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 *************************************************** Approved July 2012 - June 2015 Strategic Plan Posted http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-3-18may12-en.htm Brands are Pool.com?s surprise digital archery clients http://domainincite.com/brands-are-pool-coms-surprise-digital-archery-clients/ ICANN Targets 22 May For TAS Reopening http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/05/18/icann-targets-22-may-for-tas-reopening/ Congratulations, You?ve just Recovered 763 Domains. Now What? http://www.domainnamestrategy.com/2012/05/17/congratulations-you-ve-just-recovered-763-domains-now-what ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** At WSIS Forum, Divisions Arise Over Future Of Internet Governance The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2012 was hailed as a success at its closing ceremony today by the secretary general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Yet sharp debates about the reluctance of the UN to hire an executive secretary for the Internet Governance Forum, the reluctance of the ITU to allow the global public to see and contribute to the coming International Telecommunication Regulations (ITR), and the need for a new UN platform for enhanced cooperation clearly illustrated that the global internet governance ship is cruising through rough seas. http://www.ip-watch.org/2012/05/19/at-wsis-forum-divisions-arise-over-future-of-internet-governance/ Internet governance must ensure access for everyone ? UN expert As a powerful global information resource, the Internet must be accessible to everyone and measures to ensure this must be taken, a United Nations independent expert said today. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=42039 India's proposal will help take the web out of U.S. control by Parminder Jeet Singh Last year, in a statement to the U.N. General Assembly, India sought the creation of a U.N. Committee on Internet-Related Policies (CIRP) in order to democratise global Internet governance, which at present is either U.S.-controlled, or subject to the policies of rich country clubs like the OECD. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/article3427042.ece WSIS Forum 2012 launches 10-year review to measure goals set at UN World Summit on the Information Society Stakeholders from government, civil society and the private sector are meeting in Geneva this week to agree on an effective and meaningful review process (WSIS+10) for measuring progress towards targets set in 2005 in Tunis at the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), and to forge a common vision for new actions beyond 2015. http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2012/25.aspx ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** TAS Interruption - Update (17 May 2012) by Akram Atallah, COO As we announced last week, ICANN is targeting 22 May 2012 as the reopening date for the TLD Application System, or TAS. Specifically, we are targeting 19:00 GMT/UTC on 22 May for the reopening. http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-2-17may12-en.htm Jeff Moss Goes to Moscow ICANN?s vice president and CSO, Jeff Moss, visited Moscow for the 3rd Russian Internet Governance Forum. He was the keynote speaker at the Russian IGF, but the local organizers, the Russian Coordination Center for the .ru ccTLD decided to use him even more, and invited Jeff also to join a panel discussion on DDoS attacks, with Natalia Kaspersky and Andrea Rigoni. http://blog.icann.org/2012/05/jeff-moss-goes-to-moscow/ Approved July 2012 - June 2015 Strategic Plan Posted Based upon the Board Resolutions resulting from the recent Special Meeting of the Board of Directors held in Amsterdam on 6 May 2012, the adopted 2012-2015 Strategic Plan is now posted. http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-3-18may12-en.htm DRAFT - ICANN Language Services Policy and Procedures Purpose (Brief): ICANN Language Services is submitting for public comment the draft Language Services Policy and Procedures. http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-2-18may12-en.htm New L-Root DNS Server Enhances DNS Fault Tolerance and Resistance to DDoS Attacks A new instance of L-Root has been installed in Odessa, Ukraine, increasing the Domain Name System's (DNS) overall fault tolerance and its resilience against certain types of cyber threats, such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-18may12-en.htm Period of 17-27 May 2012: Public Comment Periods Approaching Closing Date The Following Public Comment periods are approaching their Comment or Reply Period Close dates, May 17-27 2012. As a member of the ICANN community, your timely feedback is critical to our accountability and transparency efforts. For your convenience, we have included direct links below to comments that will soon close. http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-3-17may12-en.htm Draft Statement of ICANN's Role and Remit in Security, Stability and Resiliency of the Internet's Unique Identifier Systems Purpose (Brief): ICANN is seeking community feedback on a draft statement of ICANN?s Role and Remit in Security, Stability & Resiliency of the Internet?s Unique Identifier Systems. This is intended to provide a clear and enduring explanation of ICANN?s role and remit in this area, and also will inform ICANN?s consideration of the Security, Stability & Resiliency of the DNS Review Team?s draft Recommendations #1 and #3. http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-17may12-en.htm ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** Award for excellence: DENIC wins second prize in Database Award 2012 Today, it was granted for the second time, the Database Award of the German computer magazine "COMPUTERWOCHE" and its partner Oracle. Innovative spirit, strategic importance to the company and sophisticated technologies are the criteria to determine the winners. This year, DENIC is one of them. Participating for the first time, the registry immediately won the second place. http://www.denic.de/en/denic-in-dialogue/press-releases/press/3497.html Federal Commissioner for Data Protection says law enforcements requests for new RAA are against German laws The law enforcement recommendations for storing additional information related to domain name registrations that are supposed to make their way into ICANN?s new Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA) might be against German data privacy laws, as Heise.de (German tech publication) reports. http://www.domainnamenews.com/legal-issues/federal-commissioner-for-data-protection-says-law-enforcements-requests-for-new-raa-are-against-german-laws/10779 HKIRC ?A Decade of Pride and Success of Hong Kong? 10th Anniversary Celebration - Unveiling of ?Cyber Time Capsule? Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited (HKIRC) held their ?A Decade of Pride and Success of Hong Kong? 10th Anniversary Celebration at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center today, where the 10th Anniversary ?Cyber Time Capsule? was unveiled. https://www2.hkirc.hk/company_info/pressrelease.jsp?item=452 Google Chrome handles new TLDs badly Sint Maarten?s new .sx ccTLD has been online for at least a couple months now, but Google?s Chrome browser appears to be still a bit wary of it. http://domainincite.com/google-chrome-handles-new-tlds-badly/ uk: AGM Report 2012 and Membership Update We are pleased to report the results of our non-executive director election and the outcomes of our AGM held on 16 May 2012. Also, as we announced in April, a Members' Code has now been introduced. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=9308 ********************** - NEW TLDS ********************** gTLD Batching Update: Digital Archery Services Available At A Price As ICANN struggles to get its application system back online, companies have begun lining up to make a profit off of the peculiarities of the application process itself. Pool.com, a domain name drop catch service provider, has recently announced a "Digital Archery Service" which, it claims, can help gTLD applicants get their applications into the top of the application queue (or into the first "batch" of applications to be processed by ICANN). http://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/x/177924/ Selling A Secure Internet Domain PayPal is among the as-yet unnamed organizations invited to join a new working group that ultimately will build the framework for the proposed .secure top-level Internet domain. http://www.darkreading.com/security-services/167801101/security/application-security/240000617/selling-a-secure-internet-domain.html Brands are Pool.com?s surprise digital archery clients Companies applying to ICANN for ?dot-brand? TLDs are among those signing up for Pool.com?s new digital archery service, according to Rob Hall, CEO of parent Momentous. http://domainincite.com/brands-are-pool-coms-surprise-digital-archery-clients/ ICANN Targets 22 May For TAS Reopening ICANN new gTLDs Apply Now logoICANN are planning to reopen the TLD Application System (TAS) on 22 May the organisation announced. http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/05/18/icann-targets-22-may-for-tas-reopening/ Plan your .joburg, .capetown and .durban domains UniForum SA, trading as the ZA Central Registry (ZACR), is planning to bring four new domains to Africa: .africa, .joburg, .durban and .capetown. http://mybroadband.co.za/news/internet/50481-plan-your-joburg-capetown-and-durban-domains.html ZA Central Registry Applies For New gTLD?s: .Africa, .Capetown, .Durban and .Joburg The ZA Central Registry has applied to administer four new gTLD?s, one for each of South Africa?s three biggest cities and for .Africa. http://www.thedomains.com/2012/05/18/za-central-registry-applies-for-new-gtlds-africa-capetown-durban-and-joburg/ Donuts and Efficiency: Ways to Recover Time and Money Lost to TAS by Richard J Tindal On April 12, ICANN closed the TLD Application System (TAS) to ensure security of applicant data. For more than a month, the system outage has cost applicants and others millions of dollars. Here's how to make up for lost time and money. Donuts supported ICANN's decision to close TAS when it realized there was a data security risk. At a critical moment, ICANN made the right choice... However, now that staff has communicated to affected applicants (including Donuts) and is preparing to re-open the TAS system, efficiency has grown to become a crucial element of the process. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20120519_donuts_and_efficiency_ways_to_recover_time_money_lost_to_tas/ ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** DNS poisoning the 'thin end of a wedge' Manipulating the internet's domain-name system (DNS) to reduce the impact of criminal malware DNSChanger has proved successful. Extending the technique to deal with other matters, however, represents the thin end of a wedge, according to DNS pioneer Dr Paul Vixie. http://www.zdnet.com.au/dns-poisoning-the-thin-end-of-a-wedge-339338101.htm The Pirate Bay and WikiLeaks recover from DDoS attacks The Pirate Bay, the popular and controversial torrent web site, was under a prolonged Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, according to the site's Facebook page. The WikiLeaks web site has reportedly suffered a similar attack, but it is not clear if there is any connection between the two incidents. http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/The-Pirate-Bay-and-WikiLeaks-recover-from-DDoS-attacks-1578502.html 'Battleground of the future' the focus of new agreement with US Australia is set to deepen its co-operation with the US on cyber security, described by government officials and security experts as the "battlefield of the future". http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/battleground-of-the-future-the-focus-of-new-agreement-with-us/story-e6frgakx-1226359358640 Hong Kong CERT wants bigger team to tackle cyber threats Hong Kong?s Computer Emergency Response Team (HKCERT) has called for more resources to help it step up attempts to proactively monitor and deal with attacks on organisations in the special administrative region (SAR) of China. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/17/hkcert_funding_call_china/ US firms over-reliant on firewalls to defend against DDoS attacks [TechWorld] More than half of US businesses still rely on conventional firewalls or intrusion prevention systems to shield themselves from the scourge of DDoS attacks, a survey by services firm Neustar has found. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/051712-us-firms-over-reliant-on-firewalls-259405.html Cyber warfare in sights at government training conference Government planning scenarios to prevent cyber-terrorist attacks, legal elements of cyber warfare and future cyber challenges will be among the key topics of discussion at a training conference titled the Cyber Warfare & Security Summit on June 25-27 in Arlington, Virginia. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/051812-cyber-warfare-in-sights-at-259455.html ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Congratulations, You?ve just Recovered 763 Domains. Now What? Google Inc. recently filed a UDRP Complaint with the National Arbitration Forum over 763 domain names that all contained its trademark, ?Google? followed by another word or phrase, including generic terms, celebrity names, geographic terms, and other brand names. The Respondent, Chris Gillespie, argued that the word ?google? has become a generic verb meaning ?to search the Internet,? and as such, the dispute over these domain names was outside the scope of the UDRP. http://www.domainnamestrategy.com/2012/05/17/congratulations-you-ve-just-recovered-763-domains-now-what Internet and Dispute Resolution - Chapter 1 (Intro) and 2 (Norms) by Arno R. Lodder & John Zeleznikow Abstract: Alternative dispute resolution has now supplanted litigation as the principal method of dispute resolution. This overview of dispute resolution addresses practical developments in areas such as family law, plea bargaining, industrial relations and torts. The authors elaborate on the necessary legal safeguards that should be taken into account when developing technology-enhanced dispute resolution and explore a wide range of potential applications for new information technologies in dispute resolution. http://ssrn.com/abstract=2059976 >From the lawyer UDRP mistakes file... Publisher Hidden Values has lost a dispute over the domain name TriangleKidsDirectory.com. http://domainnamewire.com/2012/05/18/from-the-lawyer-udrp-mistakes-file/ Apple wins dispute over iPhone 5 domain name Apple appears to have emerged victorious from a dispute regarding the domain name iPhone5.com, a possible name for its new iPhone that could be named iPhone 5. http://www.techradar.com/news/computing/apple/apple-wins-dispute-over-iphone5-domain-name-1080876 Has Apple taken control of iPhone5.com? Apple had complained to the World Intellectual Property Organization about the domain, which was unaffiliated with the iPhone maker. And now it seems to have found closure. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57436233-37/has-apple-taken-control-of-iphone5.com/ Compare The Market can't touch web filth extension - simples Price comparison biz Compare The Market has lost its bid to seize the domain name comparethemarket.xxx. BGL Group, which owns the Compare The Market brand, has the unpleasant distinction of being the first company to lose a cybersquatting case in the new adults-only .xxx extension. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/17/compare_the_market/ ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** ARIN IPv4 Countdown Plan On 23 April 2012 during ARIN XXIX in Vancouver, Leslie Nobile, Director of Registration Services gave a presentation on ARIN's plan to manage the distribution of its remaining IPv4 address pool. https://www.arin.net/announcements/2012/20120514.html CZ.NIC Association, EURid, and NIX.CZ Support World IPv6 Day with Professional Conference This meeting will take place at the National Technical Library in Dejvice, Prague with the active participation of representatives of operators, the government, academia, or for example domain registrars. http://www.nic.cz/page/1054/cz.nic-association,-eurid,-and-nix.cz-support-world-ipv6-day-with-professional-conference/ sa: IPv6 Task Force 11'th Meeting The IPv6 task force 11'th meeting concluded in Wednesday, the 16th of May 2012, at Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. http://nic.sa/view/news_141 ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Afrinic Public Policy Meeting Opens The public policy meeting on the African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC) was officially opened Thursday by the vice president and minister of Women's Affairs, Her Excellency Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy, at the Kairaba Beach Hotel in Kololi. http://observer.gm/africa/gambia/article/afrinic-public-policy-meeting-opens http://allafrica.com/stories/201205180987.html Meet the Man Who Invented the Instructions for the Internet Steve Crocker was there when the internet was born. The date was Oct. 29, 1969, and the place was the University of California, Los Angeles. Crocker was among a small group of UCLA researchers who sent the first message between the first two nodes of the ARPAnet, the U.S. Department of Defense?funded network that eventually morphed into the modern internet. http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/05/steve-crocker/ Web Host Go Daddy Further Expands into UK with England Cricket Sponsorship Web hosting provider Go Daddy announced on Thursday it has become an official partner of England?s Test match grounds for the 2012 cricket season, following its sponsorship of the UK coverage of IPL cricket on ITV4. http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/web-host-go-daddy-further-expands-into-uk-with-england-cricket-sponsorship 14 funniest domain registrar names >From dessert names to rather unflattering names, here are 14 odd domain registrar names. http://domainnamewire.com/2012/05/17/14-funniest-domain-registrar-names/ ********************** - WEBHOSTING ********************** Web Host Domain.com Targets Startups with ?Next Great Idea? at TechCrunch Disrupt Event Domain registrar and web hosting provider Domain.com announced on Friday that its ?Next Great Idea? challenge will take place at the TechCrunch Disrupt event in New York City this weekend. http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/web-host-domain-com-targets-startups-with-next-great-idea-at-techcrunch-disrupt-event Five Best Web Hosting Companies When you're ready to take your data into your own hands and run your own blog, own your own photos, and host your own apps, it's time to find a good web host that can put it all on the web for you, give you the tools, bandwidth, and storage you need, and support you when you need help. http://lifehacker.com/5911651/five-best-web-hosting-companies ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** iPhone App Puts Historical Domain Sales Information at Your Fingertips On the day that I began my trip to Spain