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.


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The domain name news is supported by auDA

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ICANN Urged To Crack Down On Registrars
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/06/icann-urged-to-crack-down-on-r.php

Making Chinese Internet History by Tina Dam
http://blog.icann.org/2010/06/making-chinese-internet-history/

China Puts Domain Registrars in Tough Spot, Again
http://domainnamewire.com/2010/06/29/china-puts-domain-registrars-in-tough-spot-again/

US Feds shut down nine websites in movie piracy crackdown
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-piracy-20100701,0,2871905.story


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DOMAIN NAMES
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 - ICANN
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123 Registration, Inc. Loses ICANN Accreditation
ICANN terminated its accreditation agreement with 123 Registration, Inc. (?123 Registration?) for failure to comply with the requirements of the Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA), the contract between ICANN and registrars that governs the registration of domain names under generic top-level domains such as dot-com and dot-org.
http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-30jun10-en.htm

Brussels Statement from the Accountability and Transparency Review Team
The Accountability and Transparency Review Team (ATRT) met with most of the constituent bodies within ICANN during the week of 20 June 2010 at the 38th ICANN meeting in Brussels, Belgium.
http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-29jun10-en.htm

IGF Continuation is a Multistakeholder Effort by Baher Esmat
Having an Internet Governance workshop at ICANN meetings has become a norm in the past few years. The purpose of such workshops is to inform ICANN community of developments taking place at IGF fora, and to allow participants to exchange views on the various issues under debate.
http://blog.icann.org/2010/06/igf-continuation-is-a-multistakeholder-effort/

ICANN Urged To Crack Down On Registrars
The head of a company aimed at ensuring the legitimacy of online pharmacies said Tuesday that the group that manages the Internet's address system is not doing enough to crack down on firms that sell Internet address registrations to Web sites that offer fake or stolen drugs without a prescription.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/06/icann-urged-to-crack-down-on-r.php

Making Chinese Internet History by Tina Dam
This past week was quite the historical change for the Internet with several additional languages moving forward in the IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process.
http://blog.icann.org/2010/06/making-chinese-internet-history/

Public Comment: Community Comment Invited on the GNSO Council Operations Work Team and Constituency and Stakeholder Group Operations Work Team Recommendations
Pursuant to a Resolution passed by the GNSO Council at its meeting on 23 June 2010, the community is invited to provide comments on a set of GNSO Improvements recommendations submitted by the GNSO Council Operations Work Team and the Constituency and Stakeholder Group Work Team submitted to the GNSO Council for consideration at its meeting on 23 June 2010 at the ICANN meeting in Brussels, Belgium.
http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-28jun10-en.htm

'.ZhongGuo' domain names to be launched in August
Chinese Internet users will be able to browse for domain names written in Chinese characters starting in August. 
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/7044783.html

XXX Domain Is Nigh, And the Net Is Sadly Better for It
The net?s authority over names is now set to add .xxx to the set of global top level domains like .com and .net, thanks to a June 25 board vote that looks to put an end a five-year battle over the controversial addition to the net.
http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/06/icann-xxx/

Domain For Porn Sites Gains Approval
It may soon be easier to block Internet porn: The agency that controls domain names said Friday it will consider adding .xxx to the list of suffixes people and companies can pick when establishing their identities online.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/28/domain-for-porn-sites-gai_n_627827.html

Registrar linked to .xxx loses ICANN accreditation
A Technology Company Inc, a registrar previously linked to the .xxx top-level domain application, has lost its ICANN accreditation for non-payment of fees.
http://domainincite.com/registrar-linked-to-xxx-loses-icann-accreditation/

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 - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS
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China Puts Domain Registrars in Tough Spot, Again
Imagine if VeriSign sent an email to the all .com registrants asking them to click a link to verify they have the correct email address.* If you didn?t respond within 15 days, your domain name was subject to deletion.
http://domainnamewire.com/2010/06/29/china-puts-domain-registrars-in-tough-spot-again/

The next steps before dot-xxx goes live
There has been plenty of speculation since a decision by the ICANN Board to move forward with our application for dot-xxx was taken on Friday. This post is an effort to give some facts about what was decided and what the next steps are before dot-xxx domains finally become available.
http://www.icmregistry.com/blog/?p=308

