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 *************************************************** EU, US call for ICANN Internet governance reforms [IDG] http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/386494/eu_us_call_icann_internet_governance_reforms/ ICANN Successfully Tiptoes Through Political Minefield With New TLD Applicant Guidebook by Krista Papac http://www.ausregistry.com/blog/?p=773 au: Domain Monetisation Policy explained http://blog.auda.org.au/2011/05/13/domain-monetisation-policy-explained/ Marketing bonanza awaits as organisations set to get approval to register brands as domains by Theo Hnarakis, chief executive of Melbourne IT http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/marketing-bonanza-awaits-as-organisations-set-to-get-approval-to-register-brands-as-domains/story-e6frg99o-1226056313167 Olympics and Red Cross Push for Special Rights with New TLDs http://domainnamewire.com/2011/05/13/olympics-and-red-cross-push-for-special-rights-with-new-tlds/ White House Wants Tougher Penalties for Computer Breaches http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/13/us/politics/13obama.html White House Cybersecurity Plan Feared Inadequate By Experts, Could Violate Privacy http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/13/white-house-cybersecurity-plan_n_861738.html AusCERT still in business, says Graham Ingram http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/auscert-still-in-business-says-graham-ingram/story-e6frgakx-1226056706633 AusCERT 2011: Second Stuxnet worm on the horizon http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/386622/auscert_2011_second_stuxnet_worm_horizon/ us: Leahy's Protect IP bill even worse than COICA http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20062419-38.html Is Your Domain Safe from Seizure for Copyright Infringement? [CIO] http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/051211-is-your-domain-safe-from.html Act by Midnight To Protect Your .NET Domain Rights: A special message from Phil Corwin, ICA Legal Counsel, to the domain community https://sedo.com/links/showlinks.php3?tracked=&partnerid=&language=us&Id=2852 Sedo Analysis Shows Strong and Steady Growth: Q1 2011 Market Study Reveals Continued Strength in .com Sales https://sedo.com/links/showlinks.php3?tracked=&partnerid=&language=us&Id=2861 ********************** REPORTS & RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** Seized Sites: The In Rem Forfeiture of Copyright-Infringing Domain Names by Andrew Sellars Abstract: In the summer of 2010, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division of the Department of Homeland Security began "Operation In Our Sites," an enforcement sweep targeted towards websites allegedly dealing in counterfeit goods and copyright-infringing files. The operation targeted the websites by proceeding in rem against their respective domain names. For websites targeted for copyright infringement, ICE Agents used recently-expanded copyright forfeiture remedies passed under the 2008 PRO-IP Act, providing no adversarial hearing prior to the websites being removed, and only a probable cause standard of proof. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1835604 ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** EU, US call for ICANN Internet governance reforms [IDG] The U.S. and the European Union have agreed to work together to ensure that domain naming on the Internet remains in the hands of independent private-sector stakeholders, but have demanded reforms. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/386494/eu_us_call_icann_internet_governance_reforms/ http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9216687/E.U._U.S._call_for_ICANN_Internet_governance_reforms http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/051311-eu-us-call-for-icann.html http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/227815/.html EU/US bilateral steps up pressure on ICANN A high-level bilateral meeting between the EU and US government yesterday reached some firm conclusions - most of them adding pressure to domain oversight organization ICANN. http://news.dot-nxt.com/2011/05/13/kroes-strickling-meeting-summary Europe to Meet with U.S. Over ICANN, New TLDs ICANN insider Kieren McCarthy is reporting a high-level meeting will take place today between the European Commission's vice president, Neelie Kroes (pictured), and US Assistant Commerce Secretary Larry Strickling to discuss concerns on the part of both entities regarding ICANN management in general and its rollout of nTLDs in particular. http://news.avn.com/articles/Europe-Meets-with-U-S-Today-Over-ICANN-New-TLDs-435453.html US, Europe Meet in Brussels, Agree ICANN Reforms Necessary European Commission Vice President for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes and U.S. Department of Commerce Assistant Secretary Lawrence Strickling met in Brussels yesterday to discuss ?a wide range of topics dedicated to ensuring the sustainability of the multi-stakeholder private sector-led model of Internet governance which both the EU and the US have stoutly defended over many years,? according to a statement on the European Commission website. http://news.avn.com/articles/US-Europe-Meet-in-Brussels-Agree-ICANN-Reforms-Necessary-435646.html ICANN Governance Reforms Are Demanded Reforms are needed at ICANN, particularly when it comes for its board to adequately respond to Governmental Advisory Council advice, officials from the E.U. and U.S. say. http://newswire.xbiz.com/view.php?id=134011 ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Letter from Erik Wilbers, WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center to Rod Beckstrom WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center observations on ICANN?s ?April 2011 Discussion Draft of the New gTLD Applicant Guidebook? http://icann.org/en/correspondence/wilbers-to-beckstrom-13may11-en.pdf Letter from Heather Dryden, GAC to Peter Dengate Thrush GAC Statement on IOC and Red Cross Movement http://icann.org/en/correspondence/dryden-to-dengate-thrush-12may11-en.pdf WIPO Center Comments on ICANN UDRP Webinar of May 6, 2011 http://wipo.int/export/sites/www/amc/en/docs/icann060511.pdf WIPO Center Observations on ICANN UDRP Questionnaire of May 5, 2011 http://wipo.int/export/sites/www/amc/en/docs/icann050511.pdf ICANN Successfully Tiptoes Through Political Minefield With New TLD Applicant Guidebook by Krista Papac ICANN released its sixth version of the draft Applicant Guidebook for the new TLD program in April following three years of debate surrounding the rules and procedures that will outline how potential applicants will apply to own their own piece of Internet real estate. Overall, the response has been positive. http://www.ausregistry.com/blog/?p=773 http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=14617 http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/05/13/icann-new-tld-applicant-guidebook-krista-papac/ http://www.circleid.com/posts/20110512_icann_tiptoes_through_political_minefield_new_tlds/ What happened to ICANN?s .net millions? Questions have been raised about how ICANN accounts for the millions of dollars it receives in fees from .net domain name registrations. http://domainincite.com/what-happened-to-icanns-net-millions/ Threatening faxes, dot-xxx and an angry Vint Cerf One of the more bizarre situations I have found myself in while covering domain name system overseer ICANN, both outside and inside the organization, was at the Vancouver meeting in December 2005. http://kierenmccarthy.com/2011/05/14/threatening-faxes-dot-xxx-and-an-angry-vint-cerf/ ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** au: Domain Monetisation Policy explained In simple terms, domain monetisation is the practice of registering domain names to make money from them. There are lots of different ways of doing this, but the one that most internet users would be familiar with is when a domain name resolves to a webpage with click-through advertising links ? something like computers.com.au. http://blog.auda.org.au/2011/05/13/domain-monetisation-policy-explained/ be: New Terms and Conditions from 14 June 2011 DNS.be finalised a new version of the Terms & Conditions for .be domain names and we have to inform all .be registrants of it. That.s why you all receive an e-mail from the registrar who manages your domain name or from DNS.be itself. http://www.dns.be/en/home.php?n=463 be: Beware of false overdue payment reminders from Global Netsource DNS.be has recently been contacted by several .be registrants who received a payment reminder from the company Global Netsource Ltd from London. http://www.dns.be/en/home.php?n=462 Cyrillic domain .??? became visible on the Internet The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) reached the decision to assign the management of the Cyrillic domain .??? to the Serbian National Register of Internet Domain Names (RNIDS). http://rnids.rs/en/what-s-new/Cyrillic+domain+.???