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 *************************************************** Middle East Developments Cause Cancellation of ICANN Jordan Meeting http://blog.icann.org/2011/02/middle-east-developments-interfere-with-icann-41-jordan-meeting/ ICANN Jordan Meeting Moved to Singapore http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=13761 On the Introduction of new Top Level Domains into the Domain Name System by Vint Cerf http://www.circleid.com/posts/20110218_on_the_introduction_of_new_top_level_domains_into_dns/ DNSSEC Coming to .AT, But Resistance Among Some German Internet Companies http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=13773 Commentary: Now is the time for Congress and the Obama administration to tackle cybersecurity http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110218_2356.php Latest Cybersecurity Bill Prohibits Internet 'Kill Switch' http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2011/02/latest-cybersecurity-bill-proh.php au: Public consultation on international Cybercrime Convention [news release] http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/www/ministers/mcclelland.nsf/Page/MediaReleases_2011_FirstQuarter_18February2011-PublicconsultationoninternationalCybercrimeConvention au: CERT fielded 187 'cyber incidents' in 2010 http://www.zdnet.com.au/cert-fielded-187-cyber-incidents-in-2010-339309712.htm au: Federal Government welcomes Kokoda Foundation's new report on cyber security http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=cf59e455-1bc0-4e7e-a15d-3385be3f225c DHS incorrectly associates 84,000 web sites with child pornography http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/dhs-incorrectly-associates-84000-web-sites-with-child-pornography/8200 WIPO Could Enter Growing Fray Over Internet Domain Takedowns http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2011/02/17/wipo-could-enter-growing-fray-over-internet-domain-takedowns/ au: Cambridge Nutritional Foods Limited and Cambridge Manufacturing Company Limited v. Cambridge Diet Pty Ltd http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/text.jsp?case=DAU2010-0021 Cerf: Future of Internet doesn't include an IPv7 http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/021811-vint-cerf-ipv7.html InterNetX at Domain pulse 2011 in Vienna [news release] http://www.internetx.com/en/internetx/news-press/press-releases/press-releases/article/internetx-auf-domain-pulse-2011-in-wien.html APNIC 31: Participate remotely! http://www.apnic.net/publications/news/2011/apnic-31-remote APTLD Members? Meeting Hong Kong Inaugurated Today https://www.hkirc.hk/company_info/pressrelease.jsp?item=423 ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Middle East Developments Cause Cancellation of ICANN Jordan Meeting ICANN?s Board of Directors has decided not to hold the June 20-24 ICANN Public Meeting in Amman, Jordan. http://blog.icann.org/2011/02/middle-east-developments-interfere-with-icann-41-jordan-meeting/ GAC-Board Consultation ? Announcement Update Arrangements are being finalized for the GAC-Board consultation to be held in Brussels on 28 February and 1 March 2011. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-21jan11-en.htm ICANN Jordan Meeting Moved to Singapore ICANN have officially announced the upcoming meeting to be held in Amman, Jordan, has been cancelled while rumours are circulating that it will be moved to Singapore, following the unrest across the Middle East, including in Jordan. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=13761 http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/02/19/icann-jordan-meeting-moved-to-singapore/ http://domainnews.com/en/icann-to-move-jordan-meeting-to-singapore.html ICANN cancels Jordan meeting ICANN will not hold its 41st public meeting in Amman, Jordan, apparently due to safety concerns in the region, which is experiencing a rash of sometimes violent protest. http://domainincite.com/icann-cancels-jordan-meeting/ Wanted: official ICANN tweeter ICANN is looking to beef up its media relations department, and has put out its feelers for someone to take over its Twitter and Facebook accounts. http://domainincite.com/wanted-official-icann-tweeter/ ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** .CO quiet on Super Bowl sales Judging from its CEO?s latest blog post, .CO Internet doesn?t want to talk about how many new .co domain names were registered following its Super Bowl commercial with Go Daddy. http://domainincite.com/co-quiet-on-super-bowl-sales/ PIR Releases Results of 2H Half 2010 Bi-Annual Domain Name Report, "The Dashboard" .ORG, The Public Interest Registry (PIR) today released the results of its bi-annual domain name report, ?The Dashboard,? detailing the monumental growth of the world?s third largest generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD). According to the report, the .ORG domain grew by 10.3 percent in 2010 ? a 1.4 percent increase from 2009. As a result, .ORG now boasts over 8.8 million domains under management, thanks in large part to a net gain of 824,559 .ORG registrations in 2010. http://pir.org/news/pr/2011/2h_2011_dashboard Second Half 2010 "Dashboard" Domain Name Report - Released by Brian Cute I have long admired PIR?s dedication to the good of the Internet, the DNS and its millions of .ORG registrants. PIR has a clear and unique public interest mission in the industry ? one that extends beyond the technical provision of .ORG domain names and serves the Internet community wholly, addressing policy and security issues head-on. http://pir.org/blog/2011/2h2010dashboard The CC at the meeting of The Expert Ad Hoc group on combating economic crime On Friday 11 February 2011 the CC participated in the meeting of the Expert Group under the Interdepartmental working group on combating economic crime. The expert council focused on the discussion of the situation with the allocation of domain names in domain zone .?? which emerged at the launch of the open registration, including registration of domain names on RU-CENTR?s (ZAO?Regionalniy setevoy informatsionniy tsentr?) name and their subsequent sale. http://cctld.ru/en/news/news_detail.php?ID=1290 Russia: New .?? Domains Could Be Sold Illegaly The Prosecutor General's Office in Russia expressed its interest in the fact that the biggest domain registration company in Russia ?RU-Center? reserved 60,000 domain names within first hours after open registration and later sold 25,000 of those in closed auctions, newspapers Kommersant.ru reported. http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/02/17/russia-new-??-domains-could-be-sold-illegaly/ Unregistered Rights Sunrise for short .uk domains starts today The Unregistered Rights Sunrise phase for short .uk domains starts at midday (12.00 GMT) today, 14 February 2011. The first step of this two-stage process is for applicants to submit an application for the domain name they would like to register to Nominet via a registrar. This application stage closes at midday (12.00 GMT) on 16 March 2011. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=8218 ********************** - NEW TLDS ********************** On the Introduction of new Top Level Domains into the Domain Name System by Vint Cerf The introduction of new TLDs has been the subject of debate and action in the ICANN arena since 1999 (just a year after the organization was founded). Herein are some thoughts about some of the issues associated with increasing the top level domain name space. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20110218_on_the_introduction_of_new_top_level_domains_into_dns/ Big business has been using the new TLD concept for years The recent practice of major corporations abandoning the use of forward slashes in domain names and placing the product or service in front of their corporate domain name reinforces the business case for why we need new Top-Level Domains. http://www.ausregistry.com/blog/?p=739 ICANN confirms TLD delays after sponsorship closes ICANN has officially confirmed that it does not intend to launch the new top-level domains program at its meeting in San Francisco next month. http://domainincite.com/icann-confirms-tld-delays-after-sponsorship-closes/ Will New TLDs Get Approved April 21? We now know that ICANN?s Board will not vote on approving the new top level domain name applicant guidebook at its March meeting in San Francisco. http://domainnamewire.com/2011/02/18/will-new-tlds-get-approved-april-21/ The coming fight over .gay domain Scott Seitz has the dubious distinction of proposing what might become the most controversial new top-level Internet domain: .gay. http://www.zdnetasia.com/the-coming-fight-over-gay-domain-62206798.htm ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** DNSSEC Coming to .AT, But Resistance Among Some German Internet Companies The Austrian registry, nic.at, announced at the annual Domain Pulse meeting on Friday that they will introduce DNSSEC late in 2011 following its introduction 12 months ago by the Swiss registry at the 2010 Domain Pulse and its planned introduction on 31 May 2011 by the German registry. But in a survey among members of the German internet industry association eco, there was resistance among a small but significant group of companies to take it up. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=13773 http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/02/20/dnssec-coming-to-at-but-resistance-among-some-german-companies/ http://domainnews.com/en/dnssec-coming-to-.at-but-resistance-among-some-german-internet-business.html Commentary: Now is the time for Congress and the Obama administration to tackle cybersecurity 2010 was another watershed year for cybersecurity. One of the most significant threats to our national security is the danger posed by hackers, organized crime syndicates and foreign powers operating in cyberspace. Events, from WikiLeaks' Cablegate to the Stuxnet computer worm have pushed cybersecurity deeper into the public's consciousness than perhaps ever before. The progress made hasn't been nearly enough, however. Our national response to these and other potential threats remains far below what is needed, and we remain drastically underprepared for the challenges we face. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110218_2356.php Latest Cybersecurity Bill Prohibits Internet 'Kill Switch' Responding to charges that their legislation would establish an Internet "kill switch," the top members of the Senate Homeland Security Committee introduced legislation late Thursday that would specifically keep the president from shutting down the Internet. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2011/02/latest-cybersecurity-bill-proh.php US bill would prohibit Internet 'kill switch' [IDG] Three U.S. senators criticized for past legislation that would allow the president to potentially quarantine or shut down parts of the Internet during a major cyberattack have introduced a new bill that would put limits on that authority. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/377325/us_bill_would_prohibit_internet_kill_switch_/ http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9210339/Bill_would_prohibit_Internet_kill_switch_ us: Internet 'kill switch' bill gets a makeover A Senate proposal that has become known as the Internet "kill switch" bill was reintroduced this week, with a tweak its backers say eliminates the possibility of an Egypt-style disconnection happening in the United States. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20033717-281.html RSA: Act now on cyberwar, security experts caution The time to act on cyberwar is now, several experts at the RSA Security Conference held here this week said. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9209980/RSA_Act_now_on_cyberwar_security_experts_caution Canada hit by cyberattack from China computers - report The Canadian government was hit by an unprecedented cyber attack from Chinese-based computers last month that penetrated two key economic ministries, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp reported on Wednesday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/17/oukin-uk-cyberattack-idUKTRE71G0SG20110217 http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/02/17/idINIndia-54953620110217 Canada confirms cyber attacks: More protection urged as country acknowledges intrusions by China-based servers The Canadian government has confirmed that its computer systems have fallen victim to what they call "significant" cyber attacks. http://english.aljazeera.net/video/americas/2011/02/2011218552349191.html Canada Hit by Cyberattack From China A federal cabinet minister said Thursday that hackers, perhaps from China, compromised computers in two Canadian government departments in early January, leaving bureaucrats with little or no Internet access for nearly two months. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/18/world/americas/18canada.html China hackers behind cyber attack on Canada: report [AFP] China-based hackers have launched an unprecedented cyber-attack on the Canadian government, penetrating the computer systems of two key agencies and forcing them offline, CBC reported. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/china-hackers-behind-cyber-attack-on-canada-report-20110217-1axpu.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/china-hackers-behind-cyber-attack-on-canada-report-20110217-1axpu.html au: Public consultation on international Cybercrime Convention [news release] Attorney-General Robert McClelland and Minister for Home Affairs and Justice Brendan O?Connor today released a public consultation paper as part of Australia?s proposed accession to the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime. http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/www/ministers/mcclelland.nsf/Page/MediaReleases_2011_FirstQuarter_18February2011-PublicconsultationoninternationalCybercrimeConvention au: CERT fielded 187 'cyber incidents' in 2010 The Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) Australia has detected some 187 "cyber incidents" since September last year, ranging from trivial threats to attacks requiring military oversight. http://www.zdnet.com.au/cert-fielded-187-cyber-incidents-in-2010-339309712.htm au: Federal Government welcomes Kokoda Foundation's new report on cyber security The Federal Government has recently welcomed the release of the report Optimising Australia's Response to the Cyber Challenge by the Kokoda Foundation, an independent, not-for-profit think tank to research, and foster innovative thinking on Australia's future security challenges. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=cf59e455-1bc0-4e7e-a15d-3385be3f225c ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** DHS incorrectly associates 84,000 web sites with child pornography On February 15th a joint project of the Department of Homeland Security Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Justice termed ?Operation Protect Our Children? confidently announced the seizure of ten domain names involved in the advertisement and distribution of child pornography. http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/dhs-incorrectly-associates-84000-web-sites-with-child-pornography/8200 Joint DHS-DOJ "Operation Protect Our Children" Seizes Website Domains Involved in Advertising and Distributing Child Pornography [news release] The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) today announced the execution of seizure warrants against 10 domain names of websites engaged in the advertisement and distribution of child pornography as part of "Operation Protect Our Children"?a new joint operation between DOJ and DHS? U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to target sites that provide child pornography. http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1297804574965.shtm WIPO Could Enter Growing Fray Over Internet Domain Takedowns An influential private sector trademark defender is proposing to the World Intellectual Property Organization to undertake creation of an international ?notice and takedown? system for alleged online trademark infringers. http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2011/02/17/wipo-could-enter-growing-fray-over-internet-domain-takedowns/ London Olympics authorities prepare ticket checker to block touts London Olympics authorities are developing an online ticket checker to intercept fraud and touting by organised crime gangs. ... Detectives from the Met's Operation Podium have already arrested 32 people in relation to Olympics ticketing scams. Meanwhile organisers have bought up hundreds of domain names to try to stop criminal websites masquerading as official sellers. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8334679/London-Olympics-authorities-prepare-ticket-checker-to-block-touts.html Zuccarini Files Another Lawsuit, This Time Adding ICANN to the List John Zuccarini has filed another lawsuit (pdf) stemming from the sale of 14 domain names on NameJet. http://domainnamewire.com/2011/02/18/zuccarini-files-another-lawsuit-this-time-adding-icann-to-the-list/ au: Cambridge Nutritional Foods Limited and Cambridge Manufacturing Company Limited v. Cambridge Diet Pty Ltd 1. The Parties: The Complainants are Cambridge Nutritional Foods Limited (the ?First Complainant?) and Cambridge Manufacturing Company Limited (the ?Second Complainant?) of Northamptonshire, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, represented by Shakespeare Putsman LLP, United Kingdom. The Respondent is Cambridge Diet Pty Ltd of Bondi Junction, New South Wales, Australia. 2. The Domain Name and Registrar: The disputed domain name <cambridge-diet.com.au> (?the Domain Name?) is registered with PlanetDomain Pty Ltd. ... 7. Decision: For all the foregoing reasons, in accordance with paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the domain name <cambridge-diet.com.au> be transferred to the Second Complainant upon the Registrar being satisfied of the Second Complainant?s eligibility. Alternatively, the Panel orders that the domain name <cambridge-diet.com.au> be cancelled. http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/text.jsp?case=DAU2010-0021 ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** Cerf: Future of Internet doesn't include an IPv7 Vint Cerf takes his title of Chief Internet Evangelist for Google seriously, and is knee-deep in several projects to bring the next versions of the Internet into being. These projects include pushing for worldwide IPv6 adoption, but they don't include plans for an IPv7. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/021811-vint-cerf-ipv7.html http://www.techworld.com.au/article/377315/cerf_future_internet_doesn_t_include_an_ipv7/ http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/377315/cerf_future_internet_doesn_t_include_an_ipv7/ A politically incorrect guide to IPv6, Part I by John Levine Every packet of data sent over the Internet is sent from one IP address to another. The IP addresses in the Internet serve somewhat the same function as phone numbers in the US phone system, fixed length numeric identifiers where the first part tells what network the address is on. http://jl.ly/Internet/v6incor.html No IPv4 addresses left [news release] The Internet is running out of addresses. The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, IANA, has delivered the last IPv4 addresses 3 February 2011. http://en.eco.de/association/202_8822.htm Update: IPv4 Countdown ? the end is here (sort of) Just in case you missed the news; I thought I would draft a quick update to last month?s post about the pending exhaustion of IPv4 addresses. Well, it has happened. And we are all still here. http://blog.auda.org.au/2011/02/18/update-ipv4-countdown-%e2%80%93-the-end-is-here-sort-of/ Ask Ars: How should my organization approach the IPv6 transition? Whenever Ars runs an article about the increasing global scarcity of IPv4 addresses or an IPv6-related topic, we inevitably hear from some readers that they would like to see Ars available over IPv6. We thought we?d explain why we haven?t made that move yet. http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2011/02/ask-ars-how-should-my-organization-approach-the-ipv6-transition.ars ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** A radical proposal surfaces in ARIN by Milton Mueller Warning: This post delves back into the arcana of IP address governance. This may seem strange, as most of the Internet policy world is buzzing with high-level discussion of Secretary Clinton?s latest Internet Freedom speech and the role of Facebook and Twitter in the Arab world revolutions. Those are great topics, but we remain steadfastly fixated upon the boring, nitty-gritty technical details of how the Internet is governed, both because no one else covers them and because those details probably will, in the long run, have more impact on Internet freedom than politicians? speeches. Our last post noted the looming battle over IP address Whois. http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2011/2/17/4752810.html InterNetX at Domain pulse 2011 in Vienna [news release] Domain pulse is one of the most important domain events in the German-speaking area and the forum for DENIC, nic.at and SWITCH, the German, Austrian and Swiss registries http://www.internetx.com/en/internetx/news-press/press-releases/press-releases/article/internetx-auf-domain-pulse-2011-in-wien.html APNIC 31: Participate remotely! APNIC 31 has commenced in Hong Kong, China SAR, and we encourage you to take an active part in the meeting, whether you are attending in person or remotely. http://www.apnic.net/publications/news/2011/apnic-31-remote APTLD Members? Meeting Hong Kong Inaugurated Today Hosted by Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited (HKIRC), the Asia Pacific Top Level Domain Association (APTLD) Members? Meeting Hong Kong is to be held 17-18 February, 2011, at Regus Hong Kong, 35/F Central Plaza, Wanchai, Hong Kong. https://www.hkirc.hk/company_info/pressrelease.jsp?item=423 Netcraft February 2011 Web Server Survey In the February 2011 survey we received responses from 284,842,077 sites. Apache saw the largest increase in terms of both market share and absolute growth this month, with 9.6M new hostnames equating to a 1 percentage point increase in market share. http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2011/02/15/february-2011-web-server-survey.html ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Future of online content is not free, says strategist Consumers will pay for online content they previously got for free, including news and recorded music, predicts business strategist and author Saul Berman, but the transaction will be a lot more complicated than it used to be. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/future-of-online-content-is-not-free-says-strategist/story-e6frg996-1226009093457 Is it game over for the virtual ad? It seems like only yesterday that Barack Obama was using computerised billboard promotions for his election campaign in Burnout Paradise, every petrolhead's favourite video game. But within a few years of in-game advertising being touted as a potential $1bn-a-year industry, its star has waned even more dramatically than that of the new President. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/advertising/is-it-game-over-for-the-virtual-ad-2218305.html Egypt's army turns to the Web after protests The army, thrust to the forefront of Egyptian politics with Hosni Mubarak's overthrow, has turned to the Web to win over youths who used the Internet to such devastating effect in bringing down the president. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/18/oukin-uk-egypt-military-web-idUKTRE71H4FY20110218 Internet Pioneer Wants to Take Net Off Planet Vint Cerf takes his title of Chief Internet Evangelist for Google seriously. He is knee-deep in several projects to bring the next versions of the Internet into the world -- or in some cases, beyond the world and into the solar system. One of his pet projects includes an extraterrestrial Internet that uses a protocol other than IP. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/021811-cerf-interplanetary-internet.