926-1ksfk.html Facebook's 'New Class Of Social Apps' Could Be Big Business For Site, Big Burden For Users The ?completely new class of social apps? Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Thursday at the f8 developer conference will feed Facebook even more information about its users and supercharge sharing on the social networking site. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/22/facebook-new-apps-f8-conference_n_976966.html Facebook focuses on media sharing and adds timeline Facebook has outlined plans to encourage users to share more of the media they consume - including music and movies - with friends. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15028920 Facebook as Tastemaker Facebook, the Web?s biggest social network, is where you go to see what your friends are up to. Now it wants to be a force that shapes what you watch, hear, read and buy. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/23/technology/facebook-makes-a-push-to-be-a-media-hub.html Google evangelist warns Facebook could be the next AOL or IBM Vint Cerf, Google's chief internet evangelist, and the man who designed one of the key building blocks of the internet, warned that Facebook's 'closed' architecture meant that it was risk of eventually failing to keep up with the public who want an open standard so they can easily jump from one website to another. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/sep/21/google-facebook-vint-cerf ********************************* CHILD PROTECTION & ONLINE SAFETY ********************************* Bullying as True Drama The suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer, the 14-year-old boy from western New York who killed himself last Sunday after being tormented by his classmates for being gay, is appalling. His story is a classic case of bullying: he was aggressively and repeatedly victimized. Horrific episodes like this have sparked conversations about cyberbullying and created immense pressure on regulators and educators to do something, anything, to make it stop. Yet in the rush to find a solution, adults are failing to recognize how their conversations about bullying are often misaligned with youth narratives. Adults need to start paying attention to the language of youth if they want antibullying interventions to succeed. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/23/opinion/why-cyberbullying-rhetoric-misses-the-mark.html au: School film highlights dangers of sexts and cyberbullying The dangers of sexting are well known to celebrities (Tiger Woods and Shane Warne lost their wives). The consequences of sending risque photos are familiar to politicians (US congressman Anthony Weiner lost his job). And the Massachusetts teen who sent nude images of his 14-year-old girlfriend to classmates for $5 a time found out too late it could qualify as distributing child pornography. http://www.smh.com.au/business/marketing/school-film-highlights-dangers-of-sexts-and-cyberbullying-20110922-1kn2n.html Tagged film to help Australia?s kids get cybersmart [news release] Tagged, a new short film to help educate young people about cyberbullying, sexting and protecting their digital reputation, was today launched by the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy. http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2011/259 Bullying, violence, revenge: the dangers of antisocial networking laid bare for children It all starts with a seemingly innocent picture of a boy and a girl with their arms around each other at school. Soon the photo is posted to a blog and seen by the entire school, sparking online rumours, a fight, news reports and revenge plots to spread naked or drunken photos snapped on a mobile phone. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/bullying-violence-revenge-the-dangers-of-antisocial-networking-laid-bare-for-children-20110923-1kohn.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/bullying-violence-revenge-the-dangers-of-antisocial-networking-laid-bare-for-children-20110923-1kohn.html au: Cyberbully film a bit of a shocker A SHORT film being screened in schools about cyberbullying has been criticised as extreme and unhelpful by a leading researcher. http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/cyberbully-film-a-bit-of-a-shocker-20110924-1kqh4.html http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/5686195/Cyberbully-film-a-bit-of-a-shocker http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/entertainment/movies/cyberbully-film-a-bit-of-a-shocker-20110924-1kqh4.html The Unintended Consequences of Cyberbullying Rhetoric We all know that teen bullying - both online and offline - has devastating consequences. Jamey Rodemeyer's suicide is a tragedy. He was tormented for being gay. http://www.blogher.com/unintended-consequences-cyberbullying-rhetoric ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** au: Time to face the music and fight as one: Universal's Max Hole The war against piracy, which almost brought the music industry to its knees and poses a serious threat to the television, movie and even news industries, will be won by industry giants working together, says one of the music industry's most powerful executives. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/time-to-face-the-music-and-fight-as-one-universals-max-hole/story-e6frgakx-1226146323468 ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Danger-to-Go: Workers are clamoring for access wherever they are, on whatever gadgets they want. That's a security nightmare. As mobile devices invade the workplace, they offer all sorts of advantages to both companies and employees. But they come with one huge challenge: How do you make sure all that valuable information is secure? http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904583204576542342696584366.html ********************** SPAM ********************** FBI takes over for Microsoft in spam-network takedown In March, Microsoft filed suit and used the court system to take down the giant Rustock email-spamming network, employing U.S. Marshals to help seize hard drives and servers at Internet service providers in seven U.S. cities including Seattle. That disconnected most of the IP addresses that controlled the ?botnet,? largely shutting it down, and the servers were removed as evidence to be analyzed by Microsoft.http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/2011/09/22/fbi-takes-over-for-microsoft-in-spam-network-takedown/ http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/2011/09/22/fbi-takes-over-for-microsoft-in-spam-network-takedown/ I'm out of the office, so please read this spam [AP] If you're prone to mistyping email addresses, here's a new thing to worry about: you could be a target for spammers trying to sell you a dream vacation or a diet product by pretending to be one of your friends or colleagues. http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9PTLOTG2.htm http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/im-out-of-the-office-so-please-read-this-spam-20110923-1knn0.