+became+visible+on+the+Internet/id/1510 IEDR supports Getting Irish Business Online Campaign The IE Domain Registry (IEDR), the managed registry for Ireland?s official internet address .ie, today announced its support for a new campaign called Getting Irish Business Online, a major initiative welcomed by Government and launched by An Taoiseach to encourage Irish companies online. http://www.iedr.ie/index.php/component/content/article/50-general/261-monday-9th-may-2011-iedr-supports-getting-irish-business-online-campaign Job Boards Launch Another Attack on .Jobs Registry The .Jobs Charter Compliance Coalition, whose membership consists of online job boards, has sent an ?open letter? to ICANN regarding Employ Media?s request for arbitration over .jobs. http://domainnamewire.com/2011/05/12/job-boards-launch-another-attacked-on-jobs-registry/ IDN TLD .?? ? 1 year! On this day of 12 May 2010, a year ago, the IANA introduced the entry about Cyrillic domain .?? in its root servers? registries. ANO ?Coordination Center for TLD .RU? became the official administrator of the new root domain. http://cctld.ru/en/news/news_detail.php?ID=1433 Beginning of the Landrush phase of second level domain under (.sa) The SaudiNIC in Communication and Information Technology Commission (CITC) announces the beginning of the Landrush phase of the second level domain under (.sa). We mean by Second level domains All Domain names composed of two parts only, a label and the TLD (.sa) without the (com, net, org, .. etc) part . for example (nic.sa). http://blog.nic.net.sa/en/?p=60 uk: Nominet calls on stakeholders to get involved in domain expiry policy process Nominet, the not-for-profit organisation responsible for .uk Internet infrastructure, is today calling for contributors to an issue discussing policy on expired domain names. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/releases/?contentId=8390 uk: Issue group update - Domain expiry policy We have published the brief for an issue group on ?Domain expiry policy?, and would like to encourage interested parties to get involved and have their say. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=8391 How to protect your trademark in .xxx ICM Registry today revealed the details of its policies for trademark holders that want to defensively register or block their .xxx domain names. http://domainincite.com/how-to-protect-your-trademark-in-xxx/ The International Foundation for Online Responsibility Names Inaugural Executive Director The International Foundation for Online Responsibility (IFFOR), the non for profit organization tasked with policy making for the new .XXX TLD, is pleased to announce that Joan Irvine will be their first Executive Director. http://www.icmregistry.com/blog/?p=431 Pricing competition begins in .xxx DomainMonster plans to charge between $75 and $300 for .xxx domain names, a fair bit cheaper than the only other registrar to so far disclose its prices. http://domainincite.com/pricing-competition-begins-in-xxx/ ********************** - NEW TLDS ********************** Marketing bonanza awaits as organisations set to get approval to register brands as domains by Theo Hnarakis, chief executive of Melbourne IT ON June 20, the governing body for internet domain names, ICANN, is expected to approve the final rules to allow organisations to register their brands as internet domains. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/marketing-bonanza-awaits-as-organisations-set-to-get-approval-to-register-brands-as-domains/story-e6frg99o-1226056313167 Tucows Handicaps the Chances of New TLDs Kicking Off In Singapore For a while it looked assured that the new TLD name applicant guidebook would get the green light at ICANN?s meeting in Singapore this June. http://domainnamewire.com/2011/05/12/tucows-handicaps-the-chances-of-new-tlds-kicking-off-in-singapore/ Facebook.com/Brand vs. a New TLD: What's a Brand to Do? by Alexa Raad Last week I published an article in Ad Age that the editors titled "Should your company jump on the dot-brand bandwagon?" I received several emails and LinkedIn requests from advertising and PR agencies as well as brand managers. One of the questions I received had to do with my opinion on whether brands that are currently promoting themselves via Facebook, e.g., "Find us on Facebook.com/brand," should consider the new TLDs. http://www.circleid.com/posts/facebook_brand_vs_a_new_tld_whats_a_brand_to_do/ Governments back Olympic domain bans ICANN?s Governmental Advisory Committee has called for a ban on domain names containing terms relating to the Red Cross and Olympics movements. http://domainincite.com/governments-back-olympic-domain-bans/ Olympics and Red Cross Push for Special Rights with New TLDs The International Olympic Committee (IOC) continues to pester ICANN about giving it special privileges for new TLDs, and now the American Red Cross is adding its name to the hat as well. http://domainnamewire.com/2011/05/13/olympics-and-red-cross-push-for-special-rights-with-new-tlds/ Is The Dot Future Now? The ABC's of the New gTLDs Last week, the House Judiciary Subcommitte on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet held a hearing on ICANN's new gTLD program, which would greatly expand the number of Internet suffixes to potentially include anything and everything from .music to .cars. At the hearing, congressmen from both sides of the aisle, as well as trademark owners, expressed concerns about the new proposal, ranging from the costs to the potential for trademark infringement. http://www.law.com/jsp/cc/PubArticleCC.jsp?id=1202493951675 ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** White House Wants Tougher Penalties for Computer Breaches Almost two years after outlining a broad strategy intended to strengthen the security of the nation?s computers and networks, the Obama administration said Thursday that it was sending proposed legislation to Congress that would strengthen penalties for any invasion of private computer systems. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/13/us/politics/13obama.html White House Cybersecurity Plan Feared Inadequate By Experts, Could Violate Privacy Experts fear a new government plan to combat the growing threat of cyberattacks on private computers, the government?s own systems and the nation?s critical infrastructure could end up implementing outdated controls and introduce possible privacy violations. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/13/white-house-cybersecurity-plan_n_861738.html Obama Cybersecurity Plan Urges More Disclosure of Breaches U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn talks about proposed cuts to defense spending and the impact on military operations. Lynn, speaking on Bloomberg Television's "InBusiness with Margaret Brennan," also discusses the rising threat from Internet "cyber" attacks. (Source: Bloomberg) http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-12/white-house-releases-proposed-cybersecurity-legislation.html Obama presses Congress on cybersecurity measures The White House on Thursday pressed Congress to pass strong cybersecurity measures to protect consumers' personal information and safeguard the nation's financial system and electric power grid from potentially devastating attacks. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/05/12/us-usa-cybersecurity-idUKTRE74B2Z820110512 Cyber security plan proposed by White House The White House has proposed legislation to protect the country from cyber attacks by hackers, criminals and spies. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/13384146 White House sends Congress a long-awaited cybersecurity proposal The White House on Thursday sent Congress a formal proposal for cybersecurity legislation to help Senate lawmakers craft a passable bill from 50-some measures currently pending in both chambers. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110512_3812.php White House to unveil cybersecurity proposal The White House on Thursday was expected to unveil a major cybersecurity proposal aimed at protecting critical U.S. infrastructure from computer attacks including many believed to originate in China. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/05/12/oukin-uk-usa-cybersecurity-idUKTRE74B39920110512 White House proposes cybersecurity legislation The White House today sent Congress a proposed cybersecurity law designed to force companies to do more to fend off cyberattacks, a threat that has been reinforced by recent reports about vulnerabilities in systems used in power and water utilities. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20062277-281.html AusCERT still in business, says Graham Ingram THE nation's independent computer emergency response team, AusCERT, is working with the federal government's CERT Australia to streamline operations and provide complementary services. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/auscert-still-in-business-says-graham-ingram/story-e6frgakx-1226056706633 AusCERT 2011: Second Stuxnet worm on the horizon The rogue Stuxnet worm that infected an Iranian nuclear facility two years ago has provided a blue print for cyber criminals and we can expect to see another one in the future. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/386622/auscert_2011_second_stuxnet_worm_horizon/ ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** VeriSign and CFIT End Litigation VeriSign and the Coalition for ICANN Transparency have reached an agreement to settle the antitrust lawsuit CFIT brought against VeriSign with no payment made and both parties agreeing to end proceedings with prejudice of all claims in the litigation. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=14604 http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/05/12/verisign-and-cfit-end-litigation/ us: Leahy's Protect IP bill even worse than COICA Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) today introduced a revised version of a controversial bill that would give the Department of Justice and individuals new powers to enforce copyright and trademark law against "rogue" and "pirate" Web sites that offer unlicensed copies of protected content or which sell illegal knock-offs of brand-name goods. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20062419-38.html Leahy?s Protect IP Act: Why Internet content wars will never end The media industries, everyone agrees, are in the fight of their lives. These businesses rely for profitability on the controlled distribution of information goods whose individual copies have a marginal cost that keeps getting closer to zero. http://blogs.forbes.com/larrydownes/2011/05/16/leahys-protect-ip-act-why-internet-content-wars-will-never-end/ us: Leahy reintroduces bill targeting rogue sites Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., reintroduced legislation on Thursday aimed at curbing online piracy and counterfeiting, particularly from websites based offshore. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110513_6764.php Is Your Domain Safe from Seizure for Copyright Infringement? [CIO] Maybe your company has a website that hosts user-generated content-perhaps a discussion board or a place where customers can post comments about your products or services. If so, imagine coming to work one day and finding your website replaced by a banner saying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has seized your domain name due to copyright violations. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/051211-is-your-domain-safe-from.html http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/227840/.html us: Senate bill amounts to death penalty for Web sites A new bill backed by movie studios and other large copyright holders takes a novel approach to curbing access to piratical Web sites: an Internet death penalty. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20062398-281.html ?Rogue? Websites Selling Pirated Goods Targeted by U.S. Bill U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation today to combat websites that distribute and sell pirated content and counterfeit goods. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-12/-rogue-websites-selling-pirated-goods-targeted-by-u-s-bill-1-.html ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** Final editorial comments on draft documents APNIC seeks final editorial comments on the following draft documents: Policies for IPv4 address space management in the Asia Pacific region; Policy environment for Internet number resource distribution in the Asia Pacific http://www.apnic.net/publications/news/2011/editorial-drafts-apnic31 APNIC EC endorses policy decisions from APNIC 31 The consensus policy decisions from the APNIC 31 Policy SIG Meeting were endorsed by the Executive Council (EC) on Friday, 6 May 2011. The proposals endorsed by the EC are listed below: http://www.apnic.net/publications/news/2011/policies-endorsed IP Addresses as Money by John Levine It's no secret that the supply of IPv4 addresses, on which the Internet has been based since the dawn of digital time, is rapidly running out. The official replacement is much larger IPv6 addresses, but I can report from experience that the task of switching is not trivial, and for a long time there will be a lot of the net that's only on IPv4. So once the initial supply of IPv4 addresses run out, and the only way to get some is to buy them from someone else, what will the market be like? http://www.circleid.com/posts/ip_addresses_as_money/ ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Act by Midnight To Protect Your .NET Domain Rights: A special message from Phil Corwin, ICA Legal Counsel, to the domain community Sedo, a founding member and platinum sponsor of the Internet Commerce Association (ICA), supports the rights of domain owners all around the world. At times, Sedo steps forward to help fight against policies that challenge, limit or eliminate the rights of domain owners, in an effort to support a fair and balanced domain system. https://sedo.com/links/showlinks.php3?tracked=&partnerid=&language=us&Id=2852 Legal Brief - May 2011 IP Valuation: How valuable is it? by Sedo Legal Staff There is a rift among brand owners regarding intellectual property (IP) valuation. Some brand owners believe that evaluating their intellectual property portfolios is an indispensible part of their business and branding efforts. Conversely, a sizable segment of brand owners and in-house counsel wholly dismiss