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 *************************************************** Openness makes for success in Internet Governance http://www.apnic.net/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/21414/APNIC-rIGF-Press-Release_FINAL.pdf Sex domain gets official approval http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10412765.stm China gets own-character domains http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10432404.stm ICANN does the right thing on .xxx - but will the GAC? by Milton Mueller http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2010/6/25/4562321.html ICANN and GAC discuss censorship by Milton Mueller http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2010/6/23/4560694.html Porn industry, Christian lobby unite against .xxx domain http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/28/2939129.htm Reflection on ICANN (Brussels) http://kierenmccarthy.com/2010/06/26/reflection-on-icann-brussels/ Dot-xxx approved by ICANN Board http://kierenmccarthy.com/2010/06/25/dot-xxx-approved-by-icann-board/ For X-Rated, a Domain of Their Own http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/26/technology/26domain.html ICANN Day 3: Good news all around http://kierenmccarthy.com/2010/06/24/icann-day-3-good-news-all-around/ Reduction in IPv4 Allocation/Assignment Time Period http://ripe.net/news/v4-time-period-reductions.html au: Tech services for non-experts are Larry Bloch's key to success http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/opinion/tech-services-for-non-experts-are-larry-blochs-key-to-success/story-e6frg9if-1225884480355 ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** Openness makes for success in Internet Governance A weeklong series of Internet Governance discussions focused on the Asia Pacific took place last week in Hong Kong. The Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) saw more than 20 economies represented, with delegates from Civil Society, the Internet technical community, Business, and Government, all cooperating to make the inaugural event a success. http://www.apnic.net/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/21414/APNIC-rIGF-Press-Release_FINAL.pdf ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Sex domain gets official approval Official approval has been given for the creation of an internet domain dedicated to pornography. The board of net overseer Icann gave initial approval for the creation of the .xxx domain at its conference in Brussels. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10412765.stm China gets own-character domains Chinese people should soon find it easier to browse the web as domain names written in Chinese win approval. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10432404.stm ICANN does the right thing on .xxx - but will the GAC? by Milton Mueller At its public forum Thursday, the ICANN Board indicated its willingness to accept and act in accordance with the findings of an Independent Review Panel that ruled it had treated the .xxx top level domain application unfairly. In a presentation from its General Counsel, ICANN bowed to justice and issued two important declarations. http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2010/6/25/4562321.html ICANN and GAC discuss censorship by Milton Mueller At the Brussels meeting between ICANN's Board and its Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC), a fascinating and important discussion took place over the right of ICANN to censor or restrict the kind of words that can be used as top level domain names. The issues being debated here have profound implications for global regulation of internet content. http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2010/6/23/4560694.html Accountability is the Word at ICANN-Brussels by Milton Mueller Everybody involved in Internet governance is in Brussels. It is one of the largest attendances at an ICANN meeting ever. Famous crypto expert Whit Diffie is here as a new ICANN employee and so is DNS developer Paul Mockapetris. Lawrence Lessig and his sidekick Jon Zittrain are here for the Internet Society Board meeting. Paul Twomey, the former CEO, has come as "a civilian." The U.S. Commerce Department is out in force, including Larry Strickling. So is the European Commission. http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2010/6/21/4559154.html More Delay To ICANN Introduction Of New Internet Domains? Applicants for new top-level internet domains may face another round of discussions before the long-awaited application period for .nyc, .shop or .gay can happen. http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2010/06/23/more-delay-to-icann-introduction-of-new-internet-domains/ Porn industry, Christian lobby unite against .xxx domain The pornography industry and the Christian conservative lobby have united in opposition to a proposal to create a new domain name catering specifically for pornography on the internet. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/28/2939129.htm Reflection on ICANN (Brussels) So I have an unresolved sadness about ICANN at the end of this Brussels meeting, so I figured I would type it out to figure out why. Like so many people in the ?community?, I feel a strange sense of loyalty to the organization and yet spend about half my time being critical of it. I know how infuriating this is to the people trying to make it work and yet feel compelled to continue to point out where it is failing ? at least in my expectations. http://kierenmccarthy.com/2010/06/26/reflection-on-icann-brussels/ ICANN Board Approves Dot-XXX Top-level Domain for Porn Pornography will have its own top-level domain, dot-XXX, the board of ICANN decided Friday. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/199851/.html The .XXX Fiasco is Almost Over by John Levine At Friday's meeting of the ICANN board in Brussels, they voted, probably for the last time, to approve the 2004 application for the .XXX domain. http://www.circleid.com/posts/the_xxx_fiasco_is_almost_over/ Chinese language top-level domains win ICANN approval Web site operators will be able to register domain names written entirely in Chinese characters, including the final characters to the right of the last dot, in a matter of months. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9178525/Chinese_language_top_level_domains_win_ICANN_approval Icann approves Chinese internationalised domain names Icann has given the green light to internationalised domain names (IDNs) in Chinese script, representing a huge opportunity for firms hoping to reach potential customers in the region. http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2265512/icann-approves-chinese-idns Dot-xxx approved by ICANN Board As flagged up yesterday, the ICANN Board has approved the dot-xxx Internet extension at its Board meeting just now in Brussels. It did so almost unanimously (two abstentions) but rather grumpily, however, with several members saying they were ?uncomfortable? with the decision and appearing the blame the ?process? for forcing them to make a decision. The approving resolutions also stuck in several approval steps, which more members grumpily pointed to. http://kierenmccarthy.com/2010/06/25/dot-xxx-approved-by-icann-board/ .XXX Closer, Chinese IDNs Approved Amid Cybersecurity Concerns and gTLD Delays at Brussels ICANN Meeting In a week where domain name security, the possibility of blocking certain domain name character strings due to their use in cybercrime and no set date for the taking of applications for new Generic Top Level Domains, there was some good news at the 38th ICANN meeting held in Brussels this week that concluded Friday. ICANN's board voted to enter negotiations with a view to approving the controversial .XXX Top Level Domain while Chinese internationalised domain names approved for China, Taiwan and Hong Kong in the usual board meeting that concludes each meeting. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=11688 http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/06/25/xxx-closer-chinese-idns-approved-amid-cybersecurity-concerns-and-gtld-delays-at-brussels-icann-meeting/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/xxx-closer-chinese-idns-approved-amid-cybersecurity-concerns-and-gtld-delays-at-brussels-icann-meeting.html For X-Rated, a Domain of Their Own What if the Web held a sex party and no one showed up? That?s what could happen now that the agency governing the Internet address system all but approved the creation of a new red-light district on the Web. The problem is that some of the biggest names in online pornography prefer not to be in that neighborhood. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/26/technology/26domain.html Internet pornography to get its own red light district as .xxx name approved Icann decision marks end of 10-year battle, but pornography companies fear US politicians will shunt them into web ghetto http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/jun/25/internet-pornography-companies-xxx-domain Internet to get its own red-light district Approval ends seven-year battle over .xxx suffix for adult sites http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b2f9e1e4-806c-11df-be5a-00144feabdc0.html ICANN Brussels ? .xxx approved but not approved The controversy over the .xxx top-level domain has for the last few years, at least from one point of view, centered on opposing views of whether it was already ?approved?. http://domainincite.com/icann-brussels-xxx-approved-but-not-approved/ .XXX to get ICANN nod ICANN plans to give conditional approval to .xxx, the controversial top-level internet domain just for porn, 10 years after it was first proposed. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/06/24/domain_vote/ Dot-XXX Domain Won't Clean Up the Web ICANN has approved XXX as a top-level domain. The adult entertainment industry will soon have its own glaringly obvious domain, but unfortunately that doesn't necessarily mean that dot-COM domains will suddenly be porn-free. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/062510-dot-xxx-domain-wont-clean-up.html Internet bosses set to approve .xxx for porn sites The company that oversees Web addresses is expected to give the go-ahead on Friday for the creation of a .xxx suffix for websites with pornographic content, company officials indicated on Thursday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE65N4NP20100624 http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-49620520100624 http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/3854837/Go-ahead-given-for-xxx-porn-web-addresses ICANN?s two missing accountability clauses Earlier this year, the organization that oversees the domain name system, ICANN, saw the first use of its Independent Review Process ? its highest level of review for decisions that affect billions. http://kierenmccarthy.com/2010/06/25/icanns-two-missing-accountability-clauses/ ICANN Day 3: Good news all around I?ll be honest: I didn?t go to many Wednesday sessions at ICANN Brussels. At least not physically. The remote participation tools mean that, unless you want to actually raise a point at the microphone, you can settle yourself down somewhere more comfortable and follow events on your laptop (and even your iPhone with the Adobe Connect app). http://kierenmccarthy.com/2010/06/24/icann-day-3-good-news-all-around/ Why ICANN doesn?t need to go back to the GAC over dot-xxx This Friday, it looks as though the ICANN Board will follow the clear conclusions drawn by its independent review and approve dot-xxx. http://kierenmccarthy.com/2010/06/23/why-icann-doesn?t-need-to-go-back-to-the-gac-over-dot-xxx/ ICANN Day 2: The bells! The bells! Nothing aids careful discussion and debate more than loud repetitive ringing. So thank you the Square Meeting Centre in Brussels for introducing not one but two ringing systems that go off every 30 minutes: a fire alarm and the bells from the nearby cathedral. http://kierenmccarthy.com/2010/06/22/icann-day-2-the-bells-the-bells/ Opinion: Put porn where it belongs ? in an online ghetto It's interesting that Icann is setting up a porn-only internet domain, where addresses will have the suffix xxx rather than www. Interesting also that porn companies are very unhappy about it. Of course they are. Never mind the self-serving flannel about censorship, dedicated space online will result in an online porn ghetto, with sex sites filtered out more efficiently, loss of passing traffic and plummeting revenue. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/27/pornography-glastonbury-australia Bulgaria to file ICANN reconsideration appeal over rejected IDN ccTLD Bulgaria is to appeal ICANN?s rejection of .??, the Cyrillic version of its existing country code top-level domain, .bg. http://domainincite.com/bulgaria-to-file-icann-reconsideration-appeal-over-rejected-idn-cctld/ Photographs of ICANN gala dinner now available Last night, EURid hosted a gala dinner for the 38th ICANN meeting in Brussels. The dinner was held at Chateau Grand-Bigard and was well attended. Photos of the event are now available on the website, www.icannbrussels.eu. The password to access the site is: eurid. http://www.eurid.eu/en/content/eurid-hosts-gala-dinner-icann-meeting-no-38 Sticky Points On New gTLD?s: Terrorists, Territories, & Trademark Violators Are Worse Than Child Murders From the ICANN meeting in Brussels this week there are a few more ?sticky points? that coming out of the new gTLD process. The sticky points as I call them are issues raised by commentators in the public sessions on the new gTLD?s. http://www.thedomains.com/2010/06/27/sticky-points-on-new-gtlds-terrorists-territories-trademark-violators-are-worse-than-child-murders/ Former Justice Department Chief Blasts ICANN Decision on .XXX Pat Trueman, former Chief of the U.S. Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, called ICANN?s decision on .xxx today ?foolish and unnecessary? in an interview with Domain Name Wire. Trueman served in the Justice Department starting with Ronald Reagan in 1988 to the end of the administration of George H. W. Bush. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/06/25/former-justice-department-chief-blasts-icann-decision-on-xxx/ ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** DotAsia Cheering for Asian Teams in the World Cup with Special Playtime Promotion As the World Cup fever continues to sweep across Asia, DotAsia announces special program to show support to Asia Pacific teams playing in the finals, including Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Australia and New Zealand. DotAsia is launching a special ?Go Asia!? playtime promotion for ?.Asia? domain registrations during the playing time when the Asia Pacific teams are in action. http://dot.asia/pressreleases/DotAsia-PR-WorldCup2010.pdf Annual Report 2009 of DNS BE The DNS BE Annual report 2009 is available in three languages. http://www.dns.be/en/home.php?n=446 ee: The transition to new domain rules will take place on July 5, 2010 Estonian Internet Foundation has set the deadline for the transition to new domain rules on July 5 2010. The new domain regulation will make the .ee ccTLD significantly more accessible: private individuals and foreigners will be able to register .ee domain. One person can register multiple domains. http://www.eestiinternet.ee/eng/news/the-transition-to-new-domain-rules-will-take-place-on-july-5-2010 First .ee registrars have been accredited Estonian Internet Foundation is happy to announce that first .ee registrars have gone through accreditation procedures and signed the registrar contract. http://www.eestiinternet.ee/eng/news/first-ee-registrars-have-been-accredited Neelie Kroes EURid dinner speech European Commission Vice-President for the Digital Agenda, Neelie Kroes, has released her speech given at the EURid dinner (2/06/2010) where she highlighted the importance of a strong and safe .eu Domain Name. http://www.broadband-europe.eu/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?ItemID=722 Businesses can now create quality mobile Web sites in minutes when they "goMobi" dotMobi?s new