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 *************************************************** Building on Accountability & Transparency at ICANN by Rod Beckstrom http://blog.icann.org/2011/02/building-on-accountability-transparency-at-icann/ Why ICANN dropped registrar ownership rules http://domainincite.com/why-icann-dropped-registrar-ownership-rules/ Future Bright For Austrian Registry In Changing Times http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=13697 Victorian Supreme Court places Australian Style Pty Ltd in liquidation http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/auda09022011/ The auDA Foundation ? One of a Kind http://blog.auda.org.au/2011/02/11/the-auda-foundation-one-of-a-kind/ Doublespeak from the NTIA by Milton Mueller http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2011/2/7/4744972.html Veto Power For Governments Against Any Internet Domain Name? http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2011/02/08/veto-power-for-governments-against-any-internet-domain-name/ Chinese hackers infiltrate five energy firms - study http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/10/oukin-uk-energy-cyber-china-idUKTRE7190WT20110210 Reaching for the kill switch: The costs and practicalities of switching off the internet in Egypt and elsewhere http://www.economist.com/node/18112043 au: COAG sub-committee praises disaster tech http://www.zdnet.com.au/coag-sub-committee-praises-disaster-tech-339309195.htm Global Policy Proposal for the Allocation of IPv4 by IANA Post Exhaustion ? Background Report, 10 February 2011 (Proposal for handling recovered IPv4 address space) http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-11feb11-en.htm Battle begins over IP address WHOIS data by Milton Mueller http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2011/2/12/4748945.html ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Building on Accountability & Transparency at ICANN by Rod Beckstrom In order for ICANN?s international, bottom-up, multi-stakeholder model to operate effectively, frameworks and mechanisms for accountability and transparency were built into ICANN and have been improved upon over time. The Board of Directors, community and staff have an impressive record of accountability and transparency. Equally impressive is our shared commitment to build on these achievements and set a new standard for transparency and accountability. http://blog.icann.org/2011/02/building-on-accountability-transparency-at-icann/ Who gets to decide domain names? - Letter to the editor by Josh Bourne The Feb. 7 front-page article ".controversy, anyone?" spotlighted the potential changes to the Internet precipitated by the decision by [ICANN] to introduce more than 400 generic top-level domains. But the article failed to address deeper issues: How did ICANN develop this policy, and to whom is the organization accountable? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/12/AR2011021203446.html Why ICANN dropped registrar ownership rules ICANN has quietly published a list of 10 reasons explaining why it decided to start allowing domain name registrars and registries to buy each other. http://domainincite.com/why-icann-dropped-registrar-ownership-rules/ ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** DotConnectAfrica seeks EOI for .AFRICA Registry [news release] DotConnectAfrica (DCA) intends to participate in the new gTLD application issued by ICANN. As such DCA will be looking for a registry partner for technical and operational services for the planned .AFRICA Top Level Domain, that is consistent with the road-map of ICANN?s requirements. http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/02/14/dotconnectafrica-seeks-eoi-for-africa-registry/ Future Bright For Austrian Registry In Changing Times It has been a busy 12 months for the Austrian registry nic.at and its CEO Richard Wein. In mid-2010 Wein passed his ten year anniversary with the organisation, in January the one million .AT domain name registration milestone was passed and this week nic.at hosts the annual Domain Pulse conference in Vienna - the largest and most important annual domain name conference in Europe hosted on a rotating basis by the Austrian, Swiss and German registries. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=13697 http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/02/14/future-bright-for-austrian-registry-in-changing-times/ http://domainnews.com/en/future-bright-for-austrian-registry-in-changing-times.html Victorian Supreme Court places Australian Style Pty Ltd in liquidation On 7 February 2011, the Supreme Court of Victoria ordered Australian Style Pty Ltd be placed in liquidation and appointed John Lindholm of insolvency firm Ferrier Hodgson as liquidator. The decision follows a winding up application lodged by .au Domain Administration (auDA) on 29 November 2010. http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/auda09022011/ The auDA Foundation ? One of a Kind There are many types of foundations in Australia; private foundations established by individuals, family foundations, government initiated foundations, community foundations and corporate foundations that receive income or grants from profit making companies. http://blog.auda.org.au/2011/02/11/the-auda-foundation-one-of-a-kind/ 85% of .CZ Domains Are Not Protected Against Fraud The cellar is full of water and the house owner is repairing the roof. Such behaviour is exhibited by most providers of online services, who are trying to maximise their safety but forget to protect the domains on which the services run. http://www.nic.cz/page/845/85--of-.cz-domains-are-not-protected-against-fraud-/ ee: Today begins the last stage of the domain register reorganisation. Old domains will become inactive but they can be re-activated via re-registration. Today begins the last stage of the domain register reorganisation: the domains that have still not been re-registered during the 7-month transitional period will be removed from the .ee zone and their names will become inactive. http://www.eestiinternet.ee/eng/news/today-begins-the-last-stage-of-the-domain-register-reorganisation-old-domains-will-become-inactive-but-they-can-be-re-activated-via-re-registration French Senate passes bill to bring several national health, labour and telecommunications laws into line with EU law The new article L. 45 (et seq) will shortly be submitted to a joint committee of both chambers so that both assemblies can come to an agreement on the final