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 *************************************************** Council Special Report: Internet Governance in an Age of Cyber Insecurity [September 2010] http://www.cfr.org/terrorism-and-technology/internet-governance-age-cyber-insecurity/p22832 ICANN Final Status Report to the GNSO Council on AGP Limits Policy Implementation http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-02jun11-en.htm ICANN tries to limit rogue registrars http://domainincite.com/icann-tries-to-limit-rogue-registrars/ Australia celebrates 25 years as master of its own domain http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/388909/australia_celebrates_25_years_master_its_own_domain/ .AU Celebrates 25th Birthday Looking Back To King Tut http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=14914 http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/06/06/au-celebrates-25th-birthday-looking-back-to-king-tut/ au: Australian internet celebrates a landmark [AAP] http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/australian-internet-celebrates-a-landmark/story-fn3dxity-1226068302953 http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/australian-internet-celebrates-a-landmark-20110602-1fj2f.html http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/5095047/Kiwi-kids-flock-to-Facebook King Tut looks over .au domain names 25 years http://www.itwire.com/it-industry-news/market/47593-king-tut-looks-over-au-domain-names-25-years .CO Domains Hit the One Million Milestone http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/co_domains_hit_the_one_million_milestone.php au: Security concern as cyber threat grows http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/defence/security-concern-as-cyber-threat-grows/story-e6frg8yo-1226068251852 Canberra to act on cyber threat http://www.theage.com.au/national/canberra-to-act-on-cyber-threat-20110602-1fiwf.html Australia to defend itself in cyber war http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/australia-to-defend-itself-in-cyber-war-20110602-1fizx.html Australia to draft cybersecuity strategy paper http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/388907/australia_draft_cybersecuity_strategy_paper/ Cyber White Paper [Attorney-General, Minister for Defence & Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy joint news release] http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/www/ministers/mcclelland.nsf/Page/MediaReleases_2011_SecondQuarter_3June2011-CyberWhitePaper Cyber attacks run risk of wider instability http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/06/03/us-google-cyberwar-idUKTRE75173F20110603 Confronting the Cyber Threat http://www.cfr.org/technology-and-foreign-policy/confronting-cyber-threat/p15577 Large-scale IPv6 trial set for June 8 http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/060311-ipv6-day.html ch: World IPv6 Day on Wednesday, 8 June 2011 http://www.switch.ch/about/news/2011/world-ipv6-day.html Internet Society?s 24-Hour Test Flight for IPv6 Gains Momentum in Asia http://isoc.org/wp/newsletter/?p=3847 ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** Council Special Report: Internet Governance in an Age of Cyber Insecurity [September 2010] Overview: The Internet, since its debut in 1989, has revolutionized commerce, communication, military action, and governance. Much of the modern world is simply inconceivable without it. This revolution, however, has not come without a price. The annual cost of cyber crime has now climbed to more than $1 trillion, while coordinated cyberattacks have crippled Estonia, Georgia, and Kyrgyzstan and compromised critical infrastructure in countries around the world. While no fewer than six UN bodies and multiple regional and national forums have sought to build a consensus on the future of Internet governance, there has been little progress thus far. The United States has largely abstained from these discussions, instead focusing on developing its own offensive and defensive cybersecurity capabilities while entrusting the ongoing stability of the system to the expertise of the private sector. http://www.cfr.org/terrorism-and-technology/internet-governance-age-cyber-insecurity/p22832 Vodafone calls for internet rules Vodafone has insisted that internet companies should have to comply with national laws on privacy and consumer protection and rejected calls by Facebook, Google and other technology companies for a light-touch approach to policing the web. http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/4f61df00-8fa8-11e0-954d-00144feab49a.html http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4f61df00-8fa8-11e0-954d-00144feab49a.html ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** ICANN Final Status Report to the GNSO Council on AGP Limits Policy Implementation ICANN today is posting its fifth and final status report to the GNSO on the implementation of its recommendations for the Add Grace Period (AGP) Limits Policy. As noted in prior status reports, the success of the Policy is evidenced by the 99.7% reduction in AGP deletes since the Policy went into effect in April 2009. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-02jun11-en.htm ICANN tries to limit rogue registrars As part of its growing efforts to clean up the domain name registrar market, ICANN has introduced background checks for companies applying for accreditation. http://domainincite.com/icann-tries-to-limit-rogue-registrars/ ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** Australia celebrates 25 years as master of its own domain The Australian ICT and business communities yesterday celebrated 25 years on top with .au domain names at a gala event held at Melbourne Museum. AusRegistry, the provider of .au domain names, chief executive, Adrian Kinderis, said Australia is ?punching above its weight in cyberspace?. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/388909/australia_celebrates_25_years_master_its_own_domain/ .AU Celebrates 25th Birthday Looking Back To King Tut The Australian ccTLD .AU turned 25 last week just three months after it reached the two million registrations landmark. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=14914 http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/06/06/au-celebrates-25th-birthday-looking-back-to-king-tut/ au: Australian internet celebrates a landmark [AAP] It is possible that the electric kettle, the toaster and the bicycle enhanced the well-being of humankind more profoundly than the internet. ... It is 25 years since the .au domain name came into being, sparking a revolution to which Australia succumbed with more enthusiasm than any nation on earth - or, presumably, in cyberspace. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/australian-internet-celebrates-a-landmark/story-fn3dxity-1226068302953 http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/australian-internet-celebrates-a-landmark-20110602-1fj2f.html http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/australian-internet-celebrates-a-landmark-20110602-1fj2f.html http://www.watoday.com.au/technology/technology-news/australian-internet-celebrates-a-landmark-20110602-1fj2f.html http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/technology/technology-news/australian-internet-celebrates-a-landmark-20110602-1fj2f.html http://bigpondnews.com/articles/Technology/2011/06/03/Australian_internet_celebrates_landmark_620730.html http://bigpondnews.com/articles/Finance/2011/06/03/Aussie_internet_celebrates_a_landmark_620732.html http://www.skynews.com.au/businessnews/article.aspx?id=620731&vId= http://www.skynews.com.au/tech/article.aspx?id=620730&vId= http://www.news.com.au/technology/australian-internet-celebrates-a-landmark/story-e6frfro0-1226068323520 http://www.perthnow.com.au/lifestyle/technology/australian-internet-celebrates-a-landmark/story-fn7bsj10-1226068323520 http://foreign.peacefmonline.com/news/201106/46360.php http://www.heraldsun.com.au/technology/australian-internet-celebrates-a-landmark/story-fn7celvh-1226068323520 http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/australian-internet-celebrates-a-landmark/story-e6frf7jx-1226068302953 