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 *************************************************** Second Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF), 16-17 June 2011, Singapore http://isoc.org/wp/newsletter/?p=3707 IGF improvements group asks UN for more time http://news.dot-nxt.com/2011/05/10/cstdwg-extension-request EU confirms high-level meeting with US government over ICANN http://news.dot-nxt.com/2011/05/11/kroes-strickling-meeting .AT Domains Contribute ?13.5m To Austrian Economy Per Year, And Growing http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=14568 au: ISP dispute resolution system proposed down under http://www.managingip.com/Article/2822890/Managing-Copyright-Archive/ISP-dispute-resolution-system-proposed-down-under.html Verisign and Coalition for ICANN Transparency, Inc. ("CFIT") Resolve Litigation https://investor.verisign.com/releaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=576493 VeriSign settles CFIT lawsuit for free http://domainincite.com/breaking-verisign-settles-cfit-lawsuit-for-free/ Europe and US to meet on .xxx and new TLDs http://domainincite.com/europe-and-us-to-meet-on-xxx-and-new-tlds/ DOC Says GAC Should Be Satisfied Before New gTLDs Launch http://www.internetcommerce.org/GAC_Should_Be_Satisfied_Before_New_gTLDs_Launch Australian accession to the council of Europe convention on cybercrime [news release] http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/www/ministers/mcclelland.nsf/Page/MediaReleases_2011_SecondQuarter_11May2011-AccessiontothecouncilofEuropeconventiononcybercrime Does ARIN have the right to approve all IPv4 address sales? http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/051111-nortel-ipv4-sale.html Will World of Warcraft drive ISP IPv6 adoption? http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/385935/will_world_warcraft_drive_isp_ipv6_adoption_/ 1Q-2011 Domain Sales Edge Up Slightly Vs. Same Quarter a Year Ago Despite Absence of 7-Figure Blockbusters http://dnjournal.com/newsletters/2011/march-april.htm ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** Second Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF), 16-17 June 2011, Singapore The Singapore Internet Research Centre is hosting the second Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) on 16 & 17 June 2011 in Singapore. The forum will bring together some 200 senior Government and private sector representatives as well as the technical and academic community from across the region to exchange ideas and shape the future of Internet governance in this part of the world. http://isoc.org/wp/newsletter/?p=3707 IGF improvements group asks UN for more time The chair of the working group set up to review the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) has formally asked for more time to make progress. http://news.dot-nxt.com/2011/05/10/cstdwg-extension-request ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Pre-Singapore ICANN Policy Update Webinar Invitation Whether you plan to participate in the upcoming ICANN meeting in Singapore remotely or in person, you're invited to a quick reminder of the background and current status of each major policy issue currently under discussion in ICANN. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-11may11-en.htm Letter from Erik Wilbers, WIPO to ICANN WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center Observations to ICANN for Policy Staff/GNSO Council "Current State of the UDRP Webinar" http://icann.org/en/correspondence/wilbers-to-icann-06may11-en.pdf EU confirms high-level meeting with US government over ICANN The European Commission has confirmed a high-level meeting with the US government tomorrow over ICANN and new Internet extensions. http://news.dot-nxt.com/2011/05/11/kroes-strickling-meeting Confusion About Domain Seizures Spreads After IP Constituency Comments The number of comments submitted to ICANN about its proposed renewal agreement with VeriSign to run .net has exploded over the past hour. The source of the comments appears to be a misunderstanding over what the Intellectual Property Constituency (IPC) proposed in its comments. http://domainnamewire.com/2011/05/10/confusion-about-domain-seizures-spreads-after-ip-constituency-comments/ The ICA Files Its Comment To The .Net Contract, As IP Groups Push For URS To Be Included The Internet Commerce Association has just filed its comments to ICANN on the renewal of the .Net registry contract with VeriSign. http://www.thedomains.com/2011/05/10/the-ica-files-its-comment-to-the-net-contract-as-ip-groups-push-for-urs-to-be-included/comment-page-1/ ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** .AT Domains Contribute ?13.5m To Austrian Economy Per Year, And Growing .AT domain names contributed ?13.5 million to the Austrian economy in 2009, with the contribution growing each year, a study conducted on behalf of the Austrian registry has found. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=14568 http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/05/09/at-domains-contribute-e135m-to-austrian-economy-per-year-and-growing/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/at-domains-contribute-135m-to-austrian-economy-per-year-and-growing.html Austrian Registry Wins Bid To Operate .BH The Austrian registry, along with SBR Juconomy Consulting AG, has won the right to operate Bahrain?s TLD .BH in a competitive bidding process with registries from around the world, providing technical services provider for a state-of-the-art domain management system. http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/05/10/austrian-registry-wins-bid-to-operate-bh/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/austrian-registry-wins-bid-to-operate-bh.html au: ISP dispute resolution system proposed down under An Australian IP lawyer has proposed a cheaper and quicker way to settle online file-sharing disputes. The scheme proposed by Robert Gregory, a partner of Maddocks in Melbourne, is similar to the way that auDA, the regulatory body for the .au domain, handles disputes over the registration of internet domain names. http://www.managingip.com/Article/2822890/Managing-Copyright-Archive/ISP-dispute-resolution-system-proposed-down-under.html Verisign and Coalition for ICANN Transparency, Inc. ("CFIT") Resolve Litigation VeriSign, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release with the Coalition for ICANN Transparency, Inc., CFIT's members, and specified related parties that resolves the over five-year long CFIT litigation. https://investor.verisign.com/releaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=576493 VeriSign settles CFIT lawsuit for free VeriSign has settled its five-year-old antitrust lawsuit with the Coalition For ICANN Transparency. What?s more, it?s done so without having to sign a big check. http://domainincite.com/breaking-verisign-settles-cfit-lawsuit-for-free/ VeriSign Monopoly Case Fizzles, No Break for Domainers Hopes by domainers that .com prices would fall thanks to an antitrust lawsuit have officially been dashed. http://domainnamewire.com/2011/05/11/verisign-monopoly-case-fizzles-no-break-for-domainers/ cn: Internet management does not equal thought control The Internet is really a good thing. Using the Internet, people can find meanings of new words through online dictionaries and figure out many things through search engines. People can record their lives and contact each other through social networking sites, such as blogs and microblogs, and can also get help from fellow Internet users when