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 *************************************************** ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Federal Register Notice: Cybersecurity, Innovation and the Internet Economy: The Department of Commerce?s Internet Policy Task Force is conducting a comprehensive review of the nexus between cybersecurity challenges in the commercial sector and innovation in the Internet economy. The Department seeks comments on measures to improve cybersecurity while sustaining innovation. The Department intends to issue a report that will contribute to the Administration?s domestic and international policies and activities in advancing both cybersecurity and the Internet economy. Comments are due on or before September 13, 2010. http://www.ntia.doc.gov/frnotices/2010/FR_CybersecurityNOI_07282010.pdf Expressions of Interest for 2010-2011 Nominating Commmittee Chair - Deadline for Submission Extended to 30 August 2010 The Board Governance Committee ("BGC") has decided to extend the deadline for submitting expressions of interest to become the Nominating Committee Chair for 2010-2011 term to 30 August 2010. This extension will help ensure that all those interested who have not already submitted expressions of interest will have the opportunity to formally do so. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-30jul10-en.htm Composition of Affirmation Review Teams 2 and 4: Security, Stability and Resiliency of the DNS & WHOIS Policy Whereas a composition of the Affirmation Reviews 2 and 4 ? Security Stability and Resiliency of the DNS ? and WHOIS Policy ? was initially announced at the Brussels meeting in June 2010, Selectors of Review Teams 2 and 4 ? Mr. Rod Beckstrom and Mrs. Heather Dryden ? are now circulating a revised composition of both Review Teams that may be found at: http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-29jul10-en.htm Brussels and the Month Afterwards: Celebrations, new gTLD and Security and Stability Issues Ahead by David Maher The 38th ICANN Conference, held in Brussels last month, was an eventful one for .ORG The Public Interest Registry. We got world-wide press coverage for our announcement that we implemented DNSSEC for the entire .ORG top-level domain. Among the many nice compliments we got were these words from Lynn St. Amour, President and CEO of the Internet Society. http://pir.org/blog/2010/icannjuly ICANN threatens to shut down registrar flipper ICANN has said it will terminate one of its registrars for non-payment of fees, the thirteenth such threatening letter the organization has sent out this year. http://domainincite.com/icann-threatens-to-shut-down-registrar-flipper/ Are ICANN Senior Staff Getting A Payrise? At the ICANN meeting in Brussels one of the topics that came up for discussion both during the public forum and the board meeting, was the topic of remuneration. http://www.dnsnews.me/2010/07/30/are-icann-senior-staff-getting-a-payrise/ ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** be: Watch out for false online business directories DNS BE received several complaints of Belgian business and organisations that own a domain name. They receive letters asking them to pass on their company and website details, or to check the details provided. Finally they are asked to sign and send the letter back to the sender so that these details can be included in an online business directory. http://www.dns.be/en/home.php?n=448 DNSSEC protects more than one sixth of the Czech internet The Czech Republic is maintaining its leading position in the number of domains secured by the advanced DNSSEC technology. To this day, 100 024 of .CZ domains have been protected from misuse and forgery (the 100,000th DNSSEC-secured .CZ domain was registered on July 29, 20:26); this represents more than one sixth of all internet addresses within this domain. http://www.nic.cz/page/772/dnssec-protects-more-than-one-sixth-of-the-czech-internet-/ Best performing 2nd quarter for .ie domain registrations to date: 1.1% year on year increase in Q2 registrations The IE Domain Registry (IEDR) today reported the best performing second quarter for .ie domain registrations in Ireland since records began. A total of 9,448 .ie domains were registered between April and June this year, up 1.1% on the same period last year. The total number of .ie domains at the end of June was almost 146,000. http://www.iedr.ie/NEWS/2010/News-20100729.php JPRS Plans to Implement DNSSEC in JP Domain Name Services in January 2011 We, JPRS, have developed a plan to implement DNSSEC, the technology that adds improved security to the Domain Name System. Currently, we are working on preparation for the deployment in JP domain name services in January 2011. The purpose of this document is to present a background of the implementation and future actions. http://jprs.co.jp/en/topics/2010/100728.html .my Innovation Award 2010 For the first time ever .my DOMAIN REGISTRY is organizing .my Innovation Award for 2010. All business owners, individuals or companies using the .my domain names are being call upon to join the frenzy. The theme for the innovation award 2010 is ?Celebrating .my Innovation?. The most innovative and creative websites registered with .my will have the chance to become the winners. Showcase your innovative ideas on your .my website and win big!! http://domainregistry.my/readnews.php?id=99 National ICT Month (NIM) 2010 & Merdeka promotion .my DOMAIN REGISTRY will be having its final 50% off promotion* for this year on all .my domain name registrations and renewals in conjunction with the National ICT Month (NIM 2010) co-organised by PIKOM and MOSTI and also in conjunction with The Merdeka Day celebrations. Promotion starts from 1st Aug 2010 to 31st Aug 2010. Please contact your respective reseller for promotional eligibility. http://domainregistry.my/readnews.php?id=98 nl: Nominations invited for the IPv6 Awards 2010 On Thursday 25 November, the second annual IPv6 Awards will be presented to the best Dutch implementations of the new Internet Protocol. And the IPv6 Task Force, which organises the award scheme, is inviting internet service providers, government bodies, educational establishments and private individuals to put themselves forward for one of this year?s prizes. So, if you have implemented an IPv6 application, why not make a claim? Nominations need to be in before 1 November to qualify for one of the attractive prizes. https://www.sidn.nl/en/news/news/article/schrijf-u-nu-in-voor-de-ipv6-awards-2010-1/ .ORG Inserts DNSSEC Key Into The Root Zone .ORG, The Public Interest Registry (PIR) today announced it has inserted its Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) key into the Internet root zone, joining the top of the Internet's "chain of trust." As the first generic top-level domain (TLD) to offer full DNSSEC deployment, the news dovetails .ORG?s June announcement that the third largest top-level domain is now signing second-level delegations. http://pir.org/news/pr/2010/dnssecroot Third Registration Stage of .?? Domains From 12PM MSK on July 26, 2010 RU-CENTER will launch the third - last but not least sunrise registration stage of .?? domains. http://www.nic.ru/news/en/2010/thirdstage_start.html "I Love .SG" National Day 2010 Promotion! It's back! The "I Love .SG" promotion is back for the third year running as SGNIC joins in the nationwide celebration for Singapore's 45th birthday! http://nic.net.sg/newsroom/20100723141303.html Nominet Celebrates .UK?s 25th Birthday As Second Largest ccTLD Nominet, the national registry for .UK domain names celebrates 25 years since the first .UK domain names were registered on Saturday 24 July 2010 by becoming the second largest country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) and fourth largest Top Level Domain (TLD). Since its inception in 1985, the .UK registry has witnessed the huge growth in the internet. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=11949 http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/07/30/nominet-celebrates-uks-25th-birthday-as-second-largest-cctld/ .UK is 25 years old The United Kingdom?s dot-uk Internet domain is now 25 years old. Which in the Internet world is ancient. http://kierenmccarthy.com/2010/07/27/uk-is-25-years-old/ .XXX domain contract could get approved next Thursday The application for the porn-only .xxx top-level domain is on the just-published agenda for ICANN?s board meeting next Thursday. http://domainincite.com/xxx-domain-contract-could-get-approved-next-thursday/ ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Taking Back the DNS by Paul Vixie Most new domain names are malicious. I am stunned by the simplicity and truth of that observation. Every day lots of new names are added to the global DNS, and most of them belong to scammers, spammers, e-criminals, and speculators. The DNS industry has a lot of highly capable and competitive registrars and registries who have made it possible to reserve or create a new name in just seconds, and to create millions of them per day. Domains are cheap, domains are plentiful, and as a result most of them are dreck or worse http://www.circleid.com/posts/20100728_taking_back_the_dns/ Vixie declares war on domain name crooks: Bad news for domain name speculators? Paul Vixie of the Internet Systems Consortium has plans to bring the equivalent of an anti-spam blacklist to the DNS itself. http://domainincite.com/vixie-declares-war-on-domain-name-crooks/ ICANN chief to address hackers at Black Hat Globe-trotting ICANN president Rod Beckstrom is heading to Vegas this week, to participate in a panel discussion on DNS security at the Black Hat conference at Caesar?s Palace. http://domainincite.com/icann-chief-to-address-hackers-at-black-hat/ Seven internet 'key holders' could insure against cyber attack In a move that seems inspired by "The Lord of the Rings," seven "keys" have been handed out to a trusted circle of people who might get called upon to "save" the Internet in the aftermath of a cyber attack. http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/0730/Seven-internet-key-holders-could-insure-against-cyber-attack Internet Infrastructure Reaches Long-Awaited Security Milestone Two years after a major flaw was exposed in the Internet's Domain Name System (DNS), a major upgrade to the infrastructure protocol that fixes that weakness is now up and running in all of the Internet root servers. http://www.darkreading.com/securityservices/security/management/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=226300226 Global Internet Security Update Aims to Prevent Cybercrime A critical upgrade to the internet's infrastructure that will help make it more secure has been made in what is described as an historic collaboration between ICANN, the US Department of Commerce and VeriSign. The upgrade is to the domain name system and aims to protect Internet users from certain forms of online fraud. The upgrade will eventually allow Internet users to know with certainty that they have been directed to the website they intended. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=11948 http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/07/30/global-internet-security-update-aims-to-prevent-cybercrime/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/global-internet-security-update-aims-to-prevent-cybercrime.html Internet upgraded to foil cyber crooks [AFP] The internet has undergone a "critical" upgrade that promises to stop cyber criminals from using fake websites that dupe people into downloading viruses or revealing personal data. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/internet-upgraded-to-foil-cyber-crooks-20100729-10wra.html http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-world/internet-upgraded-to-foil-cyber-crooks-20100729-10xkc.html http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/the-hub/internet-upgraded-to-foil-cyber-crooks/story-fn4mm2dt-1225898495788 Experts Agree DNSSEC Still in Early Stages Two years ago at the Black Hat USA 2008 conference, security researcher Dan Kaminsky detailed a critical flaw in DNS that could have destroyed the Internet as we know it. Two years later, the root zone of Internet DNS is now signed with DNSSEC, partially as a response and a solution to Kaminsky's 2008 finding. http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3895726 ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** New UDRP Provider Applies to ICANN, UDRP Status Back on Agenda ICANN?s Board of Directors will again consider its contractual relationships with Uniform domain-name Dispute Resolution Policy providers at its August 5 meeting, as well as consent to post an application from an entity wishing to become a UDRP provider. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/07/29/new-udrp-provider-applies-to-icann-udrp-status-back-on-agenda/ Allianz Australia Insurance Limited and Allianz Australia Limited v. Throne Ventures Pty Limited The disputed domain name <allianzinsurance.com.au> is registered with NameScout Corp. ... The appropriate remedy is the transfer of the domain name, however there is an issue of which complainant is the appropriate recipient. The First-named Complainant initially filed the Complaint and the remedy requested is to transfer the domain name to the First-named Complainant. Since this Complainant is an Australian registered company there is no reason not to transfer the domain name to this entity. http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/decisions/html/2010/dau2010-0012.html ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Call for Nominations: NRO NC ARIN Region This is an open call for nominations from the ARIN region to fill one (1) seat on the Number Resource Organization (NRO) Number Council that becomes vacant with the expiration of Jason Schiller's term on 31 December 2010. Candidates must be willing to serve a three (3) year term beginning 1 January 2011. Incumbents may be re-elected for consecutive terms. http://nro.net/news/2010-nro-nc-nominations-arin.html ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Pair of ccTLDs Sell for $750,000 to Help Non .Com Domains Take More Entries Than .Coms on Our Top 20 Chart for the 2nd Week in a Row This was a very unusual week in the domain aftermarket. For the first time since we started tracking domain sales seven years ago, there are more non .com domains on our weekly all-extension Top 20 Sales Chart than .coms for the second consecutive week. Last week non .com's outnumbered .coms 11-9. The score was the same this week (in both cases the non .com contingent included eight ccTLDs and three non .com gTLDs). http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2010/20100728.htm Country Code Alchemist: How .CA Devotee Rick Silver Is Turning Canadian Websites Into Gold It should come as no surprise that Canada's Rick Silver spent much of his boyhood as a magician. As an adult, after spending the past decade buying and developing domain names, Silver now rules an online empire built on his nation's relatively unheralded country code extension - .ca - an extension that most others routinely overlooked. http://dnjournal.com/cover/2010/june-july.htm ********************** REPORTS & RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** Information Power: The Information Society from an Antihumanist Perspective by Jack M. Balkin [Yale University - Law School] Abstract: This short essay, written for a book about globalization and information policy, argues that globalized information networks create new forms of power that transcend people's deliberate design. Digital information technologies enmesh individuals, groups, and nations in proliferating networks of power that they neither fully understand nor fully control, and that are controlled by no one in particular. These promote the proliferation of information production, information technologies, and information control mechanisms whether or not this serves human values. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1648624 ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Selling luxury goods online - The chic learn to click: Luxury firms are digital laggards, but some are catching up When Oscar de la Renta, an American fashion house, launched a transactional website some years ago, it expected people to buy mostly smaller items such as belts and perfume. The firm was stunned when it received an online order last spring for an $80,000 sable coat from a new customer in New Hampshire. He couldn?t get to New York, apparently. Online customers have been snapping up the firm?s core product: $4,000 cocktail dresses. ?We could not have been more wrong in our expectations of the internet,? says Alex Bolen, the firm?s chief executive. Online purchases are still a small proportion of total sales, but growing rapidly. http://www.economist.com/node/16640239 au: Internet advertising to dominate as NBN tipped to stimulate media growth The nternet will overtake newspapers and free-to-air television in 2014 to become Australia's biggest advertising medium. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/internet-advertising-to-dominate-as-nbn-tipped-to-stimulate-media-growth/story-e6frg996-1225899752769 Can Surfing the Internet Help You Lose Weight? The Web, it sometimes seems, is a siren specter that lures us into sitting around like some species of houseplant while our trunk grows abnormally wide. Its abundant enticements keep us from doing what we know we should, like, say, making any movement whatsoever or consuming foods that do not come packaged in styrofoam. http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2007222,00.html Google games pit search giant against Facebook Google is spoiling for a fight with Facebook over the fast-growing market for online games, part of the search engine giant's latest attempt to build a social networking business. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/google-games-pit-search-giant-against-facebook-2037978.html ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** I Tweet, Therefore I Am: Are Twitter posts an expression of who we are - or are they changing who we are? On a recent lazy Saturday morning, my daughter and I lolled on a blanket in our front yard, snacking on apricots, listening to a download of E. B. White reading ?The Trumpet of the Swan.? Her legs sprawled across mine; the grass tickled our ankles. It was the quintessential summer moment, and a year ago, I would have been fully present for it. But instead, a part of my consciousness had split off and was observing the scene from the outside: this was, I realized excitedly, the perfect opportunity for a tweet. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/magazine/01wwln-lede-t.html Twitter user sends world's 20 billionth tweet Twitter, the social networking site which lets users say something in up to 140 characters, has had its 20 billionth message posted. The landmark and rather opaque tweet was sent at 1544 GMT Saturday by GGGGGGo_Lets_Go, a Tokyo graphic designer for an advertising agency. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-10829383 Social Networking Sites Reach a Higher Percentage of Women than Men Worldwide [news release] comScore, Inc. ... released a global report on women?s online usage titled, Women on the Web: How Women are Shaping the Internet, which provides an in-depth analysis of the female Internet user, highlighting key trends by Internet activity, worldwide region and digital channel. Among its results, the report found that social networking sites reach a higher percentage of women than men globally, with 75.8 percent of all women online visiting a social networking site in May 2010 versus 69.7 percent of men. http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2010/7/Social_Networking_Sites_Reach_a_Higher_Percentage_of_Women_than_Men_Worldwide ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ Swan hints at possible filter changes Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan has suggested changes could be made to the Federal Government's proposed internet filter. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/29/2968192.htm nz: Pupils watch porn on bus Children as young as 12 have watched "hardcore porn" on a cellphone on their way to school in Blenheim, according to a Marlborough woman. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/3975044/Pupils-watch-porn-on-bus us: Miss Utah will advocate clean Web media for kids Focusing on teaching excellent citizenship, this year's Miss Utah is working with a nonprofit organization to keep Internet pornography away from children. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700052363/Miss-Utah-will-advocate-clean-Web-media-for-kids.html us: Cyberbullies Beware of New Punishments: The new rules target activity on and off-campus Chicago's Public Schools are modernizing tactics to hit the delete button on cyberbullying. http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/Cyberbully-Crackdown-Chicago-public-schools-99536499.html uk: IWF publishes international briefing [news release] IWF experience, tactical suggestions and wider considerations on combating online child sexual abuse content at national and international levels http://www.iwf.org.uk/media/news.287.htm ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** One Way to Save the Music Industry Does the answer to music retailing's collapse lie within the computer game industry? Global music revenues suffered a 10th year of decline in 2009, with sales and performance rights falling to $17 billion. In contrast, revenue from the computer game industry's sale of portable and console hardware, software, and accessories rose from $7.98 billion in 2000 to $20.2 billion in 2009 in the U.S. alone. The music industry may find inspiration in the game industry, where the prevailing Internet-driven trends of online subscription and community participation are reducing piracy and keeping consumers actively engaged. http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jul2010/tc20100729_564014.htm YouTube Gives Users Their 15 Minutes of Fame As of Thursday, you can subject your friends and family to 50 percent more of your baby making that cute cooing noise or your dog doing that funny dance. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/29/youtube-gives-users-their-15-minutes-of-fame/ ITU Interop event highlights IPTV interoperability: Future of television will rest on stable global standards, say experts Industry sent out a strong message of support for ITU standards for Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) at an event held at ITU headquarters last week. Gathered in Geneva for the first of a new series of ?ITU Interop? events, IPTV manufacturers took part in a set of tests to demonstrate seamless global interoperability between their various IPTV devices, which have been manufactured to comply with ITU-developed standards, known as Recommendations. http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2010/31.aspx ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Call to check on mobile network security Mobile phone users are being encouraged to find out if operators are doing enough to keep their calls secret. Security researchers have released tools that, they say, make it easy to see what security systems operators use to stop eavesdropping. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10731612 Google Android apps ?collecting personal data? Around 80 wallpaper apps designed for use on Google Android devices have been collecting personal information and transmitting it back to third parties, an investigation has found http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/7918536/Google-Android-apps-collecting-personal-data.html Software released for attacking Android phones Two security experts said on Friday they released a tool for attacking smartphones that use Google Inc's Android operating system to persuade manufacturers to fix a bug that lets hackers read a victim's email and text messages. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE66T54Y20100730 http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-50538420100730 iPhone 4's Facetime Inspires Video Sex Chat Services [AP] It's a maxim of technology: Invent the newest gadget and the porn industry will find a way to cash in. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/29/video-sex-chat-facetime-p_n_663346.html http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/07/29/tech/main6724026.shtml http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2010/07/29/in_iphone_adult_industry_sees_pocket_porn_market/ http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/adult-industry-sees-iporn-potential-in-new-phone-20100729-10xvh.html Gartner Says Indian Mobile Handset Sales To Reach 138.6 million in 2010 Mobile device sales in India are forecast to reach 138.6 million in 2010, an increase of 18.5 percent over 2009 sales of 117 million units, according to Gartner, Inc. The mobile handset market is expected to show steady growth through 2014 when end user sales surpass 206 million units. http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1412313 Two Gulf states to ban some Blackberry functions Two Gulf states have announced bans on some functions of the Blackberry mobile phone, claiming security concerns. The United Arab Emirates is to block sending emails, accessing the internet, and delivering instant messages to other Blackberry handsets. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-10830485 UAE to ban BlackBerry services, Saudi follows suit [AP] The United Arab Emirates outlined plans Sunday to block BlackBerry e-mail, messaging and Web browsing services in a crackdown that could jeopardize efforts to establish the country as an international business hub. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/01/AR2010080100311.html http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/08/01/technology/AP-ML-Emirates-BlackBerry.html BlackBerry users in UAE, Saudi may have services cut More than a million BlackBerry users may have key services in Saudi Arabia and the UAE cut off after authorities stepped up demands on smartphone maker Research In Motion for access to encrypted messages sent over the device. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE6700CU20100801 http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-50549720100801 BlackBerry service to be suspended by UAE [IDG] Some BlackBerry services will be suspended in the United Arab Emirates from Oct. 11 because the services do not fall in line with the country's regulations, the UAE telecommunications regulator said on Sunday. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9179978/BlackBerry_service_to_be_suspended_by_UAE ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** White House proposal would ease FBI access to records of Internet activity The Obama administration is seeking to make it easier for the FBI to compel companies to turn over records of an individual's Internet activity without a court order if agents deem the information relevant to a terrorism or intelligence investigation. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/28/AR2010072806141.html U.S. military cyberwar: What's off-limits? The United States should decide on rules for attacking other nations' networks in advance of an actual cyberwar, which could include an international agreement not to disable banks and electrical grids, the former head of the CIA and National Security Agency said Thursday. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20012121-281.html nz: Govt to invest in cyber security technology [NZPA] The Government is putting $4.4 million into advanced cyber security technology research by an Auckland firm. http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/3970132/Govt-to-invest-in-cyber-security-technology Anthony Doesburg: Cyberwar? It's a phoney war, says IT expert The US is spending billions to combat an online threat that doesn't exist, reckons security veteran. It may be cyberwar out there, but where are the casualties? http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10662313 Warning to NZ: Keep technology secrets safe from China An American expert in trading with China says New Zealand needs to protect its unique technologies and industries or it could permanently lose them to Chinese buyers. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10662874 Former NSA, CIA Director Says Intelligence-Gathering Isn't Cyberwar Black Hat USA 2010 -- There's a difference between the gathering of foreign intelligence -- the spy game -- and outright cyberwarfare, a former CIA director told an audience here yesterday. http://www.darkreading.com/security/cybercrime/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=226400063 us: DOJ Pushing to Expand Warrantless Access to Internet Records This morning's Washington Post reveals that the Department Of Justice has been pressuring Congress to expand its power to obtain records of Americans' private Internet activity through the use of National Security Letters (NSLs). http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/07/doj-pushing-expand-warrantless-access-internet us: Banks seek customers' help to stop online thieves For generations, U.S. consumers have relied on banks to bear the primary responsibility for keeping their hard-earned cash deposits out of the hands of thieves. Now, banks want consumers to share the load. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2010-07-29-online-banking-security_N.htm ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Study: Youth Not Only Care About Facebook Privacy, They Do Something About It Over the past year, Facebook and privacy are two topics that have become practically joined at the hip. The site has changed its privacy settings again and again and last winter CEO Mark Zuckerberg declared the death of privacy. One of the leading arguments behind all of this has been that we live in a new era, beyond the "age of privacy", and the new social norm for the next generation is to share, freely and without regard for such antiquated concerns as privacy. http://www.nytimes.com/external/readwriteweb/2010/07/30/30readwriteweb-study-youth-not-only-care-about-facebook-pr-37636.html The Web's New Gold Mine: Your Secrets A Journal investigation finds that one of the fastest-growing businesses on the Internet is the business of spying on consumers. First in a series. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703940904575395073512989404.html Hong Kong Privacy Chief Pushes for Regulation Hong Kong's outgoing privacy commissioner Friday urged the government to consider legislation to better regulate the actions of service monopolies such as Octopus Holdings Ltd., after the cashless-payment operator provoked public discontent when it admitted to selling personal data of nearly 2 million customers to business partners even though it earlier denied doing so. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703296204575400471138446624.html Researcher Releases Facebook Profile Data A security researcher on Wednesday released a file containing the names, profile addresses and unique identification numbers of more than 100 million Facebook users. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/28/100-million-facebook-ids-compiled-online/ Google cleared of wi-fi snooping in UK Google did not grab "significant" personal details when collecting data from wi-fi networks, according to the UK's Information Commissioner Office (ICO). http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10805090 Google Wi-Fi data capture cleared by Information Commissioner The Information Commissioner has ruled that Google is unlikely to have collected "significant amounts of personal data" with its StreetView mapping cars. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/jul/29/google-streetview-information-commissioner Information Commissioner gives Google all-clear on accidental Wi-Fi data collection Google was wrong to gather data about and from wireless networks when its cars documented the UK's streets for its Street View service but it is "unlikely" that the company gathered much personal data, the UK privacy watchdog has said. http://out-law.com/page-11265 Facebook data harvester speaks out The man who harvested and published the personal details of 100m Facebook users has spoken out about his motives. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10802730 Kerry Prepping Legislation to Safeguard Privacy Online Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., plans to introduce legislation to protect online privacy, saying the country needs new standards for "protection that ensure people's identity is treated with the respect it deserves." http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/sen-john-kerry-dmass-plans.php ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Indonesia Finds Banning Pornography Is Difficult As one of the heads of the Indonesian Internet Service Provider Association, Valens Riyadi knows he has his work cut out for him. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/technology/02iht-indoporn02.html Google says China search block may be tech glitch Google Inc said its earlier report that Internet search services in China were being fully blocked could have been the result of a technical glitch that overstated the problem. http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-50511620100730 http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE66S65O20100730 Google Search Engine Is Blocked in China Updated: Google said that the search engine is now functioning normally in China. ?It?s possible that our machines could overestimate the level of blockage. That seems to be what happened last night, when there was a relatively small blockage,? said Jill Hazelbaker, a Google spokeswoman. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/29/google-search-engine-is-blocked-in-china/ YouTube banned by Russian court Russia's blogosphere reacted with anger today after a regional court banned YouTube because it carried a single video containing "extremist" content. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/29/youtube-ban-russian-regional-court Russia clamps down on Internet, Google frowns A court in Russia's far east has ordered an Internet provider to block five sites which it said disseminated extreme views, prompting U.S. Internet giant Google to say on Thursday the move restricted access to information. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE66S4WU20100729 http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-50504720100729 Russian court bans YouTube over extremist videos [AFP] A court banned access to popular video site YouTube in Russia's Far East because it contained a video that the Justice Ministry declared extremist, Russian newspapers reported Thursday. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/russian-court-bans-youtube-over-extremist-videos-20100730-10ya4.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/russian-court-bans-youtube-over-extremist-videos-20100730-10ya4.html Court orders YouTube and four other sites blocked over ?extremist? content Reporters Without Borders condemns the draconian and disproportionate ruling issued by judge Anna Eisenberg in the Russian far-east city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur on 16 July ordering local Internet Service Provider RA-RTS Rosnet to block access to video-sharing website YouTube and four other websites from 3 August onwards. http://en.rsf.org/russia-court-orders-youtube-and-four-30-07-2010,38065.html ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** US Congress Rethinks Its Ban on Internet Gambling With pressure mounting on the federal government to find new revenues, Congress is considering legalizing, and taxing, an activity it banned just four years ago: Internet gambling. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/29/us/politics/29gamble.html Bet comes good as US moves to end ban on online gambling The four-year losing streak suffered by Britain's online gambling industry could be about to end. The multibillion-pound industry virtually collapsed after its biggest market ? the US ? was closed down overnight when Congress introduced a surprise clause to legislation in September 2006, in effect making internet betting illegal. Not only was that a blow for investors ? it was a hugely expensive one. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jul/30/online-gambling-united-states Is an Internet sales tax coming to the US? A movement is slowly building in Washington to banish one of the biggest perks of shopping online: not paying sales tax. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/political-economy/2010/07/by_ylan_q_mui_a.html ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* Life among the cyber-elite Joichi 'Joi' Ito is to start-ups what Brian Epstein was to the Beatles. With a talented eye for a promising idea, the 44-year-old has spotted and nurtured some of the web's most famous names, with the likes of Twitter, Flickr and Last.fm all receiving his help on the path to social-networking success. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10789073 Internet Betting Gets Bigger as Online Gambling Companies Merge Two of the biggest European operators of Internet betting sites, PartyGaming and Bwin Interactive Entertainment, said Thursday that they planned to merge, forming the world?s largest publicly traded online gambling company. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/30/technology/30bwin.html PartyGaming and Austria's bwin in tie-up Internet betting firm PartyGaming has agreed to a reverse takeover of Austrian rival bwin (BWIN.VI) in a $3.3 billion (2.1 billion pounds) deal that will create the world's largest online gaming business. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE66S23B20100729 Google vs. Microsoft in online smart meter monitoring [Relaxnews] Microsoft announces the addition of a remote, real-time energy monitoring device to its Hohm service, while Google continues to expand its coverage as both vie for dominance of the smart meter market. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/google-vs-microsoft-in-online-smart-meter-monitoring-2039228.html InternetNZ chooses Fellows and Councillors Well-known ICT consultant, former InternetNZ president, blogger and occasional agitator Colin Jackson was made a Fellow of InternetNZ at the organisation?s annual general meeting, as was Laurence Zwimpfer, a long-time champion of the use of technology in education. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/internetnz-chooses-fellows-and-councillors Pacific Fibre man, open source champ elected to InternetNZ Council election results have been announced for InternetNZ, the organisation that lobbies on behalf of users, and administers .nz interent addresses. http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/pacific-fibre-man-open-source-champ-elected-internetnz-127244 InternetNZ Announces Council Election Results And New Fellows InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) announces official results in this year's InternetNZ Council elections and the appointment of two new InternetNZ Fellows. http://www.voxy.co.nz/business/internetnz-announces-council-election-results-and-new-fellows/5/57026 http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=8882 ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** Technology Races to Keep Up With Tide of Data As smartphones and video streaming double the crunch of data carried over mobile networks each year, big advances in optical transport, data filtering and networking are keeping the Internet from collapsing under its own weight. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/technology/02iht-NETPIPE02.html au: NBN to cover 93 per cent of nation - more than originally thought, says ALP [AAP] Labor says its national broadband network will deliver super-fast fibre optic cable internet access to 300,000 more premises than first thought. Julia Gillard, campaigning in Perth, said the $43 billion network was being rolled out on time and on budget. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/nbn-to-cover-93-per-cent-of-nation-more-than-originally-thought-says-alp/story-fn59niix-1225899098990 uk: Ofcom research reveals increase in UK?s average actual broadband speed ? But consumers still not achieving advertised speeds [news release] The UK?s most comprehensive broadband speeds research reveals that the UK?s average actual fixed-line residential broadband speed has increased by over 25 per cent over the past year from 4.1Mbit/s to 5.2Mbit/s as internet service providers (?ISPs?) increasingly move to offer higher speed broadband packages. http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2010/07/27/ofcom-research-reveals-increase-in-uk%E2%80%99s-average-actual-broadband-speed-but-consumers-still-not-achieving-advertised-speeds/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (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 Sun Aug 01 2010 - 15:35:28 UTC
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