to cover last month's Domaining Europe 2012 conference in Valencia, Simon Johnson sent me an email to let me know about a new iPhone app that Kikabink International Pty Ltd. (a Melbourne, Australia based company that Johnson co-founded) had just released. http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2012/dailyposts/20120518.htm ********************** REPORTS & RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** Third-Party Tracking Cookies and Data Privacy by Ian D. Mitchell [Northern Kentucky University - Salmon P. Chase College of Law] Abstract: Public discourse these days is replete with concerns about data security and information privacy. One of the major themes of these conversations is the concept of waiver and what rights to privacy are actually waived when engaging with parties over the internet. A significant mode of this theme involves the use of ?cookies? which are surreptitiously installed on users? computer hard drives during common internet transactions. http://ssrn.com/abstract=2058326 Internet and Dispute Resolution - Chapter 1 (Intro) and 2 (Norms) by Arno R. Lodder & John Zeleznikow Abstract: Alternative dispute resolution has now supplanted litigation as the principal method of dispute resolution. This overview of dispute resolution addresses practical developments in areas such as family law, plea bargaining, industrial relations and torts. The authors elaborate on the necessary legal safeguards that should be taken into account when developing technology-enhanced dispute resolution and explore a wide range of potential applications for new information technologies in dispute resolution. http://ssrn.com/abstract=2059976 Net Neutrality with Competing Internet Platforms by Marc Bourreau, Frago Kouranti & Tommaso M. Valletti Abstract: We propose a two-sided model with two competing Internet platforms, and a continuum of heterogeneous Content Providers (CPs). We study the effect of a net neutrality regulation on capacity investments in the market for Internet access, and innovation in the market for content. http://ssrn.com/abstract=2061571 Chutzpah by Derek E. Bambauer [Brooklyn Law School] Abstract: President Barack Obama campaigned on a platform of governmental transparency. This Essay examines how his administration has implemented this commitment in two policy areas: Internet communication, and intellectual property. It finds a sharp contrast between rhetoric and reality. http://ssrn.com/abstract=2061077 ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Europe?s great exception: Why local firms dominate the Russian internet On the roof, where staff can smoke as well as work, is a big chess set. The names of meeting rooms are in the Cyrillic alphabet. Two sides of the courtyard are a building site of five hollow storeys. You could say that the headquarters of Yandex, Russia?s biggest online-search company, symbolises the country?s whole internet economy: a bit smaller than expected, but growing fast, and unmistakably Russian. http://www.economist.com/node/21555560 Selling clothes online in Russia: Two Germans have a mission: to clothe the Russian middle classes online as well as offline, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Vente-Priv?e, a firm founded on the strange notion that French women might like fashionable clothes at deep discounts, has been paid this compliment more than most. Companies cut from similar cloth have appeared in one country after another. In 2008 two German men, Damian Doberstein and Oskar Hartmann, spotted that Russian women were missing out. ?No one was telling Russian women, ?You could look good for 70% less?,? Mr Hartmann says. http://www.economist.com/node/21555563 Turkey's Next Challenge: Stamping Out "Internet Illiteracy" [Radikal] Even as Internet use expands in Turkey, a large percentage of the population remains "Internet illiterate." A recent study by the Alternative Information Technology Association (AITA) found that in low-access areas, parents are not only uninformed about digital technology, but sometimes actively resist its spread. In some instances they make a point of preventing their children from using the Internet entirely, the study found. http://worldcrunch.com/turkeys-next-challenge-stamping-out-internet-illiteracy/5157 ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Does Facebook Turn People Into Narcissists? Recently I tried to persuade a friend, a professional woman in her 40s, to create a Facebook account. Like many people, I?m a regular user, usually to post photos and updates of my daughter?s sports and academic accomplishments ? and to keep track of friends and family. But my friend believed Facebook would drain her time. She said that if she couldn?t maintain friendships in the real world, she wasn?t interested in keeping up with the small details of people?s lives. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/17/does-facebook-turn-people-into-narcissists/ Google+: still not as interesting as Pinterest, new study finds Away from all the hubbub over that other social network, how is Google+ - described by Larry Page and others as the new "social spine" of the company - doing? http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2012/may/18/google-plus-study-engagement Facebook is going to need all the friends it can get ... Social networking is really just a means to an advertising end. It is achieved by providing an addictive service for millions of people who spend unconscionable amounts of time freely giving away the thing that advertisers really crave, namely detailed information about their lives and interests. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/may/20/john-naughton-facebook-hype-falls-flat ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Meet the Man Who Invented the Instructions for the Internet Steve Crocker was there when the internet was born. The date was Oct. 29, 1969, and the place was the University of California, Los Angeles. Crocker was among a small group of UCLA researchers who sent the first message between the first two nodes of the ARPAnet, the U.S. Department of Defense?funded network that eventually morphed into the modern internet. http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/05/steve-crocker/ A practical Internet of Things In the Internet of Things, physical objects will gather data and pass it into information networks and will consume data from those same networks. That mass of new information and its automated creation and consumption will change everything. Andrew Back looks at the practical aspects of this change and shows how you can build a point of the future with an Arduino-compatible Nanode and the Cosm web service. http://www.h-online.com/open/features/A-practical-Internet-of-Things-1571050.html WiFi?s future: faster, smarter, and fewer cables WiFi has easily been one of the most useful technologies of the past decade?so many of our daily tasks and the devices we use rely on it. But it?s on the verge of getting a whole lot better. http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/05/wifis-future-faster-smarter-and-fewer-cables/ ********************************* CHILD PROTECTION & ONLINE SAFETY ********************************* Net porn exposure linked to risky sex Studies are showing an increasing link between internet porn and risky sexual behaviour in young teens, researchers say. http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/net-porn-exposure-linked-to-risky-sex-20120520-1yz9w.html nz: Victims of the anti-social network People constantly get into trouble on social media sites and if they're not getting into trouble they just might be becoming the next victim of nasty postings on the likes of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/connect/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501833&objectid=10806897 Aussie principal threatens to expel underage Facebookers After a British school principal threatened to report parents of underage Facebookers to child protection services, an Australian principal reportedly makes an even more direct threat: expulsion. But can she do it? http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-57436604-71/aussie-principal-threatens-to-expel-underage-facebookers/ ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** EFF to Testify at Hearings on Expanding DMCA Exemptions for Jailbreaking and Video Remixing Experts from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) will testify at public hearings held by the U.S. Copyright Office this month, urging officials to renew and expand the critical exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) that the Copyright Office granted in 2009 in response to EFF's requests to protect the rights of American consumers who modify electronic gadgets and make remix videos. https://www.eff.org/press/releases/eff-testify-hearings-expanding-dmca-exemptions-jailbreaking-and-video-remixing ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Improve efficiency ? switch off your smartphone ... Perlow persuaded the team to try an experiment ? collectively to agree to disconnect from their smartphones and computers for a few predetermined hours every week. She called it Predictable Time Off (PTO). The results surprised both her and them. The consultants reported that they felt more motivated, had increased job satisfaction and were more satisfied with their work-life balance. They also reported that they had become more efficient, effective and collaborative as a team. The PTO experiment was then replicated across most of the teams working in the BCG's north-eastern US offices ? with results that confirmed the findings of the pilot study. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/may/20/smartphone-email-switch-off-productivity Apple's iPad '4G' branding changes across Europe The whole "iPad Wi-Fi + 4G isn't a real thing" debacle is coming to a close across Europe. Apple has finished changing the wording of the kind of service the iPad offers across all European online stores, according to The Next Web. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57436805-37/apples-ipad-4g-branding-changes-across-europe/ Apple Dispute Halts Sales of HTC One X, EVO 4G LTE If you?re interested in buying HTC?s new flagship Android phone the One X or the brand new EVO 4G LTE for Sprint, you may be waiting a while. http://mashable.com/2012/05/17/htc-one-x-evo-4g-delay/ ITC Awards Microsoft an Import Ban on Motorola Phones, Tablets The U.S. International Trade Commission awarded Microsoft what could be a significant patent victory on Friday by deciding that all of Motorola Mobility?s Android phones and tablets should face an American import ban. http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/05/itc-motorola-android-ban-microsof/ Microsoft wins US import ban on Motorola?s Android devices The US International Trade Commission today ordered an import ban on Motorola Mobility Android products, agreeing with Microsoft that the devices infringe a Microsoft patent on ?generating meeting requests? from a mobile device. http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/05/microsoft-wins-us-import-ban-on-motorolas-android-devices/ Microsoft Wins Ruling Forcing Change in Motorola Phones Microsoft Corp. won a federal trade ruling that will force Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. to alter software on some of its Android-based mobile phones to keep bringing them into the U.S. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-18/microsoft-wins-ruling-forcing-change-in-motorola-phones.html Google Gets Approval From China for Motorola Deal [AP] Authorities in China have approved Google Inc.'s bid to buy phone maker Motorola Mobility, clearing the way for the $12.5 billion deal to close early next week. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2012/05/19/business/ap-google-motorola-mobility.html US imports of HTC smartphones slowly resume After a patent dispute with Apple held up imports of some of its smartphones, HTC says its phones are beginning to trickle through U.S. Customs. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57437944-37/imports-of-htc-smartphones-slowly-resume/ S'pore m-commerce to grow 10-fold to $2.4B by 2015 Mobile commerce grew over six times to hit S$328 million (US$259 million) last year in country; merchants should prioritize resources on building mobile optimized sites--ahead of apps--to best position for growth, PayPal execs note. http://www.zdnetasia.com/spore-m-commerce-to-grow-10-fold-to-2-4b-by-2015-62304836.htm Swedish Telcom Giant Teliasonera Caught Helping Authoritarian Regimes Spy on Their Citizens According to a recent investigation by the Swedish news show Uppdrag Granskning, Sweden?s telecommunications giant Teliasonera is the latest Western company revealed to be colluding with authoritarian regimes by selling them high-tech surveillance gear to spy on its citizens. Teliasonera has allegedly enabled the governments of Belarus, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Georgia and Kazakhstan to spy on journalists, union leaders, and members of the political opposition. One Teliasonera whistle-blower told the reporters, ?The Arab Spring prompted the regimes to tighten their surveillance. ... There?s no limit to how much wiretapping is done, none at all.? https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/05/swedish-telcom-giant-teliasonera-caught-helping-authoritarian-regimes-spy-its ********************** DIGITAL DIVIDE ********************** ng: WAFICT: Bridging Digital Divide through Broadband Information and Communications (ICT) industry players, last week gathered in Lagos for the 2012 West Africa Information and Communications Technology (WAFICT) Congress to discuss policy objectives and strategies in bridging digital divide in West African countries, using broadband. Emma Okonji reports on the planned strategy to deepen broadband penetration. http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/wafict-bridging-digital-divide-through-broadband/116019/ http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/wafict-bridging-digital-divide-through-broadband/116020/ http://allafrica.com/stories/201205170746.html WSIS Forum 2012 launches 10-year review to measure goals set at UN World Summit on the Information Society Stakeholders from government, civil society and the private sector are meeting in Geneva this week to agree on an effective and meaningful review process (WSIS+10) for measuring progress towards targets set in 2005 in Tunis at the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), and to forge a common vision for new actions beyond 2015. http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2012/25.aspx ********************** ONLINE CRIME & LEGAL ********************** uk: Met Police to extract suspects' mobile phone data The Metropolitan Police has implemented a system to extract mobile phone data from suspects held in custody. http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-18102793 Iran 'to sue Google' for not labelling Gulf on world map Google is facing legal action over its decision to not label the body of water separating Iran and neighbouring Arab Gulf states on its online map service. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18108246 ********************** SECURITY ********************** DNS poisoning the 'thin end of a wedge' Manipulating the internet's domain-name system (DNS) to reduce the impact of criminal malware DNSChanger has proved successful. Extending the technique to deal with other matters, however, represents the thin end of a wedge, according to DNS pioneer Dr Paul Vixie. http://www.zdnet.com.au/dns-poisoning-the-thin-end-of-a-wedge-339338101.htm The Pirate Bay and WikiLeaks recover from DDoS attacks The Pirate Bay, the popular and controversial torrent web site, was under a prolonged Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, according to the site's Facebook page. The WikiLeaks web site has reportedly suffered a similar attack, but it is not clear if there is any connection between the two incidents. http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/The-Pirate-Bay-and-WikiLeaks-recover-from-DDoS-attacks-1578502.html 'Battleground of the future' the focus of new agreement with US Australia is set to deepen its co-operation with the US on cyber security, described by government officials and security experts as the "battlefield of the future". http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/battleground-of-the-future-the-focus-of-new-agreement-with-us/story-e6frgakx-1226359358640 Hong Kong CERT wants bigger team to tackle cyber threats Hong Kong?s Computer Emergency Response Team (HKCERT) has called for more resources to help it step up attempts to proactively monitor and deal with attacks on organisations in the special administrative region (SAR) of China. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/17/hkcert_funding_call_china/ US firms over-reliant on firewalls to defend against DDoS attacks [TechWorld] More than half of US businesses still rely on conventional firewalls or intrusion prevention systems to shield themselves from the scourge of DDoS attacks, a survey by services firm Neustar has found. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/051712-us-firms-over-reliant-on-firewalls-259405.html Cyber warfare in sights at government training conference Government planning scenarios to prevent cyber-terrorist attacks, legal elements of cyber warfare and future cyber challenges will be among the key topics of discussion at a training conference titled the Cyber Warfare & Security Summit on June 25-27 in Arlington, Virginia. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/051812-cyber-warfare-in-sights-at-259455.html ********************** PRIVACY ********************** uk: Privacy watchdog to chase big companies over cookie law The UK's privacy watchdog is set to chase 50 large businesses over their use of cookies, as a deadline looms for them to comply with a law meant to let people know when their web use is being tracked. http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/security-threats/2012/05/18/privacy-watchdog-to-chase-big-companies-over-cookie-law-40155252/ uk: ICO works with US, Europe on cookie privacy The Information Commissioner's Office is working with privacy regulation colleagues in the US and Europe to harmonise approaches to web tracking using cookies. http://www.zdnet.co.uk/blogs/security-bulletin-10000166/ico-works-with-us-europe-on-cookie-privacy-10026216/ French privacy watchdog to quiz Google on policy change France's data protection watchdog has set up a meeting with Google to closely examine its controversial privacy policy. http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-18102789 Twitter to use Do Not Track Twitter says it will honour requests from users who do not want their online behaviour tracked, the company said on Thursday, in contrast with web companies such Google and Facebook whose business models rely heavily on collecting user data. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/may/18/twitter-do-not-track With New Privacy Policy, Twitter Commits to Respecting Do Not Track Under a new policy announced today, Twitter will be suggesting accounts for Twitter users to follow based on data collected from an individual?s browsing habits on websites that have embedded Twitter buttons. While this is sure to garner scrutiny from the press and public, Twitter is also taking a pioneering step toward respecting users? privacy choices: it has committed to respecting Do Not Track -- a simple browser setting users can turn on to tell website they don?t want to be tracked. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/05/new-privacy-policy-twitter-commits-respecting-do-not-track ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Pakistan restores Twitter after block Pakistani authorities have restored access to the social media website Twitter, hours after blocking it for messages deemed "offensive to Islam". http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18138278 Pakistan blocks, then restores, Twitter access Pakistan?s telecommunications regulators shut down Twitter for about eight hours Sunday because the social networking site would not remove content the government found objectionable to Muslims, but the nation?s prime minister stepped in to reverse the ban, officials said. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/pakistan-blocks-then-restores-twitter-access/2012/05/20/gIQAPqBPdU_story.html Pakistan blocks Twitter amid blasphemy fears Pakistan's rambunctious Twitter users have been briefly silenced after the government closed the site amid fears blasphemous pictures might be circulated. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/20/pakistan-blocks-twitter-blasphemy-fears Pakistan blocks Twitter for material 'offensive to Islam' [AP] Pakistan blocked the social networking website Twitter on Sunday because it refused to remove material considered offensive to Islam, said one of the country's top telecommunications officials. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/pakistan-blocks-twitter-for-material-offensive-to-islam-7769408.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/pakistan-blocks-twitter-because-of-material-considered-offensive-to-islam/2012/05/20/gIQAFWdlcU_story.html Pakistan Blocks Twitter Over Cartoon Contest The Pakistani government blocked access to the social networking service Twitter on Sunday, after publicly holding Twitter responsible for promoting a blasphemous cartoon contest taking place on Facebook, officials said. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/21/world/asia/pakistan-blocks-twitter-over-cartoon-contest.html Utah Federal Court Protects Free Speech By Restricting Internet Law People cannot be prosecuted for posting content constitutionally protected for adults on generally accessible websites, and are not required by law to label such content that they do post, U.S. District Judge Dee Benson ruled yesterday. Judge Benson's order was issued in a lawsuit challenging a Utah law that threatened the free speech rights of online content providers and Internet users. Plaintiffs included a Utah artist; trade associations representing booksellers, publishers, graphic and comic books, and librarians; and the ACLU of Utah. https://www.cdt.org/pr_statement/utah-federal-court-protects-free-speech-restricting-internet-law ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** Internet Graybeard vs. Governments These are anxious days for Vint Cerf. Best known as one of the fathers of the Internet, this dapper, bright-eyed sexagenarian computer scientist worries that governments are trying to lay their controlling hands on his progeny, which until now grew and flourished unhampered by regulation. http://blogs.wsj.com/brussels/2012/05/18/internet-graybeard-fights-governments/ au: Make Google pay more tax: Turnbull Opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull says a Coalition government would seek to make global technology companies such as Google and Facebook pay more tax, arguing they are eroding Australia?s tax base. http://www.afr.com/p/technology/make_google_pay_more_tax_turnbull_EwlvkZxOEGtqNEpV9JlknM U.S. Law Professors Cast Further Doubt on ACTA's Constitutionality - State Department Confirms No ACTA Pre-Review Fifty leading U.S. legal scholars cast fresh doubt on the constitutionality of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement in an open letter to the Senate Finance Committee today. (Press Release). At issue is whether the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) had authority to enter into the controversial IP enforcement agreement on behalf of the United States when the Deputy U.S. Trade Ambassador signed ACTA in October 2011. The law professors say no, and call on the Senators to ?exercise your constitutional responsibility to ensure that the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is submitted to the Senate for approval as an Article II treaty, or to the Congress as an ex-post Congressional-Executive Agreement.? https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/05/acta-unconstitutional-without-congressional-approval Hey ITU Member States: No More Secrecy, Release the Treaty Proposals The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) will hold the World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT-12) in December in Dubai, an all-important treaty-writing event where ITU Member States will discuss the proposed revisions to the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITR). https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/05/hey-itu-member-states-no-more-secrecy-release-wcit-documents-0 uk: Communications green paper delayed while Jeremy Hunt deals with Leveson The planned publication of a communications green paper has been put on hold until after Jeremy Hunt, the culture secretary, has given evidence to the Leveson inquiry and dealt with accusations that he favoured News Corporation in its negotiations to buy all of BSkyB. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/may/17/communications-green-paper-delayed Ofcom set to lay out anti-piracy rules for ISPs After repeated delays, Ofcom's revised code of practice should arrive in June to tell ISPs what their role is in dealing with suspected unlawful file-sharers. Image credit: Jon Yeomans http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/regulation/2012/05/16/ofcom-set-to-lay-out-anti-piracy-rules-for-isps-40155237/ China Flexes Its Regulatory Muscle, Catching Google in Its Grip In today?s globalized world, you can?t avoid China, or so goes the clich?. Google is discovering that it?s actually true. http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2012/05/15/china-flexes-its-regulatory-muscle-catching-google-in-its-grip/ nz: Regulator tools too blunt for web-TV convergence - Quickflix The Commerce Commission's tools are too blunt to deal with the growing convergence between telecommunications companies and broadcasters, and an independent regulator would be a better option for the sector, says ASX-listed Quickflix. http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/regulator-tools-too-blunt-web-tv-convergence-quickflix-wb-119014 au: ACCC to investigate internet clothing deals Australia's competition watchdog will launch an investigation into clothing importers who are reaching agreements with international suppliers to stop selling their products to Australians on overseas websites or instructing them to lift their web prices. http://www.smh.com.au/national/accc-to-investigate-internet-clothing-deals-20120517-1ytnx.html au: ACCC to probe online price deals The competition regulator has announced it will investigate clothing importers who are making deals with international online stores to inflate prices for Australian shoppers. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-18/accc-to-probe-online-retail-deals/4019184 us: FTC Announces Final Agenda and Panelists for Workshop about Advertising and Privacy Disclosures in Online and Mobile Media [news release] The Federal Trade Commission will host a one-day public workshop on Wednesday, May 30, 2012 to consider the need for new guidance concerning advertising and privacy disclosures in today?s online and mobile environments. The workshop will address disclosure challenges that have emerged since the FTC first issued its online advertising disclosure guidance, ?Dot Com Disclosures,? 12 years ago, including making clear and conspicuous disclosures in social media and mobile marketing. The workshop also will address mobile privacy disclosures and how they can be short, effective, and accessible to consumers on small screens. http://ftc.gov/opa/2012/05/dotcomdiscl_ma.shtm Internet Society Launches Regional Office in Singapore The Internet Society today announced the formal opening of its regional office in Singapore, which will be headed by Rajnesh Singh, Regional Director for the Internet Society?s Asia-Pacific Bureau. A global, mission-based organisation, the Internet Society is the leading advocate for the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet for everyone. http://www.internetsociety.org/news/internet-society-launches-regional-office-singapore ********************** MISCELLANEOUS ********************** UN presents awards for promoting information technology use to empower women [news release] A South American leader, the head of a Chinese telecommunications company and a United States actress today received a United Nations award recognizing their efforts to the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) to empower women and girls. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=42016 Building the Next Facebook a Tough Task in Europe The coffee machine spits out doses of espresso. Young men in shorts and loafers line up on a leatherette sofa, balancing Macs or iPads on their knees, discussing bands or business plans. Some speak French, others English. The lighting is subtle, the ideas sound bright. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/18/technology/18iht-net18.html Making Jimmy Wales right About a month ago I was at the Global INET conference in Geneva. One of the keynote speakers was Jimmy Wales, best known for building Wikipedia. The bit from his keynote that got the most Twitter and mainstream media coverage was towards the end- the prediction that ?Hollywood will be mostly dead and no one will care.? http://internetnz.net.nz/news/blog/2012/Making-Jimmy-Wales-right InternetNZ invites ICT organisations to meet InternetNZ is initiating a meeting of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the ICT industry at its NetHui on July 11 at SkyCity in Auckland. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/internetnz-invites-ict-organisations-to-meet ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** Broadband Commission releases first country case studies - Snapshot of state of broadband in four emerging economies spanning the Americas, Asia and Europe The Broadband Commission for Digital Development, in partnership with ITU, has today released its first country case studies looking in-depth at the state of broadband development in four economies and examining links between broadband and the UN Millennium Development Goals. http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2012/28.aspx uk: Ofcom calls on broadband providers to improve speeds information Mystery shopping to check compliance with Ofcom?s Voluntary Code of Practice on Broadband Speeds has revealed that information provided to consumers by ISPs has improved but has also identified areas where further work is needed. http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2012/05/15/ofcom-calls-on-broadband-providers-to-improve-speeds-information/ nz: Connection cost, video key for UFB uptake - Commerce Commission New Zealand consumers wanting to tap into the ultrafast broadband network will be mainly concerned with the cost of connection and availability of video content, according to the antitrust regulator. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10807300 ********************************** ONLINE CHILD ABUSE ARRESTS/COURT CASES ********************************** FBI comes looking for child porn, so man stabs his computer When FBI agents burst into his bedroom on May 8, they found Kamil Mezalka standing in his underwear, clutching a two-handed samurai sword that he had just plunged into the side of his desktop computer. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/05/fbi-comes-looking-for-child-porn-so-man-stabs-his-computer/ --------- David Goldstein email: david at goldsteinreport.com web: http://davidgoldstein.tel/ http://goldsteinreport.com/ phone: +61 418 228 605 - mobile; +61 2 9665 5773 - office/home "Every time you use fossil fuels, you're adding to the problem. Every time you forgo fossil fuels, you're being part of the solution" - Dr Tim FlanneryReceived on Mon May 21 2012 - 00:06:52 UTC
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