they are in trouble. http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90780/91345/7375534.html Letter from John Bell, .JOBS Charter Compliance Coalition to John Jeffrey, ICANN Open Letter to ICANN Regarding Employ Media Request for Arbitration http://icann.org/en/correspondence/bell-to-jeffrey-11may11-en.pdf net: ICANN gets Boing-Boinged over URS Boing-Boing editor Cory Doctorow caused a storm in a teacup yesterday, after he urged his legions of readers to complain to ICANN about copyright-based domain name seizures and the abolition of Whois privacy services in .net. http://domainincite.com/icann-gets-boing-boinged-over-urs/ First .xxx domain name prices revealed New .xxx domain name registrations could retail for as much as $158 a year, a markup of almost $100 over the wholesale registry fee, it has emerged. http://domainincite.com/first-xxx-domain-name-prices-revealed/ ********************** - NEW TLDS ********************** Europe and US to meet on .xxx and new TLDs European Commissioner Neelie Kroes is to meet with the US Department of Commerce, a month after she asked it to delay the launch of the .xxx TLD. http://domainincite.com/europe-and-us-to-meet-on-xxx-and-new-tlds/ DOC Says GAC Should Be Satisfied Before New gTLDs Launch ?I don?t see how new gTLDs can be approved in Singapore if the GAC isn?t satisfied that its concerns have been fully addressed?. So spoke Assistant Secretary for Commerce Lawrence Stickling in his keynote luncheon speech delivered at a Global Internet Governance workshop held at American University in Washington, DC on May 5th. (The quote is transcribed from our hastily scribbled notes and may not be exact, but certainly captures the essence of his position.) http://www.internetcommerce.org/GAC_Should_Be_Satisfied_Before_New_gTLDs_Launch Congress Advises ICANN to Follow its Example ? and Kick the New gTLD Program Launch Further on Down the Road The ongoing debate about the burgeoning U.S. federal deficit has been short on bipartisan agreement ? except for the proposition that ?we can no longer kick the can down the road?. http://www.internetcommerce.org/Congress_Advises_ICANN_to_Follow_its_Example The 10 dumbest moments from that new TLDs Congressional hearing The US House of Representatives last week held an oversight hearing into ICANN?s new TLDs program. http://domainincite.com/the-10-dumbest-moments-from-that-new-tlds-congressional-hearing/ ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Verisign expands cloud-based DDoS protection Citing a rise in the number and scope of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks across the Internet, Verisign is expanding its cloud-based DDoS protection service to cover small and midsize businesses that are increasingly frequent targets. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/050911-verisign-ddos.html http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/385873/verisign_expands_cloud-based_ddos_protection/ http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9216550/Verisign_expands_cloud_based_DDoS_protection http://www.pcworld.com/article/227449/.html DDoS Attacks Evolve And Spread What struck VeriSign executive Ben Petro most in his company's survey on distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) trends within organizations was the concrete company that reported being hit with a DDoS attack in the past year: In other words, DDoS isn't just for high-profile attacks anymore. http://www.darkreading.com/smb-security/167901073/security/attacks-breaches/229403058/ddos-attacks-evolve-and-spread.html Understanding the Modern DDoS Threat by Gunter Ollmann The breadth of cyber threats that an organization must engage with and combat seemingly change on a daily basis. Each new technology, vulnerability or exploit vector results in a new threat that must be protected against. Meanwhile some forms of attack never appear to age -- they remain a threat to business continuity despite years of advances in defensive strategy. One particularly insidious and never-ending threat is that of the Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20110510_understanding_the_modern_ddos_threat/ Australian accession to the council of Europe convention on cybercrime [news release] Attorney-General Robert McClelland and Minister for Foreign Affairs Kevin Rudd today welcomed the finding by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties supporting Australia?s accession to the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime. http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/www/ministers/mcclelland.nsf/Page/MediaReleases_2011_SecondQuarter_11May2011-AccessiontothecouncilofEuropeconventiononcybercrime ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** us: Revised 'Net censorship bill requires search engines to block sites, too Surprise! After months in the oven, the soon-to-be-released new version of a major US Internet censorship bill didn't shrink in scope?it got much broader. Under the new proposal, search engines, Internet providers, credit card companies, and ad networks would all have cut off access to foreign "rogue sites"?and such court orders would not be limited to the government. Private rightsholders could go to court and target foreign domains, too. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/05/revised-net-censorship-bill-requires-search-engines-to-block-sites-too.ars Full Text Of The PROTECT IP Act Released: The Good, The Bad And The Horribly Ugly Yesterday, we got our hands on a leaked copy of the "summary" document put together by those writing the new version of COICA, now renamed the much more media friendly PROTECT IP Act. ... While COICA clearly focused on the domain names as the party, PROTECT IP also recognizes that regular lawsuits should be brought against those responsible, rather than just focusing on taking down the site (in legal terms, it requires an "in personam action" -- against the person -- be filed before an "in rem action" -- against the property). This could, in theory, provide more due process for those running such sites. http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110511/00115314234/full-text-protect-ip-act-released-good-bad-horribly-ugly.shtml Prominent UDRP Defense Attorneys Also Opposed to UDRP Reform Yesterday I wrote about how World Intellectual Property Forum and National Arbitration Forum are opposed to initiating a UDRP reform effort at WIPO. http://domainnamewire.com/2011/05/11/prominent-udrp-defense-attorneys-also-opposed-to-udrp-reform/ When ?domain name disputes? are just bogus solicitations If you are a brand owner and you have never received an alarming, if somewhat confusing, notification of a domain name dispute from a Chinese company you have never heard of, just wait. Chances are, it will happen eventually. For the uninitiated, the subject line of such an email might read: ?Domain name dispute: YOURMARK,? and the email itself might look something like this: http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=a3fa306d-3fd9-48c1-8678-e843398c4190 ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** IPv6 RIPEness: One Year Later by Daniel Karrenberg A year ago, the RIPE NCC introduced IPv6 RIPEness -- a system that rates IPv6 deployment of Local Internet Registries (LIRs)... Now, one year later, the numbers have gone up... In absolute numbers: more than 3,000 LIRs have IPv6 address space. This means that the RIPE NCC has made more than 1,100 IPv6 allocations within 12 months. