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 *************************************************** UN And Internet Governance, Next Four Years: Better Cooperation Or Bigger Role? http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2010/10/27/un-and-internet-governance-next-four-years-better-cooperation-or-bigger-role/ Australian Government Objects to .XXX http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=12670 Survey reveals demand for .brand TLDs http://domainincite.com/survey-reveals-demand-for-brand-tlds/ Former ICANN chief speaks out against new TLD morality veto http://domainincite.com/former-icann-chief-speaks-out-against-new-tld-morality-veto/ Characters permitted in .de domains soon to include "?" http://www.denic.de/en/denic-in-dialogue/press-releases/press/2981.html Hi-tech criminals target Vietnam http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11627809 .Com Deemed the Riskiest Top-Level Domain, Wrests Title From Cameroon http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/102610-com-riskiest-top-level-domain.html 56% of all dangerous websites end in .com, .jp is the safest country-level domain http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=3245985 Dutch police use unusual tactics in botnet battle http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11635317 nz: Is your ISP ready for IPv6? http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/is-your-isp-ready-for-ipv6 Sex.sells: The world's most expensive domain names http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2010/10/domain-name_prices Oversee Settles ?Halvarez? Class Action and Nelson Brady Suit http://www.domainnamenews.com/legal-issues/oversee-settles-halvarez-class-action-nelson-brady-suit/8289 ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** UN And Internet Governance, Next Four Years: Better Cooperation Or Bigger Role? After three weeks of negotiations, member countries and the secretariat of the United Nations International Telecommunication Union hailed the consensus and success of the 2010 Plenipotentiary Conference, which sets the ITU work programme for the next four years. But even through the final rounds of applause, the tensions about how much the internet features in the core mandate of the Union remained audible. http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2010/10/27/un-and-internet-governance-next-four-years-better-cooperation-or-bigger-role/ Last-minute diplomacy secures ITU?s Internet future Determined last-minute diplomacy by the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Dr Hamadoun Tour?, has secured the organisation?s role in the Internet and prevented its quadrennial Plenipotentiary from collapse. http://gibc.biz/2010/10/last-minute-diplomacy-secures-itu?s-internet-future/ ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Letter from Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy, Australian Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, to Mr Peter Dengate-Thrush .XXX Proposal http://icann.org/en/correspondence/conroy-to-dengate-thrush-22oct10-en.pdf Audited Financial Statements Posted ICANN's FY10 Audited Financials are now posted. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-27oct10-en.htm Australian Government Objects to .XXX The Australian government has voiced its objections to ICM Registry?s proposal to create a .XXX TLD, saying that ?ICANN has an obligation to act in the interests of the wider community? and the introduction of .XXX lacks an ?identified public interest.? http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=12670 http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/10/27/australian-government-objects-to-xxx/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/australian-government-objects-to-.xxx.html Survey reveals demand for .brand TLDs Almost half of trademark-conscious companies are considering a ?.brand? top-level domain, according to a survey carried out by World Trademark Review magazine. http://domainincite.com/survey-reveals-demand-for-brand-tlds/ Former ICANN chief speaks out against new TLD morality veto Former ICANN president and CEO Paul Twomey has expressed his support for rules curbing the ability of international governments to object to new top-level domains. http://domainincite.com/former-icann-chief-speaks-out-against-new-tld-morality-veto/ Review reveals ccTLD fast-track criticisms ICANN has launched a review of its internationalized domain name fast-track process, revealing a number of criticisms its country-code domain applicants have apparently had. http://domainincite.com/review-reveals-cctld-fast-track-criticisms/ Trademark lobby keeps up pressure on ICANN The International Trademark Association is continuing to press ICANN into commissioning a study of the potential economic ?harms? its new top-level domain program could cause. http://domainincite.com/trademark-lobby-keeps-up-pressure-on-icann/ FAQ: Radical change coming to Net addresses Come 2012, confused camera customers might be able to point their browsers to a Web address that looks very different from what's available today: support.canon. http://www.zdnetasia.com/faq-radical-change-coming-to-net-addresses_print-62203637.htm ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** Characters permitted in .de domains soon to include "?" DENIC plans to update Domain Guidelines effective 16 November 2010 ? Sunrise period for holders of domains with names containing "ss" starting on 26 October 2010 http://www.denic.de/en/denic-in-dialogue/press-releases/press/2981.html Germany online authority puts ? into Internet addresses Typing Internet addresses is about to get a little easier for those who have mastered German grammar rules. The country's Internet authority has allowed the use of the eszett or "?" in online addresses. http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6155493,00.html Characters permitted in .de domains soon to include "?" - Sunrise period will start on 26 October 2010, 16:00 CEST Effective 16 November 2010, the LATIN SMALL LETTER SHARP S (?) will be allowed as an independent character in .de domain names. Holders, in whose name a domain containing the character set "ss" is registered at the decisive point in time, 26 October 2010, 15:00 CEST, will have the opportunity to register the corresponding ?