text. AFNIC applauds this new step, especially in view of the extremely tight deadlines imposed by the Constitutional Council and the parliamentary calendar. http://www.afnic.fr/actu/nouvelles/272/french-senate-passes-bill-to-bring-several-national-health-labour-and-telecommunications-laws-into-line-with-eu-law Verhagen launches website celebrating twenty-five years of .nl Dutch minister Maxime Verhagen today officially opened the website de25jaarvan.nl. At a launch ceremony in The Hague, the minister?s blog entry was posted on the special jubilee website developed by SIDN to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of .nl?s creation. https://www.sidn.nl/en/news/news/article/verhagen-lanceert-website-in-het-teken-van-25-jaar-nl-1/ Syria Launches its Arabic Top-Level Domain [SANA] The National Commission for Network Services (NCNS) has launched the use of Arabic top-level domain name that represents Syria on the internet. http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZAWYA20110212060748/Syria Launches its Arabic Top-Level Domain http://www.dp-news.com/pages/detail.aspx?l=2&articleId=73907 Nominet calls on stakeholders to get involved in policy process Nominet ... announces an update from its policy team, including a call for contributions to current policy proposals. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/releases/?contentId=8216 Debate opens on domain closures Police plans to shut down web domains believed to be used by criminals are to be debated in public. In November, the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) tabled a plan to give such powers to Nominet, which oversees the .uk domain. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12429808 Nominet asks what you think of police domain grab Nominet is asking for feedback on proposals from the police which would allow them to "switch off" websites used by criminals. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/02/10/police_close_domain/ Nominet Consults On Criminal Takedowns Nominet, the UK domain name registry, is asking the nation how best to respond to a proposal from the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) to block sites believed to be used for criminal activities. http://www.eweekeurope.co.uk/news/nominet-consults-on-criminal-takedowns-20578 Nominet debates Soca website proposals Police want to be able to take down websites at a moment's notice, but require changes to the terms and conditions under which UK domain names operate. http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2011/02/10/245338/Nominet-debates-Soca-website-proposals.htm Unregistered Rights Sunrise for short .uk domains starts on 14 February Following the closure of the IP rights validation period of the Registered Rights Sunrise phase for the release of short .uk domains on 31 January, 99 uncontested domains were registered today. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=8175 ********************** - NEW TLDS ********************** Doublespeak from the NTIA by Milton Mueller Our warnings against the GAC top level domain veto are getting attention. The story has been picked up by Ars Technica, CBS and CNET News and widely tweeted. An interesting new argument has surfaced in this controversy. As more and more reporters ask the U.S. government what the heck it is doing, the NTIA is issuing a stock answer. Try not to laugh when you read it. http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2011/2/7/4744972.html Veto Power For Governments Against Any Internet Domain Name? The United States Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is proposing possible veto power for governments against applications for new top-level domains. NTIA is asking for a change to domain name system management that would allow governments to object to any proposed internet address for any reason, which has not surprisingly stirred debate among observers. http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2011/02/08/veto-power-for-governments-against-any-internet-domain-name/ New TLDs Are Coming, and They Are Coming Fast by Krista Papac Despite what you may have read about possible delays to the rollout of the new Top-Level Domain (TLD) program, all the available evidence points to ICANN approving the applicant guidebook shortly after its San Francisco conference in March. My feelings about the timing of the new TLD program were further buoyed by Kurt Pritz, ICANN's Senior Vice President of Stakeholder Relations, who gave a presentation at the .nxt conference I attended in San Francisco this week. Mr Pritz said the applicant guidebook is currently in a "proposed final" version and should be approved after ICANN's San Francisco conference in March. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20110212_new_tlds_are_coming_and_they_are_coming_fast/ Afilias lawyers up for TLD applicants Registry services provider Afilias has expanded its relationship with the law firm Crowell & Moring to support prospective new top-level domain applicants. http://domainincite.com/afilias-lawyers-up-for-tld-applicants/ Afilias and Crowell & Moring to collaborate on supporting new top-level domains Afilias Limited, a global provider of Internet domain name registry and Domain Name System (DNS) services, today announced that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Crowell & Moring LLP. Under this MoU, Afilias and Crowell & Moring will extend their current working relationship into supporting new TLDs. http://www.afilias.info/news/2011/02/10/afilias-and-crowell-moring-collaborate-supporting-new-top-level-domains Georgia will receive top-level country-code domain name ICANN will provide Georgia with a ?.??? top-level country-code domain name in non-Latin script, in accordance with ICANN standards, The Domain Times reported. http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/it_telecom/news/61316/Georgia_will_receive_toplevel_countrycode_domain_name ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Chinese hackers infiltrate five energy firms - study Hackers working in China broke into the computer systems of five multinational oil and gas companies to steal bidding plans and other critical proprietary information, the computer security firm McAfee Inc said in a new report. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/10/oukin-uk-energy-cyber-china-idUKTRE7190WT20110210 http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/02/10/idINIndia-54787320110210 Chinese hackers target oil companies: McAfee Hackers from China have penetrated computer networks of global oil companies, stealing financial documents on bidding plans and other confidential information, a US computer security firm said yesterday evening. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/chinese-hackers-target-oil-companies-mcafee-20110211-1aoyl.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/chinese-hackers-target-oil-companies-mcafee-20110211-1aoyl.html London city authorities plan 'war game' based on Olympic cyber attack scenario A cyber attack coinciding with the start of London's Olympic Games is among the "war games" being planned by City regulators for around 70 financial firms later this year. The so-called tripartite authorities ? the Bank of England, the Treasury and the Financial Services Authority ? get firms together every few years to test how well their systems would hold up if they were struck by extreme conditions. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/feb/13/city-authorities-war-games-olympics Reaching for the kill switch: The costs and practicalities of switching off the internet in Egypt and elsewhere The timing was dire. On January 25th American senators reintroduced a bill granting the president emergency powers to shut down parts of the nation?s internet as a defence against cyber-attack. Three days later Egypt?s embattled autocrats took their country offline. http://www.economist.com/node/18112043 au: COAG sub-committee praises disaster tech The National Emergency Management Committee has issued an update on the National Strategy on Disaster Resilience, which has praised the use of technology in disaster scenarios, following the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting in Canberra yesterday. http://www.zdnet.com.au/coag-sub-committee-praises-disaster-tech-339309195.htm us: Cybersecurity bill could be stalled by House-Senate differences The House Republican tapped to drive passage of cyber legislation across committees said he does not plan to work on a comprehensive bill, a departure from Senate efforts to pass one large package covering federal, private and international networks. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110211_9241.php Stuxnet Malware Was Aimed at Five Sites in Iran, Report Says The Stuxnet software worm repeatedly sought to infect five industrial facilities in Iran over a 10-month period, a new report says, in what could be a clue into how it might have infected the Iranian uranium enrichment complex at Natanz. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/science/13stuxnet.html Critical infrastructure under attack Critical infrastructure is a term that is used to describe assets and facilities that are essential for the functioning of society and the economy. It encompasses a wide range of vital assets, including utilities and communications networks, food and water supply, oil and gas facilities, public health systems, transport networks and financial services. Should such services be disrupted, the consequences could be dire. http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/Bloor-on-IT-security/2011/02/critical-infrastructure-under-attack.html ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Ferrari alters name of new F1 race car [NewsCore] Ferrari said Thursday it has slightly altered the name of its new Formula 1 race car after being accused by Ford Motor Co. of copying the name of one of its pickup trucks. Ford filed a trademark infringement lawsuit Wednesday against Ferrari for naming the racer the F150, which resembles the name of the US manufacturer's best-selling F-150 truck. http://msn.foxsports.com/motor/story/Ferrari-alters-new-F1-race-car-name-after-Ford-lawsuit-021011 Righthaven files first judgment motion, demands cash and domain name A development in the Righthaven newspaper copyright infringement lawsuit campaign may generate some guidance on what damages Righthaven is entitled to collect from its lawsuits and whether it can seize the websites of lawsuit defendants. http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/feb/12/righthaven-files-first-judgment-motion-demands-cas/ Trademark Law's Increment Through the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy by Konstantinos Komaitis[Oxford Intellectual Property Law and Practice] Abstract: Legal Context: This article discusses the changes independent Internet policy is imposing upon trademark law. The argument centres on the idea that the polymorphous nature of the trademark right is slowly drifting away from the traditional notions of goodwill and consumer protection, pertinent in trademark law philosophy; instead and because of the nature of domain names, existing and new policies focus on the protection of the word, creating an anti-competitive and hostile environment for users and entrepreneurs. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1757964 us: Business reboots copyright law The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said its top priority on intellectual property issues is pushing Congress to pass a law that tackles online copyright infringement and trade in counterfeit goods, setting up a potential clash between business interests and free-speech advocates. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/49192.html Former Nazi camp Majdanek drops .pl on website [AP] The Majdanek death camp memorial has switched its website from a Polish to a European Internet domain name, following pressure from the Polish government, an official said Thursday. http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2011/02/10/former_nazi_camp_majdanek_drops_pl_on_website/ http://www.sify.com/news/former-nazi-camp-majdanek-drops-pl-on-website-news-international-lckuEvdfigh.html ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** Global Policy Proposal for the Allocation of IPv4 by IANA Post Exhaustion ? Background Report, 10 February 2011 (Proposal for handling recovered IPv4 address space) Introduction: Global Internet Number Resource Policies are defined by the ASO MOU ? between ICANN and the NRO ? as "Internet number resource policies that have the agreement of all RIRs according to their policy development processes and ICANN, and require specific actions or outcomes on the part of IANA or any other external ICANN-related body in order to be implemented". Attachment A of this MOU describes the Development Process of Global Internet Number Resource Policies, including the adoption by every RIR of a global policy to be forwarded to the ICANN Board by the ASO, as well as its ratification by the ICANN Board. In this context, the ICANN Board adopted its own Procedures for the Review of Internet Number Resource Policies Forwarded by the ASO for Ratification. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-11feb11-en.htm ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Battle begins over IP address WHOIS data by Milton Mueller A few days ago ICANN quietly posted this letter from David Holtzman of Depository Inc. to ICANN CEO Rod Beckstrom. The letter, dated January 27, has gone almost totally unnoticed, but it is important. It means the first warning shots have been fired in a prospective litigation duel between ARIN, which is the IP address registry for North America, and a company positioning itself to compete with ARIN in the provision of certain IP address-related services. What is at stake here is the control of IP address Whois data - or more precisely, whether ARIN owns this data and can withhold it from other organizations in order to maintain exclusive control over certain services. http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2011/2/12/4748945.html ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** .eu moves to second in 2010 ccTLD sales .eu is the second most commonly sold country code top-level domain (ccTLD) according to the 2010 Domain Market Study report issued by Sedo, a domain name sales marketplace. .eu achieved 20% of ccTLD sales in 2010 which moved .eu into second position for the first time. http://www.eurid.eu/en/content/eu-moves-second-2010-cctld-sales Sedo Sweeps First Seven Spots on This Week's Domain Sales Chart With 2-Digit Domain Setting the Pace We may be in the middle of winter but things appear to be heating up at Sedo.com. They rang up the seven biggest sales reported this week and claimed 12 places overall on our new all-extension Top 20 Sales Chart. A two-digit numerical domain, 06.com, led the pack at $91,888. The next five names were also .coms, including #2 Coyote.com at $65,000 and #3 Serbia.com at $62,000. http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2011/20110202.htm ********************** REPORTS & RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** Online Privacy as a Corporate Social Responsibility: An Empirical Study by Irene Pollach [Business Ethics: A European Review] Abstract: Information technology and the Internet have added a new stakeholder concern to the corporate social responsibility (CSR) agenda: online privacy. While theory suggests that online privacy is a CSR, only very few studies in the business ethics literature have connected these two. Based on a study of CSR disclosures, this article contributes to the existing literature by exploring whether and how the largest IT companies embrace online privacy as a CSR. The findings indicate that only a small proportion of the companies have comprehensive privacy programs, although more than half of them voice moral or relational motives for addressing online privacy. The privacy measures they have taken are primarily compliance measures, while measures that stimulate a stakeholder dialogue are rare. Overall, a wide variety of approaches to addressing privacy was found, which suggests that no institutionalization of privacy practices has taken place as yet. The study therefore indicates that online privacy is rather new on the CSR agenda, currently playing only a minor role. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1754812 ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Stephen Wolfram: Can he topple Google? The British scientist Stephen Wolfram has a clear vision for the future ? a vision that dates back to his childhood in the 1960s and 70s. In those days, we didn't prophesise that computer technology would bring us convenient ways to shop, or new ways to talk to our friends in short sentences. The dream was much grander ? that computers would work out stuff for us, a bit like Hal in 2001: A Space Odyssey (without the murderous intent). http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/feb/12/stephen-wolfram-alpha-interview-google Study: Too Many Users Reuse Passwords You may have a remarkably strict password policy in place at your organization, requiring a long string of letters, numbers, and special characters. Unfortunately, those policies become far less effective if you use a similar or identical password for, say, logging in to Facebook or Amazon.com or any other Web site. If a malicious hacker is able to get his or her hands on a user's password credentials for one domain, said hacker has a good starting point for figuring out the user's password for other sites. http://infoworld.com/t/data-security/study-finds-high-rate-password-reuse-among-users-188 http://www.pcworld.com/article/219393/.html Password Reuse Is All Too Common, Research Shows A British security researcher has analyzed password data made public by Anonymous group hacks against Gawker and rootkit.com, and found that many users with accounts at both sites used the same password for their login credentials. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/219303/.html ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Global data storage calculated at 295 exabytes Mankind's capacity to store the colossal amount of information in the world has been measured by scientists. The study, published in the journal Science, calculates the amount of data stored in the world by 2007 as 295 exabytes. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12419672 Technology the modern bogey Parents are finding it harder than ever to buffer their kids from the chaos of modern life, with the future influence of new technologies on childhood development the big unknown, a leading child health expert warns. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/technology-the-modern-bogey/story-fn59niix-1226005370642 Don't be blinded by the web. The world is actually stagnating by Will Hutton My grandfather grew up in the 1900s in a world of horse-drawn carts and candle-lit houses. In the following 50 years he would live through a series of astonishing transformations ? electricity, the motor car, television and radio, the telephone, the refrigerator, the vacuum-cleaner, penicillin and the aeroplane, just to name a few. It was not just these things that made the 20th century what it was. Their production was industrialised. They created huge employment and wealth. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/feb/13/will-hutton-innovation-must-be-encouraged ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ MEPs putting child pornographers' rights ahead of abuse victims, claim campaigners European MPs have been accused of putting the rights of child pornographers ahead of abused children after it emerged that they are to water down new laws, backed by the UK government, for curbing the dissemination of child abuse images. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/feb/13/child-pornography-internet-laws au: Julian Assange helped crack Victorian kid porn ring As a young man nearly 20 years ago, Julian Assange used his prodigious computer skills to help the Victorian police catch online pedophiles. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/wikileaks/legal-threats-as-assange-laid-bare/story-fn775xjq-1226004688496 Conroy remains committed to mandatory filtering Australia's proposed mandatory ISP filter proposal was very much alive, the Minister for Broadband Communications and the Digital Economy, Stephen Conroy said today. http://www.itnews.com.au/News/247676,conroy-remains-committed-to-mandatory-filtering.aspx Cyber bullying is not acceptable ? how to help your children stand up for themselves online Lloyd Borrett, Security Evangelist for AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd, says: ?The use of social media is exploding, with even early primary school kids setting up accounts. As parents, you can?t always be looking over their shoulders to stop e-mail, chat and social network messages from pranksters and bullies who can be active 24/7. But you can help your kids be safe and savvy online.? http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/mediareleases/11992/cyber-bullying-is-not-acceptable-how-to-help-your/ Guidelines on keeping online environments safe for children launch in the UK on Safer Internet Day Comprehensive guidelines for how to moderate online environments for children have today been launched by the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS). http://www.iwf.org.uk/about-iwf/news/post/299-guidelines-on-keeping-online-environments-safe-for-children-launch-in-the-uk-on-safer-internet-day Safer Internet Day to Promote Safe Online Behaviour [news release] The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today used Safer Internet Day 2011 to remind Australians to stay safe online, especially when using social networking sites. http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2011/130 EU children still exposed to Internet risks Only 14% of Europeans use web filtering software to prevent children from accessing inappropriate websites, despite the European Commission having carried out multimillion-euro awareness-raising campaigns in the last decade. http://www.euractiv.com/en/infosociety/eu-children-exposed-internet-risks-news-501970 Swiss Kids on Facebook & Co. [news release] The SWITCH Junior Web Award survey is looking into the way that children and young people behave in the internet. The current survey shows that the majority of Swiss kids are on Facebook & Co. By contrast to the first survey, which focused primarily on the pupils? self-assessment, the key topic this time round was the use of social platforms. Those questioned were all former participants in the Junior Web Award who had jointly designed their own homepage as their entry for the award. http://www.switch.ch/about/news/2011/juniorwebbarometer.html UK children asked to think before they send [news release] ?Think before you send? is the message from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre - the UK?s national centre for protecting children ? as it marks EU Safer Internet Day 2011 to talk about the dangers young people face when sending indecent images of themselves to each other, often called ?sexting?. http://www.ceop.police.uk/Media-Centre/Press-releases/2011/UK-CHILDREN-ASKED-TO-THINK-BEFORE-THEY-SEND/ ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Smartphones clogging mobile networks - ITU chief Smartphones are causing heavy congestion on the world's mobile networks and governments need to act quickly to support wireless broadband growth, the head of the International Telecommunications Union warned on Friday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/11/oukin-uk-telecoms-broadband-idUKTRE71A4KF20110211 http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/02/11/idINIndia-54835820110211 Network congestion set to worsen - ITU calls for international broadband commitment Governments need to take urgent action now to support mobile broadband growth. So says ITU Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun Tour?, adding that accelerated fibre roll-out and greater spectrum availability will be imperative if network bottlenecks are to be avoided. http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2011/01.aspx http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=37517 Nokia to Use Microsoft Software in Smartphones Nokia, the struggling world leader in mobile phones, said Friday that it would discard its own cellphone operating system in favor of software made by Microsoft, in an alliance of market leaders designed to shore up their halting efforts in smartphones. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/12/technology/12nokia.html Nokia and Microsoft sign strategic tie-up Embattled mobile phone firm Nokia has signed up to a "broad strategic partnership" with Microsoft in an effort to rebuild its fortunes. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/feb/11/nokia-microsoft-sign-strategic-tieup Nokia and Microsoft form partnership Nokia has joined forces with Microsoft in an attempt to regain ground lost to the iPhone and Android-based devices. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12427680 Nokia at the crossroads: It is not just the world?s biggest handset-maker that has lost its edge. So has Europe?s whole mobile-phone industry Apocalyptic language fuels the technology industry as much as venture capital does. But Stephen Elop, Nokia?s new boss, may have set a new standard. ?We are standing on a burning [oil] platform,? he wrote in a memo to all 132,000 employees of the world?s biggest handset-maker. If Nokia did not want to be consumed by the flames, it had no choice but to plunge into the ?icy waters? below. In plainer words, the company must change its ways radically. http://www.economist.com/node/18114689?story_id=18114689 Nokia Ties Up With Microsoft in Overhaul In a major shift, Nokia Corp. said Friday it will adopt Windows Phone as its main smartphone platform, part of a broad strategic partnership with Microsoft Corp. that will see the next two years become a period of transition for the ailing handset maker. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703786804576137470685432438.html Anger with Apple pushes firms to Android The hardline approach taken by Apple towards media companies selling apps through its iTunes Store could push crucial content partners into the hands of competitors such as Google's Android. http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/smartphone-apps/anger-with-apple-pushes-firms-to-android-20110210-1aonm.html http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/smartphone-apps/anger-with-apple-pushes-firms-to-android-20110210-1aonm.html War looms as Sony hints that it will abandon iTunes Sony has signalled it may withdraw its artists from Apple's iTunes store and withhold its games from the iPhone in a sign the two companies are on the brink of all-out war. http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/mp3s/war-looms-as-sony-hints-that-it-will-abandon-itunes-20110210-1aonn.html http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/mp3s/war-looms-as-sony-hints-that-it-will-abandon-itunes-20110210-1aonn.html Gartner Says Worldwide Mobile Device Sales to End Users Reached 1.6 Billion Units in 2010; Smartphone Sales Grew 72 Percent in 2010 [news release] Worldwide mobile device sales to end users totaled 1.6 billion units in 2010, a 31.8 percent increase from 2009 (see Table 1), according to Gartner, Inc. Smartphone sales to end users were up 72.1 percent from 2009 and accounted for 19 percent of total mobile communications device sales in 2010. http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1543014 Apple Is Said to Work on Cheaper, Smaller IPhones Apple Inc. is working on new versions of the iPhone that are aimed at slowing the advance of competing handsets based on Google Inc.?s Android software, according to people who have been briefed on the plans. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-10/apple-said-to-work-on-cheaper-more-versatile-iphone-models.html ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Chinese hackers infiltrate five energy firms - study Hackers working in China broke into the computer systems of five multinational oil and gas companies to steal bidding plans and other critical proprietary information, the computer security firm McAfee Inc said in a new report. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/10/oukin-uk-energy-cyber-china-idUKTRE7190WT20110210 http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/02/10/idINIndia-54787320110210 Chinese hackers target oil companies: McAfee Hackers from China have penetrated computer networks of global oil companies, stealing financial documents on bidding plans and other confidential information, a US computer security firm said yesterday evening. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/chinese-hackers-target-oil-companies-mcafee-20110211-1aoyl.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/chinese-hackers-target-oil-companies-mcafee-20110211-1aoyl.html London city authorities plan 'war game' based on Olympic cyber attack scenario A cyber attack coinciding with the start of London's Olympic Games is among the "war games" being planned by City regulators for around 70 financial firms later this year. The so-called tripartite authorities ? the Bank of England, the Treasury and the Financial Services Authority ? get firms together every few years to test how well their systems would hold up if they were struck by extreme conditions. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/feb/13/city-authorities-war-games-olympics Reaching for the kill switch: The costs and practicalities of switching off the internet in Egypt and elsewhere The timing was dire. On January 25th American senators reintroduced a bill granting the president emergency powers to shut down parts of the nation?s internet as a defence against cyber-attack. Three days later Egypt?s embattled autocrats took their country offline. http://www.economist.com/node/18112043 au: COAG sub-committee praises disaster tech The National Emergency Management Committee has issued an update on the National Strategy on Disaster Resilience, which has praised the use of technology in disaster scenarios, following the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting in Canberra yesterday. http://www.zdnet.com.au/coag-sub-committee-praises-disaster-tech-339309195.htm us: Cybersecurity bill could be stalled by House-Senate differences The House Republican tapped to drive passage of cyber legislation across committees said he does not plan to work on a comprehensive bill, a departure from Senate efforts to pass one large package covering federal, private and international networks. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110211_9241.php Stuxnet Malware Was Aimed at Five Sites in Iran, Report Says The Stuxnet software worm repeatedly sought to infect five industrial facilities in Iran over a 10-month period, a new report says, in what could be a clue into how it might have infected the Iranian uranium enrichment complex at Natanz. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/science/13stuxnet.html Critical infrastructure under attack Critical infrastructure is a term that is used to describe assets and facilities that are essential for the functioning of society and the economy. It encompasses a wide range of vital assets, including utilities and communications networks, food and water supply, oil and gas facilities, public health systems, transport networks and financial services. Should such services be disrupted, the consequences could be dire. http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/Bloor-on-IT-security/2011/02/critical-infrastructure-under-attack.html FTC Offers Tips on Wise Use of Wi-Fi Networks The Federal Trade Commission, the nation?s consumer protection agency, today released tips to help people protect their personal information while they use public wireless networks ? Wi-Fi hotspots in coffee shops, libraries, airports, hotels, universities, and other public places. While convenient, public Wi-Fi networks often are not secure. http://ftc.gov/opa/2011/02/wireless.shtm ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Internet Policy Task Force Green Paper: Commercial Data Privacy and Innovation in the Internet Economy: A Dynamic Policy Framework This report recommends consideration of a new framework for addressing online privacy issues in the United States http://www.ntia.doc.gov/reports/2010/IPTF_Privacy_GreenPaper_12162010.pdf US 'Do Not Track Me Online' privacy bill introduced by California Rep. Jackie Speier The first "do not track" legislation was introduced in Congress on Friday, raising the possibility that Web users will be able to prevent advertisers from recording their online behavior for marketing purposes, similar to the Do Not Call Registry created in 2003. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/02/do-not-track-me-online-privacy-legislation-introduced-by-calif-congresswoman.html us: Rush Reintroduces Privacy Bill Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., Thursday reintroduced his legislation from the last Congress aimed at enhancing consumer privacy online. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2011/02/rush-reintroduces-privacy-bill.php http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110210_8560.php Speier Unveils 'Do-Not-Track' Online Privacy Bill Just a day after Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., rolled out his latest online privacy legislation, Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., unveiled a package of bills Friday that includes a "do-not-track" requirement giving consumers the option to opt-out of being tracked while browsing online. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2011/02/speier-unveils-donottrack-onli.php http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110211_5698.php ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** China Cracks Down On Uprising Chatter-Events Cloud Prospects of U.S. Social Sites Entering Market The Chinese government maintained a tight grip on news and discussion of the Egyptian president's dramatic downfall?an event that could send a subversive message to its own population?but some Internet users managed to evade censors to celebrate. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704657104576141921095552608.html US Internet censorship fight falling short: finding [AFP] State Department efforts to combat Internet censorship in China and other countries have fallen short and funding for the drive should be shifted to another US agency, a Senate committee report says. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/us-internet-censorship-fight-falling-short-finding-20110213-1as72.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/us-must-ramp-up-fight-on-internet-censorship-20110213-1arwv.html Technology Poses Big Test for Regimes On Friday afternoon, Wael Ghonim, the Google executive who has become the face of Egypt's so-called Revolution 2.0, tweeted it was time at last for President Hosni Mubarak to resign. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704329104576138643482318336.html Egypt's Internet Blackout Highlights Danger of Weak Links, Usefulness of Quick Links In response to ongoing protests, Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak ordered a shutdown of all Internet access for five whole days, from January 28 to February 2, but social media and news continued to flow in and out of the country thanks to a group of protagonists dedicated to supporting the flow of information. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/02/egypts-internet-blackout-highlights-danger-weak Iranian web programmer faces execution on porn charges A 35-year-old Iranian web programmer is facing imminent execution in connection with developing and promoting porn websites, charges that his family insist are trumped up. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/09/iranian-death-sentence-pornography ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** White House will propose new digital copyright laws The Obama administration has drafted new proposals to curb Internet piracy and other forms of intellectual property infringement that it says it will send to the U.S. Congress "in the very near future." http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20030956-281.html EU mulls tax cuts for online media The European Commission is considering the idea of lowering value added tax (VAT) rates for online media to the level of printed media wherever they diverge, in a move aimed at alleviating financial pressure on a struggling sector. http://www.euractiv.com/en/infosociety/eu-mulls-tax-cuts-online-media-news-502035 ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9 web browser goes live Microsoft has said the latest version of its internet explorer web browser puts it ahead of competitors like Google and Firefox. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12424407 Microsoft ships IE9 RC with tracking opt-out Microsoft today launched the release candidate of Internet Explorer 9 (IE9), saying that the browser is now feature complete and that the final build would ship shortly. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9208962/Microsoft_ships_IE9_RC_with_tracking_opt_out Search for Low Airfares Gets More Competitive The familiar world of online air travel search is about to get a major shake-up. With airlines imposing fees for things like checked bags, priority seating and access to airport lounges, finding a good fare is just the starting point. Ticket buyers then need to check multiple Web sites to figure out the best deal. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/business/11air.html PayPal Will Play an Even Bigger Role at eBay Hoping to counter concerns that their business has become an online has-been, eBay executives on Thursday laid out plans to restore its luster over the next three years. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/paypal-will-play-an-even-bigger-role-at-ebay/ Twitter valued at $10bn as Google and Facebook reportedly vie to buy it $10bn buys a lot of company; Harley-Davidson, the 108-year-old motorbike icon, is worth just shy of $10bn (?6.2bn). The Deutsche B?rse is hoping to pay about that for the New York stock exchange. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/feb/10/twitter-valued-at-10-billion-dollars Search Engine Optimisation to Lure Readers: Web Words That Lure the Readers The Huffington Post has hired veteran journalists to beef up its news coverage. But a significant chunk of its readers come instead for articles like one published this week: ?Chelsy Davy & Prince Harry: So Happy Together?? http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/business/media/11search.html In the PC Wars, the Asians Have a Clear Advantage As the balance of power in many domains shifts from the U.S. to China, computer makers are also refocusing their strategies to include a larger China component. China is critical as both a market and a supply base. And Asian vendors have become serious rivals to the top U.S. companies, many of which are beset by persistent management dramas and palace intrigue. http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2011/tc20110128_028525.htm Netbooks Lose Status as Tablets Like the iPad Rise Remember the Last Big Thing in computing? You?ll be forgiven for having forgotten it was the netbook ? a small notebook computer with a slender price tag, about $300. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/14/technology/14netbook.html ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** NBN will kill off fixed-line telephony The National Broadband Network will kill off the already ailing business of fixed-line local calls that was once the cornerstone of Telstra's business. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/industry-sectors/nbn-will-kill-off-fixed-line-telephony/story-e6frg9hx-1226003971400 Wireless a threat to NBN, government's own consultant warns WIRELESS internet technologies present a major threat to Labor's $35.9 billion national broadband network, a government-appointed consultant has warned. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/telecommunications/wireless-a-threat-to-nbn-governments-own-consultant-warns/story-fn4iyzsr-1226005795467 Obama Unveils Wireless Expansion Plan Declaring that ?we can?t expect tomorrow?s economy to take root using yesterday?s infrastructure,? President Obama traveled to this snowbound town in a remote corner of Michigan on Thursday to make the case that expanding wireless access is critical to the nation?s economic recovery. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/us/politics/11obama.html Obama Says Plan to Expand Wireless Access Is Critical Declaring that ?we can?t expect tomorrow?s economy to take root using yesterday?s infrastructure,? President Obama traveled to this snowbound town in a remote corner of Michigan on Thursday to make the case that expanding wireless access is critical to the nation?s economic recovery. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/us/politics/11obama.html Obama goal: 98% of U.S. covered by 4G broadband [IDG] Ninety-eight percent of U.S. residents would have access to high-speed mobile broadband service within five years under a plan that President Barack Obama detailed Thursday. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9208963/Obama_goal_98_of_U.S._covered_by_4G_broadband http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/021011-obama-goal-98-percent-of.html http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/219330/.html Obama: U.S. Must Provide Americans With Tools Of Digital Age In a speech outlining his new initiative to expand wireless access and innovation, President Obama Thursday compared the effort aimed at connecting 98 percent of Americans to "next-generation, high-speed" wireless to past infrastructure projects such as building railroads and highways that also were aimed at advancing the nation's economy. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2011/02/obama-us-must-provide-american.php Analysis - Telcos battle tech, banking titans in mobile payment Paying for your morning coffee and newspaper by swiping your mobile phone instead of fumbling for cash or debit card could be just around the corner. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/14/oukin-uk-mobile-fair-mobilemoney-idUKTRE71D1BO20110214 http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/02/14/idINIndia-54873520110214 Regulatory holiday, secrecy attacked on telecomms reforms: InternetNZ and TUANZ debate UFB regulation The 10-year period of ?regulatory forbearance? for Local Fibre Companies supplying the Ultra Fast Broadband network will be the prime target of submitters on the Telecommunications Amendment Bill, if they follow the advice of convenors of a joint InternetNZ/TUANZ seminar on the Bill held in Wellington this week. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/regulatory-holiday-secrecy-and-lack-of-clear-direction-attacked-on-telecoms-reforms Rural broadband negotiations raise serious concerns, require Government assurances ?Today?s announcement that the Government is in negotiation with a Telecom/Vodafone consortium to deliver its Rural Broadband Initiative reinforces serious concerns about the future of a competitive communications market in rural areas,? says InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) Chief Executive Vikram Kumar. http://internetnz.net.nz/news/media-releases/2011/Rural-broadband-negotiations-raise-serious-concerns-require-Government-assu AOL and the Huffington Post: An internet veteran weds a youthful online bride If any firm can testify to the risks involved in corporate mating it is AOL. At the end of 2009 the internet firm split from Time Warner, a media and entertainment giant, finally putting an end to one of the most disastrous mergers in American business history. But in spite of its traumatic experience, AOL still believes in the virtues of marriage: on February 7th it announced a plan to buy the Huffington Post, a web service founded in 2005, in a $315m deal that it claims will make everyone involved richer rather than poorer. http://www.economist.com/node/18114317?story_id=18114317 ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR ONLINE CHILD PROTECTION ********************************** au: 'Cookie monster' jailed for internet grooming A 24-year-old Melbourne man who called himself Cookie Monster as he groomed teenagers for sex over the internet is jailed for four years. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/10/3135051.htm au: Online predator sought 'vampire sex' A young Melbourne university student who preyed on nine girls that he met online has been jailed for more than four years. http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/online-predator-sought-vampire-sex-20110210-1anmo.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2011 --------- David Goldstein email: goldstein_david§yahoo.com.au web: http://davidgoldstein.tel/ http://goldsteinreport.com/ phone: +61 418 228 605 - mobile; +61 2 9665 5773 - office/home "Every time you use fossil fuels, you're adding to the problem. Every time you forgo fossil fuels, you're being part of the solution" - Dr Tim FlanneryReceived on Mon Feb 14 2011 - 03:50:29 UTC
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