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20110510_ipv6_ripeness_one_year_later/ Does ARIN have the right to approve all IPv4 address sales? A U.S. bankruptcy court in Delaware recently approved Nortel's sale of 666,624 IPv4 addresses to Microsoft for $7.5 million. Despite this precedent, a debate is raging in Internet policy circles about how sales of IPv4 addresses -- particularly the largest blocks of IPv4 address space issued before the Internet became popular -- will proceed in the future. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/051111-nortel-ipv4-sale.html http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=B8B8ACD3-1A64-67EA-E42BAFB33C4EB215 http://www.itworld.com/networking/164049/does-arin-have-right-approve-all-ipv4-address-sales http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/telecommunications/does-arin-have-the-right-to-approve-all-ipv4-address-sales Will World of Warcraft drive ISP IPv6 adoption? Whether IT networking boffins like it or not, one of the biggest drivers toward IPv6 adoption may turn out to be Blizzard's massively online multiplayer monolith, World of Warcraft (WoW). http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/385935/will_world_warcraft_drive_isp_ipv6_adoption_/ http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/network-wifi/3279202/will-world-of-warcraft-drive-isp-ipv6-adoption/ http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=B98C5B6B-1A64-67EA-E4FA8150E51E85F9 ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Here We Go Again: New URS Ploy From Overreaching TM Interests Aims to Make It Easier to Take Away Your Domains Every time someone asks me what the biggest threats to the domain industry are I always put attempts by covetous parties to change ICANN policies (or even the laws of the land) to make it easier for them to take your domains without paying for them at or near the top of the list. Well, they are at it again - this time trying to slip one such trojan horse into the .net contract with ICANN that Verisign has up for renewal. http://dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2011/dailyposts/20110509.htm ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** 1Q-2011 Domain Sales Edge Up Slightly Vs. Same Quarter a Year Ago Despite Absence of 7-Figure Blockbusters The first quarter of 2011 was an unusual one for the domain aftermarket as not a single 7-figure domain sale was reported. The biggest public sale in the first three months of the new year was Sedo's $500,000 sale of GamesForGirls.com. Seven-figure sales were also scarce in the same quarter a year ago, but there were a couple - Flying.com at $1.1 million and http://dnjournal.com/newsletters/2011/march-april.htm Domain Name 'RunningShoes.com' Sells for $700,000 Most ecommerce merchants own several domain names, and often will buy or sell the names as opportunities occur. One merchant based in Chesterfield, Mo. recently purchased the domain name RunningShoes.com for a whopping $700,000. He is Chad Weinman of Cat5 Commerce and he recently spoke with us about that acquisition. http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/2772-Domain-Name-RunningShoes-com-Sells-for-700-000 Sedo Domain Revenue Falls Thanks to Domain Parking Sedo Holding?s revenue from its domain name segment fell 6.3% in the first quarter of 2011 compared to the same quarter in 2010, the company disclosed in a financial report today. http://domainnamewire.com/2011/05/11/sedo-domain-revenue-falls-thanks-to-domain-parking/ ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Climate change 'threatens UK wi-fi connections', says government report Wi-fi internet access and other communications are at risk from global warming unless measures are taken to protect them from rising temperatures and stormier weather, a government report warned on Monday. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/may/09/climate-change-wi-fi-connections London police buy software to map suspects' digital movements Britain's largest police force is using software that can map nearly every move suspects and their associates make in the digital world, prompting an outcry from civil liberties groups. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/may/11/police-software-maps-digital-movements Facebook set for display ad lead Facebook?s large user base will make it the world?s largest online display advertising company by revenue this year, overtaking the comparable businesses of Google and Yahoo, according to analysis published on Tuesday. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/d4f537d2-7a65-11e0-af64-00144feabdc0.html uk: 100,000 net champions recruited More than 100,000 volunteers have promised to help a campaign to get more people on the internet. Government digital champion Martha Lane Fox hopes they will "engage people with the joys of being on the internet". http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13345309 More than half EU Internet surfers use foreign language when online [news release] While 90% of Internet surfers in the EU prefer to access websites in their own language, 55% at least occasionally use a language other than their own when online according to a pan-EU Eurobarometer survey released today. However, 44% of European Internet users feel they are missing interesting information because web pages are not in a language that they understand and only 18% buy products online in a foreign language. The results underline the need for investment in online translation tools so that EU Internet users are not excluded from finding information or products online because they lack the language skills. Currently the European Commission manages 30 different research projects working at the interface of language and digital content, supported by ?67 million of EU funding and the new projects submitted this year will get an additional ?50 million. One of the objectives of the Digital Agenda for Europe is to ensure more accessibility to web content for everyone (see IP/10/581, MEMO/10/199 and MEMO/10/200). http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/11/556 Facebook 'shaping the way news is read' [AP] Social networking site Facebook is influencing what news gets read online as people use it to share and recommend content, new research shows. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/online/facebook-shaping-the-way-news-is-read-2281390.html The Lost Art Of Remembering: Has Google Turned Our Minds To Mush? [La Stampa] It?s all Google?s fault! This is a recurring expression in conversations when we forget the name of a book or a movie, or fail to recall even the most obvious facts. In these scenarios, the problem is usually solved by reaching for a smartphone or computer keyboard to surf the web for the things we have forgotten. http://worldcrunch.com/lost-art-remembering-has-google-turned-our-minds-mush/2922 ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Court gagging orders unravel as Twitter allegations ruffle feathers of celebrities The authority of Britain's civil courts appears increasingly fragile after the names of celebrities said to have obtained gagging injunctions ? and their alleged misdemeanours ? were circulated unimpeded on Twitter. http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2011/may/09/twitter-celebrities-gagging-order A legal crisis in 140 characters Celebrity gagging orders revealed on Twitter. 