-domain already during a so-called sunrise period starting on 26 October 2010. This period, during which holders of domains containing the character set "ss" will be granted special registration rights, will expire on 16 November 2010, 10:00 CET. http://www.denic.de/en/denic-in-dialogue/news/2985.html?cHash=895741dd84 German Registry To Introduce "?" Domain Names Registrants will be able to register .DE domain names that include the "?" character, DENIC have announced. http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/10/27/german-registry-to-introduce-s-domain-names/ Employ Media answers .jobs critics The .jobs registry has responded to insinuations from its critics that it set out to break its own sponsorship rules with a plan to open up the TLD to generic and geographic domain names. http://domainincite.com/employ-media-answers-jobs-critics/ ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Iranian Cyber Army running botnets, researchers say [IDG] A group of malicious hackers who attacked Twitter and the Chinese search engine Baidu are also apparently running a for-rent botnet, according to new research. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9192800/Iranian_Cyber_Army_running_botnets_researchers_say Hi-tech criminals target Vietnam The net domain reserved for Vietnam has become a haven of cyber crime, suggests research. About 58% of the sites using Vietnam's .vn domain harboured malware found the McAfee report. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11627809 .Com Deemed the Riskiest Top-Level Domain, Wrests Title From Cameroon The .com domain is the riskiest in terms of containing code that can steal passwords or take advantage of browser vulnerabilities to distribute malware, according to McAfee. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/102610-com-riskiest-top-level-domain.html http://www.cio.com/article/629768/.Com_Deemed_the_Riskiest_Top_Level_Domain_Wrests_Title_From_Cameroon 56% of all dangerous websites end in .com, .jp is the safest country-level domain More than half (56 percent) of all risky websites end in .com, says McAfee. According to the security firm's fourth annual Mapping the Mal Web report, 6.2 percent of websites are dangerous, that's up on 5.8 percent last year. http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=3245985 http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/102710-56-of-all-dangerous-websites.html http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/208947/.html Web browsing is a risky business: report [AAP] Navigating the internet is a risky business, with dot-com domain names the most vulnerable to cyber criminals, says a new report. The report by internet security company McAfee found that in 2010 more websites contained malicious codes that stole password and identity information, disabled computers and took advantage of security holes in browsers. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/web-browsing-is-a-risky-business-report-20101026-172jn.html http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Web-browsing-is-a-risky-business-report-ALQK5 Dutch police use unusual tactics in botnet battle Dutch police have taken the unusual step of tapping into hijacked computers to tell users that their machines had been taken over. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11635317 DNSSEC update On 1 July this year, a signed (DNSSEC-enabled) root zone was published by the 13 root name servers. DNSSEC prevents hackers from redirecting traffic from legitimate websites to fraudulent ones, increasing Internet security for all. Anand Buddhdev, DNS Services Manager at the RIPE NCC, the not-for-profit organisation that supports the infrastructure of the Internet and operates the K-root name server, explains why DNSSEC is a crucial development that helps make the Internet safer for users. http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2010/10/22/243494/DNSSEC-update.htm ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Personal Jurisdiction over Websites that Post Derogatory Comments about Former Employers or Businesses Disgruntled employees and patrons are using the Internet to voice their discontent with former employers or businesses. This is a practice that has its pros and cons. For instance, publication of fraudulent or unethical businesses practices is something that any future customer might want to know. These publications may somehow deter future illegal practices. http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=latestnews&id=2381 UK High Court confirms 'initial confusion' as principle of EU trade mark law Trade mark infringement can take place even if a buyer is only confused about one company appearing to be another at the very start of the purchasing process, the