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 *************************************************** Rod Beckstrom to head domain-name agency http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/05/BUEE18HAT6.DTL What are TLDs Good For? by John Levine http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090703_what_are_tlds_good_for/ Lag will set our broadband back: Paul Twomey http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/05/2617119.htm Twomey mentioned as possible broadband network head [interview - transcript and video] http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/content/2009/s2617097.htm Commerce Department to Work with ICANN and VeriSign to Enhance the Security and Stability of the Internet?s Domain Name and Addressing System [news release] http://www.ntia.doc.gov/press/2009/OIA_DNSSEC_090603.html In case you were wondering - .nz is our home http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/in-case-you-were-wondering-nz-our-home-104694 InternetNZ launches .nz awareness campaign http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=8300 ********************** RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** Of Process and Product: Kremen v. Cohen and the Consequences of Recognizing Property Rights in Domain Names by Noah M. Schottenstein [VIRGINIA JOURNAL OF LAW & TECHNOLOGY] Abstract: In Kremen v. Cohen the Ninth Circuit recognized a property right in domain names, defining property as any form of intangible benefit that is distinct and excludable. This reasoning is flawed for three reasons: (1) it is grounded in a faulty understanding of property law; (2) it is over-inclusive, capturing a variety of things and benefits that have been explicitly removed from the realm of property; (3) and it is under-inclusive, as it fails to consider a number of interests necessary for evaluating if something should be deemed property. This doctrine, broadly applied, would result in a massive expansion of legal interests classified as property. http://www.vjolt.net/vol14/issue1/v14i1_a1%20-%20Schottenstein.pdf Internet Governance: Why Plato is Still Relevant by Konstantinos Komaitis In December 2008, the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) has successfully completed its third installment on issues pertaining to Internet governance. The IGF promotes a multistakeholder environment, where protagonists engage in an extensive debate to discuss how the Internet should look in the future; with these discussions in place issues of cultural diversity and cultural relativism become more relevant than ever before. http://ijclp.net/files/ijclp_web-doc_7-13-2009.pdf Accountability in Internet Governance by Rolf H. Weber Internet governance and Internet-related decision-making processes are gaining importance due to the increased use of new technological possibilities. Since a fundamental change of the present self-regulatory regime with ICANN as main organizational body is not likely to be realized in the near future, means of improvement of the present mechanisms need to be tackled. A key issue is accountability, apart from transparency. Accountability is the assumption of responsibility for actions, decisions, and policies within the scope of the designated role. http://ijclp.net/files/ijclp_web-doc_8-13-2009.pdf ICANN, Cultural Imperialism, and Democratization of Internet Governance by Brian Gailey, Bryant University2 Dissertation Abstract: Internet Governance has largely been managed by the United States government since its burgeoning in the 1990?s. The government has since entrusted and charged internet technical tasks and functions to ICANN. The organization along with the United States government has been the subject of heavy criticism for its inadequate international representation. Many interpret US hegemony over the internet as culturally imperialistic. The following paper explores the some of the advantages and disadvantages to multilateral Internet governance. Firstly, it will evaluate ICANN?s ability to both democratize their internal decision-making and internationalize the web by better serving foreign Internet end-users. Next, the paper examines the attitudes of Americans towards the US relinquishing control to international organizations such as the United Nations. The conclusions address both effectiveness of ICANN as well as what may be hindering the US from surrendering control to foreign governments based on nonpolitical reasons. http://digitalcommons.bryant.edu/honors_communication/5/ The National ccTLD Disputes: Between State Actors and Non-State Actors by Y.J. Park Since 1985, non-state actors under Jon Postel?s leadership have experimented creating virtual national spaces on the Internet through so-called ?country code top level domain names?. There are 251 ccTLDs on the Internet. In 1998, ICANN - the newly established coordination body for Internet addresses including ccTLDs - stressed out the principle of private sector leadership instead of public sector administration of Internet identifiers. ICANN?s coordination of ccTLDs required state actors to comply with the principle of private sector leadership in a top-down manner. As of 2009, the question of how to govern ccTLDs is still disputed at the national level between state actors and non-state actors, with state actors starting to reassert their power over ccTLDs, ignoring the principle of private sector leadership recommended by ICANN. This study presents five different national ccTLDs dispute cases, to investigate why national ccTLDs disputes have increased after the establishment of ICANN and how are state actors trying to regain control over ccTLDs. http://ijclp.net/files/ijclp_web-doc_10-13-2009.pdf ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Rod Beckstrom to head domain-name agency Over the past 40 years, the Internet has evolved from a research project into a global communications grid, but it is still run by quirky processes created way back when it was a network of geeks. Last week, Palo Alto businessman Rod Beckstrom assumed a critical but little-known role in the governance of cyberspace when he took a roughly $1 million-a-year job as president of ICANN. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/05/BUEE18HAT6.DTL Internet overseer gets more power to go after shady domain registrars ICANN, the organization that oversees the most popular web domain names, has been given more tools to go after unscrupulous domain registrars, offering online retailers hope of fewer disputes over web addresses and faster action against cybersquatters that register domains using variants of well-known brand names. http://www.internetretailer.com/dailyNews.asp?id=31031 Presenting a Way Forward: Step-by-Step and ICANN's New gTLD Process by Eric Brunner-Williams I read this to the ICANN Board Thursday morning, in Sydney, after more prep work than I care to recall. If you don't know that the DAGv3 is delayed, or what the IRT is, this is a good time to bush up on current ICANN state. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090702_presenting_way_forward_icann_new_gtld_process/ What are TLDs Good For? by John Levine Yesterday I said that the original motivations for adding new TLDs were to break VeriSign's monopoly on .COM, and to use domain names as directories [links: here and blog]. Competitive registrars broke the monopoly more effectively than any new domains, and the new domains that tried to be directories have failed. So what could a new TLD do? http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090703_what_are_tlds_good_for/ Comments to ICANN opposing recommendations made in the Implementation Recommendation Team (IRT) Report ... In a nutshell, if ICANN adopts the recommendations made by the IRT committee (that was stacked with representatives of trademark interests) you will lose the small amount of protection you still have against over-reaching trademark holders through the current UDRP system. It would be replaced by a new URS (Uniform Rapid Suspension) system that would make it far easier for someone who has designs on your assets to put you out of business. http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2009/dailyposts/07-03-09.htm Rod Beckstrom Speech to ICANN Rod Beckstrom's was officially appointed as ICANN's new headman during the ICANN board meeting in Sydney, Australia. http://www.isquattedyour.eu/2009/06/30/rod-beckstrom-speech-to-icann/ Lag will set our broadband back: Paul Twomey An internet expert says while the Government's National Broadband Network will put the country on par with world leaders in internet speeds, Australia may still be years off the pace. For the past decade Australian-born Paul Twomey has effectively been the internet's chief regulator, heading the US-based ICANN. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/05/2617119.htm Twomey mentioned as possible broadband network head [interview - transcript and video] For the past decade, Australian-born Dr Paul Twomey has effectively been the internet's chief regulator, heading the US-based ICANN. This week he joins Inside Business to discuss his mention as a possible chief of the Federal Government's $43 billion National Broadband Network. http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/content/2009/s2617097.htm Commerce Department to Work with ICANN and VeriSign to Enhance the Security and Stability of the Internet?s Domain Name and Addressing System [news release] The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced today that the two agencies are working with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and VeriSign on an initiative to enhance the security and stability of the Internet. The parties are working on an interim approach to deployment, by year?s end, of a security technology -- Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) -- at the authoritative root zone (i.e., the address book) of the Internet. There will be further consultations with the Internet technical community as the testing and implementation plans are developed. http://www.ntia.doc.gov/press/2009/OIA_DNSSEC_090603.html ICANN Asks for Feedback About Its Web Site ICANN?s web site is outdated, and the organization knows it. It has hired an outside firm to perform usability analysis and improve the web site. The organization is serious about the effort; I spent 30 minutes on the phone today with its outside consultants discussing the site. http://domainnamewire.com/2009/07/02/icann-asks-for-feedback-about-its-web-site/ New NTIA Letter Worth Reading by Bret Fausett This new letter from the NTIA to ICANN is worth reading (and worthy of dusting off the ol' ICANN.blog for a quick post). The letter, dated yesterday, essentially says that whatever happens with the JPA and ICANN's existential internal examinations, it won't affect the authority of the United States over the root zone. http://blog.lextext.com/blog/_archives/2008/7/31/3818429.html AusRegistry prepped for domain name gold rush Australia's peak domain registry said it would take a tilt at 24 gTLDs when the global names regulator begins accepting them early next year. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,,25723290-15318,00.html http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25723290-15306,00.html http://www.webhostdir.com/news/showNews.aspx?ID=33488 ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** KeepClicking.Asia Launches to Spark Conversations about the Rapidly Growing Asian Internet Marketplace DotAsia Organisation launches KeepClicking.Asia, a social platform and center point for people to learn about the development of Asia?s Internet marketplace and the ?.Asia? domain. http://dot.asia/pressreleases/DotAsia-PR-KeepClicking-2009-07-03.pdf Stronger abuse protection considered for .COM .COM registry Verisign is planning a more robust authentication service to prevent accidental or abuse modifications to domain names. The company is billing this as part of a domain name security enhancement program, the idea being to help registrars protect their customers' accounts. http://stephanevangelder.com/archives/249-Stronger-abuse-protection-considered-for-.COM.html EC adopts IDN amendments to .eu regulation Today the European Commission adopted the amendments to the EC regulation 874/2004, which lays down the public policy rules concerning the implementation and function of the .eu TLD. The amendments have been introduced to allow the launch of Internationalised Domain Names ? IDNs ? under .eu. http://www.eurid.eu/en/content/ec-adopts-idn-amendments-eu-regulation it: New Registrar Contract We would like to inform you that the new contract - that will govern the relation between the Registry .it and Registrar in the new synchronous system - has been published. http://www.nic.it/en/novita/comunicazioni.html InternetNZ thanks Executive Director InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) advises that Executive Director Keith Davidson will be changing roles soon and thanks him for his sterling work to-date. http://www.internetnz.net.nz/media/media-releases-2009/internetnz-thanks-executive-director InternetNZ supports Internet Awards InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) is pleased to announce its support for the 2009 Australia and New Zealand Internet Best Practice Awards to be held in October, as well as the 2009 Liz Dengate Thrush Internet Awards to be held in August. http://www.internetnz.net.nz/media/media-releases-2009/internetnz-supports-internet-awards InternetNZ launches .nz awareness campaign InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) is pleased to announce the launch of an online awareness campaign highlighting New Zealand?s domain name space. http://www.internetnz.net.nz/media/media-releases-2009/internetnz-launches-.nz-awareness-campaign In case you were wondering - .nz is our home InternetNZ is launching a campaign to raise awareness of the systems the InternetNZ Group has in place to protect the rights of domain name holders, titled ?.nz is our home?. http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/in-case-you-were-wondering-nz-our-home-104694 InternetNZ launches .nz awareness campaign InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) is launching an online awareness campaign highlighting New Zealand?s domain name space. http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=8300 InternetNZ launches .nz domain name campaign [sub req'd] New Zealand internet industry group InternetNZ has begun an online awareness campaign to promote the country's domain name space. http://www.telecompaper.com/news/ Now manage .tel in 11 languages Telnic Limited, the registry operator for the new communications-focused .tel top level domain (TLD), today announced that, as well as being able to view .tel domains in 11 languages on the web, customers can now also manage their .tel domains in those languages from today. http://telnic.com/downloads/tel_management_multilingual.pdf ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Troubles Plague U.S. Cyberspy Defense The flagship system designed to protect the U.S. government's computer networks from cyberspies is being stymied by technical limitations and privacy concerns, according to current and former national-security officials. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124657680388089139.html Cybersecurity Plan to Involve NSA, Telecoms The Obama administration will proceed with a Bush-era plan to use National Security Agency assistance in screening government computer traffic on private-sector networks, with AT&T as the likely test site, according to three current and former government officials. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/02/AR2009070202771.html Faster Actions Needed Against Phishing Domains Criminals often register their own domain name to perform phishing attacks. Unlike the other common phishing site scenarios (including hacked servers, open redirects, and abuse of free webhosting), phishing sites that have their own domain name can be harder to remove, because the website owner and domain owner is the fraudster. Only the hosting and DNS providers and the domain registrar are able to take the site down and also likely to cooperate. http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2009/06/22/faster_actions_needed_against_phishing_domains.html ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Surviving online brand infringement: free web seminar Managing IP is holding a free web seminar in conjunction with Melbourne ITcalled Surviving online brand infringement. The seminar will look at why IP owners need to respond to online-infringement in the Asia-Pacific region and what strategies they can adopt to protect their brands. http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/07/05/surviving-online-brand-infringement-free-web-seminar/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/surviving-online-brand-infringement-free-web-seminar.html Leno wins cybersquatting case Comedian and talk show host Jay Leno has won a cybersquatting case against a Texas man found by a UN agency to have misused the domain name thejaylenoshow.com to direct internet users to a real estate website. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE5614C420090702 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-40760520090702 http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/03/2615903.htm ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** NAT++: Address Sharing in IPv4 by Geoff Huston It looks like we will need to operate a dual stack Internet for many years yet, and the associated implication is that that we are going to have to make the existing IPv4 Internet span a billion or more new deployed services, and do so without any additional address space. So how are we going to make the IPv4 address pool stretch across an ever-larger Internet? Given that the tool chest we have today is the only one available, then it looks like there is only one answer to this question: Network Address Translation, or NATs. http://www.potaroo.net/ispcol/2009-04/sharing.html ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Longest domain name-world record set by Llanfairpwllgw- yngyllgogerychwyrndrobwll-Llantysiliogogogoch.com The 58 letters-name of a small village in Wales, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwll-Llantysiliogogogoch.com, which is also a domain name, sets the world record for the Longest single word domain name. http://worldrecordsacademy.org/internet/longest_domain_name-world_record_set_by_Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwll_90271.htm OECD: ENUM: Converging telephone numbers and addresses in next generation networks This paper provides an overview of developments in numbering, naming and addressing in the context of Next Generation Networks (NGN) with a focus on ENUM (tElephone NUmber Mapping). ENUM comprises a diverse set of standards and non-standardised mechanisms for transforming public telephone numbers into unique domain names. http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/58/63/43230852.pdf ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Domain name sales on the slide The 2nd quarter of 2009 just closed so we ran through our domain sales data from the past three months to see how the latest quarter fared against the previous quarter, as well as year over year against 2Q-2008. You've undoubtedly heard people talking about how many bargains there are on the aftermarket these days as the recession has forced many to sell assets. The lower prices people are paying showed up clearly in our sales data for the just concluded quarter. http://dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2009/dailyposts/07-02-09.htm The Aftermarket Downshifts a Gear This Week with the Mid Level Drawing the Biggest Crowd After a quartet of six-figure sales last week, none broke the 100K mark in the latest lap around the aftermarket track. However over the past seven days we saw a higher than usual number of the solid five-figure sales that define the middle level of the market. In addition to those on our new Top 20 chart, there were ten more in that range that fell just short of making the Big Board. http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2009/06-30-09.htm GoDaddy Files Patent for Method of Selling Equity in Domain Names Go Daddy Group Inc. has filed a patent for a method of selling equity in domain names and protecting the domain names in which the equity is issued. http://domainnamewire.com/2009/07/02/godaddy-files-patent-for-method-of-selling-equity-in-domain-names/ ********************** RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** Privacy in the digital world: Towards international legislation by Nour S. Al-Shakhouri, A. Mahmood Abstract: In today?s digital world, personal privacy has become the number one issue for consumers [9]. Consumers' confidence in personal privacy is directly affecting and limiting the growth of the Internet commercial development. Therefore, it has become a necessity to address the consumers privacy concerns for the interests of the parties involved. Examples of the different ways of penetrating the consumers' privacy are reviewed. The national and international efforts to formulate regulatory and self-regulatory programs to protect the consumers' privacy are demonstrated. The different privacy enhancing technologies are presented. The problems and shortages of the current national and international consumers' privacy protection regulatory effort including privacy enhancing technologies are addressed. The argument of the need for an international efforts and the proposed role of the United Nations (UN) towards enforced international privacy legislation is established. The complexity and the multi dimensional factors that affect the proposed international legislation are discussed. http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2146 Beyond Google and evil: How policy makers, journalists and consumers should talk differently about Google and privacy by Chris Jay Hoofnagle Abstract: Google has come to symbolize the tensions between the benefits of innovative, information-dependent new services and the desire of individuals to control the contexts in which personal information is used. This essay reviews hundreds of newspaper articles where Google speaks about privacy in an effort to characterize the company?s handling of these tensions, to provide context explaining the meaning of the company?s privacy rhetoric, and to advance the privacy dialogue among policy makers, journalists, and consumers. http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2326 Child Pornography, the Internet, and the Challenge of Updating Statutory Terms It is uncontroversial that the formal power to define federal crimes resides exclusively with Congress.1 But federal criminal statutes are often sufficiently broad or indefinite that it is left to the courts to clarify what a particular law will mean in practice.2 Courts make criminal law more definite in many ways, including by determining what facts are sufficient to establish the substantive and mens rea elements laid out in the statutory text. Federal courts have engaged in this type of crime definition in the field of child pornography law. In doing so, they have corrected imprecision in the statute?s text and engaged in an ongoing process of law development that has proved responsive to the changing nature of the underlying behavior that the statute criminalizes. http://www.harvardlawreview.org/issues/122/june09/notes/child_pornograph_the_internet.pdf Online Social Networking: An Australian Perspective by Kirsty Young Abstract: This paper reports the findings of a survey conducted in Australia in 2007/08 