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 *************************************************** Call for nominations for election to auDA Board http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-280809/ .EU Registrations Continue to Grow, Although Financial Crisis Impacts http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=9029 Conficker: Defying Experts, Rogue Computer Code Still Lurks http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/27/technology/27compute.html Verizon awarded millions in cyber squatting case http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2248588/judge-awards-millions-verizon Australian 'Maori' guru arrested [Sunday Star Times] http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/news/latest-news/2814953/ As Internet turns 40, barriers threaten its growth [AP] http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/as-internet-turns-40-barriers-threaten-its-growth-20090831-f43w.html Cricket.com Sold Again for $1.75 Million http://www.watblog.com/2009/08/28/cricket-com-sold-again-for-1-75-million/ ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** ICANN 2009 Nominating Committee Selectees The 2009 ICANN Nominating Committee (NomCom) has completed its selections for nine leadership positions within ICANN. NomCom Chair, Tricia Drakes, said "We are delighted to announce this year's selectees to ICANN's leadership. They include highly accomplished individuals from Russia, India, Malaysia, Jamaica, Argentina, Chile and the United States. The Committee's hard work has given us a result that we believe balances continuity and diversity, and includes the selection of the youngest ever member to serve on the ICANN Board. We have added some new faces to the mix, but I hope the community will agree that there is a real depth of experience as well." http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-28aug09-en.htm ICANN may help owners recover domain names after expiry ICANN is reviewing whether or not people have enough opportunity to reclaim domain names that they have allowed to expire. A committee of the domain name administration body has said that current rules do not work. http://out-law.com/default.aspx?page=10328 Another mini-Internet Governance Forum: in the U.S.A. by Milton Mueller Although you may not have heard about it yet, there are plans afoot for an Internet Governance Forum for the U.S. The location has been set for Washington, DC at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The date is set at October 2. The purpose of the affair is to debate, discuss and seek out common ground on some of the issues facing the global Internet Governance Forum operated by the United Nations, which will be held in Egypt November 15-18. In particular, we seek agreement on whether to support the IGF's renewal for another 5 year term. We note, however, that this is really an IGF Washington not an IGF-USA, as its organization, awareness and programming are pretty much confined to the nation?s capitol and it lacks the preparation time and breadth of participation to be considered a nationwide effort. A website will be up soon. http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2009/8/28/4303273.html ICANN GNSO Chair Joins the Non-Commercial Users Constituency (NCUC) to Support Civil Society at ICANN The Chair of ICANN?s Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Avri Doria joined ICANN?s Non-Commercial Users Constituency (NCUC) to support civil society at ICANN in its struggle for a stakeholder group charter that is drafted in a bottom-up fashion and considers the needs of noncommercial users of the Internet. Although not a card-carrying member of NCUC before now, Doria had been a long time supporter of civil society at ICANN with strong ties to noncommercial users and individual Internet users. Doria had been appointed to serve three terms on the GNSO Council from ICANN?s Nominating Committee (first was a partial term) and she was elected to Chair the GNSO Council thrice. http://ipjustice.org/wp/2009/08/24/icann-gnso-chair-joins-the-non-commercial-users-constituency-ncuc-to-support-civil-society-at-icann/ Will New Domain Extensions Cause Confusion? While I am in favour of the introduction of new domain extensions, there are quite a few people who are against the whole idea. So what are the arguments against them? Confusion is a common one. According to some naysayers the public, that's you, me and everyone else, is going to be "confused". http://www.newtldguide.com/2009/08/do-we-really-need-more-domains.html ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** au: Call for nominations for election to auDA Board The election will take place at auDA's Annual General Meeting, to be held on 19 October 2009 in Perth. The AGM will elect four directors to the board, to replace the directors who must retire from the board in accordance with auDA's Constitution (see below). The directors elected will serve for a term of two years. http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-280809/ .cm "go live" delayed - again! The .cm "go live" has been postponed. Unfortunately this isn't the first time it's been delayed. This time round, however, there doesn't seem to be any indication as to when the .cm registry will be in a position to actually launch. http://www.isquattedyour.eu/2009/08/27/cm-go-live-delayed---again/ CZ.NIC established its own research and development centre dedicated to Internet technologies The main projects on which CZ.NIC Labs employees will primarily work involve research and development of the DNS and the DNSSEC security technology. http://www.nic.cz/page/668/ .EU Registrations Continue to Grow, Although Financial Crisis Impacts Latest statistics from EURid, the .EU registry, show the total number of .EU domain names registered briefly passed, and then slipped below the three million mark. .EU is the ninth largest TLD and fifth largest ccTLD. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=9029 http://www.domainnews.com/en/eu-registrations-continue-to-grow-although-financial-crisis-impacts.html http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/08/28/eu-registrations-continue-to-grow-although-financial-crisis-impacts/ July 2009 bumper month for .eu registrations : New .eu registrations hit 12-month high in July Brussels, 27 August 2009 ? EURid is pleased to announce that 66 129 new .eu domain names were added to the .eu registry during the month of July. This is a 12-month high in new registrations and a rise of 15% when compared to July 2008. http://www.eurid.eu/en/content/july-2009-bumper-month-eu-registrations .EU registrations hit 12 month high EURid -- the private, not-for-profit organisation contracted by the European Commission to manage the dot-eu top-level domain -- has revealed that 66,129 new dot-eu domain names were added to the dot-eu registry during the month of July. http://www.electricnews.net/story/show/10125375 Around 66,129 .eu domain names added to eu registry in July [sub req'd] Around 66,129 new .eu domain names were added to the .eu registry during the month of July, according to EURid's upcoming quarterly progress report. This is a twelve-month high in new registrations and a rise of 15 percent when compared to July http://www.telecompaper.com/news/ Validity period of fi-domain names extended to 5 years Finnish fi-domain names may soon be registered for as long as five years. The amendment to the Domain Name Act will enter into force on 1 September 2009 and allow users to register fi-domain names for 12 months, three or five years at a time. The maximum validity period of five years will also apply to the renewal of those domain names that have already been granted. http://www.ficora.fi/en/index/viestintavirasto/lehdistotiedotteet/2009/P_20.html Thousands of fi-domain names to expire in August-September Approximately 52,000 fi-domain names will expire on 31 August and 1 September 2009. The domain names about to expire now have been initially applied for on 1 September 2003 or earlier. So far, 62 per cent of the fi-domain names about to expire now have been renewed, which means that it is possible that nearly 20,000 domain names will expire at the end of this month and beginning of next. Unless a domain name is renewed within the set time limit, the internet address of a website will no longer respond and e-mail will not be delivered. http://ficora.fi/en/index/viestintavirasto/lehdistotiedotteet/2009/P_19.html Non-profit domains grow during recession - '.org' out-grows many business domains The number of .org domains registered by non-profit organisations in the UK is on the up new research reveals. http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=3200624 http://www.infoworld.com/t/internet/non-profit-web-sites-grow-amidst-uk-recession-475 http://www.thestandard.com/news/2009/08/27/non-profit-web-sites-grow-amidst-uk-recession Swedish Regulator Bans Inclusion of Letters "b", "a", "n", "k" in Domain Names Under .SE by Patrik F?ltstr?m Swedish Regulator PTS have today notified .SE, the Swedish (.SE) TLD registry that they have to change the rules... In short, the decision implies that any form of the sequence of the characters "b", "a", "n", "k" are illegal in domain names in Sweden. Further that checks of what domain names are registered are to be checked before registration. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090827_swedish_regulator_bans_inclusion_of_letters_bank_in_domain/ ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Conficker: Defying Experts, Rogue Computer Code Still Lurks It is still out there. Like a ghost ship, a rogue software program that glided onto the Internet last November has confounded the efforts of top security experts to eradicate the program and trace its origins and purpose, exposing serious weaknesses in the world?s digital infrastructure. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/27/technology/27compute.html DHS To Test Cyber Response In 2010 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. Cyber Storm III will build upon the lessons learned in the two previous exercises that took place in February 2006 and March 2008, and provide the first opportunity to assess the White House strategy for responding to a cyberattack with nationwide impact, according to NextGov. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/08/dhs-to-test-cyber-response-in.php China game boss sniped rivals, took down Internet [IDG] An attack by a Chinese online game provider meant to cripple the servers of its rivals ballooned to cause an Internet outage in much of the country in May, according to police. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/082809-china-game-boss-sniped-rivals.html http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/171018/.html http://www.thestandard.com/news/2009/08/28/china-game-boss-sniped-rivals-took-down-internet http://www.itworld.com/security/75943/china-game-boss-sniped-rivals-took-down-internet Global website attacks have single controller Roughly 80,000 websites in China, 67,000 in the U.S. and 40,000 in India remain compromised and under botnet control as a result of separate and ongoing SQL injection attacks. The highest infection point during the last three months reached into the millions at one point in China. http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/security/cybercrime/news/index.cfm?newsid=16364 DHS and industry group release plan for evaluating IT risk New recommendations released on Wednesday from the Homeland Security Department and a coalition of information technology firms provide tech developers and managers with a model for identifying and mitigating risk in IT solutions that serve companies in the critical infrastructure sector and other markets. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090827_5126.php Security researcher: Web attacks across globe appear linked Three significant waves of SQL injection attacks appear to be under the control of the same source, according to one security researcher. Roughly 80,000 Web sites in China, 67,000 in the U.S. and 40,000 in India remain compromised and under botnet control as a result of separate and ongoing SQL injection attacks. The highest infection point during the last three months reached into the millions at one point in China. http://www.itworld.com/security/75877/security-researcher-web-attacks-across-globe-appear-linked Game server admins arrested for Chinese DNS attacks A denial of service attack that took down Internet access in parts of China earlier this year has been attributed to an over-enthusiastic game provider trying to take down rivals. Police in Foshan, a city in Guangdong, have announced that they arrested four individuals for the attack, noting that they would go to trial sometime in the mysterious future. http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2009/08/game-server-admins-arrested-for-chinese-dns-attacks.ars ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Verizon awarded millions in cyber squatting case Cyber squatters were sent a clear warning yesterday after a US federal court upheld a $33m (?20m) ruling against a company accused of registering and monetising web addresses relating to communications giant Verizon. http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2248588/judge-awards-millions-verizon http://uk.news.yahoo.com/16/20090827/ttc-verizon-awarded-millions-in-cyber-sq-6315470.html Court upholds pro-Verizon ruling in 'largest cybersquatting case ever' A federal court in the Northern District of California has upheld the December 2008 ruling which awarded Verizon $33.15 million in a cybersquatting case against domain registry company OnlineNIC. http://www.betanews.com/article/Court-upholds-proVerizon-ruling-in-largest-cybersquatting-case-ever/1251381903 Australian 'Maori' guru arrested [Sunday Star Times] The Australian "kaumatua" behind a recent civil disobedience campaign by Maori elders was arrested last week, delaying his trial on $4.7 million of mortgage fraud charges. ... Wenzel, who is representing himself in court, said the charges would not slow the group's protest activities. The hapu was preparing a campaign of "arresting" MPs and judges, and making moves to acquire the maori.co.nz internet domain name. http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/news/latest-news/2814953/ http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/national-news/2814953/ Ta Ta, WIPO. New Candidate for Worst UDRP Decision Ever An Indian company is taking a domain battle to court after a WIPO domain panelist handed its domain owner to conglomerate TaTa Sons. http://domainnamewire.com/2009/08/30/ta-ta-wipo-new-candidate-for-worst-udrp-decision-ever/ ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Afilias Seeks New TLD Partners Afilias, a global provider of Internet infrastructure services and domain name registry technology, today announced that it is seeking to partner with a select number of organizations that wish to apply to ICANN for a new TLD. http://www.afilias.info/news/2009/08/26/afilias-seeks-new-tld-partners As Internet turns 40, barriers threaten its growth [AP] Goofy videos weren't on the minds of Len Kleinrock and his team at UCLA when they began tests 40 years ago on what would become the Internet. Neither was social networking, for that matter, nor were most of the other easy-to-use applications that have drawn more than a billion people online. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/as-internet-turns-40-barriers-threaten-its-growth-20090831-f43w.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/as-internet-turns-40-barriers-threaten-its-growth-20090831-f43w.html Key milestones in the development of Internet [AP] Key milestones in the development and growth of the Internet: 1969: On Sept. 2, two computers at University of California, Los Angeles, exchange meaningless data in first test of Arpanet, an experimental military network. The first connection between two sites ? UCLA and the Stanford Research Institute in Menlo Park, Calif. ? takes place on Oct. 29, though the network crashes after the first two letters of the word "logon." UC Santa Barbara and University of Utah later join. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/08/30/financial/f102710D13.DTL http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/08/30/key_milestones_in_the_development_of_internet/ http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009775805_apustecinternetat40timeline.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/key-milestones-in-the-development-of-internet-20090831-f43x.