http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/australian-internet-celebrates-a-landmark/story-e6frfku0-1226068302953 http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/breaking-news/australian-internet-celebrates-a-landmark/story-e6freuyi-1226068302953 http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/breaking-news/australian-internet-celebrates-a-landmark/story-e6frea73-1226068302953 http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/breaking-news/australian-internet-celebrates-a-landmark/story-e6freonf-1226068302953 http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/breaking-news/australian-internet-celebrates-a-landmark/story-e6frg12u-1226068302953 http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/5095047/Kiwi-kids-flock-to-Facebook King Tut looks over .au domain names 25 years Australia?s Internet and business communities spent last night reflecting on 3,000 years of Egyptian civilisation and the role of technology in that ancient society, while also celebrating 25 years of .au domain names and the benefits delivered to the Australian economy. http://www.itwire.com/it-industry-news/market/47593-king-tut-looks-over-au-domain-names-25-years Who Cares About 50,000 .CAT's? by Nacho Amadoz This past May 19th, 5 years after its sunrise, puntCAT arrived at the 50,000 domain names landmark. We know that, nowadays, 50,000 domain names may hardly be described as shocking news, and, certainly, this is not our limit, and we believe there's still plenty of room for .cat to grow. Then, who and why should care about this number? http://www.circleid.com/posts/who_cares_about_50000_cat_domains/ .CO Bursts Through 1 Million Domain Milestone .CO Internet S.A.S. announced that it has reached the landmark one millionth .CO domain name registration. Less than one year from the global launch of .CO in July of 2010, individuals, organizations and businesses in more than 200 countries have registered .CO web addresses. http://www.cointernet.co/media/press-releases/co-bursts-through-1-million-domain-milestone .CO Domains Hit the One Million Milestone Domain registration operator .CO Internet announced today that the company has registered the one millionth .CO domain name, less than a year after launching in July 2010. http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/co_domains_hit_the_one_million_milestone.php http://www.nytimes.com/external/readwriteweb/2011/06/02/02readwriteweb-co-domains-hit-the-one-million-milestone-47405.html Internet addresses - Colombia's hottest export? Global brands from Twitter to Amazon are buying up Colombian Internet addresses, as the country's .co domain attracts organisations unable to get their choice of .com address or who want a shorter name. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/06/02/oukin-uk-internet-colombia-idUKTRE75122O20110602 One Million .CO Domains The one millionth .CO domain name was registered on 2 June, less than one year after its global launch .CO Internet S.A.S., the registry operator announced yesterday. Making the one million mark in eleven months makes .CO the fastest growing new global domain name in modern history. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=14885 http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/06/03/one-million-co-domains-in-eleven-months/ A million .co domains registered At some point over the last few weeks the one millionth .co domain was registered, approximately ten months after the domain names became generally available. http://domainincite.com/a-million-co-domains-registered/ .CO domain tops 1M registrations, draws Amazon, Twitter [IDG] The registry operator for the .CO TLD, .CO Internet SAS, has exceeded 1 million domain name registrations, a significant milestone for the company in its efforts to position the domain as a safe, attractive Internet presence option for businesses. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9217239/.CO_domain_tops_1M_registrations_draws_Amazon_Twitter http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/388777/_co_domain_tops_1m_registrations_draws_amazon_twitter/ fi: Annual report online 2010 has been published FICORA's annual report in three languages has been published online. It includes the key points of FICORA's activities in 2010 and changes in the operational environment. ... More than 50,000 new domain names were granted during the year. As a result of an extensive information campaign the number of private persons as holders of fi-domain names rose. Private persons registered more than 9,000 new fi-domain names during the year. At the end of the year, the number of valid fi-domain names totalled about 250,000. http://www.ficora.fi/en/index/viestintavirasto/uutiset/2011/P_18.html Full Chinese .?? Domain Name Open for Public Registration - Register a Chinese and an English Domain Name for the Price of One Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited (HKIRC) today announced the availability of public registration of full Chinese .?? domain names. This means that all customers can now register a pair of English .hk and Chinese .??domain names. https://www.hkirc.hk/company_info/pressrelease.jsp?item=433 my: Enjoy our 50% Corporate Package Register four (4) domain names in one single registration and enjoy 50% discount effective from 1 June 2011 - 31 December 2011. http://domainregistry.my/en/news.php?id=117 Do you have an old priv.no domain? All old priv.no domains can be maintained when priv.no is relaunched 6 June 2011. This is provided that you as the holder accept the new policy and make the necessary updates to the domain. http://www.norid.no/person/eks-privab.en.html ru/rf: Amendments were introduced in the regulatory documents of the CC In compliance with the CC Board?s decision of 30 May 2011, the Terms and Conditions of Domain Names Registration in IDN TLD ??, the Terms and Conditions of Domain Names Registration in TLD RU and the Accreditation Agreement were amended. http://cctld.ru/en/news/news_detail.php?ID=1477 ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** au: Security concern as cyber threat grows The Gillard government has become so concerned about attacks on the computer systems of industry and the public sector it will produce a white paper focusing largely on cyber security. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/defence/security-concern-as-cyber-threat-grows/story-e6frg8yo-1226068251852 Canberra to act on cyber threat Australia is to create its first national cyber strategy to confront the growing threat of electronic espionage, with one of the nation's most senior public servants disclosing that his department endures ''daily'' electronic intrusions. http://www.theage.com.au/national/canberra-to-act-on-cyber-threat-20110602-1fiwf.html Australia to defend itself in cyber war Australia will create its first national cyber strategy to confront the growing threat posed by electronic espionage, theft and state-sponsored cyber attack, with one of the country's most respected public servants revealing his department endures ''daily'' electronic intrusions. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/australia-to-defend-itself-in-cyber-war-20110602-1fizx.html Australia to draft cybersecuity strategy paper In a sign of the growing government acceptance of cyber attacks as genuine threats to national security, Australia will develop its first Cyber White Paper. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/388907/australia_draft_cybersecuity_strategy_paper/ Cyber White Paper [Attorney-General, Minister for Defence & Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy joint news release] The Gillard Government today announced it will develop Australia?s first Cyber White Paper to provide a comprehensive blueprint to help Australians connect to the internet with confidence. http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/www/ministers/mcclelland.nsf/Page/MediaReleases_2011_SecondQuarter_3June2011-CyberWhitePaper Cyber attacks run risk of wider instability >From the satellite pictures on Google Earth, Jinan looks like any other Chinese city -- sprawling construction sites, massive factory blocks, apartment buildings, a university, dozens of railway lines and wide-open plazas. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/06/03/us-google-cyberwar-idUKTRE75173F20110603 Confronting the Cyber Threat Introduction: A series of high-profile events in 2010 and 2011 highlighted the increasing and multifaceted threat of cyberattacks. These include the espionage hacks on Google and Western energy companies, the Stuxnet infiltration of Iranian nuclear sites, and the targeting of government networks in South Korea. http://www.cfr.org/technology-and-foreign-policy/confronting-cyber-threat/p15577 Internet insecurity: Once more unto the breach Defence companies have been left defenceless. A prominent internet giant has found itself the target of an online plot that allowed outsiders to read some of its users? emails. And a media organisation has hit the headlines after its own website was vandalised by digital intruders. The cyber attacks against Lockheed Martin and L-3 Communications, two American defence giants, as well as those against Google and America?s Public Broadcasting System (PBS) differ in their details. But they all highlight the fact that hackers are becoming ever more tenacious and creative in their attempts to get their hands on sensitive data. http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2011/06/internet-insecurity Targeted cyber attacks an 'epidemic' The targeted attack used by hackers to compromise e-mail accounts of top US officials is reaching 'epidemic' proportions, say security experts. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13626104 Chefs Who Spy? Tracking Google's Hackers in China >From this city of six million, Shandong Lanxiang Vocational School quietly churns out 30,000 mechanics, barbers and welders each year. One of its triumphs was training chefs who cooked for Olympic athletes at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304563104576363461062076684.html Google Plays The China Card -- A Diversion From The Cyber-Threat Faced with another threat to the personal information that Google is asking us to entrust to its burgeoning cloud, the company has again indulged a reliable formula for changing the subject: Ratcheting up fear of China. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/02/google-china-gmail-hack_n_870612.html Hacking of White House E-Mail Affected Diverse Departments The computer phishing attack that Google says originated in China was directed, somewhat indiscriminately, at an unknown number of White House staff officials, setting off the Federal Bureau of Investigation inquiry that began this week, according to several administration officials. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/04/technology/04hack.html Gmail Hack Targeted White House People who work at the White House were among those targeted by the China-based hackers who broke into Google Inc.'s Gmail accounts, according to one U.S. official. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304563104576361863723857124.html Google hacking allegations 'very serious' says Clinton The FBI is to investigate "very serious" allegations that the Google mail accounts of senior US government officials have been attacked by Chinese hackers, said the secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, as the long-running war between the technology giant and the Chinese government escalated. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/02/google-hacking-allegations-serious-clinton Gmail hack: phishing finger pointed at China's Lanxiang vocational school Depending on your perspective, Lanxiang vocational school is either the heart of a secretive global hacking conspiracy or a second-rate educational factory that is best known for churning out hairdressers and cooks. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jun/02/chinese-school-implicated-cyber-attacks China brands Google 'snotty-nosed' as cyber feud intensifies China must bolster its online defences in the battle for public opinion, two military officers said on Friday as Beijing sought to portray itself as a victim rather than a perpetrator of cyberwarfare. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/03/china-google-cyber-warfare Hillary Clinton says FBI will investigate Gmail hacking; China denies involvement The FBI will launch an investigation into the hacking of hundreds of Gmail accounts in China, among which were the accounts of some U.S. officials, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Thursday, according to a report. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/06/china-denies-role-in-gmail-hacking-secretary-of-state-clinton-says-fbi-will-investigate.html British intelligence used cupcake recipes to ruin al-Qaida website Whitehall sources have revealed that British intelligence officers successfully sabotaged the launch of the first English language website set up by an al-Qaida affiliate. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jun/02/british-intelligence-ruins-al-qaida-website ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** 8 Security Considerations for IPv6 Deployment Although vendor-written, this contributed piece does not advocate a position that is particular to the author's employer and has been edited and approved by Network World editors. http://www.networkworld.com/news/tech/2011/060111-ipv6-security.html http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/229274/.html What Your Business Can Expect on World IPv6 Day Some 200 technology companies including Akamai, Facebook, and Google will make the switch to IPv6 during the World IPv6 Day trial for 24 hours June 8. The test is intended to see how ready technology companies are to handle IPv6 addresses as well as what to expect when Websites are obliged to enable IPv6 in the future. There could be glitches Wednesday, but the Internet Society (ISOC) estimates that 99.95 percent of all users worldwide will not notice anything at all this Wednesday. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/229362/.html Large-scale IPv6 trial set for June 8 The largest experiment in the 40-year history of the Internet will take place on Wednesday, as hundreds of websites test a new standard called IPv6 that can support vastly more devices with faster, lower-cost connectivity than today's technology. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/060311-ipv6-day.html http://www.infoworld.com/d/networking/large-scale-ipv6-trial-set-june-8-046 ch: World IPv6 Day on Wednesday, 8 June 2011 There are technologies that are extremely important but are slow to gain ground. IPv6, the new version of the Internet protocol, is one of these. The Internet Society has thus declared Wednesday, 8 June 2011 to be World IPv6 Day, on which the new Internet protocol will be tested. http://www.switch.ch/about/news/2011/world-ipv6-day.html Internet Society?s 24-Hour Test Flight for IPv6 Gains Momentum in Asia The Internet Society, the world?s trusted source of Internet leadership and coordinator of World IPv6 Day today announced that major websites in Asia, including Yahoo! Japan, are committing to join World IPv6 Day ? the first large scale ?test flight? of the new Internet Protocol, IPv6. http://isoc.org/wp/newsletter/?p=3847 World IPv6 Day Participation Continues to Grow Hundreds of websites and Internet service providers around the world are joining Facebook, Google, Yahoo, Akamai, Limelight Networks as participants in World IPv6 Day for the first global-scale trial of the new Internet Protocol, IPv6, being organized by the Internet Society. http://isoc.org/wp/newsletter/?p=3851 DHCP for IPv4 vs. IPv6 - What You Need to Know by Richard Donaldson Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) is a protocol intended to enable machines (servers, game consols, etc) wishing to be "online" the ability to request Internet Protocol information from a DHCP server automatically. ... In this article we will begin to outline some of the fundamental differences between DHCPv4 and DHCPv6, explore historical uses of DHCPv4 and how those concepts will adapt/change in IPv6. http://www.circleid.com/posts/dhcp_for_ipv4_vs_ipv6_what_you_need_to_know/ ARIN-Issued Daily Report Includes IPv6 ARIN is pleased to announce the implementation of ACSP Suggestion 2011.6 - Add IPv6 addresses to arin-issued daily report. Starting 1 June, ARIN will publish a daily report of both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses returned and addresses issued to the existing subscriber mailing list and an RSS feed. https://www.arin.net/announcements/2011/20110601.html ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Verisign's Matt Larson Wins 2011 InfoWorld Technology Leadership Award VeriSign, Inc. ... announced that Matt Larson, the company's vice president of DNS research and a well-known expert on the Domain Name System, has won an InfoWorld Technology Leadership Award for 2011. http://www.verisigninc.com/en_US/news-events/press-room/articles/index.xhtml?artLink=aHR0cHM6Ly9wcmVzcy52ZXJpc2lnbi5jb20vZWFzeWlyL2N1c3RvbXJlbC5kbz9lYXN5aXJpZD1BRkMwRkYwREI1QzU2MEQzJnZlcnNpb249bGl2ZSZwcmlkPTc2MjgzNSZyZWxlYXNlanNwPWN1c3RvbV85Nw== ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Two of the Year's 10 Biggest Domain Sales Were Completed This Week Along With the Year's 2nd Biggest ccTLD Sale The domain aftermarket enjoyed a very solid outing this week, generating two of the year's ten biggest sales, plus 2011's 2nd biggest country code sale and its 4th largest non .com gTLD sale. http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2011/20110601.htm New Wave of Domain Monetization Companies Seek to Cash in on Dissatisfaction With Reduced Payouts at Current Parking Providers It's no secret that PPC earnings have fallen off a cliff the past couple of years, leaving a lot of domain owners ready and willing to pull up stakes and move on - if they only had somewhere to go. With the parking revenue declines affecting all of the current players that rely on Google or Yahoo (now Bing) as their upstream provider, there haven't been a lot of options. http://dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2011/dailyposts/20110603.htm Czech Mate: After Making Sweet Music With Elephant Orchestra Jan Barta is Out to Conquer the Rest of the Business World Can you imagine losing everything you own? Not just you, but every member of your family losing everything they own as well? Jan Barta, one of the brightest young stars in the domain industry (as well as in the Czech Republic's mainstream business world) can imagine it because his family lived it. http://dnjournal.com/cover/2011/may.htm ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** How the smartphone is killing the PC The smartphones in our pockets are far more powerful than the desktop computers we dreamed of in the 1980s. This year they are outselling PCs ? and soon they could replace our wallets as well http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jun/05/smartphones-killing-pc Data Grows, and So Do Storage Sites When people had only one or two computers, file sharing wasn?t a big worry. Now, gaining access to personal files is a chore for people who own an arsenal of computers, smartphones and tablets. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/06/technology/internet/06dropbox.html Russian Internet Growth Provides Opportunity and Challenge Russia is one of the largest and fastest growing Internet markets in Europe, but remains dominated by local players. As such, it represents a unique opportunity for expansion but a challenging market, according to recent research. http://blogs.wsj.com/tech-europe/2011/06/03/russian-internet-growth-provides-opportunity-and-challenge/ Google to abandon older browsers Google is phasing out support for older browsers from 1 August. Those using IE7, Safari 3, Firefox 3.5 and their predecessors to view Gmail, Google Calendar, Talk, Docs and Sites will then lose some functions. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13639875 ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Can Twitter predict the future? Businesses are mining online messages to unearth consumers' moods - and even make market predictions One day in 2008 an anonymous Twitter user posted a message: ?I am certainly not bored. way busy! feel great!? That is all well and good, one might think, but utterly uninteresting to anyone besides the author and, perhaps, a few friends. Not so, according to Johan Bollen, of Indiana University Bloomington, who collected the tweet, along with plenty of others sent that day. All were rated for emotional content. Many proved similarly chirpy, scoring high on confidence, energy and happiness. Indeed, Dr Bollen reckons, on the day the tweet was posted, America?s collective mood perked up a notch. When he and his team examined all the data for the autumn and winter of 2008, they found that Twitter users? collective mood swings coincided with national events. Happiness shot up around Thanksgiving, for example. http://www.economist.com/node/18750604 Facebook attracts 700m members worldwide Facebook is nearing 700 million global users, its surging membership being enhanced with millions of recruits from developing countries. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/facebook-attracts-700m-members-worldwide/story-e6frgakx-1226068480803 nz: Make way for the next Facebook generation Two-thirds of New Zealand children aged six to nine are using social networking sites for kids, according to a survey. http://tvnz.co.nz/technology-news/make-way-next-facebook-generation-4204981 Kiwi kids flock to Facebook Make way for the next Facebook generation. Two-thirds of New Zealand children aged six to nine are using social networking sites for kids, according to a survey. http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5094872/Kiwi-kids-flock-to-Facebook http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/5095047/Kiwi-kids-flock-to-Facebook http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/business/5094170/Social-networking-fun-for-the-young http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/business/5094170/Social-networking-fun-for-the-young http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/5094170/Social-networking-fun-for-the-young http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/business/5094170/Social-networking-fun-for-the-young http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/5094170/Social-networking-fun-for-the-young http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/business/5094170/Social-networking-fun-for-the-young http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/5094170/Social-networking-fun-for-the-young/ Investing in your kid's digital footprint Meet Lucy Boudreaux, the queen of social media. She has a personal website at Lucyboudreaux.com, is §lucyboudreaux on Twitter, and has her own Gmail address, as well as an active Facebook page. http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/5090381/Investing-in-your-kids-digital-footprint ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ Russia: Where keeping child porn is legal Keen, bright-eyed and earnest, the little boy answers the Russian investigator's questions enthusiastically, as if describing a cartoon, not sexual abuse. http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/06/02/russia.child.porn/ uk: Music videos face crackdown over sexualised content Tighter regulations on sexualised music videos and a single portal for parents to complain about products that are inappropriate for children are to be proposed by a government report into the sexualisation and commercialisation of childhood. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jun/02/music-videos-face-crackdown-sexualised-content uk: Better child blocks on porn call Parents need much more help in protecting children from online porn, a review commissioned by the prime minister is to say. The Bailey Review says parents should be able to buy computers, devices or internet services with adult content already blocked, rather than having to impose controls themselves. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-13641451 au: Getting back to cyber security basics [news release] When it comes to making sure our online experiences are safe and secure, the Australian Communications and Media Authority believes we can all take some time to brush up on the basics. http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_410040 au: Screen but not heard: kids tap into digital age A QUARTER of three-year-olds with internet access go online every day, a ground-breaking study into the use of digital media by children has revealed. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/screen-but-not-heard-kids-tap-into-digital-age-20110604-1fmee.html http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/kids/kids-education-and-play/screen-but-not-heard-kids-tap-into-digital-age-20110606-1fo6i.html http://www.watoday.com.au/technology/technology-news/screen-but-not-heard-kids-tap-into-digital-age-20110604-1fmee.html http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/technology/technology-news/screen-but-not-heard-kids-tap-into-digital-age-20110604-1fmee.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/screen-but-not-heard-kids-tap-into-digital-age-20110604-1fmee.html Screen but not heard: kids tap into digital age With the rise of online gadgetry, many children are becoming switched on to screens before they can walk. http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/screen-but-not-heard-kids-tap-into-digital-age-20110604-1fmee.html nz: Calls to close teen love sites Teenage lovers are rating their partners' performance on Facebook, in a new phenomenon that has alarmed child protection authorities. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/connect/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501833&objectid=10730328 us: Lawmakers Propose Teen 'Sexting' Law New York state lawmakers are advancing a bill that would create an "educational reform program" for teenagers who get in trouble for creating and sharing pornographic images of minors. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304474804576367960734408624.html us: FTC, Department of Justice to Host Forum on Child Identity Theft [news release] The FTC and the Department of Justice?s Office for Victims of Crime will host ?Stolen Futures: A Forum on Child Identity Theft,? on July 12, 2011. The forum will be held at the FTC Conference facility at 601 New Jersey Avenue N.W., Washington DC, 20001, starting at 8:30 AM. It is free and open to the public. http://ftc.gov/opa/2011/06/childtheft.shtm ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** au: Music and film industries split over pirates The music industry has backflipped on its long-held demands that repeat music pirates be disconnected from the internet as a new UN report declares such a policy would be a breach of human rights and international law. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/music-and-film-industries-split-over-pirates-20110606-1fo8q.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/music-and-film-industries-split-over-pirates-20110606-1fo8q.html ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Emissions from mobiles are lower, claim phone companies Choosing a mobile phone is confusing enough but deciding what risk the phone might pose to your health and how to minimise it is an even trickier issue. http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/emissions-from-mobiles-are-lower-claim-phone-companies-20110602-1fj0k.html http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/emissions-from-mobiles-are-lower-claim-phone-companies-20110602-1fj0k.html au: Smartphone safety campaigns need to be sexier The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) have called for targeted smartphone and cybersafety campaigns and the use of social networking sites to make sure messages get through to more consumers. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/388906/smartphone_safety_campaigns_need_sexier/ Ofcom warns 4G mobiles will scramble TV signals Next generation mobile phones will disrupt digital television when they launch in 2013 unless the companies do something about it, the communications watchdog warned yesterday. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/ofcom-warns-4g-mobiles-will-scramble-tv-signals-2292411.html Future mobile to hit digital TV Interference from future mobile technologies might mean digital TV becomes unwatchable for some Britons, says watchdog Ofcom. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13633790 Reducing interference between digital TV and future mobile services [news release] Ofcom today set out proposals to ensure that digital TV delivered through a roof top aerial can function alongside the next generation of mobile services to be rolled out from 2013. http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2011/06/02/reducing-interference-between-digital-tv-and-future-mobile-services/ Non-ITU compliant home network equipment may cause problems Concerns that home networking products using power line transmission (PLT) technology may cause interference with radio services led to a Forum last week in Geneva to address the issue. ITU?s own home networking standard ITU-T G.hn was considered to have electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and mitigation techniques that go well beyond those considered essential for protecting radio services. http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2011/18.aspx ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** The top cyber threats of 2011, so far - spear phishing and mobile malware, particularly for Android, are on the rise, McAfee says Global spam volumes dropped in early 2011 to their lowest levels since 2007, from a peak of about 5 trillion messages a day worldwide in July 2010 to about 1.5 trillion a day in March, according to the most recent online Threats Report from McAfee. http://gcn.com/articles/2011/06/03/threat-trends-spear-phishing-android-malware.aspx McAfee Q1 Threats Report Reveals Surge in Malware and Drop in SPAM [news release] McAfee today released the McAfee Threats Report: First Quarter 2011. With six million unique samples of recorded malware, Q1 2011 was the most active first quarter in malware history. The report revealed many of the trends that had a significant impact on the threat landscape, such as the takedown of the Rustock botnet, which resulted in spam remaining at its lowest levels since 2007, and confirmed that mobile malware is the new frontier of cybercrime. http://www.mcafee.com/uk/about/news/2011/q2/20110601-01.aspx Opinion: Google: a tiger we musn't feed It's the season of cyber-panic. On iPlayer, you can watch Adam Curtis tying together Ayn Rand, the crash of 2008 and early 20th century botany into a warning about computers threatening civilisation. The aftershocks of Nicholas Carr's admirably impactful book The Shallows ripple on, spreading an uneasy suspicion that the internet is corroding our mental faculties. Last week Nicolas Sarkozy hosted the eG8 forum, dragging the technology industry's big players to Paris, and lecturing them with a De Gaulle-esque sweep about the inviolable supremacy of governments, and the dangers of the online realm becoming "a parallel universe outside laws and morals". http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jun/02/google-claws-web-dominance-challenged Confronting the Cyber Threat Introduction: A series of high-profile events in 2010 and 2011 highlighted the increasing and multifaceted threat of cyberattacks. These include the espionage hacks on Google and Western energy companies, the Stuxnet infiltration of Iranian nuclear sites, and the targeting of government networks in South Korea. http://www.cfr.org/technology-and-foreign-policy/confronting-cyber-threat/p15577 Internet insecurity: Once more unto the breach Defence companies have been left defenceless. A prominent internet giant has found itself the target of an online plot that allowed outsiders to read some of its users? emails. And a media organisation has hit the headlines after its own website was vandalised by digital intruders. The cyber attacks against Lockheed Martin and L-3 Communications, two American defence giants, as well as those against Google and America?s Public Broadcasting System (PBS) differ in their details. But they all highlight the fact that hackers are becoming ever more tenacious and creative in their attempts to get their hands on sensitive data. http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2011/06/internet-insecurity Targeted cyber attacks an 'epidemic' The targeted attack used by hackers to compromise e-mail accounts of top US officials is reaching 'epidemic' proportions, say security experts. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13626104 Chefs Who Spy? Tracking Google's Hackers in China >From this city of six million, Shandong Lanxiang Vocational School quietly churns out 30,000 mechanics, barbers and welders each year. One of its triumphs was training chefs who cooked for Olympic athletes at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304563104576363461062076684.html Google Plays The China Card -- A Diversion From The Cyber-Threat Faced with another threat to the personal information that Google is asking us to entrust to its burgeoning cloud, the company has again indulged a reliable formula for changing the subject: Ratcheting up fear of China. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/02/google-china-gmail-hack_n_870612.html Hacking of White House E-Mail Affected Diverse Departments The computer phishing attack that Google says originated in China was directed, somewhat indiscriminately, at an unknown number of White House staff officials, setting off the Federal Bureau of Investigation inquiry that began this week, according to several administration officials. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/04/technology/04hack.html Gmail Hack Targeted White House People who work at the White House were among those targeted by the China-based hackers who broke into Google Inc.'s Gmail accounts, according to one U.S. official. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304563104576361863723857124.html Google hacking allegations 'very serious' says Clinton The FBI is to investigate "very serious" allegations that the Google mail accounts of senior US government officials have been attacked by Chinese hackers, said the secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, as the long-running war between the technology giant and the Chinese government escalated. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/02/google-hacking-allegations-serious-clinton Gmail hack: phishing finger pointed at China's Lanxiang vocational school Depending on your perspective, Lanxiang vocational school is either the heart of a secretive global hacking conspiracy or a second-rate educational factory that is best known for churning out hairdressers and cooks. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jun/02/chinese-school-implicated-cyber-attacks China brands Google 'snotty-nosed' as cyber feud intensifies China must bolster its online defences in the battle for public opinion, two military officers said on Friday as Beijing sought to portray itself as a victim rather than a perpetrator of cyberwarfare. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/03/china-google-cyber-warfare Hillary Clinton says FBI will investigate Gmail hacking; China denies involvement The FBI will launch an investigation into the hacking of hundreds of Gmail accounts in China, among which were the accounts of some U.S. officials, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Thursday, according to a report. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/06/china-denies-role-in-gmail-hacking-secretary-of-state-clinton-says-fbi-will-investigate.html British intelligence used cupcake recipes to ruin al-Qaida website Whitehall sources have revealed that British intelligence officers successfully sabotaged the launch of the first English language website set up by an al-Qaida affiliate. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jun/02/british-intelligence-ruins-al-qaida-website Phishing: just the FAQs Phishing is "the act of defrauding an online account holder of information by posing as a legitimate company", according to the dictionary. Most people will already be familiar with it through the stream of spam emails arriving in their inboxes pretending that there has been a "security update" to their bank, credit card, online shop or similar system. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jun/02/phishing-faq-spam-fraud-online Email Fraud Hides Behind Friendly Face Most people know to ignore the e-mail overture from a Nigerian prince offering riches in exchange for a bank account number. That is a scam, plain to the eye. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/03/technology/03hack.html China PLA officers call Internet key battleground China must make mastering cyber-warfare a military priority as the Internet becomes the crucial battleground for opinion and intelligence, two military officers said on Friday, two days after Google revealed hacking attacks that it said came from China. http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/06/03/idINIndia-57471620110603 http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/06/03/oukin-uk-china-internet-google-idUKTRE7520P520110603 China rejects Gmail spying claims China has rejected allegations of involvement in a cyber-spying campaign targeting the Google e-mail accounts of top US officials, military personnel and journalists. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13626548 China denies Gmail hacking accusations China has rejected Google's accusations that it is behind a wave of high-level hacking attacks and said its critics had "ulterior motives" in trying to blame the government in Beijing. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/02/china-denies-google-hacking-accusations China rejects Google allegation of massive hacking breach as ?fabrication? Google?s allegation that hackers based in China accessed hundreds of Gmail accounts, including some belonging to senior U.S. officials, drew angry denials from Chinese government officials on Thursday, with a foreign ministry spokesman calling the accusation ?a fabrication out of thin air.? http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/china-rejects-google-allegation-of-massive-hacking-breach-as-fabrication/2011/06/02/AGMdsEHH_story.html Beijing Fires Back at Google China denied that the country was the source of recent attacks against users of Google Inc.'s email service. But the government in recent weeks has acknowledged taking a more active role in policing cyberspace to defend against security threats. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304563104576361300123816450.html Google phishing: Chinese Gmail attack raises cyberwar tensions Tensions between the US, UK and China over the issue of cyber-attacks were set to escalate after it emerged that Chinese hackers have stolen the login details of hundreds of senior US and South Korean government officials as well as Chinese political activists. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jun/01/google-hacking-chinese-attack-gmail Google Says Hackers in China Stole Gmail Passwords Google said Wednesday that hundreds of users of Gmail, its e-mail service, had been the targets of clandestine attacks apparently originating in China that were aimed at stealing their passwords and monitoring their e-mail. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/02/technology/02google.html Google says hackers in China got access to Gmail accounts Hackers in China obtained access to the personal Google email accounts of senior U.S. government officials, Chinese political activists, officials from several Asian countries, journalists, military personnel and hundreds of others, Google said Wednesday in a blog post. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-china-hackers-20110602,0,4544920.story Google Mail Hack Blamed on China Google Inc. said Chinese hackers targeted the email accounts of senior U.S. officials and hundreds of other prominent people in a fresh computer attack certain to intensify growing concern about the security of the Internet. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303657404576359770243517568.html Chinese Newspaper Editor: China Gets Hacked, Too A day after Google?s latest revelation of an apparently China-based hacker attack on Gmail, the editor of a nationalistic Chinese tabloid posted a furious message online decrying repeated accusations that China is hacking into foreign computers. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2011/06/02/after-google-chinese-newspaper-editor-china-gets-hacked-too/ Stolen Data Is Tracked to Hacking at Lockheed Lockheed Martin said Friday that it had proof that hackers breached its network two weeks ago partly by using data stolen from a vendor that supplies coded security tokens to tens of millions of computer users. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/04/technology/04security.html Nintendo becomes latest victim in global wave of cyber-attacks Nintendo has become the latest victim in a wave of hacking attacks, the Japanese gaming company confirmed. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/jun/05/technology-nintendo Hackers claim another raid on Sony accounts It was supposed to be the day Sony clawed back some pride. Yesterday morning, the company announced that its PSN network was back online after the biggest hacking attack in history more than a month earlier. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/hackers-claim-another-raid-on-sony-accounts-2292524.html Hackers attack another Sony network Sony has been hit by a second massive data breach, hackers claim, another potential embarrassment for a company that is struggling to restore its image following the loss of millions of credit card numbers through its PlayStation Network. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jun/03/sony-network-hackers-lulzec Sony network attacked again, hackers claim A hacker group has claimed it has attacked the Sony network and stolen more than one million passwords, e-mail addresses and other information. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13636704 Sony Pictures Confirms Hacker Attack Sony Corp.'s movie studio confirmed Friday it had been hit by a hacker attack, and said it was working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to find the people responsible. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304563104576363960728728464.html nz: National cyber centre likely as worries rise The government is set to establish a national cyber security centre to beef up New Zealand's cyber defences as concerns mount over both cyber warfare and international commercial espionage. http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/5103015/National-cyber-centre-likely-as-worries-rise nz: Rhys Darby to fight internet piracy United States movie studios have scored a coup against internet rights advocates by recruiting irreverent comedian Rhys Darby to front a promotional video on internet piracy. http://tvnz.co.nz/entertainment-news/rhys-darby-fight-internet-piracy-4207325 Facebook rejects NY man's claim of half-ownership Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has said that an alleged contract and e-mails that a New York man claims entitle him to a 50% stake in the social networking site are "forgeries". http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13635163 Hidden camera app snaps stolen laptop suspect An alleged laptop thief has been arrested after his victim used a secret application on the computer to track its whereabouts and take photographs of the perpetrator. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jun/01/man-uses-app-track-alleged-laptop-thief ************************** PRIVACY ************************** "Who Has Your Back" In Depth: Fighting For Users' Privacy Rights in Court EFF recently launched a campaign calling on companies to stand with their users when the government comes looking for data. (If you haven?t done so, sign our petition urging companies to provide better transparency and privacy.) This article will provide a more detailed look at one of the four categories in which a company can earn a gold star in our campaign: fighting for users' privacy rights in court. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/04/who-has-your-back-depth-fighting-user-rights eu: Data Retention Directive does not respect privacy: EU watchdog The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDSP), Peter Hustinx, has determined that current EU legislation on the retention of personal data goes against the rights to privacy and data protection. http://www.euractiv.com/en/infosociety/data-retention-directive-respect-privacy-eu-watchdog-news-505332 ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Internet Service Mostly Restored in Syria Syrian security forces besieged a new town in the country's northwest on Saturday, using helicopters to bring in troops and special forces as President Bashar al-Assad's regime escalates a campaign to crush dissent in restive towns. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303745304576365320924377788.html Syria Internet service said to be restored [IDG] The Internet in Syria was back on Saturday, a day after it was reported that two-thirds of Syrian networks had been cut off from the rest of the world in the wake of civil unrest in the country. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9217318/Syria_Internet_service_said_to_be_restored_ http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/060411-syria-internet-service-said-to.html Syria internet services shut down as protesters fill streets All internet service in Syria has been cut as roughly 50,000 protesters filled the streets in a call for "Children's Friday" to remember the dozens of children killed in the protests, and to demand the "immediate resignation" of President Bashar al-Assad. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/syria-internet-services-shut-down-as-protesters-fill-streets/2011/06/03/AGtLwxHH_blog.html Syrian Internet Networks Shut Down as Protests Against Assad Intensify About two-thirds of Syria?s Internet networks became unreachable today as protests against President Bashar al-Assad intensified. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-03/two-thirds-of-syrian-internet-networks-shut-down-renesys-says.html Syria drops off the Internet amid turmoil In what appears to be the latest bid by a government to throttle access to news and information amid growing civil unrest, the Syrian government Friday shut down all Internet services. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9217292/Syria_drops_off_the_Internet_amid_turmoil Syria Cuts Web Amid Renewed Protests Syria took new steps to pull the plug on persistent antiregime protests, cutting off most Internet and mobile data connections Friday as tens of thousands of people braved lethal consequences to participate in marches throughout the country. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304563104576363251815726770.html Thomas L. Friedman's Technological Advice for China TO: President Hu Jintao: SUBJECT: The Arab Spring: Dear President Hu: You asked for our assessment of the Arab Spring. Our conclusion is that the revolutions in the Arab world contain some important lessons for the rule of the Chinese Communist Party, because what this contagion reveals is something very new about of how revolutions unfold in the 21st century and something very old about why they explode. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/05/opinion/05friedman.html CDT Statement on UN Special Rapporteur's Report on Free Expression & the Internet The Center for Democracy & Technology welcomes the release today of United Nations Special Rapporteur Frank La Rue's report on freedom of expression and the Internet. The report, presented to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, is a significant contribution towards the development of a progressive human rights jurisprudence for the global Internet. http://cdt.org/media U.N. Special Rapporteur Calls Upon States to Protect Anonymous Speakers Online On June 3, EFF will begin live coverage of a critical discussion about online freedom of expression held by the 47 member states of the U.N Human Rights Council during its seventeenth session in Geneva. The meeting will include the introduction of a landmark report to the Council by United Nations Special Rapporteur Frank La Rue that advocates safeguards to protect free expression online including privacy and anonymity. https://www.eff.org/UN-Special-Rapporteur-Protection-Anonymity ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** Asean cyberlaw still some way to go Cyberlaws are needed to regulate the shift as more companies look to move their business from the physical to the virtual world to tap cloud computing benefits, but such regulations are still some ways off in Southeast Asia. http://www.zdnetasia.com/asean-cyberlaw-still-some-way-to-go-62300533.htm Vodafone calls for internet rules Vodafone has insisted that internet companies should have to comply with national laws on privacy and consumer protection and rejected calls by Facebook, Google and other technology companies for a light-touch approach to policing the web. http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/4f61df00-8fa8-11e0-954d-00144feab49a.html http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4f61df00-8fa8-11e0-954d-00144feab49a.html UN expert warns against Government control of the Internet The UN's special rapporteur on freedom of expression, Frank La Rue, has tabled a report saying that there should be minimal restriction of information on the Internet but warning that Governments are increasingly controlling the Internet because of its potential to mobilise people to challenge the status quo. http://www.itwire.com/it-policy-news/government-tech-policy/47622-un-expert-warns-against-government-control-of-the-internet uk: Cameron-backed report to protect children from commercialisation David Cameron is to back a plan to stop retailers selling inappropriate clothes for pre-teens and shield children from sexualised imagery across all media, including selling "lads magazines" in brown covers and making the watchdog Ofcom more answerable to the views of parents. ... Recommendations in the review, entitled Let children be children, include: ... Making it easier for parents to block age restricted material on the internet. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/jun/03/cameron-backed-report-commercialisation-childhood us: Big Media Tramples On Constitutional Rights to Protect Antiquated Business Model In its ongoing battle against music piracy, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is backing a bill in the California legislature, SB 550, which permits the police to disregard the Fourth Amendment. SB 550 would allow law enforcement to search without a warrant any CD, DVD, Blu-Ray or other ?optical disc? manufacturer to ensure the discs they are producing carry legally required identification marks. SB 550 easily passed in the Senate yesterday and is now headed to the State Assembly. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/05/big-media-tramples-constitutional-rights-protect au: Steering Committee on national broadband capability for police and emergency services [news release] Attorney-General Robert McClelland today released the terms of reference for a multi-jurisdictional Steering Committee to develop a plan to equip Australia?s public safety agencies with reliable and robust mobile broadband capability. http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/www/ministers/mcclelland.nsf/Page/MediaReleases_2011_SecondQuarter_6June2011-Steeringcommitteeonnationalbroadbandcapabilityforpoliceandemergencyservices ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* German Internet companies - where are they? While Germany remains a big user of the Internet, which contributes significantly to its economy, the country has struggled to create a dotcom industry of scale to cash in on soaring global demand for Web services. http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15126087,00.html nz: Gong for computer junk, e-literacy pioneer Digital literacy and e-waste campaigner Laurence Zwimpfer has been made a Member of the NZ order of Merit Wellington for services to information technology. http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/gong-computer-junk-e-literacy-pioneer-ck-94784 ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** Fury over advert claiming Egypt revolution as Vodafone's Vodafone is facing a backlash in Egypt over an advert suggesting it helped inspire this year's revolution in the country. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/03/vodafone-egypt-advert-claims-revolution ISPs sceptical of ACMA customer service report The nation?s internet service providers (ISPs) have responded with scepticism at recommendations for lifting customer service contained in the communication regulator?s draft Reconnecting the Customer report. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/389083/isps_sceptical_acma_customer_service_report/ au: ACMA takes aim at telcos, looks at TIO revamp The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has launched a draft report focussed on addressing telecommunications industry?s poor customer service record, with the authority arguing that self regulation may be doing the industry harm. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/388770/acma_takes_aim_telcos_looks_tio_revamp/ au: Internet 2.0: your guide to the national broadband network If email was the "killer app" which got so many of us hooked on the net when it first came out, then what will a faster, national broadband network (NBN)-connected future look like? The answer to that is what a new book, named A Faster Future, endeavours to find out http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/internet-20-your-guide-to-the-national-broadband-network-20110603-1fj9j.html au: Telcos, ISPs agree to code PHONE and internet companies have agreed to a new code to improve service and the handling of complaints in the face of record complaints from customers. http://www.theage.com.au/business/telcos-isps-agree-to-code-20110604-1fm8m.html India Tightens Security Rules for Telecom Equipment India's Department of Telecommunications tightened rules for telecom equipment, making service providers responsible for any security breach in the operators' networks and has placed a fine of up to 500 million rupees ($11.1 million) on any such case. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303745304576358752284968790.html ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR ONLINE CHILD PROTECTION ********************************** au: 'Morbid curiosity' with child porn led man to download 4000 images; no jail time A man who was busted by an online police operation with more than 4000 child pornography images on his computer escaped time in prison yesterday. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/morbid-curiosity-with-child-porn-led-man-to-download-4000-images-no-jail-time/story-fn3dxity-1226068518104 au/us: Alleged US molester 'trawled chat rooms' [AAP] A logo on a piece of clothing and a Google search has helped track down an Australian girl US police believe was one of many young victims of alleged US child predator Stephen Vosilla. http://bigpondnews.com/articles/World/2011/06/04/Alleged_US_molester_trawled_chat_rooms_621272.html http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/us-police-find-australian-victim-of-alleged-child-predator-through-google/story-e6frf7jo-1226069131305 http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-world/alleged-us-net-molester-snares-aussie-girl-20110604-1flst.html http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/8257344/alleged-us-molester-snare-aussie-girl http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/alleged-us-molester-trawled-chat-rooms-4206606 au: Clothing logo links NSW girl to internet 'predator' AN AUSTRALIAN clothing logo provided a critical clue in the search for a girl believed to be the victim of an alleged US child predator. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/clothing-logo-links-nsw-girl-to-internet-predator-20110604-1fm5p.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/clothing-logo-links-nsw-girl-to-internet-predator-20110604-1fm5p.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 Sun Jun 05 2011 - 23:43:23 UTC
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