that investigated the experiences of online social network users aged between 15-65 years. This research is underpinned by two socio-cultural theories of learning: Situated Cognition and Activity Theory, and has a particular emphasis on online identity creation. Both quantitative and qualitative data are reported on issues of privacy, relationship between online and offline friends, time spent engaged in online social networking activities, use of photographs and status features and positive and negative experiences associated with online social networking. The findings are then interpreted from a socio-cultural perspective of learning. http://www.swinburne.edu.au/hosting/ijets/journal/V7N1/vol7num1-article4.html ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** UK government warns public against swine flu drugs from internet The government's chief medical officer has warned the public against panic-buying swine flu drugs online after it was revealed that the number of new cases of the virus could reach 100,000 per day. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/03/swine-flu-internet-drugs-warning Internet Companies and Ad Agencies Go >From Old Enemies to New Friends Advertising agencies and Internet companies once viewed one another as foes, but are now coming together to harness the potential for online advertising. As with many other segments, online ad spending has slowed from its previous breakneck pace during the deep recession, forcing companies to devise new ways to chase fewer dollars. http://nytimes.com/2009/07/04/business/media/04digital.html How Much Did Michael Jackson Rock the Web? As news of Michael Jackson?s death began to spread last Thursday, the crush of people flocking to the Web for information overloaded several Web sites and services, causing AOL?s instant messaging service, news sites, Twitter and Wikipedia to buckle under the strain. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/michael-jackson-rocked-the-web-but-how-much/ 'The challenge is not to save newspapers, but journalism': Citizen hacks using Twitter and camera phones go where reporters can't More than three weeks after Iran's disputed presidential election, at least 33 journalists are behind bars this weekend. Iran now has more journalists in prison than any country in the world, says the charity Reporters Sans Frontiers. Dozens of foreign journalists were booted out of the country or arrested following the election, and the entire editorial staff of one Iranian newspaper was incarcerated. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/online/the-challenge-is-not-to-save-newspapers-but-journalism-1731813.html ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Russia has World?s Most Engaged Social Networking Audience [news release] comScore ... released a study of the social networking category in Russia, based on data from the comScore World Metrix audience measurement service. The study found Russia to have the world?s most engaged social networking audience, with visitors spending 6.6 hours and viewing 1,307 pages per visitor per month. http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2009/7/Russia_has_World_s_Most_Engaged_Social_Networking_Audience Facebook changes must restore users' trust For Facebook, trust is an essential commodity. It's behind every one of the interactions their 200 million global users has with the website every day, whether it means sharing images that you're happy for your friends to see but not your boss, sending personal messages or updating your status to show people you know what you're up to. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10582830 ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** PCs In-Use Reached nearly 1.2B in 2008 [news release] PCs in-use reached nearly 1.2B units worldwide at year-end 2008. The U.S. retains its PC usage lead with over twice as many PCs as the second place China. The U.S. accounts for over 22% of all PCs in-use compared to 4.6% of worldwide population. http://c-i-a.com/pr0109.htm ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ Legal challenge to British web child abuse inquiry One of Britain's biggest online paedophile inquiries is to be challenged in the court of appeal amid allegations from campaigners that hundreds of men have been wrongly convicted in a mass miscarriage of justice. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/jul/02/web-child-abuse-inquiry-challenge Child porn inquiry faces legal challenge [Press Association] One of Britain's biggest online paedophile investigations will be challenged in the Court of Appeal following allegations that hundreds of men may have been wrongly convicted in a "huge miscarriage of justice", it was reported today. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/child-porn-inquiry-faces-legal-challenge-1729887.html Operation Ore: legal challenge to child abuse inquiry A legal challenge is to be launched against one of Britain's biggest online child abuse inquiries following claims that hundreds of men have been wrongly convicted. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/5727272/Operation-Ore-legal-challenge-to-child-abuse-inquiry.html nz: Cyber-bully's sick campaign A cyber-bullying victim has had his life threatened by gang members monitoring two fake social networking pages. The man's photo and cellphone number were published on separate anti-Mongrel Mob and anti-Black Power profiles on Bebo last week. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10582603 nz: Internet hoax draws threats [NZPA] Police are investigating a nasty cyber-hoax in which the victim has become the unwitting target of gang threats. http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/64172/internet-hoax-draws-threats http://tvnz.co.nz/technology-news/bebo-internet-hoax-draws-threats-2828168 http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/2566414/ http://www.3news.co.nz/News/NationalNews/Internet-hoax-draws-threats/tabid/423/articleID/111285/cat/65/Default.aspx nz: Hope police to crack down on cyber bullies It's hoped police will crack down on cyber bullies who create fake internet pages like the one which saw a man threatened by gang members. http://tvnz.co.nz/technology-news/hope-police-crack-down-cyber-bullies-2828792 MySpace cyber-bulling conviction tentatively dismissed A federal judge in Los Angeles on Thursday tentatively threw out the conviction of a Missouri woman for her role in a cruel Internet hoax on a teenage girl who ended up committing suicide. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-myspace3-2009jul03,0,6795027.story Judge Throws Out Conviction in Cyberbullying Case A federal judge on Thursday threw out the conviction of a Missouri woman on charges of computer fraud for her role in creating a false MySpace account to dupe a teenager, who later committed suicide. http://nytimes.com/2009/07/03/us/03bully.html Judge overturns guilty verdict in MySpace suicide case The woman at the centre of a high-profile online bullying case was exonerated by a US judge today - despite having previously been found guilty of computer crimes that led to the suicide of her teenage neighbour. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/jul/02/lori-drew-myspace-acquitted 'MySpace Mom' acquitted in cyberbullying case The Missouri mom whose Internet hoax prompted a 13-year-old girl to commit suicide was acquitted Thursday, though the judge said the ruling would not be final until he put it in writing ? hinting he could still change his mind. http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0703/p02s05-usju.html Judge to acquit MySpace 'bully' A US judge has indicated that he will overturn the conviction of a Missouri woman accused of "cyber-bullying" a 13-year-old girl who later killed herself. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8131797.stm Judge tentatively acquits woman in MySpace case [AP] A federal judge on Thursday tentatively threw out the convictions of a Missouri mother for her role in a MySpace hoax directed at a 13-year-old neighbor girl who ended up committing suicide. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/07/02/national/a030043D87.DTL Children are not just little consumers by Patricia Edgar We eat too much, we drink too much and we spend more than we earn. Our lifestyle has brought the world economy to the brink of catastrophe, and the solution politicians offer is to go shopping. Eating disorders and body image concerns among boys and girls are common. Tiny, bright, young things, who should be out playing chasey together, are worrying about what they look like and whether they fit in with their peers. There is an increase in child mental health problems including depression. These trends are well documented. http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/children-are-not-just-little-consumers-20090702-d6fn.html Internet filter threatens Warcraft, Second Life Online games played by millions of Australians could be blocked by the Federal Government's controversial new internet filter plan. http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,28348,25723128-5014239,00.html http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25723016-952,00.html Australian Web Filter to Block More than 10,000 ?Unwanted? Sites New mandatory filter will begin with 1300 and grow to a range of about 10,000, but many are questioning who gets to decide what sites should included and why. http://www.zeropaid.com/news/9842/australian_web_filter_to_block_more_than_10000_unwanted_sites/ au: Police take action on teen who 'recorded bullying' WA Police have for the first time taken action against a school student who encouraged bullying by recording it on a mobile phone. http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21498,25733087-948,00.html us: New cyberstalking law in New Mexico Authorities in New Mexico applaud the state legislature for taking action quickly to expand stalking laws. http://www.newschannel10.com/global/story.asp?s=10639228 uk: Visa renews partnership to help tackle child sexual abuse [news release] The CEOP Centre welcomes the announcement that Visa Europe have renewed their commitment to support its work as the UK?s dedicated policing organisation for protecting children from sexual exploitation. http://www.ceop.gov.uk/mediacentre/pressreleases/2009/ceop_22062009.asp PEGI ratings 'need improvement' The videogame trade association, Tiga, say the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) rating systems has "room for improvement". http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8109480.stm Asus and Disney Join Forces on Kid-Friendly Netbooks Add this to the list of unexpected business partnerships: Asus and Disney have combined their expertise in computers and cartoons to produce a Disney-themed netbook called the Netpal. Available in "Princess Pink" or "Magic Blue," the Netpal will be available in late July. http://www.thestandard.com/news/2009/06/17/asus-and-disney-join-forces-kid-friendly-netbooks ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** Pirate Bay's Weird New Business Plan When the founders of file-sharing Web site Pirate Bay were given a year's prison sentence in April for allowing users to illegally swap copyrighted content, many thought the swashbuckling Swedish-based Internet company was finished. Not so. On June 30, Sweden's Global Gaming Factory, which runs cyber caf?s and sells gaming software, announced it would buy Pirate Bay for $7.9 million?a hefty sum for a Web site that became the poster child for unlawful downloads on the Internet. http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/jul2009/gb2009071_378545.htm Pirate Bay Bidders Hope To Make $40 Million A Month From Ads So how exactly does unlikely Pirate Bay bidder Global Gaming Factory X intend to profit from the scourge of the entertainment industry, and pay