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 *************************************************** When the Internet breaks, who ya gonna call? http://features.csmonitor.com/innovation/2009/08/25/when-the-internet-breaks-who-ya-gonna-call/ EU Commission calls for international talks on managing internet traffic [European Commission] http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/27388 Choosing the Right Path to a Permanent Accountability Framework for ICANN by Michael D. Palage http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090826_choosing_right_path_permanent_accountability_framework_for_icann/ China Forecasts Spread of Chinese Domain Names [IDG] http://www.pcworld.com/article/170823/.html DHS to test Obama's national cyber response plan with third large-scale exercise http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090826_9168.php Ted Kennedy-themed Web domains snapped up http://www.bostonherald.com/business/technology/general/view.bg?articleid=1193658 www.maori.co.nz vs www.m?ori.co.nz [reg req'd] http://www.linexlegal.com/content.php?content_id=100952 Melbourne IT first-half profit falls 20%; sees better second half http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Melbourne-IT-first-half-profit-falls-20-sees-bette-pd20090825-V94RA au: Darebin domain names up for sale http://leader-news.whereilive.com.au/news/story/darebin-domain-names-up-for-sale/ ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** When the Internet breaks, who ya gonna call? At this point, it?s hard to imagine life without the Internet, at least in the developed world. But buried underneath the breathtaking Web applications and streaming media that we use on a daily basis, the actual software that makes the Internet work is starting to show its age. http://features.csmonitor.com/innovation/2009/08/25/when-the-internet-breaks-who-ya-gonna-call/ EU Commission calls for international talks on managing internet traffic [European Commission] Over the past 40 years, the internet has evolved from a US government project into a global communications grid. But there is only one cop directing all the traffic ? a California-based organisation called ICANN. http://frontierindia.net/it/eu-commission-calls-for-international-talks-on-managing-internet-traffic/574/ http://thegovmonitor.com/world_news/europe/european-commission-calls-for-international-talks-on-managing-internet-traffic-2182.html http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/27388 ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Toronto Presentations Published On 20-21 August 2009, ICANN hosted its North American Registry/Registrar Regional Event in Toronto, Ontario. Remote participation for the event was made available via Adobe Connect and an audio conference bridge. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-25aug09-en.htm Special Public Comment: Discuss Solutions to Your Biggest ICANN Problems A radically different public comment period opened today for 30 days to allow community discussion of a summary document of the joint AC and SO meeting in Sydney. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-25aug09-en.htm The community view: registry/registrar regional gathering by James Koole It?s not every day that ICANN comes to town. As an employee of Tucows, the third largest ICANN accredited registrar, I?m a little more tuned in to what?s going on with ICANN than the average person. But in my nearly three years at the company, I?ve never attended an ICANN meeting in the flesh. Instead, it?s been a case of tuning into the odd stream from the International Meeting, or hearing about the goings on from Adam Eisner, our Director of Domain Services at Tucows. http://blog.icann.org/2009/08/community-view-registry-registrar-toronto/ ICANN & Internet Governance Transcript Available As the Internet has become the backbone of our Digital Age economy, the issue of "Internet governance" has grown in importance. What's next for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the non-profit corporation responsible for coordinating administration of the domain name system? This topic was discussed at "ICANN & Internet Governance: How Did We Get Here & Where Are We Heading?" a Congressional Seminar hosted by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. PFF has just released a transcript of the event. http://pff.org/news/news/2009/082409-ICANN-internet-governance-transcript.html Choosing the Right Path to a Permanent Accountability Framework for ICANN by Michael D. Palage Over the next month, the ICANN Board will consider its options for ensuring that some framework is in place to ensure ICANN's accountability to the global Internet community after the approaching expiration of its Memorandum of Understanding and Joint Project Agreement (MOU/JPA) with the U.S. Department of Commerce. We analyze these options in our new paper, "Choosing the Right Path to a Permanent Accountability Framework for ICANN." http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090826_choosing_right_path_permanent_accountability_framework_for_icann/ ICANN Regional Meeting and More Questions on nTLDs Congratulations and thanks to ICANN for hosting the North America Regional meeting at the Sheraton in downtown Toronto, Canada. This event was done first class and was in my opinion a highly successful meeting (h/t to Afilias for sponsoring the "Blue Jays" vs. "Red-Sox" baseball game at Rogers Centre?it was a blast). http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090825_icann_regional_meeting_and_more_questions_on_ntlds/ Domain Expiration Comments to ICANN Working Group As I wrote last week, ICANN is seeking feedback on the domain expiration process. Here?s the feedback I just submitted. The deadline for submitting feedback is September 10? http://domainnamewire.com/2009/08/25/domain-expiration-comments-to-icann-working-group/ Want to be master of your domain? These guys can help Land, it's said, is a good investment -- after all, they're not making any more of it. On the internet, however, that's not the case. The ICANN, the not-for-profit body that oversees the web's addressing regime, is creating vast amounts of virtual real estate, setting the stage for a furious digital land grab. http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/08/24/want-to-be-master-of-your-domain-these-guys-can-help/ ICANN Brings Policy Discussion to