Q&A with ICM Registry: 30,000 .xxx Preorders Since Friday
ICM Registry founder Stuart Lawley just got back from a successful ICANN meeting in Brussels. In this Q&A, Lawley answers some common questions about the .xxx top level domain name. He also reveals that the company has received 30,000 pre-reservations for the domain since the news broke last Friday that .xxx is on path for final approval.
http://domainnamewire.com/2010/06/28/qa-with-icm-registry-30000-xxx-preorders-since-friday/

Porn zone firm wants a paypal system
The United States firm that is set to manage a new ".xxx" red light zone on the internet has revealed plans to revolutionise the internet porn business by setting up a payment service that will let web users buy porn securely and anonymously.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/3872318/Porn-zone-firm-wants-a-paypal-system
http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/business/3872318/Porn-zone-firm-wants-a-paypal-system

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 - DOMAIN DISPUTES
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Feds shut down nine websites in movie piracy crackdown
Adding some swashbuckling to its tough talk on fighting piracy, the federal government on Wednesday seized several websites that had offered downloads of pirated movies such as "Toy Story 3" and "Iron Man 2" within hours of their release in theaters. Federal authorities announced that they had seized domain names from nine websites engaged in the "criminal theft of American movies and television." The websites include TVShack.net, PlanetMoviez.com, ThePirateCity.org and Ninjavideo.net. Combined, the sites drew 6.7 million visitors a month, authorities said.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-piracy-20100701,0,2871905.story

Pirate offensive begins with US seizing dodgy domains [AP]
US officials have announced a major crackdown on movie piracy that involved disabling nine websites they accuse of offering pirated movies, in some cases hours after they appeared in theatres.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10655669

HK issues alert on fake bank website
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) issued an alert on Tuesday on a fraudulent website with the domain name "hkboc.net", which looks similar to the official website of Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (BOCHK).
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/7045640.html

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INTERNET USE
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Two million more Britons come online in last 12 months
Nearly two million more Britons have come online during the last year, over half of which are over 50, according to new research.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/10448204.stm

UK internet audience rises by 1.9 million over last year
The UK internet audience rose by 1.9 million over the last year, with people over the age of 50 accounting for more than half of new users.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/jun/30/uk-internet-users

Finland makes broadband a 'legal right'
Finland has become the first country in the world to make broadband a legal right for every citizen.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/10461048.stm

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SOCIAL NETWORKING
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Australian Facebook stalker who created "100 biggest sluts of Ballarat" page could be charged with 100 offences
Police are set to charge the alleged creator of a derogatory Facebook page titled "100 Biggest Sluts of Ballarat" with stalking-related offences. 
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/an-australian-facebook-stalker-could-be-charged-with-100-offences/story-e6frf7jo-1225885282837

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CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION
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us: How schools can really fight cyberbullying
Twelve-year-olds are just about the scariest human beings on the planet. And if you thought your own middle school years were hellish, remember, at least you didn't have Facebook. As a stomach-churning story in Sunday's New York Times makes clear -- the Internet is making it easier than ever for the Nelson Muntzes of the world to do their dirty work, and schools are struggling to figure out how to protect their kids while protecting their privacy. The ongoing challenge is -- how responsible are educators for the terrible things kids do on their own time? If a sixth grader is sending out "shocking, sexually explicit threats" to another student on a phone on a Saturday night, what recourse does a school community have?
http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2010/06/28/middle_school_cyber_bullies/

nz: Another way to watch the kids
In the era of the internet, not only do parents have to worry about whether their children talk to strangers at the park or wear their bike helmets riding on the street, they also must keep in mind the online-world, one where kids can access inappropriate information, while also being exposed to digital dangers, such as sexual predators and cyberbullies.
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/technology/112792/another-way-watch-kids

au: Cyber-bullying fight needs more resources, inquiry told
More funding for early intervention programs has been suggested at a Commonwealth inquiry as a way to combat cyber-bullying.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/30/2941352.htm
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/technology/7491380/cyberbullying-fight-needs-more-resources-inquiry-told/

au: Conroy reaffirms commitment to filter
Communications minister, Stephen Conroy, has reaffirmed his commitment to the Federal Government's mandatory ISP-level filtering scheme, maintaining the government would stick by delivering its election promise.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/351461/conroy_reaffirms_commitment_filter/

au: Net filter trials 'unlawful', claims engineer
The internet filtering "live trials" conducted by the Federal Government in conjunction with internet service providers (ISPs) were done illegally, according to claims by network engineer Mark Newton.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/net-filter-trials-unlawful-claims-engineer-339304184.htm