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/key-milestones-in-the-development-of-internet-20090831-f43x.html In-language Domain (.??) To Be Standard In China Over Next Two Years According to PC World, the future of domain names in China that use the English alphabet is gradually going to be replaced by the two Chinese characters for ?China?. The country?s chief domain registration agency, the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), claims that it has solved the technical issues related to deploying the Chinese-language domains and expects that all mainstream websites in the country will adopt the in-language top level domains within the next two years. http://www.digitaleastasia.com/2009/08/28/in-language-domain-%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD-to-be-standard-in-china-over-next-two-years/ Domain Registry/Registrar Cross Ownership: A Reality Check by Richard J Tindal Funny how marketplace reality can poke holes in claims and theories. A debate is raging between some existing registries (Afilias, PIR, Neustar) and registrars like ourselves over the issue of 'cross-ownership' in Top-Level Domains (TLDs). At question: should the same set of shareholders be allowed to own all or part of a registry as well as a registrar that sells names in the TLD owned by the registry? These registries are saying 'no', and one of their principal objections is they think current registrars have an unfair advantage in pursuing TLD deals. Their argument is that we're better placed to get new TLDs as we can guarantee retail distribution of the TLD. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090830_registry_registrar_cross_ownership_a_reality_check/ ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Fab Fortnight: Quartet of 6-Figure Sales Leads the Way as the Aftermarket Continues to Defy the Dog Days of August The dog days. The dictionary defines them as "the hot period between early July and early September; a period of inactivity." While the domain business overall is in a down cycle (primarily due to the disappearing act that has been performed by PPC revenue), inactivity in the aftermarket has not been one of its problems this month. http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2009/20090826.htm Cricket.com Sold Again for $1.75 Million Live Current Media, who earlier shot into media limelight in India because of a $50 million contract with the BCCI has sold Cricket.com to GCV Mauritius for $1.75 million. The move is seen as an exit to a high cost center with its Cricket related operations on the web. http://www.watblog.com/2009/08/28/cricket-com-sold-again-for-1-75-million/ Live Current Sells Cricket.com Live Current MediaLive Current Media has sold its Cricket.com domain name and assigned its Indian Premier League contract for a total consideration of approximately $1.75 million. About $1M of that will be paid in cash over four quarters, and the remainder is the assumption of liabilities and payment of severance to a key Live Current employee that will be hired by the purchaser, GCV Mauritius. http://domainnamewire.com/2009/08/28/live-current-sells-cricket-com/ Live Current Media Exits Cricket Business, Announces Non-Dilutive Financing and Makes Significant Progress in Restructuring and Recapitalization Plan [news release] Live Current Media Inc., a media company built around content and commerce destinations, announces today that it has completed the sale and assignment of the cricket.com domain name and the Indian Premier League contract for a total consideration of approximately $1.75 million. This transaction eliminates all of the Company's liabilities, past and future, associated with the Company's cricket operations. http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/3443454 25 Years Later, First Registered Domain Name Changes Hands Did you know the first .com domain name that was ever registered was Symbolics.com, on the 15th of March 1985 by the now defunct Massachusetts-based computer manufacturer Symbolics? http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/08/27/25-years-later-first-registered-domain-name-changes-hands/ US Internet Investment Company Buys the First-Ever Registered Domain Name Missouri-based Internet investment company FX Investmens has announced that it has recently acquired the first-ever domain name registered on a DNS server. FX Investmens, an Internet real-estate company (as it likes to call itself), bought from Symbolics Inc. for an undisclosed sum the ownership rights over the domain name symbolics.com. http://news.softpedia.com/news/US-Internet-Investments-Company-Buys-the-First-Ever-Registered-Domain-Name-120426.shtml 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=2475 ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** EDITORIAL: Pioneers such as Google need to be policed There has been frenzied speculation in recent weeks that Apple is about to launch a revolutionary, hand-held device called the Tablet. Meanwhile, Google is mired in a protracted legal dispute over its right to create an online archive of the world's library books, including millions still in copyright. At first glance, these two pieces of news don't have much in common, but both are part of a battle being waged by the world's big-tech companies for dominance of the digital future. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/aug/30/apple-google-microsoft-tablet-books As Internet turns 40, barriers threaten its growth [AP] Goofy videos weren't on the minds of Len Kleinrock and his team at UCLA when they began tests 40 years ago on what would become the Internet. Neither was social networking, for that matter, nor were most of the other easy-to-use applications that have drawn more than a billion people online. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/as-internet-turns-40-barriers-threaten-its-growth-20090831-f43w.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/as-internet-turns-40-barriers-threaten-its-growth-20090831-f43w.html Key milestones in the development of Internet [AP] Key milestones in the development and growth of the Internet: 1969: On Sept. 2, two computers at University of California, Los Angeles, exchange meaningless data in first test of Arpanet, an experimental military network. The first connection between two sites ? UCLA and the Stanford Research Institute in Menlo Park, Calif. ? takes place on Oct. 29, though the network crashes after the first two letters of the word "logon." UC Santa Barbara and University of Utah later join. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/08/30/financial/f102710D13.DTL http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/08/30/key_milestones_in_the_development_of_internet/ http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009775805_apustecinternetat40timeline.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/key-milestones-in-the-development-of-internet-20090831-f43x.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/key-milestones-in-the-development-of-internet-20090831-f43x.html Olympic aim to get Britons online The race is on to get as many British people online as possible by 2012, Martha Lane Fox has told the BBC. As the government's new Digital Champion she has been charged with getting millions online who are not yet connected to the internet. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8222873.stm Almost a third of UK homes do not have internet access A survey by the Office for National Statistics has found that 40 per cent of web users have uploaded photos and videos to sites such as Facebook and YouTube in the last year, up from 24 per cent in 2008. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/6106317/Almost-a-third-of-UK-homes-do-not-have-internet-access.html Italian Regulators Investigating Google Italian competition authorities said Thursday that they were investigating Google, following complaints from publishers that the company was abusing its dominant position on the Internet to deny them a fair share of online advertising revenue. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/28/technology/companies/28google.html Italy Opens Antitrust Probe of Local Google News Service Italy's antitrust regulator said Thursday it has launched a probe into Google Inc.'s Italian unit for alleged abuse of its dominant position following a complaint from local press. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125137301333663261.html Charging for newspapers online: Now pay up - Newspapers have plenty of options for charging online, but no sure bets If newspaper bosses keep their promises, the next few months will see a decisive retreat from free news online. This summer senior figures at big media firms such as News Corporation, Axel Springer Verlag and MediaNews Group have all threatened to start charging. Companies representing more than 700 newspapers have expressed interest in the online-payment platforms being developed by Journalism Online, an American start-up. http://www.economist.com/businessfinance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14327327 Hey, PC, Who Taught You to Fight Back? A Microsoft ad featured Lauren, who was shopping on a budget and decided not to spring for a $1,000 MacBook. But there were audible gasps last summer when Mr. Siler, 39, auditioned for Microsoft?s new ad campaign for Windows, created by Crispin Porter & Bogusky, the Miami agency best known for its cheeky work for Mini Cooper and Burger King. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/business/media/30ad.html ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Facebook forced to tighten up privacy rules following complaints from Canada's privacy commissioner Facebook has been forced to give its users more control over how much of their personal information is shared with the social networking site and the makers of the games and quizzes they download onto their profile pages, in the latest move to increase online consumer protection. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/aug/27/facebook-privacy-canada Facebook changes privacy policy Facebook has agreed to make worldwide changes to its privacy policy as a result of negotiations with Canada's privacy commissioner. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8225338.stm Facebook agrees to address Privacy Commissioner?s concerns [news release] Facebook has agreed to add significant new privacy safeguards and make other changes in response to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada?s recent investigation into the popular social networking site?s privacy policies and practices. http://www.priv.gc.ca/media/nr-c/2009/nr-c_090827_e.cfm Facebook to tighten privacy after Canadian investigation [IDG] Facebook will enhance its social-networking site's privacy features over the next 12 months as a result of a set of recommendations from the Canadian government. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9137186/Facebook_to_tighten_privacy_after_Canadian_investigation http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/170918/.html http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/316704/ Facebook ratchets up privacy controls (again) A recent simplification of Facebook's user privacy controls wasn't enough for some policymakers. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10319297-36.html Facebook to tighten user privacy protection after Canada talks [Reuters] Facebook agreed on Thursday to give its worldwide users better protection over their personal information as the result of negotiations with Canada's privacy commissioner. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/facebook-to-tighten-user-privacy-protection-after-canada-talks-20090828-f1q9.html Facebook to tighten privacy policies and give users more control over personal data Facebook, the world's largest online social network, has bowed to pressure and agreed to tighten up its privacy policies further. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article6812783.ece http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25993573-15306,00.html Facebook to implement privacy changes Facebook users will be forced to revisit their privacy settings after a report found serious flaws in the way the site handles user data. http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,28348,25993102-5014239,00.html Soul-Searching on Facebook : For Many Users, Religion Question Is Not Easy to Answer For the longest time, the question just sat there on his screen. Cursor blinking. Waiting quietly, like a patient priest in a confessor's box. Religious Views: _____. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/29/AR2009082902400.html ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** Tackling internet piracy: The spider and the web - The latest effort to cut piracy is less dim than its predecessors Scottish legend has it that Robert the Bruce once took shelter in a cave, where he noticed a spider repeatedly trying, and failing, to build a web. The struggle against online piracy is beginning to feel the same way. On August 25th the department for business announced another effort to tackle a problem that has defeated lawmakers and media companies in several countries. Robert?s spider eventually succeeded. Will Britain?s government? http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14335996 File-sharers' TV tastes revealed Millions of television viewers are now using illegal file-sharing services to access free and unauthorised copies of programmes, research has revealed. US drama Heroes was the most popular illegal download this year, according to research firm Big Champagne. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8224869.stm Young people will pay for downloads, says trade body's secret data A music trade body has kept secret the results of asking 1,800 young people how much they would pay for a limitless download service. UK Music chief executive Feargal Sharkey told OUT-LAW Radio the information was commercially sensitive. http://out-law.com/page-10332 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 ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Newly asked questions: When will we move to 4G mobile phone networks? The answer depends entirely on where you live. For those in Scandinavia and some other parts of Europe, it could be sooner than you might think. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/aug/25/4g-lte-mobile-phone-network Kohl Lauds FCC Wireless Industry Probe Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman Herb Kohl, D-Wis., on Thursday welcomed the announcement by the FCC that it will open an investigation into the wireless industry. The five-member Commission unanimously approved a sweeping examination into the sector intended to better understand factors that encourage innovation and investment and identify concrete steps it should take. The FCC also wants to gauge the adequacy of consumer protection policies through "truth in billing" rules for communications services. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/08/kohl-lauds-fcc-wireless-indust.php Nokia's First Linux Phone Looks Good After several unofficial leaks, Nokia on Thursday officially unveiled the N900, the company's first Linux phone. It's a good first step to rejuvenate Nokia's smartphone line, but will the N900 have what it takes to go head-to-head with the iPhone and Android Phones? http://www.pcworld.com/article/170904/.html http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/316485/ Apple iPhone faces Android threat in UK The battle to dent the dominance of Apple's iPhone will intensify next month. Orange and T-Mobile are expected to unveil exclusive deals to stock the latest touchscreen phones that use Google's Android software to British gadget fans. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/aug/30/telecoms-apple ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Editorial Notebook: Time to Be Afraid of the Web? Internet users used to comfort themselves by thinking that to become victims of the pirates of the Web, they had to frequent the online porn circuit or respond to an e-mail from the widowed wife of the former central bank governor of Nigeria. The idea was that one had to do something naughty to get caught in the wrongdoers? net, or at least go for a late-night stroll in the rough end of town. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/28/opinion/28fri4.html Major Cyber-Theft Suspect to Plead Guilty Albert Gonzalez, a former Secret Service informant who is accused of masterminding the theft of millions of credit-card numbers from TJX Cos., 7-Eleven Inc. and other retailers, will plead guilty to some charges and serve at least 15 years in prison. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125148711807267583.html Cyberbullying case to test Megan's law Is posting a phony, sexually suggestive ad online about another person free speech, an inappropriate prank, or a felony? That's what the Missouri court system will decide. A cyberbullying case in Saint Charles County, Missouri, will test a year-old state law on electronic harassment. The law makes it a felony for someone 21 years or older to communicate with someone 17 years or younger by phone or electronic means in order to recklessly frighten, intimidate, or cause emotional distress to that person. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10320274-38.html nz: Sue Bradford receives death threat via Twitter Green MP Sue Bradford is no stranger to threats ? but this is the first time she?s had a threat like this. ... NetSafe New Zealand says there are actions open to those who are being abused on social networking sites like Twitter. http://www.3news.co.nz/Sue-Bradford-receives-death-threat-via-Twitter/tabid/423/articleID/118908/cat/64/Default.aspx Conficker: Defying Experts, Rogue Computer Code Still Lurks It is still out there. Like a ghost ship, a rogue software program that glided onto the Internet last November has confounded the efforts of top security experts to eradicate the program and trace its origins and purpose, exposing serious weaknesses in the world?s digital infrastructure. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/27/technology/27compute.html DHS To Test Cyber Response In 2010 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. Cyber Storm III will build upon the lessons learned in the two previous exercises that took place in February 2006 and March 2008, and provide the first opportunity to assess the White House strategy for responding to a cyberattack with nationwide impact, according to NextGov. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/08/dhs-to-test-cyber-response-in.php China game boss sniped rivals, took down Internet [IDG] An attack by a Chinese online game provider meant to cripple the servers of its rivals ballooned to cause an Internet outage in much of the country in May, according to police. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/082809-china-game-boss-sniped-rivals.html http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/171018/.html http://www.thestandard.com/news/2009/08/28/china-game-boss-sniped-rivals-took-down-internet http://www.itworld.com/security/75943/china-game-boss-sniped-rivals-took-down-internet Global website attacks have single controller Roughly 80,000 websites in China, 67,000 in the U.S. and 40,000 in India remain compromised and under botnet control as a result of separate and ongoing SQL injection attacks. The highest infection point during the last three months reached into the millions at one point in China. http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/security/cybercrime/news/index.cfm?newsid=16364 ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** Europe Seeks to Ease Rules for Putting Books Online The European Commission on Friday will propose drafting rules that would make it easier to put many books and manuscripts online. The move is a part of the commission?s effort to bolster access to information and to encourage online businesses. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/28/technology/internet/28books.html Editorial: Access and the Internet - Net Neutrality On the Internet today, a Web site run by a solo blogger can load as quickly as any corporate home page. Internet service providers, including leading cable and phone companies, want to be able to change that so they can give priority to businesses that pay, or make deals with, them. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/29/opinion/29sat3.html We can't be neutral on net neutrality The new chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Julius Genachowski, didn't pussyfoot around last week when he was asked to explain the Obama administration's stance on net neutrality. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus30-2009aug30,0,3436552.column Google's plan for world's biggest online library: philanthropy or act of piracy? Google has already scanned 10 million books in its bid to digitise the contents of the world's major libraries, but a copyright battle now threatens the project, with Amazon and Microsoft joining authors and publishers opposed to the scheme. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/aug/30/google-library-project-books-settlement Privacy missing from Google Books settlement [IDG] If Google Inc. digitizes the world's books, how will it keep track of what you read? That's one of the unanswered questions that librarians and privacy experts are grappling with as Google attempts to settle a long-running lawsuit by publishers and copyright holders and move ahead with its effort to digitize millions of books, known as the Google Books Library Project. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9137258/Privacy_missing_from_Google_Books_settlement http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/082909-privacy-missing-from-google-books.html http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/171089/.html EU's Reding backs Google in online books row The European Union's media commissioner, Viviane Reding, has thrown her weight behind internet search group Google in the row over whether it should be allowed to publish millions of scanned books online. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE57Q4EJ20090827 http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE57Q4EJ20090827 ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** Southern Cross Cables plans new Pacific pipe Southern Cross Cables Network (SCC), the company that operates New Zealand?s connection to the internet, may choose to lay another pipe rather than upgrade the current one. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/16C56F597B2434F3CC257622006F2B86 NZ Telecom's loyalty offers under investigation The Commerce Commission has opened an investigation into loyalty offers made by Telecom's wholesale business unit. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/telecommunications/news/article.cfm?c_id=93&objectid=10594316 Telecom NZ investigated for separation breach New Zealand's Commerce Commission has decided to launch an investigation into an alleged breach of Telecom New Zealand's separation undertakings by its Wholesale business unit. http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Telecom-NZ-investigated-for-separation-breach/0,130061791,339298217,00.htm +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (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 Sun Aug 30 2009 - 20:51:25 UTC
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