the Great White North Every year, ICANN ... holds three international meetings around various parts of the world. What many people don?t know, however, is that ICANN also holds regional gatherings specifically for registrars in particular geographic areas. This affords registrars who otherwise may not be able to attend a meeting the opportunity to get a glimpse into the ICANN world and participate in the policy process. http://www.thewhir.com/blog/Adam_Eisner/082409_ICANN_Brings_Policy_Discussion_to_the_Great_White_North Take control of your business name on the Internet ... ICANN is the Internet police. This organisation is responsible for management of popular generic top level domain names, such as ".com", ".net" and ".org". ICANN's mission is to ensure that the Internet is secure, stable and interoperable. ICANN has adopted the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy ("the Policy"). All ICANN accredited domain name registrars are bound by this policy. Any domain name which is registered by an ICANN accredited registrar may be referred for dispute resolution under the Policy. http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/Business/html/20090825T220000-0500_158242_OBS_TAKE_CONTROL_OF_YOUR_BUSINESS_NAME_ON_THE_INTERNET.asp Congress Members Seek Permanent ICANN-US Link [reg req'd] A group of US congressional members have sent a letter to US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke calling for a temporary arrangement between the Department of Commerce (DOC) and ICANN (which manages technical aspects of the internet domain name system) to be made permanent. http://www.linexlegal.com/content.php?content_id=101358 ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** China Forecasts Spread of Chinese Domain Names [IDG] China has pushed ahead with deploying Internet domain names written in Chinese as it urges action to standardize their use globally. http://www.pcworld.com/article/170823/.html http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/08/26/urnidgns002570F3005978D84825761E0029A78F.DTL http://www.cio.de/news/cio_worldnews/896334/ http://www.infoworld.com/t/regulation/china-forecasts-spread-chinese-domain-names-151 http://www.thestandard.com/news/2009/08/26/china-forecasts-spread-chinese-domain-names http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/082609-china-forecasts-spread-of-chinese.html http://www.cio.com/article/500590/China_Forecasts_Spread_of_Chinese_Domain_Names http://www.itworld.com/government/75679/china-forecasts-spread-chinese-domain-names Transparency, Accountability and the "dot eco" Debate Despite the troubled economic times, recent research shows that consumers are continuing to purchase ?green? products. According to a survey conducted in March of this year by BBMG, an American branding and marketing agency aligned with ?forward-thinking brands and conscious consumers,? nearly seven in ten Americans (67%) agree that "even in tough economic times, it is important to purchase products with social and environmental benefits.? Half say they are still willing to pay more for them. http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/010386.html The coming dot-eco boom: battling for the green domain When new online real estate is carved out of cyberspace next year, two companies are hoping it will include a swath of eco-friendly property. http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/08/24/f-dot-eco-domain.html Activists push for top level domain dedicated to the gay community Gay groups in the US and South Africa are backing a campaign to establish a new top level domain for the LGBT community. http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13780.html Competition for top level domain from .gay 'alliance' A group bidding for the top level domain .gay (DOTgay) claims that if successful it will pay the majority of profits to the LGBT community around the world and in the US. http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13819.html A Global Internet Identity for Gay People When it comes to Web sites and domain names, you've no doubt heard of .gov, .net, .edu, .com, and of course, .org. But what about .gay? Maybe someday, if a coalition of international LGBT groups have their say. Efforts are underway to push ICANN to create .gay. http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/a_global_internet_identity_for_gay_people Move to boost appeal of .my domain More than half of local public-listed companies do not have an Internet address that ends with ".my" although most already have websites, a senior official of Mynic Bhd said. http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/mynic25-2/Article/index_html Get your own .my address Malaysian businesses should register a ?.my? domain for their websites to protect their intellectual property and cement their standing as a Malaysian company on the Internet, said .my Domain Registry, the sole registrar for the web address suffix. http://star-techcentral.com/tech/story.asp?file=/2009/8/27/technology/20090827125611&sec=technology Non-profit Web sites grow amidst UK recession The number of .ORG domains registered by non-profit organisations in the UK is on the up new research reveals. http://www.macworld.co.uk/business/news/index.cfm?newsid=27007 ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** DHS to test Obama's national cyber response plan with third large-scale exercise The Homeland Security Department's third large-scale cybersecurity drill in September 2010 will test the national cyber response plan currently being developed by the Obama administration, said industry and government participants in the simulation exercise during a conference on Tuesday. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090826_9168.php Cybersecurity draft significantly altered Sweeping cybersecurity legislation introduced by Senate Commerce Chairman John (Jay) Rockefeller and Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, in April has undergone major changes during the August recess and now features a more prominent focus on ensuring that the U.S. government and private sector have a properly trained workforce to thwart high-tech threats. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090825_4908.php http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/08/cybersecurity-measure-undergoe.php DHS official: Agencies must make high-risk cyber threats top priority Federal agencies should prioritize their information security requirements to ensure mission-critical operations are protected first, and delineate between "that which is aggravating and that which is truly dangerous," the Homeland Security Department's cyber chief Greg Schaffer said during a conference on Tuesday. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090825_7424.php DHS report: IT sector is resilient against serious cyberattacks A report from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security presents several scenarios in which well chosen attacks against key IT infrastructure elements could cause disruptions on a national scale. But the document also offers a surprisingly sunny assessment of the resilience and redundancies within the IT sector to mitigate the risk of such disruptions. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9137153/DHS_report_IT_sector_is_resilient_against_serious_cyberattacks_ http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/082609-dhs-report-it-sector-is.html National Defense Network Created to Fight Cyber Attacks U.S. Department of Energy laboratories fight off millions of cyber attacks every year. But a near real-time dialog between these labs about this hostile activity has never existed ? until now. http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=11513 Botnet traffic bounds back 90% within 48 hours of ISP shutdown An Internet service provider was shut down in the hopes that it would quell the traffic of one of the most active botnets, Cutwail. While it was initially effective, Cutwail rebounded almost fully only a few days later. http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2009/08/botnet-traffic-bounds-back-90-with-48-hours-of-isp-shutdown.ars How Many Domains Are Secured by DNSSEC? In the summer of 2008, the Internet was rocked by the revelation that the Domain Name System (DNS), one of the core infrastructures of the Internet, was vulnerable to attack. http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3836231 http://www.internetnews.com/infra/article.php/3836231/ http://www.enterprisenetworkingplanet.com/news/article.php/3836406/ ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Ted Kennedy-themed Web domains snapped up In just 12 hours after the death of Edward M. Kennedy, nearly 100 domain names related to the man were registered with GoDaddy.com, the largest registrar for Web addresses. http://www.bostonherald.com/business/technology/general/view.bg?articleid=1193658 7,000 Domains Won Through UDRP Have Expired Corporation Service Company (CSC), a brand protection company, released a study today about the expenses incurred by brand holders to get domain names through UDRP. The study suggests companies have spent $220 million getting domains back through UDRP, and that it would have only cost $1.1 million had they proactively registered the domains. http://domainnamewire.com/2009/08/24/7000-domains-won-through-udrp-have-expired/ www.maori.co.nz vs www.m?ori.co.nz [reg req'd] With M?ori Language week ending last Sunday, we can take time to reflect on how successful it's been in aiding the survival and preservation of Te Reo M?ori. http://www.linexlegal.com/content.php?content_id=100952 Judge orders cybersquatter to pay Verizon $33m A federal court in California has upheld a massive $33.15m penalty against a cybersquatting domain aggregator that registered hundreds of websites mimicking Verizon's name and trademarks. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/27/onlinenic_verizon_ruling_upheld/ us: Porn web site address almost identical to Pace High School's You need to look up something about a school and it involves Pace High School. Quickly, you get online and type away, but accidentally type .com instead of .net. Quick. Close your eyes. ... ?The two things you can do,? says Susan Wade, Director of Public Relations for Network Solutions (one of several firms that license online names), ?is file a petition with ICANN or take the cyber squatter to court. It depends on who it is and where they are located.? http://www.thedestinlog.com/news/pace-10686-porn-address.html ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** Internet Society calls for government action on IPv6 Non-profit organisation the Internet Society (ISOC) has joined the growing calls for the government to take a greater leadership role in driving the adoption of the new IPv6 internet protocol. http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2248442/internet-society-joins-ipv6 http://uk.news.yahoo.com/16/20090825/ttc-internet-society-calls-for-governmen-6315470.html ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Melbourne IT first-half profit falls 20%; sees better second half Melbourne IT Ltd has posted a 20 per cent fall in first half profit, with gross margin pressures, delays in finalising significant contracts and higher amortisation costs weighing, but expects profits to improve over the second half. http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Melbourne-IT-first-half-profit-falls-20-sees-bette-pd20090825-V94RA VeriSign deal hits domain service provider's profits [sub req'd] Domain name service provider Melbourne IT has earmarked digital brand services and enterprise hosting as future growth engines although both contributed to falling profits in the first half of its financial year. http://www.afr.com/home/viewer.aspx?EDP://20090826000031488401§ion=information&title=VeriSign+deal+hits+domain+service+provider%27s+profits Melbourne IT forecasts break in the weather Melbourne IT has recorded a first half drop in net profit of 20 percent to $6.3 million on a 21 percent increase in revenue to $104.4 million on the same period last year. http://www.itnews.com.au/News/154012,melbourne-it-forecasts-break-in-the-weather.aspx ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** How much are your domains worth? Use Sedo?s Price Suggestion Tool to find out! Domain valuation is one of the most time consuming factors to consider when owning a large domain portfolio. In the past when a domain owner wanted to know the value of their domain they could hire an appraisal service or make their best guess as to its value. Now Sedo has taken the guess work out of pricing your domain names with the launch of the new, free Price Suggestion Tool! http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=2476 