High Court has ruled. ... The High Court has ruled in a case in which asset management company Och-Ziff Management claimed that investment management company OCH Capital infringed its trade marks in 'och' in its name, logo, email addresses and domain name. http://out-law.com/page-11490 ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** nz: Is your ISP ready for IPv6? The move to a new protocol is billed as the internet?s largest ever upgrade, but is your ISP ready for when the current pool of addresses runs out? http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/is-your-isp-ready-for-ipv6 IPv6 for Mobile Networks: Time to Act Now! by Murat Bilgic Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) serve the largest constituent of connected devices. There are over 4.6B GSM (and its derivatives) subscriptions today. When you add the CDMA family along with technologies with smaller footprints such as WiMax, IDEN to this list, that number tops 5B mark. On the other hand there are only (yes only!) 800M Internet hosts per ISC. Considering such a small percentage of those 5B or so devices are capable of being an Internet host and out of that percentage even a much smaller percentage is connected at a given time, one can understand the sheer potential of explosion in the number of Internet hosts as mobile devices in the next 3-5 years http://www.circleid.com/posts/ipv6_for_mobile_networks_time_to_act_now/ ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** GoDaddy.com Auction Is Scuttled Several weeks after the leading Internet domain name registrar hired Qatalyst Partners to sell itself, people familiar with the matter say GoDaddy.com has scuttled the auction. http://blogs.wsj.com/deals/2010/10/25/breaking-news-godaddycom-auction-is-scuttled/ ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Sex.sells: The world's most expensive domain names SEX.COM is set to fetch a record $13m for a domain name on Wednesday October 27th when a Californian bankruptcy court meets to decide on the deal. http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2010/10/domain-name_prices Oversee Settles ?Halvarez? Class Action and Nelson Brady Suit The class action case Resmer vs. SnapNames.com has been settled. Under the terms of the settlement, the class members will be given the same rebates that were issued by Oversee last November. The rebate offer has been extended to all class members until December 17, 2010. http://www.domainnamenews.com/legal-issues/oversee-settles-halvarez-class-action-nelson-brady-suit/8289 SnapNames settles shill-bidder class action Domain name auctioneer SnapNames said that it has settled the class action lawsuit filed against it by disgruntled domainers after one of its employees was found to be a shill bidder. http://domainincite.com/snapnames-settles-shill-bidder-class-action/ SnapNames Shill Bidding Halvarez Case Settled The shill bidding case involving former SnapNames Vice President Nelson Brady, aka ?Halvarez?, bid up the prices for domain names with false bids has come to a conclusion. The class action settlement, filed by those who thought their domain name prices were artificially inflated, will see claimants offered the same settlement terms and amounts as those offered to affected bidders in the rebate offer last November. http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/10/27/snapnames-shill-bidding-halvarez-case-settled/ SnapNames Settles Class Action and Case Against Nelson Brady Snapnames has resolved two outstanding lawsuits related to its bidding scandal. First, the company has resolved its claims with former employee Nelson Brady. Brady was the sole employee who drove up bids on SnapNames. The settlement will not be made public, but SnapNames parent company Oversee.net said the ?financial penalty is appropriate considering the seriousness of the improper activity.? http://domainnamewire.com/2010/10/26/snapnames-settles-class-action-and-case-against-nelson-brady/ SnapNames Shill Bidding Scandal Ends With Oversee.net Settling Two Lawsuits Including One Filed Against Bogus Bidder Nelson Brady Former SnapNames VP Nelson Brady created a world of trouble for his company and himself when he was caught shill bidding (under the pseudonym Halvarez) in company auctions one year ago. SnapNames fired Brady and parent company Oversee.net filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against him. Meanwhile a group of affected customers joined a class action lawsuit that was filed against SnapNames and Oversee.net. http://dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2010/dailyposts/20101026.htm NameJet to auction three-letter .pro domains NameJet has inked a deal with RegistryPro to auction off eleven ?premium? three-letter .pro domain names next month. http://domainincite.com/namejet-to-auction-three-letter-pro-domains/ Sex.com Sale Still On, But Mike Mann Accused of ?Self-Dealing? Now that Escom, LLC has a $13 million buyer for its domain name Sex.com, the bickering over money can begin. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/10/27/sex-com-sale-still-on-but-mike-mann-accused-of-self-dealing/ ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Ray Ozzie tells Microsoft to 'go beyond the PC' Microsoft must think beyond the PC if it is to weather the changes due to hit in the next five years. The warning was given by Microsoft's chief software architect Ray Ozzie in a memo penned soon after he announced he was leaving the company. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11626624 ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** MySpace to launch revamped website MySpace will on Wednesday launch a fully revamped version of its website in a move aimed at repositioning the company ahead of a decision on its future by its owner, News Corp. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b07250d0-e153-11df-90b7-00144feabdc0.html For Myspace, a Redesign to Entice Generation Y All but eclipsed by Facebook and Twitter, Myspace is aiming for a comeback. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/technology/27myspace.html ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ Are texting and Facebook worse for teens than TV? [AP] Let's face it: Teenagers spend hours texting, socializing on Facebook and playing video games. And it's driving their parents nuts. http://www.adn.com/2010/10/27/1521746/are-texting-and-facebook-worse.html http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-fea-parenting-teens-and-screens,0,4599420.story Study: 'Kids are Alright' when it comes to privacy A study commissioned by Truste paints a pretty optimistic picture about how teenagers are using privacy tools on Facebook and other social networking sites. The study, entitled "The Kids are Alright," reports that "80 percent of parents and 78 percent of teens feel in control of their personal information on social networking sites" and that "84 percent of parents are confident their teen is responsible with personal information on a social networking site." http://news.cnet.com/8301-19518_3-20019828-238.html nz: Cold calling scam gaining momentum - NetSafe NetSafe - a non-profit whose backers include the Ministry of Education and InternetNZ - today warns of a scam that is gaining momentum in New Zealand. http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/cold-calling-scam-gaining-momentum-netsafe-132240 au: Watchdog looks to safeguard ever-changing web WEB content that promotes terrorist acts, child sexual abuse, bestiality, violence or drug use can be banished from public view if reported to ACMA. The Australian Communications and Media Authority, the media watchdog, maintains a database, or black list, of individual web pages that have been refused classification and thus banned from public consumption. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/watchdog-looks-to-safeguard-ever-changing-web/story-e6frg8n6-1225943916621 au/nz: Student computer use to be monitored under Queensland Schools Alliance Against Violence plan EVERY school in Queensland could be audited to see whether they have installed anti-bullying recommendations, including teaching cyber safety in the classroom, under a statewide response to tackle schoolyard violence. ... Examples of such strategies include New Zealand's Netsafe Kit, which suggests schools "undertake a cyber safety stocktake to determine the cyber footprint of all students and staff" and create "an acceptable use agreement" which parents and students sign on enrolment. http://www.news.com.au/student-computer-use-to-be-monitored-under-queensland-schools-alliance-against-violence-plan/story-e6freoof-1225943443360 http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/student-computer-use-to-be-monitored-under-queensland-schools-alliance-against-violence-plan/story-e6freoof-1225943443360 au: Anti-bullying alliance wants cyber-safety taught in school A Queensland alliance including Catholic, state and independent schools wants cyber-safety taught in class, and has called for every school in the state to be audited for anti-bullying measures. http://cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=23918 Queensland government appoints anti-bullying expert [AAP] THE Queensland government has appointed an anti-bullying expert to help it shape policy to stamp out bullying in schools. http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/queensland-government-appoints-anti-bullying-expert/story-e6frfku0-1225943664694 Parents told to grow a 'digital spine' Queensland?s newly appointed anti-bullying guru has urged parents to grow ?a digital spine? and set clear limits on their children?s technology use. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/parents-told-to-grow-a-digital-spine-20101026-171jf.html au: Internet filter should concern Christians: Opinion It is imperative that Australian Christians make themselves aware of legislative changes being proposed by the government. Under the guise of measures to "improve safety of the internet for families", Senator Stephen Conroy recently announced that mandatory filtering of content that has been refused classification, or rated 'RC', will be enforced through legislation. http://www.abc.net.au/technology/articles/2010/10/25/3047577.htm The men who believe porn is wrong A new website aims to get men facing up to the brutal trajectory of the ?60bn porn industry ? and the self-destructive effect on the millions worldwide who consume it http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/oct/25/men-believe-porn-is-wrong ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** Judge Tells LimeWire, the File-Trading Service, to Disable Its Software A federal judge in New York issued an injunction on Tuesday that will essentially shut down LimeWire, the big music file-sharing service that has been mired in a four-year legal struggle with the music industry. The case has already resulted in the company and its founder being found liable for potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/technology/27limewire.html U.S. court shuts down Limewire music-sharing service A U.S. federal judge on Tuesday granted the music industry's request to shut down the popular LimeWire file-sharing service, which had been found liable for copyright infringement, the company said. http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-52466820101026 http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE69P4Q520101026 LimeWire shut down by federal court LimeWire, one of the world's most popular peer-to-peer filesharing websites, has been shut down after a four-year legal battle with the US music industry. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/oct/27/limewire-shut-down ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** App Makers Take Interest in Android ... The others could relate to Mr. Englert?s situation because writing Android software is not yet a ticket to financial success. Even as Android sales surge ? Google says it is now activating around 200,000 phones a day ? the market for Android apps still seems anemic compared with that for Apple and its thriving App Store. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/25/technology/25android.html Android App Forwards Private Text Messages If you own an Android phone and are cheating on a significant other by arranging secret trysts through text messages, you might want to think twice about your infidelities ? or at least about arranging them via texts. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/android-app-forwards-private-text-messages/ ********************** SPAM ********************** Email Spam Falls After Russian Crackdown You may not have noticed, but since late last month, the world supply of Viagra ads and other e-mail spam has dropped by an estimated one-fifth. With 200 billion spam messages in circulation each day, there is still plenty to go around. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/business/27spam.html ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Singapore's New Weapon Against Dissent The government of Singapore has revealed its new weapon against political opponents: trademark infringement lawsuits. http://asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2783&Itemid=164 Personal Jurisdiction over Websites that Post Derogatory Comments about Former Employers or Businesses Disgruntled employees and patrons are using the Internet to voice their discontent with former employers or businesses. This is a practice that has its pros and cons. For instance, publication of fraudulent or unethical businesses practices is something that any future customer might want to know. These publications may somehow deter future illegal practices. http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=latestnews&id=2381 ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Google 'taken by surprise' by Street View row Google's newly appointed director of privacy has admitted the internet giant was "taken by surprise" by concerns over its Street View mapping product and has generally given its users too many "unpleasant surprises" in recent months. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/oct/26/google-street-view-privacy Google pledges quest for tighter privacy controls Google Inc is "building stronger controls" to safeguard privacy, a senior executive said on Tuesday after the search engine giant's admission to inadvertently gathering emails and passwords across the globe. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE69P3PC20101026 Google Executive Pushes Privacy Concerns [AP] Google's global privacy counsel says he's surprised by how few people choose to control what ads are steered their way ? a tool which the Internet search giant launched, albeit with minimal fanfare, over the past year. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/10/26/world/middleeast/AP-ML-Google-Privacy.html au: AFP seeks advice over Google Wi-Fi The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has sought legal advice over the revelation that Google collected email and password information through its Street View cars. http://www.zdnet.com.au/afp-seeks-advice-over-google-wi-fi-339306817.htm Italian magistrates probe Google Street View Rome prosecutors are investigating whether Google's Inc.'s Street View mapping service violated privacy laws, a judicial source said on Wednesday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE69Q3WO20101027 us: FTC Drops Probe Of Google Wi-Fi Snooping The Federal Trade Commission informed Google Wednesday that it has dropped its investigation into what the Internet giant has described as the mistaken collection of information from unsecured Wi-Fi networks, National Journal Daily reported. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/10/ftc-drops-probe-of-google-wifi.php U.S. ends inquiry on Google's Street View data grab U.S. regulators looking at Google Inc's (GOOG.O) data grab by "Street View" cars have decided to end their inquiry, noting improvements that the search company has made to build consumer privacy into its corporate structure. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE69Q3XK20101027 http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-52492420101027 FTC closes investigation into Google's Wi-Fi snooping [IDG] The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has closed an investigation into Google Street View cars snooping into open Wi-Fi networks, with the agency declining to take action. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/102710-ftc-closes-investigation-into-googles.html A Web Pioneer Profiles Users by Name In the weeks before the New Hampshire primary last month, Linda Twombly of Nashua says she was peppered with online ads for Republican Senate hopeful Jim Bender. ... This makes RapLeaf a rare breed. Rival tracking companies also gather minute detail on individual Americans: They know a tremendous amount about what you do. But most trackers either can't or won't keep the ultimate piece of personal information?your name?in their databases. The industry often cites this layer of anonymity as a reason online tracking shouldn't be considered intrusive. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304410504575560243259416072.html uk: Google faces landmark fine for 'gross invasion of privacy' Google faces being the first company to incur heavy fines under British privacy laws, after admitting downloading private emails and passwords. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/online/google-faces-landmark-fine-for-gross-invasion-of-privacy-2115644.html ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** All Eyes on France as Officials Enforce New Antipiracy Law France's new Internet piracy police has been scouring the Web this month for people illegally downloading films and music and sending hundreds of warning emails to suspected intellectual property thieves. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303550904575562130775993568.html Amazon's Sales Tax Reviewed by Texas Amazon.com Inc. said it received an assessment of $269 million for uncollected sales tax from the state of Texas. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304354104575568512331020710.html us: Law Professors Urge Obama To Fix ACTA A group of law professors are urging President Obama not to publicly endorse a proposed trade agreement aimed at increasing international cooperation in the fight to curb piracy and counterfeiting. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/10/law-professors-urge-obama-to-f.php ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* Ten years of online advertising with Google Adwords With the formidable arsenal of products that Google presents to the world, from maps and photos to mobile software and video-sharing, it is easy to forget that this is an empire built on a deceptively simple advertising model ? one shackled to the extraordinary and unrelenting rise of the web and web search. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/oct/25/advertising-google-adwords Bees' tiny brains beat computers, study finds Bees can solve complex mathematical problems which keep computers busy for days, research has shown. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/24/bees-route-finding-problems Online travel companies unify to oppose Google/ITA deal Several online travel companies are combining forces to fight search giant Google's proposed $700 million (441 million pound) acquisition of airline ticketing software company ITA Software Inc, saying the deal would lead to higher prices and less innovation in the travel sector. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE69P3WY20101026 http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-52464320101026 Travel Sites Ally to Block Google Deal Several popular online travel companies are joining forces to oppose Google Inc.'s proposed $700 million purchase of ITA Software Inc., the leading provider of flight data, saying the deal would give it too much sway over the travel sector. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304248704575574710753536950.html Microsoft wins key 'cloud' e-mail contracts The software giant beats out rival Google to serve government workers in California, New York and Minnesota with remote data centers. Google has had a few successes of its own in the fight over a $20-billion market. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-microsoft-cloud-20101026,0,2319092.story ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** UK Government outlines superfast broadband ambitions The Government wants the UK to have the most extensive superfast broadband internet access network in Europe by 2015. The commitment is part of the Government's just-published infrastructure plan. http://out-law.com/page-11493 Telef?nica to offer cheap web calls Telef?nica is going head-to-head with Skype in the ultra-competitive international calling market through the Spanish telecoms group?s purchase of Jajah, a Silicon Valley-based internet phone company. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/fa102068-dfbf-11df-bed9-00144feabdc0.html InternetNZ says Telecom separation proposal not clean [NZPA] InternetNZ says an outline of the way the structural separation of Telecom might be carried out does not represent a clean separation, and can not deliver the slashing of regulation that Telecom wants. http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/internetnz-says-telecom-separation-proposal-not-clean-132050 Chinese Telecom Giant in Push for U.S. Market This spring, an executive from a Chinese telecommunications equipment company made an intriguing job offer to a Silicon Valley software engineer. The Chinese company, Huawei Technologies, wanted to get into the booming market for Internet-based computing, and it had just moved its United States research headquarters here to capture some of the best local talent. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/technology/26telecom.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (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 Wed Oct 27 2010 - 15:58:57 UTC
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