Paedophiles 'increasingly access images from webcams'
Paedophiles are increasingly accessing indecent pictures of children from webcams, experts warn.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/10461616.stm

ca: Schools grapple with solutions to thorny cyberbullying issues
It?s a conundrum. What?s a school supposed to do when incidents of cyberbullying occur outside the grounds?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/schools-grapple-with-solutions-to-thorny-cyberbullying-issues/article1621418/

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ONLINE TV & MUSIC
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Feds shut down nine websites in movie piracy crackdown
The sites had made pirated versions of 'Toy Story 3' and 'Iron Man 2' available within hours of their release in theaters. The crackdown is part of a renewed effort to curb film and TV piracy online.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-piracy-20100701,0,2871905.story

US cracks down on Internet movie pirates, websites seized [AFP]
US authorities launched a crackdown on Wednesday against websites offering pirated copies of movies, sometimes within hours of their release in theaters.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/us-cracks-down-on-internet-movie-pirates-websites-seized-2015313.html

U.S. authorities seize websites over pirated movies
U.S. authorities seized nine websites on Wednesday, accusing them of movie piracy by offering free access to movies such as "Toy Story 3".
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE65T6X020100630

Pirate Bay founding group disbands
The Swedish anti-copyright group Piratbyran, which gave rise to the popular file-sharing website The Pirate Bay has disbanded.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10433195.stm

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MOBILE/WIRELESS
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Cellphone industry attacks San Francisco's ruling on radiation
San Francisco, a city that banned the plastic bag, now has waded into the muddy territory of cellphone radiation, setting off a call to arms in the $153 billion wireless industry.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/28/AR2010062805231.html

E.U. Criticizes Mobile Phone Roaming Charges
Mobile phone operators in Europe are charging close to the highest roaming fees allowed, three years after price caps were first imposed, according to data released Tuesday by the European Commission.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/30/technology/30roaming.html

Bill limits for EU data roaming usage begins
Greater protection to prevent mobile phone and computer users from running up large data bills when overseas has come into force across the EU.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10462298.stm

European Roaming Charges Must Drop Further, EU Says [IDG]
Mobile phone operators in the European Union are keeping charges for roaming as high as regulations will allow them, showing that there is a need for more competition, the European Commission said in a report published Tuesday.
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/200066/.html

Telecoms: new measures to counter data roaming bill shocks from 1 July; lower roaming call price caps
From 1 July 2010 consumers no longer need to worry about accidentally running up huge bills when they connect to the internet using mobile networks via a phone or computer when abroad in the EU. Thanks to the EU's roaming rules, from 1st July travellers' data-roaming limit will be automatically set at ?50 excluding VAT (unless they have chosen another limit - higher or lower). Operators will have to send users a warning when they reach 80% of their data-roaming bill limit.
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/843

Telecoms: roaming prices down but competition still not strong enough, says Commission report
EU mobile operators have reduced their roaming charges in line with the maximum price caps established by EU rules, first introduced in 2007 and amended last July, according to the European Commission's interim report on roaming published today. Price transparency has improved. The cost for roaming calls has decreased by more than 70% since 2005 and sending a text message between EU Member States costs 60% less. However, consumers still do not enjoy significantly lower tariffs than those imposed by EU rules. The Commission's report therefore concludes that competition on the EU's roaming market is not yet strong enough to provide better choice and even better rates to consumers.
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/851

India's Mobile Subscriber Growth Continues [IDG]
India's mobile subscriber growth continues with the country adding 16.3 million new subscribers in May, according to data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/200032/.html