au: Darebin domain names up for sale Virtually buying Northcote or Preston is one way of getting a piece of Melbourne?s trendy inner north. Even though real estate might be out of reach for many, the domain name Northcote.com.au is for sale. http://leader-news.whereilive.com.au/news/story/darebin-domain-names-up-for-sale/ FreshDrop: Powerful Domain Name Research FreshDrop.net originally launched in 2007 as a unique tool for browsing GoDaddy?s popular TDNAM domain marketplace. Over the years, founder Tan Tran and his team have worked on many enhancements and new features that have transformed FreshDrop.net into an all-around powerful domain research tool designed by domainers for domainers. http://www.dotsauce.com/2009/08/04/freshdrop-domain-research/ Frank Schilling: Domain deals are coming I first met Frank Schilling at a Traffic conference in Delray Beach, Florida in the fall of 2005. He was the longhaired guy who everyone that I met said I should talk to. Frank didn?t want to talk. Then, after a long few days, he came up to me in the hotel lobby and said, ?What do you want to know?? http://www.playingtheangles.com/2009/08/frank-schilling/ Paul Sloan?s Frank Schilling Interview is Worth a Read Paul Sloan?s latest interview of Frank Schilling has been posted at Sloan?s new ?Playing the Angles? web site. Although the interview was posted last Friday, Sloan (and sidekick David Carter) sent out a message announcing the site launch today. http://domainnamewire.com/2009/08/24/paul-sloans-frank-schilling-interview-is-worth-a-read/ POLL: How Do You Monetize Your Domain Name Portfolio? Here?s a quick poll question that may inspire you to seek new ways to earn more money from your domain name portfolio. With traditional Pay-Per-Click parking revenue on the decline, the concept of ?domain parking? has been evolving. http://www.dotsauce.com/2009/07/23/monetize-domain-portfolio/ Brax.com Doesn't Break the Bank in Sedo Sales Another week of Sedo sales and nothing to break the six-figure mark. Top sale of the week went to brax.com, which sold for US$80,000 while farsi.com came in close behind selling for $75,000. http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/08/25/braxcom-doesnt-break-the-bank-in-sedo-sales/ Adsense as a Platform and What it Means for Publishers Google Adsense is not an ad network. It?s an advertising platform, and Google is taking steps to open it up. http://domainnamewire.com/2009/08/26/adsense-as-a-platform-and-what-it-means-for-publishers/ ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Editorial: The US Government and the Web The Obama administration is considering new rules to make it easier for government Web sites to use ?cookies? and other technology to track visitors. There are valid reasons for using such tools, but the government has to build in robust privacy protections. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/opinion/25tue3.html Wikipedia to Limit Changes to Articles on People Wikipedia, one of the 10 most popular sites on the Web, was founded about eight years ago as a long-shot experiment to create a free encyclopedia from the contributions of volunteers, all with the power to edit, and presumably improve, the content. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/technology/internet/25wikipedia.html Wikipedia to add editing safeguard for the living Wikipedia will soon be adding a feature to its English-language site that assigns an experienced editor to sign off on any changes to articles on living people, according to Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that runs the user-written online encyclopedia. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10316714-93.html http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/internet/0,39044908,62057154,00.htm Wikipedia to launch page controls The online encyclopaedia Wikipedia is on the cusp of launching a major revamp to how people contribute to some pages. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8220220.stm au: Online awaits audience and revenue bonanza The online industry has suddenly discovered almost 2 million more Australians are using the internet than previously thought, and will lay out the proof today with official figures from a revamped research panel at Nielsen. Nielsen says there are now 13.8 million online users in Australia, up 1.9 million from 11.7 million last week. http://business.smh.com.au/business/online-awaits-audience-and-revenue-bonanza-20090826-eztq.html U.S. lags other nations in Internet speed The average Internet download speed in the U.S. is slower than that in 27 other countries, according to a new report by the Communications Workers of America. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10317118-38.html US ranks 28th in Internet connection speed: report The United States ranks 28th in the world in average Internet connection speed and is not making significant progress in building a faster network, according to a report released on Tuesday. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/us-ranks-28th-in-internet-connection-speed-report-20090826-eyjg.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/us-ranks-28th-in-internet-connection-speed-report-20090826-eyjg.html Winners announced at NZ Internet Industry Awards The 2009 NZ Internet Awards, which was hosted by the Liz Dengate Thrush foundation on Thursday night last week in Wellington, attracted near 200 guests. http://www.itbrief.co.nz/200908253561/winners-announced-at-nz-internet-industry-awards.php Internet addiction among China?s teenagers spawns brutal boot camps "Unity is strength, our spirit is stronger than steel? . . . several dozen teenagers stand on a parade ground to chant communist slogans in unison before turning together to march to the canteen for lunch. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article6809831.ece World of Warcraft addicts to get in-game shrinks World of Warcraft is so addictive that a psychiatrist is planning to send a team of counsellors into the game to treat players before they lose touch with the real world. http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/games/world-of-warcraft-addicts-to-get-ingame-shrinks-20090827-f0h6.html ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Who's Driving Twitter?s Popularity? Not Teenagers Kristen Nagy, an 18-year-old from Sparta, N.J., sends and receives 500 text messages a day. But she never uses Twitter, even though it publishes similar snippets of conversations and observations. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/26/technology/internet/26twitter.html Why Do Teens Shun Twitter? It?s conventional wisdom that teenagers are early adopters of tech innovations, including Web-based social networks like Facebook and MySpace. But that apparently isn?t the case with micro-blogging site Twitter, which is largely shunned by the adolescent crowd. http://www.pcworld.com/article/170875/.html Forrester: Social Networking Grows up [IDG] Companies can begin to target people over the age of 34 with media campaigns that leverage social networks as that age group has become the largest segment using Facebook, Twitter and other social media, a new study from Forrester Research claims. http://www.pcworld.com/article/170866/.html Why Adults Have Fueled Twitter?s Growth The tech industry has been perplexed by the fact that Twitter has grown extraordinarily quickly even though young people do not tweet nearly as much as their elders do. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/26/why-adults-have-fueled-twitters-growth/ Will Twitter-to-Facebook Publishing Make You Tweet Less? Many social networkers have found it too burdensome to constantly update their statuses on both Facebook and Twitter. As a result, some have been neglecting Facebook. Instead, they keep their friends on both sites informed by setting up Twitter to automatically post tweets on Facebook, and they never have to visit the site. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/will-twitter-to-facebook-publishing-make-you-tweet-less/ Twitter killing Hollywood movies? Twitter is killing the Hollywood box office, according to film bosses who fear that instant fan reviews on the micro-blogging site can seriously damage a movie?s prospects. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/twitter/6069260/Twitter-killing-Hollywood-movies.html How Facebook Ruins Friendships Notice to my friends: I love you all dearly. But I don't give a hoot that you are "having a busy Monday," your child "took 30 minutes to brush his teeth," your dog "just ate an ant trap" or you want to "save the piglets." And I really, really don't care which Addams Family member you most resemble. (I could have told you the answer before you took the quiz on Facebook.) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204660604574370450465849142.html ACLU chapter flags Facebook app privacy The Northern California chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has put out a campaign designed to raise awareness of the privacy implications of Facebook's developer platform. It's focusing specifically on the popular "quiz" applications, like "Which Cocktail Best Suits Your Personality?" and "Which Wes Anderson Movie Character Are You?" These are largely one-time-use apps that many a Facebook user clicks on and tries out with little concern. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10318842-36.html http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/internet/0,39044908,62057244,00.htm Survey: Users of social networks take risks despite concerns A study commissioned by Web security company AVG Technologies and the Chief Marketing Officers Council (CMO) points out an interesting contradiction between people's concerns and actions regarding security risks on social networking sites. http://news.cnet.com/8301-19518_3-10318034-238.html Canada may reveal next step on Facebook privacy A Canadian regulator may outline new proposals on protecting the privacy of Facebook users on Thursday after the watchdog last month found deficiencies in the social networking website's current practices. http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-42005020090826 ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Nokia Plans to Start Making Netbooks Nokia, the world?s largest maker of mobile phones, said on Monday that it would make and sell its own netbook computers, expanding into the fastest-growing segment of the PC market. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/technology/companies/25nokia.html Nokia Jumps Into Market for Netbooks In a bid to bolster sagging sales, Nokia Corp. unveiled a netbook Monday, marking an entry into a fast-growing but crowded sector that is blurring the lines between PC companies and handset makers. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125111507418953557.html Nokia announces netbook offering The world's largest manufacturer of mobile phones will join the PC market with its Booklet 3G netbook. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8219005.stm ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ uk: Error leaves children unprotected under 1984 Video Recordings Act People selling adult videos, including pornography, to children are to escape prosecution after the discovery of a Whitehall blunder that means that the 1984 law regulating the video industry was never enacted. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6808592.ece ph: House approves anti-child porn bill The House of Representatives, in a unanimous vote, approved yesterday on third and final reading the anti-child pornography bill that will prosecute and penalize pedophiles, pornographers, and operators of cyber-sex dens and Internet caf?s who prey on children. http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=499402 us: Legal Update: Internet Pornography MAUREEN CAVANAUGH (Host): I'm Maureen Cavanaugh. You're listening to These Days on KPBS. Do you ever wonder if your employer is secretly watching you? The results of a recent California Supreme Court ruling may make you keep wondering. The case had to do with internet pornography and a hidden camera. On this legal update, we'll talk about that ruling, plus federal judges say California overstepped its authority in trying to help families reclaim artworks looted by the Nazis. And there's some good news for office betting pools. Joining me to talk about all these recent decisions is our legal analyst Dan Eaton. Welcome, Dan. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2009/aug/24/legal-update-internet-pornography/ ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** No 'three Strikes' Law Planned for Singapore, Agency Says [IDG] There are no immediate plans to propose a law that would cut off Internet access for Singaporean users who receive repeated warnings from their Internet service providers for downloading pirated music and videos, according to the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS). http://www.pcworld.com/article/170650/.html Dutch judge threatens fines for Mininova filesharing website [AFP] Filesharing website Mininova must remove its links to copyrighted items within three months or risk a fine of up to five million euros (seven million US dollars), a Dutch court ruled on Wednesday. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/dutch-judge-threatens-fines-for-filesharing-website-20090827-ezw9.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/dutch-judge-threatens-fines-for-filesharing-website-20090827-ezw9.html Mininova ordered to purge all links to copyrighted files Fresh off a set of legal wins against The Pirate Bay, the music and movie industries have just scored another court victory against the massive BitTorrent search engine Mininova. A Dutch judge in Utrecht has given Mininova three months to purge all links to copyrighted content from its site?or pay up to ?5 million in penalties. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/08/mininova-ordered-to-purge-all-links-to-copyrighted-files.ars Dutch court: Web site must remove copyright works [AP] A civil court on Wednesday ordered Dutch Web site Mininova to remove within three months all files on its servers that point to copyrighted works or face a fine of up to euro5 million ($7.16 million). http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/dutch-court-web-site-must-remove-copyright-works-20090826-ezvz.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/dutch-court-web-site-must-remove-copyright-works-20090826-ezvz.html Isohunt judge says MPAA has yet to prove direct infringment File-sharing sites haven't had a great year, especially in court, but on Wednesday they received a smidgen of good news. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10318942-93.html Swedish court rules TPB admins too broke to pay damages The Pirate Bay saga, long a comic tale involving "spectrials," repainted city buses, police raids, and political parties, seems at last to have descended fully into farce. The media companies that brought suit against The Pirate Bay have found themselves up against a slippery opponent, one perfectly willing to argue that taking down the site amounts to an abuse of "human rights," but it's tough to imagine that they thought the battle would be quite this difficult. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/08/swedish-court-rules-tpb-admins-too-broke-to-pay-damages.ars Pirate Bay founders win debt collection decision Media companies will struggle to grab any money owed by The Pirate Bay, as Sweden's official debt collector found that three of the four founders have "no attachable assets" in that country. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10315958-93.html The Pirate Bay back online after fine threat [AFP] The Pirate Bay, one of the world's most popular filesharing websites, was back online on Tuesday after being shut down when a Swedish court threatened its bandwith supplier with a hefty fine. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/the-pirate-bay-back-online-after-fine-threat-20090826-eybt.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/the-pirate-bay-back-online-after-fine-threat-20090826-eybt.html Swedish court pulls plug on Pirate Bay The music and movie industries have scored another victory against filesharing site The Pirate Bay. A Swedish court has ordered its largest internet service provider to cut its connection or face fines. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/aug/25/file-sharing-p2p Pirate Bay down after ISP cuts its connection [IDG] File-sharing site The Pirate Bay went down today after its Internet service provider, Black Internet, cut its connection to avoid being fined by the Stockholm district court. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9137051/Pirate_Bay_down_after_ISP_cuts_its_connection http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/315990/ http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/082409-the-pirate-bay-down-after.html http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/315990/ http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9137083/Pirate_Bay_ISP_victim_of_sabotage_after_shutdown Pirate Bay sale hits rough waters There is uncertainty surrounding the purchase of file-sharing website The Pirate Bay (TPB) by Swedish-based Global Gaming Factory (GGF). http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8217800.stm The Pirate Party UK and a new frontier for filesharing Equating the freedom to share files non-commercially with freedom from excessive surveillance, freedom of speech and freedom of information, a new political party, the Pirate Party, has launched in the UK. "We are campaigning for laws that keep pace with technology," said Andrew Robinson, the party's leader. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/aug/26/filesharing-pirate-party-uk-downloads Mandelson's UK web cutoff plan 'potentially illegal' Lord Mandelson's plans to cut off the broadband connections of internet users who illegally download copyrighted music and films were attacked by privacy campaigners, internet service providers and Labour MPs yesterday as unworkable, unnecessary and potentially illegal. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/aug/25/mandelson-web-cutoff-plan-attacked UK plan to disconnect file-sharers might be made redundant by ECJ, says expert The Government's plan to cut off suspected file sharers from the internet might be rendered irrelevant by a ruling from Europe's top court, an intellectual property expert has said. http://out-law.com/page-10318 Families could lose broadband access as Mandelson takes on web pirates Lord Mandelson has been accused of caving into a ?big lobbying operation? after ordering a change in policy on internet piracy. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6809329.ece Internet cut-off threat for Britain's illegal downloaders People who persist in swapping copyrighted films and music will have their internet connections cut off under tough new laws to be proposed by the government today. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/aug/25/file-sharing-internet U.K. Weighs Cutting Web Access for Online Pirates [AP] People who repeatedly download copyrighted films and music could have their Internet connection cut off under proposed laws unveiled by the British government on Tuesday. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125120586101056771.html Anger at UK file-sharing policy Internet service providers (ISPs) have reacted with anger to new proposals on how to tackle internet piracy.The government is proposing a tougher stance which would include cutting off repeat offenders from the net. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8219652.stm ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** French Courts to Admit Text Messages in Divorce Cases [AP] Unfaithful spouses in France, beware: Passionate text messages sent to mistresses and lovers can now be used as evidence against you in a divorce. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/world/europe/25iht-divorce.html Firms Racing to End Texting and Driving As U.S. regulators step up scrutiny of the dangers of texting while driving, software makers are scrambling to develop cellphone applications that block texts or minimize the distraction of texting. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125123906005958413.html BlackBerrys 'adding 15 hours' to working week Staff with mobile technology such as BlackBerrys work an extra 15 hours a week as they constantly check emails even when out of the office, new research found today. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/aug/23/blackberry-work-life-balance How to Dry a Submerged Mobile Phone You don't feel much like talking now that your fancy new phone is at the bottom of the hot tub, ocean, or--shudder--toilet. But if you retrieve your handset quickly, you might be able to get it working again--if you take action right away. http://www.pcworld.com/article/170550/.html http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/082409-dry-a-submerged.html North Korean 3G customers more than double in Q2 [IDG] The number of cellular subscriptions in North Korea more than doubled in the second quarter of this year although average revenue per user (ARPU) fell, Orascom Telecom said. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/082609-north-korean-3g-customers-more.html 'Exploding' iPhones investigated French consumer groups are investigating reports of iPhones that explode or crack spontaneously. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8223005.stm Apple in hot water in France over 'exploding iPhones' [AFP] Half a dozen new cases of "exploding iPhones" emerged in France on Wednesday, as Apple faced an official inquiry and calls to come clean over possible risks linked to its wildly popular smartphone. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/apple-in-hot-water-in-france-over-exploding-iphones-20090827-ezxm.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/frenchman-hurt-by-exploding-iphone-20090825-ey6j.html http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/iphone/exploding-iphones-more-french-cases-as-apple-faces-inquiry-20090827-f03s.html ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** European Cyber-Gangs Target Small U.S. Firms, Group Says Organized cyber-gangs in Eastern Europe are increasingly preying on small and mid-size companies in the United States, setting off a multimillion-dollar online crime wave that has begun to worry the nation's largest financial institutions. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/24/AR2009082402272.html Cyber crooks increasingly target small business accounts An organization representing more than 15,000 financial institutions has issued a warning about a growing wave of attacks against small banks and businesses by cyber criminals using stolen banking credentials to plunder corporate accounts. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9137112/Cyber_crooks_increasingly_target_small_business_accounts DHS to test Obama's national cyber response plan with third large-scale exercise The Homeland Security Department's third large-scale cybersecurity drill in September 2010 will test the national cyber response plan currently being developed by the Obama administration, said industry and government participants in the simulation exercise during a conference on Tuesday. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090826_9168.php Cybersecurity draft significantly altered Sweeping cybersecurity legislation introduced by Senate Commerce Chairman John (Jay) Rockefeller and Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, in April has undergone major changes during the August recess and now features a more prominent focus on ensuring that the U.S. government and private sector have a properly trained workforce to thwart high-tech threats. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090825_4908.php http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/08/cybersecurity-measure-undergoe.php DHS official: Agencies must make high-risk cyber threats top priority Federal agencies should prioritize their information security requirements to ensure mission-critical operations are protected first, and delineate between "that which is aggravating and that which is truly dangerous," the Homeland Security Department's cyber chief Greg Schaffer said during a conference on Tuesday. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090825_7424.php DHS report: IT sector is resilient against serious cyberattacks A report from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security presents several scenarios in which well chosen attacks against key IT infrastructure elements could cause disruptions on a national scale. But the document also offers a surprisingly sunny assessment of the resilience and redundancies within the IT sector to mitigate the risk of such disruptions. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9137153/DHS_report_IT_sector_is_resilient_against_serious_cyberattacks_ http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/082609-dhs-report-it-sector-is.html National Defense Network Created to Fight Cyber Attacks U.S. Department of Energy laboratories fight off millions of cyber attacks every year. But a near real-time dialog between these labs about this hostile activity has never existed ? until now. http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=11513 Botnet traffic bounds back 90% within 48 hours of ISP shutdown An Internet service provider was shut down in the hopes that it would quell the traffic of one of the most active botnets, Cutwail. While it was initially effective, Cutwail rebounded almost fully only a few days later. http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2009/08/botnet-traffic-bounds-back-90-with-48-hours-of-isp-shutdown.ars Unmasked blogger to sue Google for $15m Google is to be sued for $15 million (?9 million) by an anonymous blogger who was unmasked by the internet search company. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article6807682.ece Outed 'skank' blogger to sue Google for $15m A blogger stripped of her anonymity by the US courts has said she plans to sue Google for handing over her real identity. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/aug/24/blogging-google Jessica Biel tops list as most risky star in cyberspace Actress Jessica Biel has overtaken Brad Pitt as the most dangerous celebrity to search in cyberspace, according to Internet security company McAfee Inc. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE57O2Q020090825 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-41975920090825 The internet's most dangerous celebrities Jessica Biel is the most ?dangerous celebrity? on the internet. http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/the-internets-most-dangerous-celebrities-20090826-eydf.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/biel-tops-pitt-as-most-dangerous-celebrity-on-web-20090825-ey9q.html Katie Price named Britain's 'most dangerous cyberspace celebrity' Katie Price, the model also known as Jordan, has been named Britain's "most dangerous celebrity in cyberspace" by internet researchers. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/6082176/Katie-Price-named-most-dangerous-cyberspace-celebrity.html au: Man pleads guilty to Nigerian money scam It came out of Africa in about 2000 and has since spread worldwide, and now the first case of the dreaded ''Black Paper'' money scam has appeared in Melbourne. http://www.theage.com.au/national/man-pleads-guilty-to-nigerian-money-scam-20090825-ey4y.html au: Business Owners targeted by scammers Scammers are targeting small businesses with unsolicited letters claiming they need to renew a service they don't have in the first place and which is worthless. http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,27753,25983894-5017672,00.html Venezuela plans law to ban violent videogames Venezuelan lawmakers are moving to outlaw the sale of violent videogames and toys in an attempt to fight rampant crime in the country. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE57P5HV20090826 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-42003720090826 ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Swiss Official Demands Shutdown of Google Street View A Swiss government official is demanding that Google immediately shut down its Street View Maps service in the country, but the company said Monday that it would discuss the matter with the privacy rights regulator. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/technology/internet/25google.html Swiss privacy commissioner says "nein" to Google Street View Google launched Street View in Switzerland last week, and the Swiss Privacy Commissioner isn't satisfied that it will safeguard the privacy of Swiss citizens. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/08/swiss-privacy-commissioner-says-nein-to-google-street-view-swiss-privacy-commissioner-says-nein-to-google-street-view.ars Now the Swiss go after Google Street View Google must be used to having its neutrality questioned by now. However, when the alleged home of neutrality comes after you, perhaps you wonder if all this questioning of your motives is ever going to stop. http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10316660-71.html Outed blogger who flamed model angry at Google [AP] A blogger who called a magazine cover model offensive names on a Web site says Google failed to protect her right to privacy. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/23/AR2009082302018.html ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* Yahoo renews vow to fight Microsoft Yahoo showed on Monday that it intends to keep fighting Microsoft on multiple fronts, demonstrating an array of improvements in the way it presents search results and other offerings. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3d57a542-9103-11de-bc99-00144feabdc0.html ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** Australian ISPs should pay no mind to the cap by Joshua Gans, an economics professor at Melbourne Business School One of the great anomalies of the Australian broadband industry is the existence of usage caps, which around the world are virtually non-existent. http://business.theage.com.au/business/isps-should-pay-no-mind-to-the-cap-20090824-ewkk.html http://www.smh.com.au/technology/biz-tech/isps-should-pay-no-mind-to-the-cap-20090826-ezi0.html au: TIO: We're doing the telcos' job for them The telecommunications sector has copped flak once again after it was revealed that telcos have been slacking off on minor complaints, leaving the work to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO). http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/316019/ au: Telcos take first steps to improve customer service: Ombudsman [news release] The Telecommunication Industry Ombudsman (TIO) has called on service providers to continue putting customers? interests first in a bid to improve the consumer experience. http://tio.com.au/media_statements/RELEASES/2009/24_08_09%20connectresolve.html us: FCC chairman affirms net neutrality stance The FCC remains committed to enforcing principles intended to ensure unobstructed access to Internet content, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski affirmed in an interview with CongressDaily. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090825_9891.php +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (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 "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 __________________________________________________________________________________ Find local businesses and services in your area with Yahoo!7 Local. Get started: http://local.yahoo.com.auReceived on Thu Aug 27 2009 - 02:30:59 UTC
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