50,000 followers. Lawyers unable to remove tweets. Is this the end of the #superinjunction? http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/online/a-legal-crisis-in-140-characters-2281582.html Jemima Khan: Jeremy Clarkson injunction rumours are a 'nightmare' Jemima Khan described weekend rumours that she has taken out a gagging order preventing "intimate photos" of herself and Jeremy Clarkson being published as a "bloody nightmare". ... Keith Arrowsmith, the head of intellectual property and media at Ralli solicitors, told the Guardian that superinjunctions ? where even the existence of a gagging order cannot be reported ? are rendered ineffective without an international "supercourt" to implement them. "Anything the government says about privacy law is now nonsense, because they can only tweak UK law." http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/may/09/jemima-khan-jeremy-clarkson Social Networks Offer a Way to Narrow the Field of Friends There are times when you just have to tell your friends about something ? but not necessarily your Facebook friends. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/10/technology/10social.html Social network users have twice as many friends online as in real life Research finds that one in 10 people has either met their best friend online or believes they will meet good friends on web http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/may/09/social-network-users-friends-online ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Google Lobbies Nevada To Allow Self-Driving Cars Google, a pioneer of self-driving cars, is quietly lobbying for legislation that would make Nevada the first state where they could be legally operated on public roads. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/11/science/11drive.html ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ Facebook users lax on privacy, protecting children online Facebook users still do not use privacy controls to protect themselves, and a third of children under 18 are below the site's minimum age of 13, Consumer Reports reported in its June issue. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/386064/facebook_users_lax_privacy_protecting_children_online/ More parents lenient about young Web use: poll [Reuters] Despite age restrictions on some social media sites, the number of US parents who would allow children 10-12 years old to have a Facebook or MySpace account has doubled in a year, a new survey showed. http://in.reuters.com/article/idINTRE7481HD20110509 http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN059805920110509 http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/4989642/More-parents-lenient-about-young-Web-use-poll uk: Girl found dead after reporting stalker fears on Facebook A teenage girl has been found dead three days after telling friends on Facebook that she had a stalker. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/may/09/girl-found-dead-stalker-facebook us: Facebook Had 7.5 Million Users Under 13 Years Old, Consumer Reports Says Facebook Inc., the world?s most popular social-networking service, had 7.5 million U.S. users who were younger than 13 in the past year, a violation of the site?s policies, according to a survey by Consumer Reports. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-10/facebook-had-7-5-million-users-under-13-years-old-in-past-year.html uk: TalkTalk offers centralised website blocking Internet provider TalkTalk is to give customers the option of filtering malicious or offensive material out of their broadband service. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13309720 au: Budget 2011: Labor ends voluntary net filtering scheme THE Gillard government will scrap its voluntary internet filtering grants program to save $9.6 million over three years. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/budget-2011-labor-ends-voluntary-net-filtering-scheme/story-fn8gf1nz-1226053563031 au: Budget 2011: ISP filter grants chopped The Federal Government tonight announced that it would not proceed with a funding program that has seen Australian internet service providers (ISPs) provided with grants to offer internet filtering options to customers, citing a lack of interest in the project. http://www.zdnet.com.au/budget-2011-isp-filter-grants-chopped-339314760.htm nz: Dead teen's tribute page defaced A tribute page to Kiwi teen Emily Longley with nearly 16,000 members has been removed from Facebook after it was defaced with lewd photos and nasty comments. http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/dead-teen-s-tribute-page-defaced-4168527 nz: Trolls deface Emily Longley tribute page A tribute page to Kiwi teen Emily Longley with nearly 16,000 members has been removed from Facebook after it was defaced with lewd photos and nasty comments. http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/4993860/Trolls-deface-Emily-Longley-tribute-page http://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-newspapers/west-coast/news-6662/4993860/Trolls-deface-Emily-Longley-tribute-page http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/world-news/4993860/Trolls-deface-Emily-Longley-tribute-page http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/world-news/4993860/Trolls-deface-Emily-Longley-tribute-page http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/world/4993860/Trolls-deface-Emily-Longley-tribute-page http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/world-news/4993860/Trolls-deface-Emily-Longley-tribute-page http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/world-news/4993860/Trolls-deface-Emily-Longley-tribute-page http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/world-news/4993860/Trolls-deface-Emily-Longley-tribute-page http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/world/4993860/Trolls-deface-Emily-Longley-tribute-page More parents lenient about young Web use: poll Despite age restrictions on some social media sites, the number of US parents who would allow children 10-12 years old to have a Facebook or MySpace account has doubled in a year, a new survey showed. http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/05/09/socialmedia-attitudes-idINN059805920110509 http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/4989642/More-parents-lenient-about-young-Web-use-poll How to avoid becoming a cyberstalking victim Cyberstalking includes (repeatedly) sending threats or false accusations via email or mobile phone, making threatening or false posts on websites, stealing a person?s identity or data or spying and monitoring a person?s computer and internet use. Sometimes the threats can escalate into physical spaces. http://www.apc.org/en/node/12285 When Should Kids Be Allowed To Use Social Networking? How young is too young for children to be allowed a social network presence? Despite age restrictions on some media sites, a new survey reveals the number of US parents who would allow children 10-12 years old to have a Facebook or MySpace account has doubled in a year, Reuters is reporting. http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/2043557/when_should_kids_be_allowed_to_use_social_networking/index.html Thwarting cyber-bullies and predators on Facebook ZoneAlarm Social Guard is designed to keep Facebook creeps and other threats away from your kids. It's a good start, but it has a long way to go. http://www.itworld.com/internet/160481/thwarting-cyber-bullies-and-predators-facebook ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** Biggest BitTorrent Downloading Case in U.S. History Targets 23,000 Defendants At least 23,000 file sharers soon will likely get notified they are being sued for downloading the Expendables in what has become the single largest illegal-BitTorrent-downloading case in U.S. history. http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/05/biggest-bittorrent-case/ Over 23,000 IP addresses cited in BitTorrent suit A BitTorrent file-sharing case could soon have more than 23,000 defendants. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20061366-17.html Copyright Group to Sue 23,000 People this Week People who downloaded "The Expendables" via BitTorrent file sharing better keep an eye on their mailbox this week, because they could be one of the more than 23,000 people targeted in an infringement lawsuit filed by the copyright bounty hunters at the U.S. Copyright Group. http://www.pcworld.com/article/227500/.html Google's YouTube Site Steps Up Netflix Competition With 3,000 Movie Titles Google Inc.?s YouTube website will add ?The King?s Speech,? ?Inception? and about 3,000 other titles to its movie-rental service, accelerating its shift into Hollywood entertainment and stepping up competition with Netflix Inc. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-09/google-s-youtube-plans-to-start-adding-3-000-new-movies-for-rent.html Google's Digital Music Service Falls Short of Ambition Google had big plans for its new digital music service. It wanted an online store to compete with iTunes and Amazon, as well as a ?smart locker? storage system in which the company would stream music to its millions of users from a gigantic central jukebox. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/11/technology/11music.html Google to Unveil Service to Let Users Stream Their Music Google plans to introduce its long-awaited service to allow people to upload and store their music collections on the Web and listen to their songs on Android phones or tablets and on computers. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/10/technology/10google.html Google to Unveil Online Music Service Google Inc. is preparing as early as Tuesday to unveil a new online music service similar to a service recently launched by Amazon.com Inc., according to people familiar with the matter, a move that escalates the battle to create the next generation of Internet businesses for storing and listening to music. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703730804576313862695045964.html Google Reportedly Launching Online Music Locker Service [IDG] Google is expected to announce Tuesday its new music service, that will allow users to store their music online, according to reports. http://www.pcworld.com/article/227492/.html Lime Wire founder on copyright law: 'I was wrong' Lawyers representing the four largest music labels tried to convey a message in court: Lime Wire founder Mark Gorton was so determined to help people pirate songs that he disregarded copyright law, artists' rights, and even the Supreme Court. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20061209-261.html http://www.zdnetasia.com/lime-wire-founder-on-copyright-law-i-was-wrong-62300279.htm http://www.zdnet.com.au/limewire-founder-on-law-i-was-wrong-339314722.htm ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Congress Hears From Apple and Google on Privacy Saying there has been a fundamental shift for cellphone users in determining ?who has their information and what they?re doing with it,? Senator Al Franken, a Minnesota Democrat, called a Congressional hearing today to question executives from both Google and Apple on data location and mobile devices. The hearing was the first for the newly formed Senate Judiciary subcommittee on privacy, technology and the law, led by Senator Franken. http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/10/congress-hears-from-apple-and-google-on-privacy/ Apple And Google At The Senate Privacy Hearing: What You Might Have Missed At a senate hearing today, Apple and Google defended themselves against allegations that the companies do an inadequate job of protecting user privacy on mobile devices. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/10/senate-privacy-hearing_n_860269.html Google defends privacy policy, presses for legislation Google defended its privacy policies on Tuesday, saying they provide services that range from helping parents send Amber Alerts about missing children to aiding people who want to flee natural disasters. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110510_8265.php Markey Still Concerned About Apple Tracking Apple Inc has promised to update its software to address concerns that its iPhones, iPads and other devices may be keeping files that track users' movements. But Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., says he is not quite satisfied. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2011/05/markey-still-concerned-about-a.php Google Plans to Streamline Android Android phones have been a runaway success for Google ? perhaps too runaway. Now Google is trying to add some order to the craziness. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/10/google-plans-to-streamline-android/ Google: 100 million Android devices activated, 4.5 billion apps downloaded The Android mobile powerhouse is cruising to new heights with 100 million activated devices, 4.5 billion applications downloaded from the Android Market, and 450,000 developers building tools for Android phones and tablets, Google said Tuesday as it kicked off the fourth annual Google I/O developers conference. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/051011-google-io.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/227564/.html Could Huawei take on Apple? Ever heard of Huawei ? pronounced "hu-wa-way"? Quite possibly not. But the Chinese company (whose formal name is Huawei Technologies) is making an aggressive push into the consumer electronics space, marketing its new smartphones and tablet PCs in glitzy Beijing malls and even a Milan fashion show as it seeks to emerge from decades of obscurity. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/may/11/huawei-apple-iphone-smartphone France may get faster mobile broadband than other countries [IDG] French Internet users in rural areas may end up getting faster mobile broadband than other parts of the world, after a minister said that operators would be allowed to buy more spectrum. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/385819/france_may_get_faster_mobile_broadband_than_other_countries/ http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/050911-france-may-get-faster-mobile.html Apple Defends Handling of Mobile Device User-Location Data Apple Inc. defended how it gathers and uses customer-location data in a letter to a U.S. House lawmaker as it prepares to testify at a Senate hearing tomorrow on mobile privacy. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-09/apple-defends-handling-of-mobile-device-user-location-data.html China Telecom aims for 1m WiFi hotspots China Telecom Corp Ltd said on Tuesday that it will raise the number of WiFi hotspots to 1 million by the end of 2012 to meet rising demand for mobile Internet. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2011-05/11/content_12486999.htm ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** au: 'Microsoft' scammers gain thousands in cash The consumer regulator said it was prepared to take more radical steps to tackle a recent escalation in cold calling scams targeting consumers. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/microsoft-scammers-gain-thousands-in-cash/story-e6frgakx-1226053414223 US billionaire wins high court order over Wikipedia 'defamation' A billionaire US hedge fund manager has been given the green light by the high court in London to force three websites ? including Wikipedia ? to disclose the identities of online commenters alleged to have defamed him. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/may/09/us-billionaire-wikipedia-defamation Billionaire Louis Bacon Wins Wikipedia Defamation Suit, Will Go After Names Most comment trolls don't think they'll ever have to show their faces to the people they insult. But Louis Bacon, an American billionaire hedge fund manager has received the go-ahead from a London high court to force three websites to disclose the identities of his alleged defamers, the Guardian reports. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/09/louis-bacon-wikipedia-defamation-lawsuit_n_859499.html Facebook may have leaked your personal information - Symantec Facebook users' personal information could have been accidentally leaked to third parties, in particular advertisers, over the past few years, Symantec Corp said in its official blog. http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/05/11/idINIndia-56921220110511 http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/4990031/Facebook-may-have-leaked-personal-info Facebook denies privacy breach allegations by Symantec Facebook today denied that it may have accidentally exposed personal user data to advertisers and other third parties for several years, as claimed this week by two security researchers at Symantec Corp. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9216629/Facebook_denies_privacy_breach_allegations_by_Symantec Facebook Security Flaw Exposed User Accounts A security vulnerability on Facebook Inc. for years gave advertisers and other third parties a way to access users' accounts and personal information, according to security firm Symantec Corp. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703730804576315682856383872.html http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/news/facebook-security-flaw-exposes-user-accounts-says-security-firm-symantec/story-e6frg90x-1226054123281 Facebook leaked keys to account data: Symantec [AFP] US computer security firm Symantec has said that Facebook accidentally left a door open for advertisers to access profiles, pictures, chat and other private data at the social network. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/facebook-leaked-keys-to-account-data-symantec-20110511-1eib0.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/facebook-leaked-keys-to-account-data-symantec-20110511-1eib0.html Phishing emerges as major corporate security threat The successful use of phishing emails to breach secure organizations like Oak Ridge National Laboratory and EMC's RSA security division is a stark reminder of the serious threat posed by a type of attack that was previously dismissed as low-tech. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/356178/Phishing_Becomes_More_Sophisticated Two Swedes jailed for life over Philippine cybersex den Two Swedish men, arrested in 2009, have been jailed for life for running a cybersex operation in the Philippines. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13356721 Two Swedes jailed for life for Philippine cybersex operation Two Swedes have been jailed for life in the Philippines for violating human trafficking laws by running a cybersex operation in a southern city that catered to foreigners. http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/05/11/idINIndia-56929520110511 http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/05/11/uk-philippines-cybersex-idUKTRE74A1RV20110511 Telstra scores patent win over Amazon Telstra has won a marathon court battle against Amazon in a Canberra patents court over the legitimacy of its "1-click buy" patent, a method of purchase that speeds up customer transactions. http://www.zdnet.com.au/telstra-scores-patent-win-over-amazon-339314845.htm Value of pirated software nearly $59 billion: study [AFP] The commercial value of pirated software increased 14 percent last year to nearly $59 billion, with emerging economies accounting for over half the total, according to a study published Thursday. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/value-of-pirated-software-nearly-59-billion-study-20110512-1ekaz.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/value-of-pirated-software-nearly-59-billion-study-20110512-1ekaz.html APAC software piracy losses hit record in 2010 Sixty percent of PCs in the Asia-Pacific region had pirated software installed in 2010, with the commercial value of these programs hitting a record US$18.7 billion, according to a new study by the Business Software Alliance. http://www.zdnetasia.com/apac-software-piracy-losses-hit-record-in-2010-62300324.htm uk: Former employer is liable for critical email that led to sacking, rules High Court A sacked lecturer has the right to take action against a former employer whose email about him led to his dismissal, the High Court has ruled. The former employer had a duty of care to act fairly but failed, the Court said. http://out-law.com/page-11904 Google infringes copyright when its services link to newspaper sites, Belgian court rules A Belgian appeals court has upheld an earlier ruling that Google infringes on newspapers' copyright when its services display and link to content from newspaper websites, according to press reports. http://out-law.com/page-11911 ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Report on the Implementation of the OECD Recommendation on Cross-border Co-operation in the Enforcement of Laws Protecting Privacy You or your institution have access to this content In 2007, the OECD Council adopted a Recommendation setting forth a framework for co-operation in the enforcement of privacy laws. This report provides information on the progress in implementation measures, which is based in part on a survey of OECD member countries? experiences. http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/science-and-technology/report-on-the-implementation-of-the-oecd-recommendation-on-cross-border-co-operation-in-the-enforcement-of-laws-protecting-privacy_5kgdpm9wg9xs-en Google Threatens Swiss Street View Program Over Privacy Concerns Google is threatening to wipe photographs of streets and houses in Switzerland from its online maps unless the country's supreme court overturns a ruling requiring an absolute guarantee of anonymity for people captured on the popular Street View service. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/11/google-street-view-switzerland_n_860519.html us: Privacy groups support new do-not-track bill [IDG] Several privacy and civil rights groups voiced support for an online do-not-track bill introduced in the U.S. Senate on Monday, saying the legislation would give Web users control over their personal data. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/050911-privacy-groups-support-new-do-not-track.html http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9216549/Privacy_groups_support_new_do_not_track_bill us: Online privacy concerns fuel drive for 'do-not-track' legislation Senate Commerce Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., will introduce an online-privacy bill next week that will include a controversial "do-not-track" provision letting consumers block companies from collecting unnecessary information. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110509_5073.php Teens parting with privacy with a quick click When Scott Fitzsimones turned 13, he got an iPhone, set up accounts for Facebook and Pandora and went on an apps downloading spree. At the same time, the new teenager lost many protections over his privacy online. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/parting-with-privacy-with-a-quick-click-for-adolescents/2011/04/28/AF2gSjTG_story.html European Court Rejects Bid to Limit News on Celebrities For British celebrities, the hope of covering up an affair or other indiscretion is fading fast. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/11/business/media/11privacy.html Websites told to ensure cookies comply with UK law Websites are being asked to review how they track users ahead of imminent changes to privacy laws. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13345545 uk: ICO publishes advice on how websites can comply with new 'cookie law' Websites should not rely on browser settings as indicating whether a user consents to having their online activity tracked, the Information Commission's Office (ICO) has advised. http://out-law.com/page-11907 uk: ICO publishes advice on cookie law Businesses should gain user consent for cookies that collect statistical information or remember user preferences, according to the UK privacy authority. http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/compliance/2011/05/09/ico-publishes-advice-on-cookie-law-40092711/ ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** US to spend $30m fighting internet censorship The United States is playing a game of "cat and mouse" on the web, funding new technology aimed at breaking internet censorship in repressive regimes including China and Iran, officials have said. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/11/us-30m-fighting-internet-censorship ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** British media freedoms in the balance as cabinet to consider legislation including privacy law and regulation of social media Ministers are to hold emergency talks over the celebrity super-injunction imbroglio that could pave the way to a privacy law and an attempt to regulate social networking sites. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/media-freedoms-in-the-balance-2282145.html Who will draw the line between freedom of speech and privacy? The prospect of drafting a privacy bill traditionally provokes a torrent of excuses from senior British politicians. Determining precisely where to draw the line between freedom of speech and the right to personal secrecy is acknowledged to be fiendishly difficult. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/may/10/freedom-of-speech-privacy Opinion: How long can Twitter remain above the law? A series of legal actions will mean that the millions of users of sites like Twitter and Facebook can no longer post their comments without impunity http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/adam-sherwin-how-long-can-twitter-remain-above-the-law-2282148.html uk: Super-injunctions: web 'making mockery' of privacy laws Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary, yesterday said that the internet is "making a mockery" of privacy laws and pledged to investigate how regulations can be improved. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/twitter/8505126/Super-injunctions-web-making-mockery-of-privacy-laws.html Net Giant Prods India on Rules - Google Warns of Liability Dangers; Others See a Crackdown on Web Free Speech Google Inc. told Indian regulators in a confidential memo that tough proposed restrictions on Internet content could hamper the company and others in a promising market by exposing them to liability for a broad swath of material published by third parties. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704681904576314652996232860.html Indian web rules risk curbing info flow - Google Holding internet platforms liable for third-party content would lead to self-censorship and reduce the free flow of information, Google Inc said on Wednesday in reaction to India's new rules. http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/05/11/idINIndia-56940820110511 us: Revised 'Net censorship bill requires search engines to block sites, too Surprise! After months in the oven, the soon-to-be-released new version of a major US Internet censorship bill didn't shrink in scope?it got much broader. Under the new proposal, search engines, Internet providers, credit card companies, and ad networks would all have cut off access to foreign "rogue sites"?and such court orders would not be limited to the government. Private rightsholders could go to court and target foreign domains, too. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/05/revised-net-censorship-bill-requires-search-engines-to-block-sites-too.ars us: Justice Department Is Investigating Google Advertising The Justice Department is investigating Google advertising, and Google may have to pay $500 million, according to a Google filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday. As a result, Google said, last quarter?s net income was 22 percent lower than it originally reported. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/10/justice-department-is-investigating-google-advertising/ Google's Online Advertising Faces U.S. Probe [IDG] Google is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with its advertising program, and has set aside US$500 million for a potential resolution, the company said in a regulatory filing on Tuesday. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/227591/.html http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/051111-googles-online-advertising-faces-us.html Web inventor Berners-Lee fights to keep it open We often consider 21 to be a coming-of-age year, and the World Wide Web's impending 21st birthday will be no different. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9216522/Web_inventor_Berners_Lee_fights_to_keep_it_open cn: Internet management does not equal thought control The Internet is really a good thing. Using the Internet, people can find meanings of new words through online dictionaries and figure out many things through search engines. People can record their lives and contact each other through social networking sites, such as blogs and microblogs, and can also get help from fellow Internet users when they are in trouble. http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90780/91345/7375534.html au: ISPs must keep some data under new law Australian telcos will soon be required to retain customer traffic data under a new law proposed to allow Australia to accede to the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime. http://www.zdnet.com.au/isps-must-keep-some-data-under-new-law-339314642.htm Australian accession to the council of Europe convention on cybercrime [news release] Attorney-General Robert McClelland and Minister for Foreign Affairs Kevin Rudd today welcomed the finding by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties supporting Australia?s accession to the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime. http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/www/ministers/mcclelland.nsf/Page/MediaReleases_2011_SecondQuarter_11May2011-AccessiontothecouncilofEuropeconventiononcybercrime NZ internet piracy policy one-sided, says expert The Government's "three-strikes" policy aiming to tackle online piracy lacks the depth and sophistication found in Europe's reform of copyright law, says an international expert. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10724963 nz: New regime to deter illegal internet file sharing in place The controversial section 92A of the Copyright Act 1994 has been repealed and will be replaced by a new process to deal with online copyright infringements from 1 September this year. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=c23e4819-f08a-4ef2-ba7b-f58e02f648f1 nz: Opinion: Regulatory compliance in the cloud There is widespread agreement that cloud computing offers businesses, governments and individuals significant potential benefits. These benefits include operational efficiency and cost savings, along with expanded applications and services. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/opinion-regulatory-compliance-in-the-cloud nz: Labour will vote against UFB Bill Labour will vote against the Telecommunications (TSO, Broadband, and Other Matters) Amendment bill and it will overturn sections of the new law if it is passed by Parliament next week, should it return to power at the next election. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/labour-will-vote-against-ufb-bill nz: Cloud ignorance exposed by Commissioner If your company uses smartphones are you using overseas ICT infrastructure? http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/cloud-ignorance-exposed-by-commissioner Crown fibre bill has final select committee deliberation - behind closed doors [sub req'd] http://www.nbr.co.nz/subscribe?return=92797 ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* Microsoft to Buy Skype for $8.5 Billion Microsoft announced on Tuesday that it would buy Skype Global for $8.5 billion in cash, in its largest acquisition ever. http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/05/10/microsoft-to-buy-skype-for-8-5-billion/ For Microsoft, Skype Opens Vast New Market in Telecom Microsoft has peered into the future, and placed a bet that people the world over want to stay in touch with someone anytime and anywhere ? preferably at no cost. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/11/technology/11skype.html Microsoft buys Skype for $8.5bn in its biggest purchase and gamble yet Microsoft's acquisition of Skype, its biggest ever, is an $8.5bn (?5bn) gamble to try to catch up with Apple and Google. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/may/10/microsoft-buys-skype-biggest-gamble-yet Why buy Skype? ?Irrepressible? is a word that is usually used to denote something that is hard to control or restrain. Steve Ballmer, the boss of Microsoft, is obviously very fond of it. At a press conference on May 10th to announce the company?s whopping $8.5 billion purchase of Skype, an online phone and video-calling service, he used the word several times to imply that Microsoft was still a dynamic company. But the firm?s shareholders may end up wishing that Mr Ballmer had shown considerably more restraint when negotiating the firm?s largest ever takeover. http://www.economist.com/blogs/schumpeter/2011/05/microsoft_and_skype Microsoft Dials Up Change: CEO Ballmer Defends Hefty $8.5 Billion Price Tag for Internet-Phone Firm Skype Microsoft Corp. racked up a whopping $8.5 billion phone bill to buy Skype SARL even though there were no signs of other serious bidders for the provider of free online video and voice chats, as the software giant moved aggressively to ramp up its growth. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703730804576314854222820260.html Microsoft confirms $8.5bn Skype deal Microsoft confirmed on Tuesday it has agreed an $8.5bn (?5bn) cash deal to buy internet telephony service Skype, the biggest deal in its 36-year history. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/may/10/microsoft-confirms-skype-deal Microsoft to Acquire Skype - Software Giant to Pay $8.5 Billion in Cash for Company Microsoft Corp. agreed to buy Internet phone company Skype Technologies SA for $8.5 billion in cash?the most aggressive move yet by Microsoft to play in the increasingly converged worlds of communication, information and entertainment. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703730804576314854222820260.html Microsoft's $8bn Skype deal shocks analysts Microsoft is reported to have closed a $8.5bn (?5bn) deal for the internet phone service Skype, in a deal that has shocked analysts who think it would be a substantial overpayment for the company. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/may/10/microsoft-skype-deal-shocks-analysts Microsoft to Acquire Skype - Combined companies will benefit consumers, businesses and increase market opportunity [news release] Microsoft Corp. and Skype Global S.? r.l today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Microsoft will acquire Skype, the leading Internet communications company, for $8.5 billion in cash from the investor group led by Silver Lake. The agreement has been approved by the boards of directors of both Microsoft and Skype. http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2011/may11/05-10CorpNewsPR.mspx NetHui 2011 details [news release] Consumer NZ is pleased to be supporting InternetNZ in its organisation of NetHui 2011, a one-of-a-kind gathering bringing together all those with an interest in the internet. http://www.consumer.org.nz/news/view/nethui-2011-details ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** German Wireless Merger Overdue, Telefonica Executive Says Telefonica SA predicts consolidation in Germany?s mobile-phone market, one of Europe?s most competitive, as operators seek scale to offset higher costs from data services, according to the head of the Spanish company?s German division. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-08/german-wireless-merger-is-overdue-telefonica-executive-says.html us: AT&T and T-Mobile Chiefs Field Skeptical Questions on Capitol Hill A few weeks ago, AT&T and T-Mobile were robust competitors. T-Mobile ads made merciless fun of AT&T?s reputation for dropped calls and sluggish wireless data connections while celebrating T-Mobile?s fast network and low rates. AT&T promoted superior nationwide service and its exclusive array of the sleekest, fastest smartphones. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/12/technology/12phone.html us: Telecoms heads defend planned $39bn tie-up The heads of AT&T and T-Mobile USA went before a Senate subcommittee on Wednesday to defend the planned $39bn merger between the two companies in the face of stiff opposition from smaller carriers fearful of what they called a new ?duopoly?. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/555bad9c-7b5c-11e0-ae56-00144feabdc0.html AT&T, T-Mobile chiefs grilled on merger plan Senate lawmakers grilled the chief executives of AT&T and T-Mobile on Wednesday on their proposed $39 million merger, questioning whether the deal would lead to less competition and higher prices for consumers. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-tech/post/atandt-t-mobile-chiefs-grilled-on-merger-plan/2011/05/11/AFCkEYqG_blog.html Deutsche Telekom rules out big deals Deutsche Telekom?s chief executive has ruled out any multibillion-euro acquisitions if the German telecommunications group?s plan to sell its US mobile phone business for $39bn is successful. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9d0f700c-7bf6-11e0-9b16-00144feabdc0.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2011 ------ David Goldstein email: david§goldsteinreport.com web: http://goldsteinreport.com/ http://davidgoldstein.tel/ 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 Thu May 12 2011 - 00:35:35 UTC
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