the merits of intellectual property valuation, claiming that the practice fails to play a role in their daily activities or that it is too nebulous. https://sedo.com/links/showlinks.php3?tracked=&partnerid=&language=us&Id=2849 Godaddy Opens Up Registration Path Sales To Outside Registrants This week Domain Name Wire discussed Godaddy auction domains appearing within the registration path. This change had actually occurred months ago, but since there was no announcement by Godaddy most didn?t notice the change. DNW points out that this change means that you can now list a domain at auction for a lower commission and the name shows for sale when a user searches for that name. http://www.domainnamenews.com/miscellaneous/godaddy-opens-registration-path-sales-registrants/9395 ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Sedo Analysis Shows Strong and Steady Growth: Q1 2011 Market Study Reveals Continued Strength in .com Sales Sedo, the leading online domain marketplace and monetization provider, today announced the results of its Q1 2011 Domain Market Study, which reveals domain industry trends based on transactions in its marketplace. During the first quarter of 2011, 10,608 domains changed hands via Sedo?s marketplace, accounting for $21 million in sales. Average sales prices across all TLDs held strong in comparison to previous quarters and for the first time, the .co extension entered the leading sales list with 2 percent market share, showing its growing popularity as a unique alternative to .com. https://sedo.com/links/showlinks.php3?tracked=&partnerid=&language=us&Id=2861 Trio of Six-Figure Sales Spearhead Another Solid Week For the Domain Market Three six-figure sales and rumors of a pair of seven-figure blockbusters headline the past week's activity in the domain aftermarket. Let's get the rumored sales out of the way first. Actually, one of those - the sale of iCloud.com to Apple Computer - has now been completed. Unfortunately, Apple and the seller (Swedish company Xcerion) have declined to confirm the rumored price of "about $4.5 million" cited by the GigaOM.com, who was the first to report Apple had acquired the name. http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2011/20110511.htm ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Facebook exposed in Google smear campaign It has been revealed that Facebook embarked on a smear campaign against rival Google. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13374048 Facebook PR firm's Google smear tactics described as 'creepy' Burson-Marsteller's former UK chairman has described the smear tactics employed against Google as "furtive and creepy" and the PR executives involved in the campaign were "shadowy, backstreet spin merchants". http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/may/13/facebook-google-pr-smear Facebook, Foe of Anonymity, Is Forced to Explain a Secret Facebook, it seems, doesn?t always practice what it preaches. For years, Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive of Facebook, has extolled the virtue of transparency, and he built Facebook accordingly. The social network requires people to use their real identity in large part because Mr. Zuckerberg says he believes that people behave better ? and society will be better ? if they cannot cloak their words or actions in anonymity. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/14/technology/14facebook.html Facebook Hired PR Firm to Target Google Facebook Inc. used controversial tactics to try to shift the online privacy spotlight away from itself?and onto rival Google Inc. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703730804576319351012761800.html http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/news/facebook-calls-in-the-spin-doctors-in-its-battle-against-google/story-e6frg90x-1226055097649 Facebook's smear campaign against Google It has already been sued by rowing-obsessed millionaire twins, accused of breaking numerous privacy laws, and watched its founder Mark Zuckerberg immortalised in a Hollywood film that was far from flattering. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/may/12/facebook-smear-campaign-against-google Facebook Hires Burson-Marsteller to Pitch Story About Google Privacy Facebook Inc. hired public relations firm Burson-Marsteller to enlist reporters to write stories that would portray its rival Google Inc. in an unfavorable light, according to the firm and a journalist whom it approached. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-12/facebook-enlists-pr-firm-burson-marsteller-to-pitch-google-privacy-story.html How Osama bin Laden beat US internet spies [AP] Osama bin Laden had no internet access in his hideout, but he was a prolific email writer who built a painstaking system that kept him one step ahead of the US government's best eavesdroppers. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/how-osama-bin-laden-beat-us-internet-spies/story-fn8ljzlv-1226055181901 http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/how-bin-laden-emailed-without-being-detected-20110513-1el75.html Pornography Is Found in Bin Laden Compound Files, U.S. Officials Say The enormous cache of computer files taken from Osama bin Laden?s compound contained a considerable quantity of pornographic videos, American officials said on Friday, adding a discordant note to the public image of the Islamist militant who long denounced the West for its lax sexual mores. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/14/world/asia/14binladen.html Did Bin Laden really have secret porn stash? Claim by US officials provokes widespread ridicule and suspicion Among the material seized by US Navy Seals at Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, was a "sizeable stash" of pornography, US officials have said. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/did-bin-laden-really-have-secret-porn-stash-2284269.html 'Porn' found at bin Laden compound [Press Association] Pornography was among the items seized when US Navy SEALs raided the Pakistani hideout of Osama bin Laden almost two weeks ago, two US officials said. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/feedarticle/9645182 The price of 'free' journalism It's been more than a quarter-century since futurist Stewart Brand said, "Information wants to be free." In about half that time, the founders of Google have accumulated fabulous riches by putting free information a mouse click away. Six years on, Arianna Huffington has shown that free content, assembled by a couple hundred paid journalists and thousands of unpaid bloggers, can pay off in a big way ? at least for her. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-onthemedia-20110514,0,7846073.column Global data traffic to top 60,000 petabytes The global annual data traffic volume will exceed 60,000 petabytes in 2016, over seven times more than the 8,000 petabytes expected this year, according to a new report from ABI Research. http://www.zdnetasia.com/global-data-traffic-to-top-60-000-petabytes-62300310.htm U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke Announces Digital Literacy Initiative [news release] At a public computing center in Baltimore today, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced a digital literacy initiative that works to expand economic and educational opportunities in America. http://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2011/05/13/us-commerce-secretary-gary-locke-announces-digital-literacy-initiativ Gartner Survey Shows Digital Text Consumption Nearly Equal to Time Spent reading Printed Paper Text - Death of Paper Has Been Exaggerated but Younger Generation Will Accelerate Move to Screen-Based Consumption [news release] The time people spend reading on a digital screen is now almost equal to the time spent reading printed paper text, according to a recent survey by Gartner, Inc. http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1673714 ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Lies, damned lies and new media: is online gossip out of control? Concern is growing about defamation on Twitter and the internet It's not just celebrities who have their reputations trashed online. There are victims like Emily Moore, a schoolgirl from the country who signed up to a social media site because she just wanted to talk to her friends; and there are powerful figures such as Louis Bacon, the reclusive billionaire who finds himself hounded into the public gaze by anonymous and vitriolic bloggers. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/online/lies-damned-lies-and-new-media-is-online-gossip-out-of-control-2282725.html Wikipedia boss Jimmy Wales criticises injunctions Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has waded into the debate over super-injunctions, saying current privacy laws are a "human rights violation". http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13372839 About 1 in 5 smart-phone owners use check-in apps; Facebook top check-in service, study finds About one in five smart-phone owners use check-in services such as Foursquare, Gowalla or Facebook Places, according to the research firm ComScore. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/05/about-1-in-5-smartphone-owners-use-check-in-services-foursquare-gowalla-facebook-places-google-place.html au: Fatal balcony plunge linked to 'planking' A seemingly innocuous internet phenomenon that climaxed on the weekend has claimed a young man's life after he fell seven storeys to his death during a "planking" session. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/fatal-balcony-plunge-linked-to-planking/story-e6frg6nf-1226056369044 Internet craze 'planking' turns fatal Police in the Australian city of Brisbane say a man who fell to his death from a seventh floor balcony was taking part in the internet craze of "planking". http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13408156 ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Silicon Valley and the technology industry: Irrational exuberance has returned to the internet world. Investors should beware Some time after the dotcom boom turned into a spectacular bust in 2000, bumper stickers began appearing in Silicon Valley imploring: ?Please God, just one more bubble.? That wish has now been granted. Compared with the rest of America, Silicon Valley feels like a boomtown. Corporate chefs are in demand again, office rents are soaring and the pay being offered to talented folk in fashionable fields like data science is reaching Hollywood levels. And no wonder, given the prices now being put on web companies. http://www.economist.com/node/18681576 Another digital gold rush: Internet companies are booming again. Does that mean it is time to buy or to sell? Pier 38 is a vast, hangar-like structure, perched on San Francisco?s waterfront. Once a place where Chinese immigrants landed with picks and shovels, ready to build railways during California?s Gold Rush, the pier is now home to a host of entrepreneurs with smartphones and computers engaged in a race for internet riches. From their open-plan offices, the young people running start-ups with fashionably odd names such as NoiseToys, Adility and Trazzler can gaze at the fancy yachts moored nearby when they aren?t furiously tapping out lines of code. http://www.economist.com/node/18680048 ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ au: Teachers given lesson in cyber bullying Students are not the only ones in need of education when it comes to online security, according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/386608/teachers_given_lesson_cyber_bullying/ http://www.techworld.com.au/article/386608/teachers_given_lesson_cyber_bullying/ http://www.cio.com.au/article/386608/teachers_given_lesson_cyber_bullying/ au: New online national program trains teachers in cybersafety [news release] The Australian Communications and Media Authority today released an online professional development program, Connect.ed, designed to train teachers how to protect students from potential online dangers. The national initiative addresses the cybersafety needs of every child and young person in Australia. http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_312528 Operators of Online "Virtual Worlds" to Pay $3 Million to Settle FTC Charges That They Illegally Collected and Disclosed Children's Personal Information [news release] The operators of 20 online virtual worlds have agreed to pay $3 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they violated the Children?s Online Privacy Protection Rule by illegally collecting and disclosing personal information from hundreds of thousands of children under age 13 without their parents? prior consent. http://ftc.gov/opa/2011/05/playdom.shtm FTC: Disney's Playdom violated child protection act Disney's Playdom social-gaming service has been ordered by the Federal Trade Commission to pay $3 million in fines for collecting and disclosing children's information without parental approval. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20062566-17.html nz: Facebook fake fronts up Natalia Burgess met 3 News at a park because she didn't want anyone to know where she lived. ... NetSafe believes that considering the evidence against her police may not be taking the case seriously enough. http://www.3news.co.nz/Facebook-fake-fronts-up/tabid/423/articleID/211248/Default.aspx ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** us: Major Record Labels Settle Suit With LimeWire Ending a five-year court battle over music piracy, the major record companies on Thursday settled a copyright infringement lawsuit with LimeWire, a popular file-sharing network, for $105 million, the Recording Industry Association of America announced. http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/12/major-record-labels-settle-suit-with-limewire/ us: RIAA, Lime Wire close to settling copyright suit Lime Wire, the company that helped people obtain perhaps billions of songs illegally, is close to forking over a "significant" amount of money to settle a copyright suit filed against it by the Recording Industry Association of America, sources close to the discussions told CNET. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20062284-261.html Lime Wire: Labels hurt by mismanagement, not piracy Edgar Bronfman Jr., CEO of Warner Music Group and heir to a huge beverage fortune, received more than $17 million in total compensation for the year 2008, even as he and his managers were laying off hundreds of employees and claiming that online piracy was to blame for much of the music industry's financial woes. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20062020-261.html http://www.zdnetasia.com/lime-wire-labels-hurt-by-mismanagement-not-piracy-62300319.htm Lime Wire to pay record labels $105 million, ends suit The operators of LimeWire agreed to pay record companies $105 million (64.5 million pounds), ending a federal trial over copyright infringement damages owed by the once popular but now defunct file-sharing service. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/05/12/oukin-uk-limewire-idUKTRE74B78N20110512 http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/05/12/idINIndia-56980820110512 Illegal downloading a favourite NZ pastime Kiwis are movie-loving pirates, an online survey has found. The first New Zealand cinema census of 4000 people found 62 per cent went to the cinema once a month, with 27 per cent seeing as many as three films a month. http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/5003521/Illegal-downloading-a-favourite-NZ-pastime ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Are mobile phones causing the decline in bee numbers? A recent scientific study suggests that bees are significantly disturbed when mobile phones are used in close proximity to the furry critters. The study may shed light on why the bee population is in decline globally. http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/are-mobile-phones-causing-the-decline-in-bee-numbers-50003738/ Brussels Aims for Sharper Cuts to Mobile Roaming Charges The European Commission is proposing to extend and drastically lower Europe?s mobile phone roaming charges and wants to impose the first retail price controls on the use of the mobile Internet while traveling. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/13/business/global/13roaming.html EU to Say Location Data Private The European Union's top advisory body on online privacy will issue an opinion this month saying that information collected by phone and Internet companies on customer locations must be treated like names, birthdays and other personal data, EU officials say. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704681904576319192502261716.html Google Android malware surges 400 per cent There has been a 400 per cent increase in malware on Google's Android platform since the middle of last year and the problem is causing such concern that several Android anti-virus programs have been released. http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/mobiles/google-android-malware-surges-400-per-cent-20110513-1el5p.html Ban mobile phones and wireless networks in schools, say European leaders Mobile phones and computers with wireless internet connections pose a risk to human health and should be banned from schools, a powerful European body has ruled. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/mobile-phones/8514380/Ban-mobile-phones-and-wireless-networks-in-schools-say-European-leaders.html uk: Wi-fi a health risk in schools: union A teaching union is concerned that wireless computer networks in schools may pose a significant health risk. http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/world/9449509/wifi-health-risk-in-schools/ Ban mobile phones and wi-fi from schools 'as they are potentially harmful' Mobile phones and wireless internet should be banned from schools because they pose too great a risk to children?s health, a controversial study has warned. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1387291/Mobile-phones-wi-fi-banned-schools-theyre-potentially-harmful.html ********************** SPAM ********************** Asia is now the spam continent of the world The world's worst purveyors of spam for the first quarter of 2011 have been released, with Asia now at the top of the spam pops piping out 35.1 per cent of the planet's junk email. http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/asia-is-now-the-spam-continent-of-the-world-954584 ********************** DIGITAL DIVIDE ********************** ?Mobile miracle? continues to transform lives in the world?s poorest nations but those living in LDCs are still mostly offline [news release] People living in the poorest countries in the world are benefiting from a ?mobile cellular miracle? which has seen access to voice and simple data connectivity rise from an LDC average of 1.2% of the population to almost 30% in just ten years, according to figures released by ITU at the LDC IV conference this week. http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2011/13.aspx http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=38376 ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Microsoft: Cybercrime Falling Into Two Distinct Camps New Microsoft Security Intelligence Report outlines 'marketing campaign' strategies being employed by one group, and related rise in phishing and rogue antivirus software http://www.darkreading.com/advanced-threats/167901091/security/vulnerabilities/229500134/microsoft-cybercrime-falling-into-two-distinct-camps.html Cyber scams rife at social networks: Microsoft [AFP] Social networks are "lucrative hot beds" for cyber scams as crooks endeavor to dupe members of online communities, according to a Microsoft security report released on Thursday. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/cyber-scams-rife-at-social-networks-microsoft-2283510.html Microsoft Releases Security Intelligence Report: Cybercriminals Increasingly Targeting Consumers [news release] Today?s release of Microsoft?s Security Intelligence Report volume 10 is our most comprehensive global threat report to date, with in-depth regional threat intelligence for 117 countries from more than 600 million machines worldwide. The report highlights a polarization of cybercriminal behavior and an increasing trend of cybercriminals using ?marketing-like? approaches and deception methods to target consumers. http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_on_the_issues/archive/2011/05/12/microsoft-releases-security-intelligence-report-cybercriminals-increasingly-targeting-consumers.aspx White House Wants Tougher Penalties for Computer Breaches Almost two years after outlining a broad strategy intended to strengthen the security of the nation?s computers and networks, the Obama administration said Thursday that it was sending proposed legislation to Congress that would strengthen penalties for any invasion of private computer systems. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/13/us/politics/13obama.html Obama Cybersecurity Plan Urges More Disclosure of Breaches U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn talks about proposed cuts to defense spending and the impact on military operations. Lynn, speaking on Bloomberg Television's "InBusiness with Margaret Brennan," also discusses the rising threat from Internet "cyber" attacks. (Source: Bloomberg) http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-12/white-house-releases-proposed-cybersecurity-legislation.html White House Cybersecurity Plan Feared Inadequate By Experts, Could Violate Privacy Experts fear a new government plan to combat the growing threat of cyberattacks on private computers, the government?s own systems and the nation?s critical infrastructure could end up implementing outdated controls and introduce possible privacy violations. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/13/white-house-cybersecurity-plan_n_861738.html Obama Cybersecurity Plan Urges More Disclosure of Breaches U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn talks about proposed cuts to defense spending and the impact on military operations. Lynn, speaking on Bloomberg Television's "InBusiness with Margaret Brennan," also discusses the rising threat from Internet "cyber" attacks. (Source: Bloomberg) http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-12/white-house-releases-proposed-cybersecurity-legislation.html White House sends Congress a long-awaited cybersecurity proposal The White House on Thursday sent Congress a formal proposal for cybersecurity legislation to help Senate lawmakers craft a passable bill from 50-some measures currently pending in both chambers. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110512_3812.php White House to unveil cybersecurity proposal The White House on Thursday was expected to unveil a major cybersecurity proposal aimed at protecting critical U.S. infrastructure from computer attacks including many believed to originate in China. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/05/12/oukin-uk-usa-cybersecurity-idUKTRE74B39920110512 White House proposes cybersecurity legislation The White House today sent Congress a proposed cybersecurity law designed to force companies to do more to fend off cyberattacks, a threat that has been reinforced by recent reports about vulnerabilities in systems used in power and water utilities. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20062277-281.html Google Near Deal in Drug Ad Crackdown Google Inc. is close to settling a U.S. criminal investigation into allegations it made hundreds of millions of dollars by accepting ads from online pharmacies that break U.S. laws, according to people familiar with the matter. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703730804576319572448399628.html http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/news/google-may-cough-up-us500m-over-illegal-online-pharmacy-adverts/story-e6frg90x-1226055209911 Computer scammers intensify NZ attacks Scammers have stepped up a cold-calling con which convinces computer users to hand over cash to fix a non-existent virus. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/compute/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501832&objectid=10725562 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10725562 nz: Basic rules to prevent PC disaster Half of New Zealand's computer users believe they have adequate internet security but are putting their data at risk every day, writes Technology Editor Chris Gardner. http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/business/5007663/Basic-rules-to-prevent-PC-disaster AusCERT still in business, says Graham Ingram THE nation's independent computer emergency response team, AusCERT, is working with the federal government's CERT Australia to streamline operations and provide complementary services. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/auscert-still-in-business-says-graham-ingram/story-e6frgakx-1226056706633 AusCERT 2011: Second Stuxnet worm on the horizon The rogue Stuxnet worm that infected an Iranian nuclear facility two years ago has provided a blue print for cyber criminals and we can expect to see another one in the future. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/386622/auscert_2011_second_stuxnet_worm_horizon/ uk: Judge imposes Twitter ban [PA] A High Court judge has issued an injunction which bans publication of information on Twitter and Facebook. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/judge-imposes-twitter-ban-2283573.html Sony PlayStation relaunch begins Sony has announced that it will begin restoring its online PlayStation video game network on Sunday. The phased restoration of services will begin in the US, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13403616 PlayStation Network restored to limited service Sony began restoring its PlayStation Network service in the United States and Europe after shutting it down last month after a security breach affecting more than 100m online accounts. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/may/15/playstation-network-restored-limited-service PlayStation Network back up in New Zealand After nearly four weeks, the PlayStation Network is finally coming back online in New Zealand, Australia, South America, Europe and the US. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/playstation-network-back-up-in-new-zealand us: Who Could Become the Data Sheriff? In an article I wrote for the Week in Review section last Sunday, I noted that no federal laws existed to punish companies when customers? personal information and data were stolen in cyber-attacks, or mishandled by companies. And so punishment in these cases is left up to the states. Yet in many instances, state officials don?t have the resources to tackle this problem, and even acknowledge that they don?t always understand the technical aspects of breaches. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/12/who-could-become-the-data-sheriff/ ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Has the EU created a real-life cookie monster? Cookies are an integral part of browsing the web. They don't make a fuss and they stay out of sight, quietly getting on with their job ? a bit like gravity, or the bloke in charge of managing the National Grid. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/cyberclinic-has-the-eu-created-a-reallife-cookie-monster-2282566.html Online Privacy: Can the U.S. Get Its Act Together? After years of ignoring the issue, Washington is full of ideas on how to protect privacy On May 10 executives from Google and Apple participated in the time-tested Washington ritual of a congressional grilling. Alarmed by revelations that smartphones store data on users' locations, legislators demanded details on the companies' privacy policies. "Consumers have a fundamental right to know what data is being collected about them," said Minnesota Democrat Al Franken, who called the hearing. "They have a right to decide whether they want to share that information, with whom they want to share it, and when." http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_21/b4229027916671.htm Reding warns Sony, Apple over data protection Recent data privacy breaches involving Sony and Apple show that "companies do not take the protection of personal data seriously enough," said Viviane Reding, the EU commissioner in charge of justice and fundamental rights, in an interview with EurActiv. http://www.euractiv.com/en/infosociety/reding-warns-sony-apple-data-protection-news-504669 nz: Privacy crime: make data breach notifications mandatory Vikram Kumar is chief executive of InternetNZ, a non-profit organisation that advocates on behalf of New Zealand users and, though its subsidiaries, administers NZ web addresses. http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/privacy-crime-make-data-breach-notifications-mandatory-ck-93209 ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** China cracks down on VPN use Chinese internet users suspect that their government is interfering with the method they have been using to tunnel under the "Great Firewall" to prevent them connecting with the outside world. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/may/13/china-cracks-down-on-vpn-use Despite Restrictions, Microblogs Catch on in China Wang Yin, a 24-year-old graduate student at the elite Tsinghua University in Beijing, constantly uses Sina Weibo, China?s Twitter-like social networking site. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/business/global/16blogs.html Internet Freedom Discussed at the Council of Europe When governments and companies assemble on an international level to discuss "Internet freedom," EFF's policy experts go on alert. All too frequently, government-level discussions about Internet freedom turn into opportunities to discuss tangential issues, many of which have negative implications on online freedom: laws and policies promoting censorship and surveillance on the Internet. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/05/internet-freedom-council-europe-draft-principles Protests in Turkey against Internet controls [IDG] Thousands of Turks protested Sunday both online and on the streets against new Internet controls proposed by the Turkish government. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/051611-protests-in-turkey-against-internet.html http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/227923/.html ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** us: Editorial: Did the Microsoft Case Change the World? Remember when Microsoft ruled the PC industry? In the 1990s, its Windows operating system became so dominant that government trust-busters took it to court. They spent four years and millions of dollars making the case that Microsoft was unduly using its power to wipe out rivals in the Web browser business and other domains. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/15/opinion/15sun2.html Expedia's French headache The Expedia group is in a spot of bother in France. The tourism minister, Fr?d?ric Lefebvre, has announced that the French government will be joining the country's hotel association, Synhorcat, in its legal action against three of Expedia's websites, Expedia.com, TripAdvisor.com and Hotels.com. http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2011/05/expedia us: Leahy's Protect IP bill even worse than COICA Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) today introduced a revised version of a controversial bill that would give the Department of Justice and individuals new powers to enforce copyright and trademark law against "rogue" and "pirate" Web sites that offer unlicensed copies of protected content or which sell illegal knock-offs of brand-name goods. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20062419-38.html CDT Statement on introduction of Protect IP Act Today, the Center for Democracy & Technology released the following statement in response the introduction of the Protect ID Act. http://cdt.org/pr_statement/cdt-statement-introduction-protect-ip-act us: Senate bill amounts to death penalty for Web sites A new bill backed by movie studios and other large copyright holders takes a novel approach to curbing access to piratical Web sites: an Internet death penalty. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20062398-281.html Leahy?s Protect IP Act: Why Internet content wars will never end The media industries, everyone agrees, are in the fight of their lives. These businesses rely for profitability on the controlled distribution of information goods whose individual copies have a marginal cost that keeps getting closer to zero. http://blogs.forbes.com/larrydownes/2011/05/16/leahys-protect-ip-act-why-internet-content-wars-will-never-end/ us: Leahy reintroduces bill targeting rogue sites Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., reintroduced legislation on Thursday aimed at curbing online piracy and counterfeiting, particularly from websites based offshore. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110513_6764.php ?Rogue? Websites Selling Pirated Goods Targeted by U.S. Bill U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation today to combat websites that distribute and sell pirated content and counterfeit goods. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-12/-rogue-websites-selling-pirated-goods-targeted-by-u-s-bill-1-.html us: House ISP-logging proposal would exempt wireless A top House Republican is planning to propose that Internet service providers be required to store information about their customers to aid police in criminal investigations, CNET has learned. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20062125-281.html us: New copyright bill targets ISPs, search engines [IDG] New legislation in the US Senate targeted at reducing copyright piracy on the Internet would allow copyright owners to get court orders requiring Internet service providers and search engines to stop sending traffic to websites accused of trafficking in infringing goods. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/386370/new_copyright_bill_targets_isps_search_engines/ http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9216659/New_copyright_bill_targets_ISPs_search_engines http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/227760/.html us: Lawmakers propose Internet privacy bill for youth Lawmakers on Friday introduced a ?do not track? Internet privacy bill aimed at limiting the collection of personal information about minors who go online from desktop computers or through smart phones. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-tech/post/lawmakers-propose-internet-privacy-bill-for-youth/2011/05/13/AFvN7v2G_blog.html Google Is Said to Have Broken Internal Rules on Drug Ads Google allowed rogue online pharmacies to advertise on its site in violation of its own advertising policies, according to one of the companies subpoenaed in the federal investigation of Google?s drug ad sales. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/14/technology/14google.html U.S. Inquiry of Google on Drug Ads Federal regulators are investigating Google on suspicion of illegally displaying ads for online pharmacies that are operating outside the law, government officials said Thursday. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/13/technology/13google.html ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* Microsoft must simplify for speed Steve Ballmer became chief executive of Microsoft in January 2000, a few months before a federal judge ordered the company to be broken up on antitrust grounds, because it was too powerful and was extending its grip too widely. This ruling was later reversed and, 11 years later Microsoft remains in one piece, and its size and scope has turned into its weakness. http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/b693af60-7c01-11e0-9b16-00144feabdc0.html Skype's the limit as Microsoft waves its chequebook again After the acquisition of Skype, some wonder whether yet another disruptive mouse is about to be sat on by the software elephant? http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/may/15/microsoft-buys-skype-the-networker nz: SPC co-ordinates regional initiatives Ministers responsible for energy, information and communication technology (ICT), and transport ? three sectors that are key to economic development in Pacific Islands countries and territories (PICTs)?met in Noumea, New Caledonia 4?8 April 2011 for an inaugural joint ministerial meeting organised by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). ... SPC and Netsafe, a New Zealand non-profit that promotes cyber-safety, signed an agreement to facilitate the exchange of information between the two organisations and to further improve the effectiveness of the cyber-safety programmes they administer. http://www.islandsbusiness.com/islands_business/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=19687/overideSkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** Data Networks Pose a Threat to Wireless Carriers Today, long-winded talkers need to worry about running out of minutes on their cellphone plans. But someday there will be no minutes to run out of ? just megabytes. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/technology/16phone.html nz: Crown fibre bill reported back to parliament - without hoped-for changes The Broadband Bill is back in parliament for its final lap. Opponents hoping for major changes during the legislation's select committee phase will be disappointed. http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/crown-fibre-bill-reported-back-parliament-without-hoped-changes-ck-93259 nz: Select Committee majority recommends telco bill The Finance and Expenditure committee has recommended that the controversial Telecommunications (TSO, Broadband, and Other Matters) Amendment Bill be passed ? with some changes. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/select-committee-majority-approves-telco-bill nz: Commerce Act penalties ? the bigger they are, the harder they fall? On 19 April 2011, the High Court imposed a penalty of $12 million on Telecom for breaches of section 36 of the Commerce Act 1986 (the Act), the highest penalty ever imposed under the Act (Commerce Commission v Telecom, High Court, Auckland, 19 April 2011, Rodney Hansen J). http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=5442a44c-59df-483e-8c5e-cb3096b81b84 nz: Pressure to deliver on education network The fate of a dedicated high-speed network that would let schools teach over the internet and share resources online is expected to be revealed in this week's Budget. http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/5006652/Pressure-to-deliver-on-education-network +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (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 Mon May 16 2011 - 00:58:54 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Sat Sep 09 2017 - 22:00:10 UTC