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/220181/.html uk: Magazines still have some ammunition left in them The magazine ABCs show some alarming declines ? but also some startling rises. If print is dying, why are the likes of the Economist and Slimming World doing so well? http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/feb/20/magazines-circulation-increases-comment au: Opinion: Wurley all the way for mainstream digital journalism There was a time, not so long ago, when running a media company - be it one that specialised in newspapers, in radio, in television, or in all three - was a pretty simple job. Keep the costs within bounds, use your clout to ensure that governments didn't permit too much competition, make sure your content delivered audiences of a quality and in a quantity that your advertisers expected, and the money rolled in. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/17/3141530.htm Terms of hate taint Google searches INTERNET users who search online using keywords related to religion, gender or nationality may be in for a nasty surprise. Racist and sexist stereotypes are spreading on the web via Google's "autocomplete" function, despite steps the search engine has taken to limit inappropriate content. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/terms-of-hate-taint-google-searches-20110220-1b16s.html http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/4683352/Terms-of-hate-taint-Google-searches http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/terms-of-hate-taint-google-searches-20110220-1b16s.html au: Keneally pledges free Wi-Fi for CityRail The NSW Government has pledged to deploy free Wi-Fi on all Sydney buses and trains from next year should it win the looming state election, Minister for Transport John Robertson said today. http://www.zdnet.com.au/keneally-pledges-free-wi-fi-for-cityrail-339309298.htm Video Calling Ready to Take Leap Into Mainstream Video telephony, for decades a fixture of science fiction, cartoons and comics ? the police detective Dick Tracy and his two-way wrist TV included ? is poised to take a leap in popularity this year, experts say, as an era of face-to-face communication begins to replace the century-old voice call. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/14/technology/14iht-srvideo14.html ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Social networks, social revolution: Youtube, Facebook and Twitter have become the new weapons of mass mobilisation. Information is power, but 21st century technology has unleashed an information revolution, and now the genie is out of the bottle. http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/empire/2011/02/201121614532116986.html au: Joyce admits false A380 tweets hurt Qantas Twitter might be a revolutionary new tool for journalists, but the chief executive of Qantas says media organisations should not forget about checking the facts. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/17/3141567.htm Social Networking Accounts for 1 of Every 5 Minutes Spent Online in Australia comScore ... released The State of the Internet in Australia, which looks at the latest trends in digital consumer behavior in the market. ... Among the report?s key findings was that Social Networking now accounts for the largest amount of total time spent online at 22 percent, an increase of 5.3 percentage points from the previous year, as social media plays an increasingly prominent role in Australians? digital lives. http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2011/2/Social_Networking_Accounts_for_1_of_Every_5_Minutes_Spent_Online_in_Australia Twitter suspends UberTwitter and Twidroyd apps, citing issues 'affecting many users' Suspended apps used by millions of people 'changed Tweets to make money' and 'violated privacy rules', says Twitter http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2011/feb/18/twitter-digital-media ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Computer Wins on 'Jeopardy!': Trivial, It's Not In the end, the humans on ?Jeopardy!? surrendered meekly. Facing certain defeat at the hands of a room-size I.B.M. computer on Wednesday evening, Ken Jennings, famous for winning 74 games in a row on the TV quiz show, acknowledged the obvious. ?I, for one, welcome our new computer overlords,? he wrote on his video screen, borrowing a line from a ?Simpsons? episode. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/science/17jeopardy-watson.html ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ Keep kids safe from cyberbullies Cyberbullying is a growing national concern, with roughly 75 percent of teenagers using cell phones, the most common instrument of harassment. The U.S. education secretary has been talking about it, and the Department of Justice held a cyberbullying summit. http://articles.cnn.com/2011-02-17/opinion/bennett.cyber.bullying_1_cyberbullying-cell-phone-digital-age de: 99+ per cent success rate in fight against child pornography [news release] Child pornography is taken off the Internet faster than ever before. In 2010, eco?s Internet complaint site handled 656 cases of child pornography. http://en.eco.de/association/202_8774.htm Kinderporno: Netzsperren torpedieren Ermittler Der EU-Innenausschuss hat sich den Kritikern der ?Netzsperren gegen Kinderpornografie? angen?hert und sich f?r ?L?schen und nur notfalls sperren? ausgesprochen. Was aber so positiv klingt, l?sst weiterhin einen wichtigen Aspekt au?er Acht: Die Strafverfolger werden sich gegenseitig behindern. Eine Analyse von Bettina Winsemann (twister). http://www.futurezone.at/stories/1665852/ ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** au: World waiting for iiNet piracy trial: Conroy People around the world are waiting for the result of the appeal of the landmark copyright case brought against iiNet, according to Communications Minister Stephen Conroy speaking at an online retail forum today. http://www.zdnet.com.au/world-waiting-for-iinet-piracy-trial-conroy-339309893.htm Google will launch iTunes music store competitor with upgrade to Android Google is to launch a music service to compete with Apple's iTunes music store as part of a forthcoming upgrade to its Android mobile operating system, according to Sanjay Jha, chief executive of Motorola Mobility, which will soon launch one of the first machines able to run the software. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/feb/16/google-music-itunes-competitor-android EFA to AFACT: your numbers don't add up Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) has delivered a virtual slap in the face to the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT), picking a string of holes in research released yesterday by the group which suggested internet piracy was costing Australia's economy $1.37 billion annually. http://www.zdnet.com.au/efa-to-afact-your-numbers-don-t-add-up-339309884.htm EFA urges skepticism on copyright claims Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) today urged skepticism about claims that piracy is costing thousands of jobs in Australia. http://www.efa.org.au/2011/02/18/efa-urges-skepticism-on-copyright-claims/ AFACT copyright study warrants skepticism The Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) yesterday released a report entitled "Economic consequences of movie piracy", which purports to show that illegal downloading is costing the Australian economy $1.37 billion every year. That is an alarming sum - or rather it would be, if we could take it at face value. The copyright industry is well known for offering up gargantuan figures that don't hold up under real scrutiny. http://www.efa.org.au/2011/02/17/afact-study/ Piracy costs $1.4bn a year: AFACT Piracy is costing the Australian economy a whopping $1.37 billion a year, according to research by anti-piracy organisation the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT). http://www.zdnet.com.au/piracy-costs-1-4bn-a-year-afact-339309295.htm ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Google's Android the Talk of Barcelona : System Powers Slew of New Devices; Some Fear Market Duopoly With Apple's iOS A year after wireless carriers gave Google Inc. a testy reception at their big industry conference in Barcelona, the software company's Android operating system has become the star of the show. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703961104576148491554189426.html Hackers Go After the Smartphone In September, a virus began infecting more than a million mobile phones in China. Masquerading as an anti-virus application, ?zombie? let hackers access the phone?s SIM card and automatically send spam text messages to people listed on the phone?s address book. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/14/technology/14iht-srprivacy14.html Paying the internet's pipers Getting consumers to cough up for electronic newspapers, magazines, videos and other content has become much easier thanks to the spread of smartphones, tablet computers and other such revolutionary gadgets. But content producers and tech companies are still haggling over how to share the spoils?in terms of hard cash and valuable information about customers?that such sales generate. This week Apple and Google unveiled competing digital-subscription services that differ from one another in several significant and controversial respects. http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2011/02/apple_google_and_online_subscriptions Opinion: Apple's slice makes the iPad a bad deal for newspapers Apple will take 30% of revenues from subscriptions sold through its app store. That makes iPad editions almost as expensive to distribute and sell as print copies http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/feb/20/ipad-apple-newspaper-apps-cost Publishing experts take dim view of Apple's new rules for iPads and iPhones Apple may not be able to call the shots with digital books and magazines as it did with music on the iPod, given that some of its publishing competitors are formidable tech firms themselves. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-apple-publishing-20110217,0,5636158.story Google Elbows Apple, Woos Publishers Google Inc. fired another salvo in its broadening competition with Apple Inc., opening a payment system for digital content that will let publishers keep a bigger share of revenues than a service launched by Apple this week. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703373404576148142926860706.html So much data, so little money for mobile operators Telecom operators can hardly curb their enthusiasm about surging mobile data usage while at the same time casting around for ways to make money from it. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/18/oukin-uk-mobile-fair-operators-data-idUKTRE71H3OE20110218 For Microsoft and Nokia, Difficult Choices After Smartphone Deal With so much uncertainty surrounding Nokia?s smartphone alliance with Microsoft, one thing is becoming clear: Both companies will have to make some difficult changes, a top Microsoft executive said on Thursday. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/18/technology/microsoft-nokia.html Nokia's Flirtations Put the Fear of Google Into Microsoft Microsoft Corp. knew it had far more at stake than Google Inc. as the two rivals competed to secure a tie-up with Nokia Corp. Losing the deal to Google could have landed a fatal blow to Microsoft's chances in the mobile market. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703561604576150502994792270.html Can You Hear Me Now? Data Overwhelming Cell Networks At the Mobile World Congress, the industry?s largest annual gathering being held here this week, the corporate visionaries of the business agreed that a challenge they all would face was managing the avalanche of demand for mobile data services fueled by the growth in smartphones. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/technology/17static.html ********************** SPAM ********************** nz: DIA antispam unit takes Battles, New Image to court over mobile spam The Department of Internal Affairs has launched court action alleging breaches under the Unsolicited Electronice Messages Act by Brendan Battles and Image Marketing Group Limited. Two statements of claim have been filed in the Auckland High Court. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/dia-antispam-unit-takes-battles-new-image-to-court-over-mobile-spam ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** UK cyber crime costs ?27bn a year - government report Cyber crime costs the UK economy ?27bn a year, the government has said. The figures, published for the first time, are a mid-range estimate and the real cost could be much higher. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12492309 Cyber crime 'costs UK ?27bn a year' Cyber crime costs the UK more than ?27bn a year, according to a report commissioned by the Cabinet Office into the integrity of computer systems and threats of industrial espionage. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/feb/17/cyber-crime-costs-uk-27-billion-a-year Cyber crime costs UK ?27 billion a year-study Cyber crime costs the British economy some ?27 billion a year and appears to be "endemic," according to the first official government estimate of the issue published on Thursday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/17/uk-britain-security-cyber-idUKTRE71G34H20110217 ISPs to retain data for three months if Australia joins European Cybercrime Convention ISPs will be required to retain the browsing history of their customers for up to three months if the Australian Government accedes to the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/377247/isps_retain_data_three_months_australia_joins_european_cybercrime_convention/ au: Public consultation on international Cybercrime Convention [news release] Attorney-General Robert McClelland and Minister for Home Affairs and Justice Brendan O?Connor today released a public consultation paper as part of Australia?s proposed accession to the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime. http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/www/ministers/mcclelland.nsf/Page/MediaReleases_2011_FirstQuarter_18February2011-PublicconsultationoninternationalCybercrimeConvention New Hacking Tools Pose Bigger Threats to Wi-Fi Users You may think the only people capable of snooping on your Internet activity are government intelligence agents or possibly a talented teenage hacker holed up in his parents? basement. But some simple software lets just about anyone sitting next to you at your local coffee shop watch you browse the Web and even assume your identity online. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/technology/personaltech/17basics.html Commentary: Now is the time for Congress and the Obama administration to tackle cybersecurity 2010 was another watershed year for cybersecurity. One of the most significant threats to our national security is the danger posed by hackers, organized crime syndicates and foreign powers operating in cyberspace. Events, from WikiLeaks' Cablegate to the Stuxnet computer worm have pushed cybersecurity deeper into the public's consciousness than perhaps ever before. The progress made hasn't been nearly enough, however. Our national response to these and other potential threats remains far below what is needed, and we remain drastically underprepared for the challenges we face. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110218_2356.php Latest Cybersecurity Bill Prohibits Internet 'Kill Switch' Responding to charges that their legislation would establish an Internet "kill switch," the top members of the Senate Homeland Security Committee introduced legislation late Thursday that would specifically keep the president from shutting down the Internet. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2011/02/latest-cybersecurity-bill-proh.php US bill would prohibit Internet 'kill switch' [IDG] Three U.S. senators criticized for past legislation that would allow the president to potentially quarantine or shut down parts of the Internet during a major cyberattack have introduced a new bill that would put limits on that authority. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/377325/us_bill_would_prohibit_internet_kill_switch_/ http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9210339/Bill_would_prohibit_Internet_kill_switch_ us: Internet 'kill switch' bill gets a makeover A Senate proposal that has become known as the Internet "kill switch" bill was reintroduced this week, with a tweak its backers say eliminates the possibility of an Egypt-style disconnection happening in the United States. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20033717-281.html RSA: Act now on cyberwar, security experts caution The time to act on cyberwar is now, several experts at the RSA Security Conference held here this week said. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9209980/RSA_Act_now_on_cyberwar_security_experts_caution Canada hit by cyberattack from China computers - report The Canadian government was hit by an unprecedented cyber attack from Chinese-based computers last month that penetrated two key economic ministries, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp reported on Wednesday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/17/oukin-uk-cyberattack-idUKTRE71G0SG20110217 http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/02/17/idINIndia-54953620110217 Canada confirms cyber attacks: More protection urged as country acknowledges intrusions by China-based servers The Canadian government has confirmed that its computer systems have fallen victim to what they call "significant" cyber attacks. http://english.aljazeera.net/video/americas/2011/02/2011218552349191.html Canada Hit by Cyberattack From China A federal cabinet minister said Thursday that hackers, perhaps from China, compromised computers in two Canadian government departments in early January, leaving bureaucrats with little or no Internet access for nearly two months. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/18/world/americas/18canada.html China hackers behind cyber attack on Canada: report [AFP] China-based hackers have launched an unprecedented cyber-attack on the Canadian government, penetrating the computer systems of two key agencies and forcing them offline, CBC reported. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/china-hackers-behind-cyber-attack-on-canada-report-20110217-1axpu.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/china-hackers-behind-cyber-attack-on-canada-report-20110217-1axpu.html Investigators Pursue the Internet Activists of Anonymous Now that the WikiLeaks wave has subsided, the fight for Internet freedom is entering a new phase. Investigators are zeroing in on activists belonging to the group Anonymous, a loose organization which launched attacks on websites which crossed WikiLeaks. But who are they? And what can they be charged with? http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,745883,00.html Internet Crime Complaint Center's (IC3) Scam Alerts This report, which is based upon information from law enforcement and complaints submitted to the IC3, details recent cyber crime trends and new twists to previously-existing cyber scams. http://www.ic3.gov/media/2011/110214.aspx au: CERT fielded 187 'cyber incidents' in 2010 The Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) Australia has detected some 187 "cyber incidents" since September last year, ranging from trivial threats to attacks requiring military oversight. http://www.zdnet.com.au/cert-fielded-187-cyber-incidents-in-2010-339309712.htm au: Federal Government welcomes Kokoda Foundation's new report on cyber security The Federal Government has recently welcomed the release of the report Optimising Australia's Response to the Cyber Challenge by the Kokoda Foundation, an independent, not-for-profit think tank to research, and foster innovative thinking on Australia's future security challenges. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=cf59e455-1bc0-4e7e-a15d-3385be3f225c au: Norton Cybercrime Index Fights Lurking Threats Online As Aussies take to online activity in droves, Norton has launched what could help consumers steer clear of unsafe sites and dodgy search terms, while preventing ID theft and scams. http://smarthouse.com.au/Content_And_Downloads/Industry/L7X6J7J6 Romanian pleads guilty to role in $2.7M eBay scam [IDG] A Romanian man has pleaded guilty to participating in a well-organized scam that took in about US$2.7 million from unsuspecting users of online marketplaces such as eBay, Craigslist and AutoTrader.com. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/377234/romanian_pleads_guilty_role_2_7m_ebay_scam/ http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9210158/Romanian_pleads_guilty_to_role_in_2.7M_eBay_scam ************************** PRIVACY ************************** 'Bittersweet cookies': new types of 'cookies' raise online security and privacy concerns [news release] The EU?s ?cyber security? Agency ENISA has published a position paper on the security and privacy concerns regarding new types of online ?cookies?. The advertising industry has led the drive for new, persistent and powerful cookies, with privacy-invasive features for marketing practices and profiling. The Agency advocates e.g. that both the user browser and the origin server must assist informed consent, and that users should be able to easily manage their cookies. The Agency recommends a thorough study of different interpretations in the Member States, once the Directive 2009/136/EC has been implemented, by 25 May 2011. http://www.enisa.europa.eu/media/press-releases/2018bittersweet-cookies2019-new-types-of-2018cookies2019-raise-online-security-privacy-concerns eu: Commission launches public consultation on eSignatures and eIdentification [news release] In order to tackle low levels of consumer and business confidence in online transactions, the European Commission is asking citizens and other interested parties how electronic signatures and electronic identification (eID) and authentication can help the development of the European Digital Single Market. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/11/198 ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Smart Dictators Don't Quash the Internet: Mubarak had no idea how to counter the power of social media. China, Russia and Iran know better by Evgeny Morozov The tragic death of Khaled Said?the 28-year-old who in June 2010 was dragged from an Internet cafe in Alexandria and beaten by the Egyptian police?was the event that galvanized young Egyptians, pushing them to share their grievances on Facebook. A group called "We Are All Khaled Said" quickly reached hundreds of thousands of members and played an instrumental role in promoting the protests that eventually swept Hosni Mubarak from power. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704657704576150653606688990.html China's Great Firewall not secure enough, says creator The architect of the Great Firewall ? the censorship system blocking huge portions of the web for China's 450 million internet users ? says further tightening is needed to halt attempts to overcome its controls. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/18/china-great-firewall-not-secure-internet Arrests as China web users call for revolution Internet calls for China to stage its own Egypt-style revolution have led to activists being arrested and a tense stand-off in the middle of Beijing. As many as 15 high-profile Chinese activists and human rights lawyers have been rounded up by authorities, according to their supporters. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/20/3143681.htm China president calls for more Internet oversight Chinese President Hu Jintao called on Saturday for stricter government management of the Internet while calls for gatherings inspired by uprisings in the Middle East spread on Chinese websites abroad. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/19/oukin-uk-china-politics-internet-idUKTRE71I2ZO20110219 http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/02/19/idINIndia-55020520110219 China blocks microblogs for 'Jasmine Revolution' [IDG] China has suspended searches for content on the country's popular microblog, an apparent move to stifle mention of a "Jasmine Revolution" that was to be staged in Chinese cities on Sunday. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9210478/China_blocks_microblogs_for_Jasmine_Revolution_ http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/377359/china_blocks_microblogs_jasmine_revolution_/ http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/022011-china-blocks-microblogs-for-jasmine.html Internet Use in Bahrain Restricted, Data Shows As protests have erupted in Bahrain over the last several days, the government has severely restricted the access of its citizens to the Internet, new data from an organization that monitors Internet traffic strongly suggests. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/18/world/middleeast/18manama.html Libya's Internet reportedly down as violence against anti-government protesters continues The Internet has been shut down in Libya, according to multiple reports. Al Jazeera said Friday that its broadcasting signal was being jammed on several over-the-air TV frequencies and its website had been blocked in Libya, Reuters reported. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/02/libya-has-shut-down-the-internet-in-light-of-protests-reports-say.html Libya cuts off Internet service - network monitor Internet service has been cut off in Libya for a second consecutive day as protesters step up demonstrations against long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi, a U.S. company that monitors Internet traffic said on Saturday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/20/oukin-uk-libya-protests-internet-idUKTRE71J08P20110220 http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/02/20/idINIndia-55022120110220 Al Jazeera says signal jammed, Libya blocks website The Qatar-based news channel Al Jazeera said on Friday its signal was being jammed on several frequencies and its website had been blocked in Libya. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/19/oukin-uk-jazeera-jamming-idUKTRE71I01920110219 http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/02/18/idINIndia-55007020110218 Cellphones Become the World's Eyes and Ears on Protests For some of the protesters facing Bahrain?s heavily armed security forces in and around Pearl Square in Manama, the most powerful weapon against shotguns and tear gas has been the tiny camera inside their cellphones. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/19/world/middleeast/19video.html Will the Rise of Wikileaks Competitors Make Whistleblowing Resistant to Censorship? Since it began publishing a trove of classified United States Embassy cables on November 28, 2010, Wikileaks has faced an onslaught of censorship that demonstrated how online speech is vulnerable when intermediaries refuse to host contentious or unpopular speech. When payment providers, service providers and even visualization software services cut off services, Wikileaks struggled to keep their site online, going down for periods of time and reducing the content they carry. But while the availability of Wikileaks content was restricted, the demand from readers and media organizations to access that information stayed strong. Now a new generation of Wikileaks-inspired websites is populating the Internet ? decentralizing the concept of whistleblowing and making it harder to shut down speech merely by cutting off services to one site. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/02/will-rise-wikileaks-competitors-make ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** us: As Online Communications Stymie Wiretaps, Lawmakers Debate Solutions Leading Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday reacted skeptically to the idea of overhauling surveillance laws to make it easier to wiretap people who communicate online rather than by telephone, a major priority for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/18/us/18wiretap.html us: Panel Debates Ways To Update Surveillance To New Technologies The FBI came to Congress Thursday to outline the problems law enforcement officials are increasingly facing in executing court ordered wiretaps, but did not offer a proposed solution for lawmakers to consider. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2011/02/panel-debates-ways-to-update-s.php Regulators Eye Apple Anew: Enforcers Interested in Whether Digital-Subscription Rules Stifle Competition U.S. antitrust enforcers have begun looking at the terms Apple Inc. set this week for media companies who want to sell their content on its popular iPad and other devices, according to people familiar with the matter. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704657704576150350669475800.html Newly Released Documents Detail FBI?s Plan to Expand Federal Surveillance Laws EFF just received documents in response to a 2-year old FOIA request for information on the FBI?s "Going Dark" program, an initiative to increase the FBI's authority in response to problems the FBI says it's having implementing wiretap and pen register/trap and trace orders on new communications technologies. The documents detail a fully-formed and well-coordinated plan to expand existing surveillance laws and develop new ones. And although they represent only a small fraction of the documents we expect to receive in response to this and a more recent FOIA request, they were released just in time to provide important background information for the House Judiciary Committee?s hearing tomorrow on the Going Dark program. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/02/newly-released-documents-detail-fbi-s-plan-expand Pressure mounts over Apple's 30% subscription charge Pressure is mounting on Apple over subscription charges it plans to levy on some mobile content. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12491883 Apple's 30pc bite of apps could rebound [Wall Street Journal] Apple's new subscription service could draw anti-trust scrutiny, say US law professors who claim it may have an anti-competitive effect on price. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/news/apples-30pc-bite-of-apps-could-rebound/story-e6frg90x-1226008103983 US lawmakers may subpoena Google to antipiracy hearings Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee said they want Google to appear before them to discuss upcoming antipiracy legislation as well as accusations that the search company profits from illegal file sharing. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20032268-261.html NZ Government rushes Telco Act rewrite New Zealand Communications Minister Steven Joyce has given industry just one week to respond to an unprecedented 77-page document that sets out proposed legislative changes to the country's telecommunications sector. http://www.itnews.com.au/News/248474,nz-government-rushes-telco-act-rewrite.aspx Tuanz reels as fast-track Telecom separation bill hits Telecommunications Users Association (Tuanz) chief executive Paul Brislen was still reeling from the sheer scope of proposed Telecom separation provisions, added to the Telecom Amendment Bill today, when contacted by NBR. http://nbr.co.nz/article/tuanz-reels-telecom-separation-bill-hits-ck-86160 ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* Space weather could wreak havoc in gadget-driven world [AFP] A geomagnetic space storm sparked by a solar eruption like the one that flared toward Earth last week is bound to strike again and could wreak havoc across the gadget-happy modern world, experts say. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/space-weather-could-wreak-havoc-in-gadgetdriven-world-20110220-1b0v5.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/space-weather-could-wreak-havoc-in-gadgetdriven-world-20110220-1b0qw.html Obama Talked R&D With Jobs, Zuckerberg Research spending and technology exports were some of the menu items Thursday evening when President Barack Obama sat down for dinner with corporate chieftains from Apple Inc., Facebook Inc. and Google Inc. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704900004576152254129083120.html Barack Obama 'friends' Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg US President Barack Obama has met Silicon Valley bosses, including Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Apple's Steve Jobs and Google chief executive Eric Schmidt were also present at the private get-together in California. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12503494 The Saturday interview: Wikipedia's Jimmy Wales Viewed by 400m people a month all over the world, Wikipedia has become the go-to website for anybody wanting to find out anything. http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2011/feb/19/interview-jimmy-wales-wikipedia au: Internet Industry Association seeks new chief executive Australia's peak internet industry body has been given five months to find a new chief executive. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/it-business/internet-industry-association-seeks-new-chief-executive/story-e6frganx-1226008243312 A market for computing power: a new spot market makes cloud computing a commodity Like oil or pork bellies, computing capacity is now a tradable commodity. February 14th saw the launch of SpotCloud, the world?s first spot market for cloud computing. It works much like other spot markets. Firms with excess computing capacity, such as data centres, put it up for sale. Others, which have a short-term need for some number-crunching, can bid for it. Enomaly, the software firm behind SpotCloud, takes a cut of between 10% and 30%, depending on the size of the deal. http://www.economist.com/node/18185752?story_id=18185752 OECD Workshop on consumer protection in online and mobile payments Innovative online and mobile payments systems have helped to support growth in the aftermath of the crisis, offering consumers convenient ways to purchase products. Payment systems provided means to address problems consumers may experience with vendors when, for example, products do not meet expectations or are delayed in delivery. However, a number of challenges still needs to be resolved to enhance consumer protection in online and mobile payments. http://www.oecd.org/document/21/0,3746,en_2649_37441_47088213_1_1_1_37441,00.html ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** au: Google boss praises NBN The chairman of internet giant Google has thrown his support behind Australia's National Broadband Network. The Federal Government has come under pressure from the Opposition because of the cost of the $36 billion rollout. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/19/3143457.htm au: Pipe dreams of a faster future Stephen Conroy is not one for bad dreams. Bad dreams come to people who doubt, who repress their anxiety. It's hard to imagine the federal Communications Minister repressing anything - he's always in the moment. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/pipe-dreams-of-a-faster-future-20110218-1azqa.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/pipe-dreams-of-a-faster-future-20110218-1azqa.html au: Opinion: NBN vs 4G: the contest is already over by Rod Tucker When I was growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, the coolest radio stations in town had DJs with fake American accents, and the best new products being advertised were always American or American-style. We looked to America as the home of everything new and exciting. We were envious as of the Americans as they were supposedly smarter than us and could do things better than us. http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/44212.html Australian Telecom Operators Questioned About Data Handling Practices Following data breaches at Vodafone and Telstra, the Australian communications authority is questioning all telecom operators about their handling of sensitive customer information. http://news.softpedia.com/news/Australian-Telecom-Operators-Questioned-About-Data-Handling-Practices-185167.shtml nz: TelstraClear calls fast-tracked telco bill a 'Mad Hatter's tea party' TelstraClear has added its voice to those criticising the government's decision to fast-track discussion on the Telecommunications Ammendment Bill, which covers regulatory changes need for the rural broadband initiative (RBI) and the ultrafast broadband project (UFB). http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/telstraclear-calls-fast-tracked-telco-bill-mad-hatters-tea-party-ck-86452 Digital Age Is Slow to Arrive in Rural America After a couple of days in this part of rural Alabama, it is hard to complain about a dropped iPhone call or a Cee Lo video that takes a few seconds too long to load. ... As the world embraces its digital age ? two billion people now use the Internet regularly ? the line delineating two Americas has become more broadly drawn. There are those who have reliable, fast access to the Internet, and those, like about half of the 27,867 people here in Clarke County, who do not. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/18/us/18broadband.html us: Survey of online access finds digital divide A first-of-its-kind federal survey of online access found that Americans in lower-income and rural areas often have slower Internet connections than users in wealthier communities. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/17/AR2011021707234.html us: Warner introduces bill to authorize spectrum auctions Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., introduced legislation Friday that would authorize the Federal Communications Commission to hold incentive auctions to free up wireless spectrum. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110218_7634.php http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2011/02/warner-introduces-bill-to-auth.php New France T?l?com Chief Goes on Offensive In September, a handful of top executives from the largest European mobile phone carriers dined with Eric E. Schmidt, then the chief executive of Google, to discuss the streaming video traffic being generated by YouTube on their networks. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/14/technology/14iht-srrichard14.html Huawei drops US national security challenge Huawei, the Chinese telecom equipment maker, has aborted its challenge to the US government over a deal Washington had refused to give national security clearance. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/cec17e76-3c25-11e0-b073-00144feabdc0.html After Years of Delays, India Finally Gets 3G In 2007, Varun Nand Chahal, a young entrepreneur in Bangalore, bought a 3G-ready mobile phone. It was his first handset capable of high-speed Internet access, and he was looking forward to using it to surf the Web. The only problem was that India didn't have 3G. The launch of the service in the country was repeatedly delayed. Just recently, Chahal, 25, got his wish. After three and a half years of waiting?and just in time for the rest of Asia to move on to 4G? Indian wireless carriers are rolling out 3G. Tata Teleservices began offering 3G in November, and Bharti Airtel, India's largest operator, launched service in the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in January. Vodafone Essar and other carriers plan to introduce 3G, too. How's the quality? "Sometimes I get a signal," says Chahal, a Bharti Airtel customer. "Sometimes I don't." http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_09/b4217042858674.htm ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR ONLINE CHILD PROTECTION ********************************** uk: Paedophile ring targeted up to 50 girls on the internet A 19-year-old man suspected of being part of a gang that groomed up to 50 children on social networking sites such as Facebook was remanded in custody yesterday, charged with two counts of sexual abuse. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/uknews/8333994/Paedophile-ring-targeted-up-to-50-girls-on-the-internet.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 Sun Feb 20 2011 - 16:51:21 UTC
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