content owners? http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/03/pirate-bay-online-advertising-technology-paidcontent.html ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Nokia turns to Android in smartphone wars Nokia is understood to be developing a mobile phone that runs on Google's Android software platform in a strategic U-turn for the world's largest mobile phone manufacturer. http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/2009/jul/06/nokia-mobile-internet-phones ********************** SPAM ********************** Court Orders Spammers to Give Up $3.7 Million - Case Against International Spam Operation is First Using US SAFE WEB Act [news release] A U.S. district court has ordered key players in an international spam ring to give up $3.7 million that they made by sending out illegal e-mail messages pitching bogus hoodia weight-loss products and a ?human growth hormone? pill they claimed reversed the aging process. http://ftc.gov/opa/2009/07/spear.shtm ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Online Scams Jump as More Africans Go Online Online scams targeting the financial sector are on the rise in Africa as more people access online banking services and mobile banking. http://computerworld.co.ke/articles/2009/07/02/online-scams-more-africans-use-internet http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/167876/.html Internet fraud case NZ's first majority verdict In what is believed to be New Zealand's first majority verdict, a jury has found Dieter Rudolf Bedenknecht guilty of being an online auction cheat. ... Bedenknecht, a German immigrant in his 60s, was found guilty of two charges of dishonestly using documents in online auctions of stamp collections. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10582499 U.S. Couple Gets Prison Time for Internet Obscenity [IDG] Husband and wife owners of a California company that distributed pornographic materials over the Internet have been each sentenced to one year and one day in prison, the U.S. Department of Justice announced. http://www.pcworld.com/article/167776/.html http://computerworld.com.au/article/309771/ http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/070209-couple-gets-prison-time-for.html Troubles Plague U.S. Cyberspy Defense The flagship system designed to protect the U.S. government's computer networks from cyberspies is being stymied by technical limitations and privacy concerns, according to current and former national-security officials. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124657680388089139.html Cybersecurity Plan to Involve NSA, Telecoms The Obama administration will proceed with a Bush-era plan to use National Security Agency assistance in screening government computer traffic on private-sector networks, with AT&T as the likely test site, according to three current and former government officials. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/02/AR2009070202771.html Faster Actions Needed Against Phishing Domains Criminals often register their own domain name to perform phishing attacks. Unlike the other common phishing site scenarios (including hacked servers, open redirects, and abuse of free webhosting), phishing sites that have their own domain name can be harder to remove, because the website owner and domain owner is the fraudster. Only the hosting and DNS providers and the domain registrar are able to take the site down and also likely to cooperate. http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2009/06/22/faster_actions_needed_against_phishing_domains.html ************************** PRIVACY ************************** BT drops Phorm targeted ad service after customers cry foul over privacy BT has quietly ditched a controversial system that tracks the internet habits of its customers, developed by the technology firm Phorm, which has been attacked as online snooping by privacy campaigners. BT was a key player in the development of Phorm's Webwise system, which uses information about which sites an internet user visits to target them with relevant advertising on subsequent pages. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jul/06/btgroup-privacy-and-the-net Facebook criticised over privacy The social networking site Facebook has come under fire for planned changes to its privacy settings. It wants to "simplify" the process so users only have to set them once, instead of for each individual feature. http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/newsid_8133000/8133313.stm Contextual Gaps: Privacy Issues on Facebook Abstract: Social networking sites like Facebook are rapidly gaining in popularity. At the same time, they seem to present significant privacy issues for their users. We analyze two of Facebooks?s more recent features, Application and News Feed, from the perspective enabled by Helen Nissenbaum?s treatment of privacy as ?contextual integrity.? http://ssrn.com/abstract=1427546 ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Thailand's l?se majest? law: Treason in cyberspace - battle over the royal family between government and opposition goes online On YouTube, he was ?thaiman 8?, a prolific poster of crude videos that mocked Thailand?s royal family. These days Suwicha Thakhor goes by another identity: inmate in Bangkok?s Khlong Prem prison. In April he was sentenced to ten years in jail after pleading guilty to l?se majest?, the crime of defaming or threatening the Thai crown. Since 2005 this century-old law has enjoyed a renaissance, netting politicians, scholars, activists and an Australian author. Recently, it seems to have got more coercive. http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13962550 Iran Pro-Regime Voices Multiply Online Supporters of Iran's regime are taking a cue from the opposition's strategy: They're mounting an online offensive. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124658422588090107.html Revolution from the web in Iran For several weeks Iran has been closed to the media. All foreign correspondents have been ordered out and Iranian authorities are doing all they can to dampen any hint of protest. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/05/2617193.htm China's Green Dam internet filtering system will go ahead, official says China's controversial plan to install Green Dam internet filtering software on all computers will go ahead despite being postponement, a government official told state media today. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/02/china-green-dam Censorship software already installed in over 500,000 Chinese computers The controversial Chinese Green Dam computer program that censors the internet has already been installed on more than half-a-million computers. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/5709977/Censorship-software-already-installed-on-over-500000-Chinese-computers.html Iran 'lifts block on SMS texting' Reports from Iran say that SMS text messaging services have been unblocked for the first time since disputed presidential elections. However, Iranian news agencies say there are still technical problems. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8131095.stm ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** American online advertisers propose self-regulation principles Online advertisers are proposing a mix of consumer education, disclosures about what information is being collected and special protections for children and sensitive information in an effort to head off tough legislation. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE56117O20090702 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-40748620090702 Zimbabwe: Govt Starts Consultations on ICT Bill [Zimbabwe govt announcement] Government has started consultations on the Information Communication and Technology Bill which will repeal the Broadcasting Services Act, Postal and Telecomunications Act and amend some sections of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. http://allafrica.com/stories/200907030328.html ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* U.S. Inquiry Is Confirmed Into Google Books Deal The Justice Department confirmed on Thursday that it was conducting an antitrust investigation into the settlement of a lawsuit that groups representing authors and publishers filed against Google. http://nytimes.com/2009/07/03/technology/companies/03google.html US government investigates Google book deal American authorities are conducting a formal investigation into whether Google's $125m deal with the US book industry is anti-competitive. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/jul/03/google-books-antitrust DOJ opens formal investigation into Google Books settlement The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed Thursday that is has opened a formal investigation into the settlement between Google and book publishers over the digital publishing rights to certain books, citing antitrust concerns. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10278473-93.html ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** Lag will set our broadband back: Paul Twomey An internet expert says while the Government's National Broadband Network will put the country on par with world leaders in internet speeds, Australia may still be years off the pace. For the past decade Australian-born Paul Twomey has effectively been the internet's chief regulator, heading the US-based ICANN. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/05/2617119.htm Twomey mentioned as possible broadband network head [interview - transcript and video] For the past decade, Australian-born Dr Paul Twomey has effectively been the internet's chief regulator, heading the US-based ICANN. This week he joins Inside Business to discuss his mention as a possible chief of the Federal Government's $43 billion National Broadband Network. http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/content/2009/s2617097.htm Australian broadband network debate continues It has been three months since the Government announced plans to form a new company that, together with the private sector, will invest up to $43 billion over eight years to build a high speed National Broadband Network (NBN). http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/03/2616285.htm OECD: Broadband over power lines (BPL): Developments and policy issues BPL technology seems to have a high potential to provide ubiquitous broadband access to households and businesses across a country. The fact that electricity is provided on a nationwide basis seemingly gives BPL an advantage. http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/58/62/43230875.pdf nz: Broadband slowest in the deep south Broadband is slower the further away customers are from Auckland, with Dunedin at the bottom of the heap among the major centres, according to a report released by the Commerce Commission. http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/2564556/ ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN ********************************** au: Child porn raid in Ballarat A Ballarat man will face court over allegedly importing and possessing more than 200,000 child pornography images. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25731799-661,00.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2009 --------- David Goldstein email: goldstein_david§yahoo.com.au web: http://davidgoldstein.tel/ http://goldsteinreport.com/ phone: +61 418 228 605 - mobile; +61 2 9665 5773 - office/home mail: 4/3 Abbott Street COOGEE NSW 2034 AUSTRALIA "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 Flannery ____________________________________________________________________________________ Access Yahoo!7 Mail on your mobile. Anytime. Anywhere. Show me how: http://au.mobile.yahoo.com/mailReceived on Sun Jul 05 2009 - 19:42:28 UTC
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