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/im-out-of-the-office-so-please-read-this-spam-20110923-1knn0.html ********************** ONLINE CRIME & LEGAL ********************** Is an ISP code of conduct the best way to fight botnets? The Department of Homeland Security and National Institute of Standards and Technology are looking to beat back the kudzu of spam generators, distributed denial of service zombies, and other botnets, and they want your cooperation?on a totally voluntary basis, of course. http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2011/09/us-government-looks-to-fight-botnets-with-isp-code-of-conduct.ars ********************** SECURITY ********************** Cybercrime: is it out of control? by Misha Glenny Spam, phishing, viruses, malware and identity theft ? cyber criminals are getting more audacious. Can anything be done? http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/sep/21/cybercrime-spam-phishing-viruses-malware au: Foreign spies with cyber eyes on our government Australian defence networks are being attacked more than 30 times a day by foreign spies and hackers, with the incidence of such attacks increasing by more than 350 per cent in two years, according to Australia's peak electronic intelligence agency. http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/foreign-spies-with-cyber-eyes-on-our-government-20110923-1kpgs.html On the Success of Malware by Gunter Ollmann There's often a lot of discussion about whether a piece of malware is advanced or not. To a large extent these discussions can be categorized as academic nitpicking because, at the end of the day, the malware's sophistication only needs to be at the level for which it is required to perform -- no more, no less. Perhaps the "advanced" malware label should more precisely be reattributed as "feature rich" instead. http://www.circleid.com/posts/on_the_success_of_malware/ The Human Factor in DDoS Attacks by Mark F. Bregman Ripped from the headlines: A recent DDoS attack lasted an entire 60 days. In other news, a single site was attacked 218 times in Q2 alone. To those of us in the business of protecting Web infrastructure, these stories are hardly surprising. What's notable, though, is where they were reported, in The Financial, whose focus is banking and financial services, not technology. The reporters used the term "DDoS" as if it were as common as "hedge fund," something everyday business people, not just techies, grasp. It's this human element that caught my interest and got me thinking a little. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20110925_the_human_factor_in_ddos_attacks/ us: Bad new world: Cyber risk and the future of our nation [CIO] In September 2007, in a remote laboratory in Idaho, researchers began to show that that picture had begun to change, dramatically and irreversibly. Dubbed "Aurora," the researchers' project demonstrated the ability of a cyber hacker to destroy physical equipment--in this case a generator used to create electricity for the power grid. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/092211-bad-new-world-cyber-risk-251154.html ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** Italy prepares 'one strike' anti-piracy law [IDG] The Italian government is preparing an anti-piracy law that could ban Internet users from access after one alleged infringement, a lawyer and an analyst warned. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/401761/italy_prepares_one_strike_anti-piracy_law/ http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/240413/italy_prepares_one_strike_antipiracy_law.html http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/092211-italy-prepares-one-strike-anti-piracy-251164.html Spreading Freedom: Google And The War For The Web You can't swing a dead cat video in Washington lately without hitting a lobbyist, consultant, attorney or adviser on retainer to Google or one of its tech rivals. Google, whose top executives have long been a bottomless cup of campaign coffee for Democrats, is finally entering its bipartisan phase, theatrically hiring Republican operatives and broadcasting the news through insider Washington publications, pumping air into a K Street tech bubble. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/25/google-antitrust-microsoft-war_n_976804.html FCC Finalizes Net Neutrality Rules; Sets Start Date of Nov. 20 Controversial net neutrality rules designed by the Federal Communications Commission to prevent internet providers from imposing higher fees on subscribers that stream video or play online games will go into effect on Nov. 20. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/22/idUS362019598420110922 Net neutrality rules are coming. Here's why they matter A new set of FCC rules would make net neutrality an enforceable reality, rather than just a set of principles. But Verizon and other providers think the FCC has overstepped its bounds. http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/Horizons/2011/0923/Net-neutrality-rules-are-coming.-Here-s-why-they-matter Google's Competitors Square Off Against Its Leader Good Google or bad Google? Those two headline narratives competed for credibility in a three-hour hearing on Wednesday before a Senate antitrust panel, which heard testimony from Google?s chairman, Eric E. Schmidt, and competitors of the search giant. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/22/technology/google-takes-the-hot-seat-in-washington.html au: ACCC loses case against Google for 'misleading' searchers Taxpayers will foot Google's legal bill after the federal government's consumer regulator lost a court case against the internet giant for allegedly misleading consumers. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/accc-loses-case-against-google-for-misleading-searchers/story-e6frgakx-1226144042562 Google wins against ACCC in advert case Google has won a case against Australia's consumer watchdog over allegations of misleading conduct. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-22/google-wins-in-accc-advert-case/2912064 ACCC loses case alleging Google deception The consumer watchdog's claims that Google engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct by not adequately distinguishing between advertisements and regular search results has been dismissed by the Federal Court. http://www.theage.com.au/business/accc-loses-case-alleging-google-deception-20110922-1knl3.html http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/google-not-guilty-of-deceit-over-car-ads-20110922-1kncl.html U.S. "Net neutrality" rules to take effect in November Long-awaited U.S. rules addressing the hot-button issue of balancing consumer and content providers' interests against those of Internet service providers will take effect on November 20. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/09/23/oukin-uk-fcc-netneutrality-idUKTRE78M45X20110923 ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** ?Smart? Regulation to promote worldwide broadband roll out - ITU Regulators? symposium responds to changing market environment [news release] The ITU Global Symposium for Regulators closed today with the adoption of Best Practice Guidelines aimed at advancing the deployment of broadband connectivity worldwide. http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2011/33.aspx Global broadband technology guidelines adopted at UN meeting of regulators [news release] A United Nations meeting focused on accelerating the roll-out of broadband technology concluded in Colombia today as over 500 participants from around the world adopted best practice guidelines aimed at improving global Internet access. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=39743 Enhanced broadband roll-out targeted at UN meeting of regulators [news release] A United Nations meeting to speed the roll-out of broadband communications around the world opened in Colombia today with representatives of 192 countries seeking to share regulatory best practices at the global level. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=39677 au: Wireless increasingly popular, but fixed lines dominate downloads [news release] The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission?s Telecommunications Reports 2009-10, tabled in Parliament today, show clear trends developing around fixed and mobile services. http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/1008844/fromItemId/142 Australians still attached to the cord Fixed lines continue to dominate internet-enabled homes despite the explosive growth of mobile devices, according to the competition watchdog. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/telecommunications/australians-still-attached-to-the-cord/story-fn4iyzsr-1226144751689 au: Sharp rise in net downloads Australians are downloading much more over the internet than they did two years ago - and nearly all of it has been travelling over the fixed network. http://www.smh.com.au/business/sharp-rise-in-net-downloads-20110923-1kp85.html nz: Telecom separation presents huge task If you thought wading through Telecom's 540-page separation document was an impossible task, spare a thought for the Shareholders Association. http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/5681609/Telecom-separation-presents-huge-task nz: Govt wants Maori involved in broadband Maori should get as many opportunities as possible from the high speed broadband rollout and an agreement is being worked out to achieve that, the Government says. http://www.3news.co.nz/Govt-wants-Maori-involved-in-broadband/tabid/412/articleID/227323/Default.aspx France's 4G mobile auction set to beat targets France's auction of fourth-generation wireless licences could raise well above the 2.5 billion euros ($3.4 billion) minimum price, as laggards from the first stage try to catch up with rivals in the mobile internet race in December's second round. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/23/telecoms-france-idUSL5E7KN38Q20110923 ca: CRTC clarifies rules for controls on web traffic Canada's federal communications regulator plans to release quarterly updates on the traffic management practices of the country's largest Internet providers, and if any break the rules, the public is going to hear about it. http://www.canada.com/technology/CRTC+clarifies+rules+controls+traffic/5448081/story.html London Olympics to "strain" mobile networks-mayor Mobile phone networks face a "massive strain" during next summer's Olympics as sports fans rush to send pictures and messages, Mayor of London Boris Johnson warned on Thursday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/09/23/uk-britain-olympics-mobiles-idUKTRE78L4YM20110923 Italy 4G frequency auction tops ?3.7 billion [IDG] Italy's auction of six blocks of 800MHz frequencies for 4G mobile phone services netted ?2.962 billion (US$4 billion) Thursday, taking the total of provisional offers for mobile phone frequency licenses to more than ?3.7 billion. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/092311-italy-4g-frequency-auction-tops-251201.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2011 ------ David Goldstein email: david§goldsteinreport.com web: http://goldsteinreport.com/ http://davidgoldstein.tel/ 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 Sun Sep 25 2011 - 21:22:43 UTC
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