low-cost goMobi? product creates a smartphone Web experience on every mobile phone, giving any business a rich, icon-driven mobile website ? quickly, easily and completely. http://mtld.mobi/node/1771 Wholesale price cut won?t benefit all .nz domain holders Many .nz domain name holders won?t experience a reduction in expenses when the wholesale price of New Zealand domain names drops by 16% next week, says InternetNZ?s president. http://pcworld.co.nz/pcworld/pcw.nsf/feature/wholesale-price-cut-wont-benefit-all-nz-domain-holders New Zealand court rules that .net advertising and poker tournaments are not illegal Online gambling companies using the .net advertising strategy will be heartened by a New Zealand court?s ruling that such advertising is not an inducement to gamble, and that live poker tournaments are a form of competition and therefore not illegal in a gambling sense. http://www.recentpoker.com/news/new-zealand-gambling-7755.html ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** US Senate Panel Approves Controversial Cybersecurity Bill [IDG] A U.S. Senate committee has approved a wide-ranging cybersecurity bill that some critics have suggested would give the U.S. president the authority to shut down parts of the Internet during a cyberattack. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9178498/Senate_committee_approves_controversial_cybersecurity_bill http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/062410-senate-panel-approves-controversial-cybersecurity.html us: Obama internet 'kill switch' bill approved The US senators pushing a controversial new bill that some fear would give President Barack Obama the powers to seize control of and even shut down the internet have rejected claims it would give Obama a net "kill switch". http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/obama-internet-kill-switch-bill-approved-20100625-z8sf.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/obama-internet-kill-switch-bill-approved-20100625-z8sf.html http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/3855664/Obama-internet-kill-switch-bill-approved uk: Quietly celebrating DNSSEC And so, on the 16th June 2010, ICANN and IANA finally added DNSSEC keys to the root of the Internet. In an elaborate ceremony, much discussed and sometimes derided amongst the community, a group of ICANN staffers and volunteers from around the globe added DNSSEC keys to the root. http://blog.nominet.org.uk/insight/2010/06/quietly-celebrating-dnssec/ us: Federal Register Notice: Intent to Proceed with the Final Stages of DNSSEC Implementation in the Authoritative Root Zone: NTIA announced the availability of the Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) testing and evaluation report and NTIA?s intent to proceed with the final stages of DNSSEC deployment in the authoritative root zone. NTIA is providing a comment period on the report and the commencement of the final stage of the DNSSEC deployment before taking any action. Comments must be submitted by June 21, 2010. http://www.ntia.doc.gov/frnotices/2010/FR_DNSSEC_Notice_06092010.pdf ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** The Typosquatter by James B. Astrachan [The Daily Record, May 2007] Abstract: This short article describes how a web-based affiliate of the Lands' End Co. got sued by that company after using common misspellings to create a scam. Without telling Lands? End, he registered ten names that were the sort of domain names that might result from less than careful typing by an Internet searcher looking for Lands? End. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1628748 ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** Reduction in IPv4 Allocation/Assignment Time Period From Thursday, 1 July 2010, the RIPE NCC will start to allocate enough IPv4 address space to Local Internet Registries (LIRs) to meet their needs for a period of up to nine months. http://ripe.net/news/v4-time-period-reductions.html ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** au: Tech services for non-experts are Larry Bloch's key to success SOUTH African-born Larry Bloch, co-founder of web services company Netregistry, is a dotcom survivor in an industry yet to reach maturity. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/opinion/tech-services-for-non-experts-are-larry-blochs-key-to-success/story-e6frg9if-1225884480355 ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** A Seven-Figure Sale and a Quartet of Six-Figure Transactions Led the Domain Aftermarket Action Over the Past Two Weeks ... Even though we're in the first month of summer, a season in which domain sales typically slow down, aftermarket activity appears to be moving in step with temperatures and heating up. The latest sales parade was led by the second biggest sale of the year to date, Dating.com at a cool $1,750,000 in a deal Moniker completed after auctioning off the domain in their DOMAINfest Ft. Lauderdale auction. http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2010/20100623.htm Domain Parking Scammers Get Aggressive Ask any domain name parking company what their number one nuisance is and they?ll say fraud. Click fraud is big, but it all starts with trying to get an account at the parking companies. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/06/24/domain-parking-scammers-get-aggressive/ Free Webinar: How to Find Domains on Sedo Sedo is pleased to announce our next free webinar, ?How to Find Domains on Sedo,? on July 14, 2010, 2 PM EDT. Sedo.com brings you to the next level of buying. With over 16 million domains for sale, you can bet that the perfect domain is waiting for you. Whether you are investing in domains as an integral part of a complete online marketing strategy or developing an existing portfolio, this webinar provides the tips and tricks you need to buy like a pro. https://sedo.com/links/showlinks.php3?tracked=&partnerid=&language=us&Id=2666 ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** As Mobile Shopping Takes Off, eBay Is an Early Winner Selling Via Smartphones and Tablets Tim L. Fields bids for jewelry, art, and antiques on eBay, sometimes in 30 to 40 auctions at a time. The New Orleans attorney spends hours in court and away from his PC, so he gets his shopping done using an eBay application on his iPhone that sends alerts when he's been outbid or when a sale is a bout to expire. "It's sort of an addiction," says Fields, who has used the eBay mobile app to buy a $15,000 set of antique French silver. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_27/b4185027420770.htm Book review: The effects of the internet: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr In 1492, the same year that Christopher Columbus crossed the Atlantic, a Benedictine abbot named Trithemius, living in western Germany, wrote a spirited defence of scribes who tried to impress God?s word most firmly on their minds by copying out texts by hand. To disseminate his own books, though, Trithemius used the revolutionary technology of the day, the printing press. Nicholas Carr, an American commentator on the digital revolution, faces a similar dichotomy. A blogger and card-carrying member of the ?digerati?, he is worried enough about the internet to raise the alarm about its dangers to human thought and creativity. http://www.economist.com/node/16423330 ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Social media 'mining' sparks privacy fears Privacy advocates are raising further concerns about the use of personal information from social media sites. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/26/2937709.htm ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Death by Gadget: how minerals used by modern technologies fuel mass slaughter and rape by Nicholas D. Kristof "Blood diamonds? have faded away, but we may now be carrying ?blood phones.? An ugly paradox of the 21st century is that some of our elegant symbols of modernity ? smartphones, laptops and digital cameras ? are built from minerals that seem to be fueling mass slaughter and rape in Congo. With throngs waiting in lines in the last few days to buy the latest iPhone, I?m thinking: What if we could harness that desperation for new technologies to the desperate need to curb the killing in central Africa? http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/27/opinion/27kristof.html Computers Make Strides in Recognizing Speech ... For decades, computer scientists have been pursuing artificial intelligence ? the use of computers to simulate human thinking. But in recent years, rapid progress has been made in machines that can listen, speak, see, reason and learn, in their way. The prospect, according to scientists and economists, is not only that artificial intelligence will transform the way humans and machines communicate and collaborate, but will also eliminate millions of jobs, create many others and change the nature of work and daily routines. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/25/science/25voice.html NZ does well in world digital economy rankings [NZPA] New Zealand moved up one spot to 10th place in the world 2010 "digital economy rankings" compiled by the Economist's Intelligence Unit. The British magazine's annual survey of 70 nations was until this year known as the "e-readiness" rankings. http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/nz-does-well-world-digital-economy-rankings-125281 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10654989 http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/3860805/NZ-moves-up-digital-economy-ranking ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ au: Conroy says filter still on under Gillard Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has reiterated the government's support for its mandatory internet filter policy after the change in Prime Minister and has slammed proposed amendments by Senator Kate Lundy that would allow Australians to opt in or out of the technology. http://www.zdnet.com.au/conroy-says-filter-still-on-under-gillard-339304135.htm us: Online Bullies Pull Schools Into the Fray The girl?s parents, wild with outrage and fear, showed the principal the text messages: a dozen shocking, sexually explicit threats, sent to their daughter the previous Saturday night from the cellphone of a 12-year-old boy. Both children were sixth graders at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Ridgewood, N.J. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/28/style/28bully.html jp: EDITORIAL - Deleting child pornography The law against child prostitution and child pornography bans posting the posting of child pornography images on the Internet. In 2009, the police took action in more than 500 child pornography cases on the Internet, twice the corresponding figure for 2008. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ed20100628a2.html ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** YouTube video views hit record high in US [AFP] Google-owned YouTube served up a record-high 14.6 billion online videos in May to US Internet users who, on average, watched nearly 200 videos per person, comScore said Thursday. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/youtube-video-views-hit-record-high-in-us-2010234.html ComScore: YouTube remains dominant video site Google served up a record number of video clips in May to U.S. Internet users, mostly through YouTube, as for the first time each Google visitor watched an average of more than 100 clips during the month, according to comScore. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/062410-comscore-youtube-remains-dominant-video.html comScore Releases May 2010 U.S. Online Video Rankings [news release] comScore ... released May 2010 data from the comScore Video Metrix service showing that 183 million U.S. Internet users watched online video during the month. YouTube.com achieved record levels of viewing activity in May with an all-time high of 14.6 billion videos viewed and surpassing the threshold of 100 videos per viewer for the first time. http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2010/6/comScore_Releases_May_2010_U.S._Online_Video_Rankings Will US video sites stop filtering content? One question that needs to be asked a day after Google's landmark win over Viacom in the YouTube copyright-infringement case is whether Google could have gotten away with doing less about protected content on its video-sharing platform. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE65O0LP20100625 Music and film success raises questions about copyright changes: InternetNZ [news release] InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) has filed a thorough submission on the Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Bill, noting that illicit file sharing is not proving as damaging as some anticipated. http://internetnz.net.nz/news/media-releases/2010/music-and-film-success-raises-questions-about-copyright-changes au: AFACT fails to recoup iiNet court costs The Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) has failed in its attempt to recoup some of the costs of its recent copyright court loss against internet service provider (ISP) iiNet. http://www.zdnet.com.au/afact-fails-to-recoup-iinet-court-costs-339304086.htm ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** UN agency reports phenomenal mobile telephone expansion in developing world [news release] Nearly two billion additional mobile telephone connections were recorded across the world between 2006 and last year, the vast majority of them in developing countries, the United Nations Telecommunications Union (ITU) said in figures released today, which also show that fixed telephone lines in decline. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=35114 iPhone 4 users turn to nail polish to fix ?499 gadget Want to know the must-have item for owners of the new iPhone 4? A bit of duct tape ? or a dab of nail polish. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/jun/26/iphone-4-nail-polish-fix Eric Schmidt: smartphones are the future for Google and the world Phenomenally successful, but also imitated, envied and feared ? Google is the technological icon of our time. But is its ubiquity and influence a force for good? http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jun/28/eric-schmidt-google-smartphones-activate ********************** SPAM ********************** Australia's IIA pushes new ISP spam code The Internet Industry Association (IIA) has submitted a revised and updated code of practice for Internet service providers (ISPs) around spam emails to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for official registration. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/351168/iia_pushes_new_isp_spam_code/ ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Internet TVs new 'playground' for cybercrooks In an era where the use of non-PC Internet devices is "exploding", consumers now have more entry points to access the Web. These access points and the various devices used represent, in turn, multiple "playgrounds" for cybercriminals to exploit for financial gain, according to a security expert. http://www.zdnetasia.com/internet-tvs-new-playground-for-cybercrooks-62201015.htm http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/security-management/2010/06/28/cybercrime-attacks-spread-to-non-pc-internet-devices-40089364/ US outlines online security strategy The White House set out a sweeping strategy to make online transactions more secure on Friday. The move is the most ambitious initiative to emerge from a cybersecurity policy intended to blunt the growing menace of online crime. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/f416e31e-80af-11df-be5a-00144feabdc0.html Businesses Confront the Cloud Security Threat As chief information officer of the 1,800-bed Orlando Health System, Rick Schooler needs to house 180 terabytes of medical images. That's more than three times the print holdings of the Library of Congress. "Within three years we'll be at 300 terabytes or more," Schooler says. http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jun2010/tc20100616_394524.htm US Senate Panel Approves Controversial Cybersecurity Bill [IDG] A U.S. Senate committee has approved a wide-ranging cybersecurity bill that some critics have suggested would give the U.S. president the authority to shut down parts of the Internet during a cyberattack. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9178498/Senate_committee_approves_controversial_cybersecurity_bill http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/062410-senate-panel-approves-controversial-cybersecurity.html us: Obama internet 'kill switch' bill approved The US senators pushing a controversial new bill that some fear would give President Barack Obama the powers to seize control of and even shut down the internet have rejected claims it would give Obama a net "kill switch". http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/obama-internet-kill-switch-bill-approved-20100625-z8sf.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/obama-internet-kill-switch-bill-approved-20100625-z8sf.html http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/3855664/Obama-internet-kill-switch-bill-approved ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Europe Pushes Google to Turn Over Wi-Fi Data Google is allowing privacy regulators in France, Germany and Spain to inspect Internet data that the company improperly collected for its street mapping service, but those reviews, so far, show no sign of resolving the inquiries into its surveillance. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/28/technology/28google.html Germany says Apple must improve data transparency Apple Inc must "immediately make clear" what data it collects from users of its products and for what purposes, Germany's justice minister was quoted as saying by Der Spiegel magazine on Saturday. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65P1LP20100626 http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE65P1LY20100626 http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-49676420100626 German regulators welcome street panorama privacy law draft [IDG] German privacy regulators have welcomed a proposal to extend laws protecting Germans' right to privacy to cover use of their own image and that of their homes in online street panoramas, the Hamburg privacy regulator said Monday. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/062810-german-regulators-welcome-street-panorama.html http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/199958/.html Twitter Settles F.T.C. Privacy Case Twitter, the rapidly growing Internet messaging service, has settled a Federal Trade Commission investigation into the security and privacy protections it offers its users. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/25/technology/25twitter.html Twitter settles privacy charges with U.S. Microblogging service Twitter has agreed to a settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over charges it put its customers' privacy at risk by failing to safeguard their personal information. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE65N3UA20100624 http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-49616620100624 Twitter Settles Charges that it Failed to Protect Consumers' Personal Information; Company Will Establish Independently Audited Information Security Program Social networking service Twitter has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it deceived consumers and put their privacy at risk by failing to safeguard their personal information, marking the 30th case the FTC has brought targeting faulty data security, and the agency?s first such case against a social networking service. http://ftc.gov/opa/2010/06/twitter.shtm ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Another Bad Week for Free Expression on the Internet Yet another country has decided to shut down key parts the Internet. Kathleen Reen at Internews reports that, as of this past Thursday, the Afghan Ministry of Communications mandated that all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Afghanistan filter websites falling under the following categories: http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/06/another-bad-week-free-expression-internet Pakistan to monitor Google, Yahoo and others for 'blasphemy' Pakistan will start monitoring seven major websites, including Google and Yahoo, for content it deems offensive to Muslims. YouTube, Amazon, MSN, Hotmail and Bing will also come under scrutiny, while 17 less well-known sites will be blocked. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/south_asia/10418643.stm Pakistan to vet websites for blasphemy Pakistan will start monitoring seven major websites, including Google, Yahoo and Amazon, for sacrilegious content, while blocking 17 lesser-known sites that it deems offensive to Muslims, an official said today. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/25/pakistan-vet-websites-blasphemy Turkey tightens Internet control in YouTube feud Furious over Internet insults of the country's beloved founder, Turkey has gone on the offensive against Google, tightening a ban on YouTube and cutting public access to a host of Google-owned sites. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/turkey-tightens-internet-control-in-youtube-feud-20100626-za3a.html China bans military from blogging [AFP] China has issued regulations banning its 2.3 million soldiers from creating web sites or writing web blogs, adding to the nation's existing Internet curbs, state press said Saturday. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/china-bans-military-from-blogging-20100626-zatf.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/china-bans-military-from-blogging-20100626-zatf.html ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** British ISPs face scrutiny on traffic management Regulators are poised to order internet service providers to supply more information to consumers about whether they throttle web traffic at peak usage. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8cb7fc9e-7f9c-11df-9973-00144feabdc0.html Ofcom opens debate on net neutrality [news release] Ofcom today published a discussion paper on the practice of internet traffic management, a technique used by network operators and internet service providers (ISPs) to stem or accelerate the flow of traffic over the web. http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2010/06/nr_20100624 EU Panel Rejects Opt-Out For Online Behavioral Advertising The European Union's data protection authorities released an opinion Thursday declaring that online advertisers who seek to target ads at consumers by tracking their surfing habits must obtain consumer consent before engaging in such practices. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/06/eu-panel-rejects-optout-for-on.php Scope Of Anti-Counterfeiting Agreement Again A Big Issue In Round Nine The staid little Swiss town of Lucerne this week sees round number nine of the negotiations for an Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). While the 11 negotiating parties gather in the Palace Hotel, the Swiss Pirate Party together with their Pirate colleagues from Germany and Switzerland will organise a rally at the Lucerne train station. http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2010/06/26/scope-of-anti-counterfeiting-agreement-again-a-big-issue-in-round-nine/ Urgent Communique: International Experts Find that Pending Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement Threatens Public Interests A gathering of over 90 legal academics, practitioners, and public interest organizations from 6 continents met at American University Washington College of Law last week to draft an Urgent Communique concerning the public interest aspects of the proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). The international experts found that ACTA is a deeply flawed proposal created by a deeply flawed process that threatens to undermine fundamental freedoms at the global level. http://ipjustice.org/wp/2010/06/23/urgent-communique-international-experts-find-that-pending-anti-counterfeiting-trade-agreement-threatens-public-interests/ ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** OECD: Geographically segmented regulation of telecommunications Regulatory authorities in most OECD countries have traditionally adopted a national geographic area focus when framing the geographic scope of telecommunications markets. Arguments stemming from market analysis economics suggest that differential regulation be considered between geographic areas where facility-based competition has developed and where it has not. The aim of this paper is to appraise the case for, and developments in, the use of sub-national geographically segmented regulation for fixed telecommunications networks. http://www.olis.oecd.org/olis/2009doc.nsf/LinkTo/dsti-iccp-cisp(2009)6-final Methods untried in NZ tipped for fibre rollouts As the time nears when the ultra-fast broadband initiative and its counterpart Rural Broadband Initiative will move into practical implementation, the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) is preparing participants for what may be unfamiliar techniques of fibre deployment, never before tried in New Zealand. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/methods-untried-in-nz-tipped-for-fibre-rollouts au: Stephen Conroy forges ahead with wireless sale Communications Minister Stephen Conroy is pushing ahead with a key plank of the government's overhaul of the so-called digital economy. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/industry-sectors/stephen-conroy-forges-ahead-with-wireless-sale/story-e6frg9hx-1225884012992 US Broadband Availability to Expand The Obama administration is seeking to nearly double the wireless communications spectrum available for commercial use over the next 10 years, an effort that could greatly enhance the ability of consumers to send and receive video and data with smartphones and other hand-held devices. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/28/technology/28broadband.html ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR ONLINE CHILD PROTECTION ********************************** Bulger killer's 'child porn' charge puts a controversial crime in the spotlight Confirmation last week that one of the killers of Liverpool toddler Jamie Bulger has been charged with possession and distribution of "child porn" images has rekindled the widespread revulsion triggered by the shocking murder. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/jun/27/bulger-killer-charge-crime +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2010 --------- 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 FlanneryReceived on Mon Jun 28 2010 - 13:21:34 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Sat Sep 09 2017 - 22:00:10 UTC