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SPAM
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nz: Companies warned against breaking anti-spam law [NZPA]
The Department of Internal Affairs is warning companies marketing or promoting their services with email addresses purchased from database marketing companies that they risk breaking anti-spam law.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10655536
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/7490567/companies-warned-against-breaking-antispam-law/
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/technology/113111/companies-warned-against-breaking-anti-spam-law
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/companies-warned-against-breaking-anti-spam-law-125442

nz: Spam emails in Internal Affairs' sights
Dept of Internal Affairs to clamp down on companies sending unsolicited emails; eight companies already under investigation
http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=116623

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ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL
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au: Online tax scam warnings issued
Taxpayers are being warned of a number of tax-related online scams claiming speedy electronic tax returns, but which are really fronts for phishing attacks seeking personal banking details.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/351530/online_tax_scam_warnings_issued/

Tax time warning: scammers out in force
Australians are being warned to steer clear of sophisticated tax time phishing emails that purport to come from the ATO but are really designed to steal people's banking emails and passwords.
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/tax-time-warning-scammers-out-in-force-20100629-zgu0.html
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/tax-time-warning-scammers-out-in-force-20100629-zgu0.html

Busted Alleged Russian Spies Used Steganography To Conceal Communications
In a case that smacks of a Cold War spy novel, the FBI has arrested 11 suspected Russian spies who for years had blended into day-to-day American life in the suburbs and cities. Aside from hiding their true identities and posing as legitimate American citizens, the suspects also masked their communications with their intelligence agency back home in Moscow, using an oft-forgotten form of stealth communication -- steganography.
http://www.darkreading.com/insiderthreat/security/encryption/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=225701866

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PRIVACY
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Germany Asks Apple About iPhone?s Data-Gathering
The justice minister of Germany expressed concern on Monday over Apple?s practice of compiling data on users of its new iPhone, making the company the latest technology giant to fall afoul of the country?s strict privacy laws.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/technology/29apple.html

Apple Under Fire over Privacy in Germany
Apple has long been considered a model company when it comes to privacy protection. But the US company now plans to serve geo-targeted advertising to its smartphone users using the GPS or WiFi data provided by the device. Privacy experts are up in arms -- in America and Germany.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,703409,00.html

Cookie compliance: privacy regulators make the best of a bad law
OPINION: A new European law on how web publishers should use cookies is still stoking controversy, seven months after it was passed.
http://out-law.com/page-11185

au: Senate Inquiry into Online Privacy
The Australian Greens have secured a Senate inquiry into online privacy in Australia that will seek the views of the community sector.
http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2010/06/senate-inquiry-online-privacy

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CENSORSHIP
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Afghanistan begins Internet filtering with Gmail, Facebook
Afghanistan has followed up on its promise to being filtering the Internet: the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) reports the country is now blocking Facebook, Gmail, Twitter, YouTube and a host of sites related to alcohol, gambling and sex.
http://opennet.net/blog/2010/06/afghanistan-begins-internet-filtering-with-gmail-facebook

Google to Stop Directing China Users to Hong Kong
In an effort to appease Beijing as it seeks to renew its license to operate in mainland China, Google plans to stop automatically redirecting Chinese users to its Hong Kong site.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/30/technology/30google.html

Beijing silent over Google offer
Chinese regulators remained silent on Wednesday over whether they would allow Google to keep its website in China following the US company?s latest compromise offer.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0d01e076-8462-11df-9cbb-00144feabdc0.html

Google partially blocked in China [AFP]
Google's web search engine in China was "partially blocked'' on Wednesday, the deadline for Chinese authorities to renew its business licence.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/google-partially-blocked-in-china/story-e6frgakx-1225886574885

Google's China Troubles Continue; Congress Examines U.S. Investment in Chinese Censorship by Rebecca MacKinnon
In his latest blog post, Google's Chief Legal Officer David Drummond reports that Chinese authorities aren't happy with the automatic redirection of Google.cn to Hong Kong. They are threatening not to renew Google's Internet Content Provider license, which is required to legally operate any kind of Internet business in China. In an attempt to thread the legal needle, Drummond says Google.cn will now lead to a landing page which?if you click anywhere on that page?takes the user to the uncensored Google.com.hk. This is Google's convoluted way of adjusting Google.cn so that it remains technically in compliance with Chinese law while still sending Chinese users to an uncensored site. Now they just have to click through an extra page to get to the results.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/google_china_troubles_continue_us_investment_in_chinese_censorship/

China says has no comment on Google rerouting move
China's foreign ministry said on Thursday it had no comment on Google's decision to end automatic rerouting of users to its uncensored Hong Kong search portal, but that all Internet operators had to abide by local laws.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE65T11J20100701
http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-49798020100701

Q+A - Without search service, what would Google do in China?
Google Inc, which runs the world's largest search engine, is in a pickle as it could lose its licence to operate a China-based search page, while trying to hold onto its anti-censorship stance.
http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-49799720100701

Chinese government set to reject Google compromise
Google will be shut out of China within days if the Chinese government rejects the search engine company's last-minute offer of a compromise on the filtering on search results.
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/chinese-government-set-to-reject-google-compromise-20100630-zmvw.html
http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/3874097/China-set-to-reject-Google-compromise
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/chinese-government-set-to-reject-google-compromise-20100630-zmvw.html

Google in 'new approach' on China
Google has announced a "new approach" in its ongoing battle with China over censorship.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10443648.stm

Google tries new approach in China
Google today sought to placate the Chinese authorities by ending the automatic redirection of mainland users to its uncensored Hong Kong site, saying officials had warned they would otherwise refuse to renew the firm's licence.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/jun/29/google-china

Google changes tack in Chinese censor row [AFP]
Google says it will stop automatically redirecting Chinese users to an uncensored site in Hong Kong a day before its government licence expires, following official complaints.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/29/2940411.htm

Google stops redirecting Chinese search traffic to .hk site [IDG]
Google has stopped automatically redirecting some search traffic from China to its Hong Kong search engine in a bid to placate angry Chinese officials, the company said Tuesday.
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9178658/Google_stops_redirecting_Chinese_search_traffic_to_.hk_site
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/200033/.html

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GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
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Digital Agenda: Commission launches consultation on net neutrality
A consultation on key questions arising from the issue of net neutrality has been launched by the European Commission today. It covers such issues as whether internet providers should be allowed to adopt certain traffic management practices, prioritising one kind of internet traffic over another, whether such traffic management practices may create problems and have unfair effects for users, whether the level of competition between different internet service providers and the transparency requirements of the new telecom framework may be sufficient to avoid potential problems by allowing consumers' choice and whether the EU needs to act further to ensure fairness in the internet market, or whether industry should take the lead.
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/860

EU Taking On Net Neutrality
The European Commission announced Wednesday that it has launched an examination into the issue of network neutrality that will look at such issues as whether Internet service providers should be allowed to adopt network management practices that prioritize certain types of content over others.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/06/eu-taking-on-net-neutrality.php

French Competition Regulator Slams Google Adwords [IDG]
Google must restore the Adwords account of Navx within five days and allow the company to place ads again, the French competition authority ruled Wednesday, finding that Google had discriminated against Navx. It also gave Google four months to clarify certain aspects of its Adwords policies, which it said lacked transparency and objectivity.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/200160/.html

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MISCELLANEOUS
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Travel industry running scared from Google
Google's talks to buy ITA Software, an airline IT and services provider, has travel executives worried that the search engine giant could wield too much power in their industry.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/travel-industry-running-scared-from-google-2014489.html

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TELECOMMUNICATIONS
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nz: Changes to ultra-fast broadband initiative [NZPA]
Access to ultra-fast broadband will be more open for service providers and new businesses will not be burdened with inappropriate regulation following changes to the Government's ultra-fast broadband (UFB) initiative, Communications and Information Technology Minister Steven Joyce says.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/3873764/Changes-to-ultra-fast-broadband-initiative

Malaysia's broadband access most expensive in APAC
Malaysia telecom operators paid the most for their Ethernet broadband lines in the Asia-Pacific region while their peers in Hong Kong enjoyed the lowest access bills, according to a recent study by the Asia-Pacific Carriers' Coalition (APCC).
http://www.zdnetasia.com/malaysia-s-broadband-access-most-expensive-in-apac-62201063.htm

Obama pledges to increase internet capacity
Barack Obama on Monday pledged to speed up the availability of high-speed internet across the US by nearly doubling the availability of airwaves during the next 10 years.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/180f721a-82f2-11df-8b15-00144feabdc0.html

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(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 Flannery