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 *************************************************** ICANN Publishes Registrant Rights and Responsibilities Webpage http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-27jun11-en.htm US extends ICANN?s IANA contract http://domainincite.com/us-extends-icanns-iana-contract/ Outsourcing and Registry Operations Present Challenges to New TLD Applicants by Alexa Raad http://www.circleid.com/posts/20110627_outsourcing_registry_operations_challenges_to_new_tld_applicants/ Insiders suspected in distribute.IT hack http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/insiders-suspected-in-victoria-web-host-hack/story-e6frgakx-1226083028299 Netregistry CEO Offers Insight Into Web Host Distribute.IT Hack Investigation http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/062711_Netregistry_CEO_Suspects_Insiders_in_Web_Host_DistributeIT_Hack Why the Internet Is Fundamentally Less Secure Than It Used To Be http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/mimssbits/26936/ Massive botnet 'indestructible,' say researchers http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9218034/Massive_botnet_indestructible_say_researchers Hacking group Anonymous is planning on targeting Australian banks after already breaching a Sydney Council http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/hackers-to-target-aussie-banks/story-fn7bsi21-1226084538194 Hackers to target Australian banks http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/hackers-to-target-australian-banks/story-fn6b3v4f-1226084775578 Hackers beware: Australian govt tightens policies against cyber attacks http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/170370/20110628/hackers-beware-australian-govt-tightens-policies-against-cyber-attacks.htm Olympics Committee Issues Social Media Guidelines For London 2012, Including Domain Names http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=15136 Netregistry loses some Click 'n Go customers following acquisition http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/391881/netregistry_loses_some_click_n_go_customers_following_acquisition/ ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** OECD leaders split on web's future An OECD debate in Paris on internet governance has thrown up conflicting visions of the future, with politicians and consumer groups disputing key issues on web openness and freedoms. http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/368332/oecd-leaders-split-on-webs-future http://www.pcauthority.com.au/News/262048,oecd-leaders-split-on-webs-future.aspx NTIA Statement on the OECD's Announcement of Principles for Internet Policy-making at its Meeting on the Internet Economy ... The following may be attributed to Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Administrator Lawrence E. Strickling: ?Today?s OECD agreement is major achievement that will support the continued innovation and growth of the global Internet economy. The policy-making principles provide a shared framework for addressing Internet issues while promoting an open, interconnected Internet that encourages investment and the trust of its users. Today?s announcement also reflects a growing global consensus on the value of the multi-stakeholder approach towards addressing Internet challenges, an approach that remains critical to the Internet?s success.? http://www.ntia.doc.gov/press/2011/OECD_Internet_policymaking_statement_06292011.html Governments tested on their new Internet principles by Kieren McCarthy A government conference that intends to produce a groundbreaking set of Internet principles is already being tested on those very rules, thanks to an argument over intellectual property. http://news.dot-nxt.com/2011/06/28/governments-tested-on-internet-principles EFF Declines to Endorse OECD Draft Communiqu? on Principles for Internet Policy-Making EFF has joined with a coalition of more than 80 global civil society groups which have declined to endorse a set of Internet Policy Principles presented today in Paris by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). EFF and the other members of the OECD?s Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council (CSISAC) were unwilling to accept the high profile OECD Communiqu? on Internet Policy-making because it could encourage states to use Internet intermediaries to police online content, undermining freedom of expression, privacy and innovation across the world. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/06/eff-declines-endorse-oecd-communiqu-principles OECD internet policy guidelines hit turbulence A coalition of 80 international consumer and privacy groups have "declined" to negotiate on the text of a draft set of internet policy guidelines overnight, amid concerns they undermined internet freedom. http://www.itnews.com.au/News/262006,oecd-internet-policy-guidelines-hit-turbulence.aspx ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** ICANN Publishes Registrant Rights and Responsibilities Webpage ICANN has published a document that identifies available registrant rights and responsibilities under the 2009 Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA), on a webpage that summarizes available registrant rights and responsibilities including those that arise under ICANN Consensus Policies and specifications, as they are incorporated in the RAA: http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-27jun11-en.htm US extends ICANN?s IANA contract ICANN has received a six-month extension to its crucial IANA contract, apparently in order to give the US government more time to take public comments and make amendments. http://domainincite.com/us-extends-icanns-iana-contract/ ICANN Domain Name Decision Set to Change the Face of the Internet Forever In a landmark decision last week in Singapore, ICANN - the body that governs Internet domain names - has agreed to stop restricting domain names to suffixes such as .com and .gov. The new gTLD programme will completely change the face of the Internet and the domain name system. http://www.hoganlovells.com/newsmedia/newspubs/detail.aspx?news=1926 ICANN Sued in Oregon, Finds Itself in Florida Bankruptcy Court Case An impoverished woman has sued ICANN in Oregon over expired domain names, and now the non-profit finds itself having to file a brief in a Florida bankruptcy court. http://domainnamewire.com/2011/06/28/icann-sued-in-oregon-finds-itself-in-florida-bankruptcy-court-case/ Peter Dengate Thrush: Former chairman of the board of directors, ICANN. Peter Dengate Thrush is a barrister practicing in civil litigation and specializing in intellectual property, competition, and internet law. http://www.themarknews.com/authors/1600-peter-dengate-thrush Pack Your Bags, ICANN's Going to San Jose And Prague in 2012 The first two ICANN meetings in 2012 will be held in San Jose, Costa Rica in March and then Prague, Czech Republic in June. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=15153 http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/06/30/pack-your-bags-icanns-going-to-san-jose-and-prague-in-2012/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/pack-your-bags-icanns-going-to-san-jose-and-prague-in-2012.html ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** AFNIC publishes its first Annual Report as the Registry for the .fr TLD AFNIC, the Registry for the .fr TLD, has published its Annual Report for the first time. By virtue of its appointment on 2 March 2010 as the Registry for the .fr TLD, AFNIC is now held to submit its annual report to the Minister in charge of Electronic Communications. The report covers all of AFNIC's business activities for 2010, and provides detailed explanations on how AFNIC met its commitments during the previous year. http://www.afnic.fr/actu/nouvelles/298/afnic-publishes-its-first-annual-report-as-the-registry-for-the-fr-tld AFNIC 2010 Annual Report Finds 18% Growth in 2010 Registration numbers for .FR domain names rose 18 per cent in 2010, making it one of the fastest growing ccTLDs in the world according to the 2010 annual report for the French registry. http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/06/29/afnic-2010-annual-report-finds-18-growth-in-2010/ VeriSign shares rise on renewal of dot-net deal [AP] Shares of VeriSign Inc. rose Wednesday after the Internet domain and security company said that it extended its deal to operate the .net registry for another six years. http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/06/29/business-technology-hardware-amp-equipment-us-verisign-mover_8541366.html ICM Registry To Provide Free Malware Scanning For All .XXX Domains In Landmark $8m Partnership ICM Registry, the company behind .XXX, today announced a landmark partnership with one of the world's largest security technology companies in a deal worth $8m. The deal means that for the first time, websites will be scanned for malware daily and this cost will be underwritten by the domain name registry. http://icmregistry.com/press/pressrelease12.php .xxx domains to get free virus scans from McAfee ICM Registry has signed up with security software outfit McAfee to provide automatic virus scanning for all web sites hosted at .xxx domain names. http://domainincite.com/xxx-domains-to-get-free-virus-scans-from-mcafee/ ********************** - NEW TLDS ********************** Outsourcing and Registry Operations Present Challenges to New TLD Applicants by Alexa Raad After ICANN announced in Singapore approval of the new TLD program, we heard many prospective applicants say they would start asking registry infrastructure providers to break down their costs into registration and resolution components. The last few TLD launches have shown that although you can achieve some respectable registration volumes for new TLDs, chances are it will take some time for content to be associated with the domain names, and hence, resolutions to pick up. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20110627_outsourcing_registry_operations_challenges_to_new_tld_applicants/ Beware the new gTLD cuckoos Ever since ICANN announced it was going to do new top-level domains, in 2008, you?ve been desperate to apply for .horse. http://domainincite.com/beware-the-new-gtld-cuckoos/ Dotting the i's to secure Scotland its own domain With two competing organisations working to create .scot it's in our own interests to support the non-profit model http://news.scotsman.com/politics/Joan-McAlpine-Dotting-the-i39s.6792156.jp Competition Between Competing gTLD Bids Hots Up With Application Window 6 Months Away With competition hotting up between new generic Top Level Domain applicants, and a three month application period to open on 12 January 2012 following ICANN's approval of their Applicant Guidebook in Singapore last week, it is likely there will be a number of competing applications for the same gTLD. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=15135 http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/06/28/competition-between-competing-gtld-bids-hots-up-with-application-window-6-months-away/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/competition-between-competing-gtld-bids-hots-up-with-application-window-6-months-away.html Neustar prices .brands at $10k Neustar has unveiled extremely aggressive entry-level pricing for ?.brand? applicants looking for a registry services provider ? just $10,000 a year. http://domainincite.com/neustar-prices-brands-at-10k/ Neustar Launches Programme To Assist Brands Get Their gTLD for $10K Per Year Neustar has launched a programme to assist business to simply and affordably apply for and meet ICANN's registration requirements for new generic Top Level Domains. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=15154 http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/06/30/neustar-launches-programme-to-assist-brands-get-their-gtld-for-10k-per-year/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/neustar-launches-programme-to-assist-brands-get-their-gtld-for-10k-per-year.html Marketers debate usefulness of ICANN's new domain names ICANN announced plans to sell new domain names for about $185,000 apiece. http://www.btobonline.com/article/20110628/WEB09/306289999/marketers-debate-usefulness-of-icanns-new-domain-names .Gay Trademark Application Filed A Washington man has filed an intent-to-use trademark application for ?.gay? with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. http://domainnamewire.com/2011/06/27/gay-trademark-application-filed/ ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** ICANN, Swiss Registry, Others Improve Security For Internet Users A collaboration between ICANN, the Swiss domain name registry SWITCH, Packet Clearing House, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) joined together last week at the ICANN meeting in Singapore to inaugurate the first of three hardened facilities to bring about extra security for global internet users. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=15119 http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/06/27/icann-swiss-registry-others-improve-security-for-internet-users/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/icann-swiss-registry-others-improve-security-for-internet-users.html Insiders suspected in distribute.IT hack THE new owner of a web hosting company ruined by a devastating hacking event over the Queen's Birthday weekend has not ruled out an inside job. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/insiders-suspected-in-victoria-web-host-hack/story-e6frgakx-1226083028299 Netregistry CEO Offers Insight Into Web Host Distribute.IT Hack Investigation The CEO of Web hosting provider Netregistry says he suspects last month's attack on its recently acquired Distribute.IT might be an inside job, according to a report by The Australian. http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/062711_Netregistry_CEO_Suspects_Insiders_in_Web_Host_DistributeIT_Hack What's New In the Field of Cybersecurity Cooperation by Veni Markovski The last few months have shown a number of signs that cooperation in cyberspace is not just necessary, but it is vital for the survival of the Internet as we know it. There is no need to provide links to all the articles and news stories that talk about the dangers of cyberattacks on the infrastructure in the USA or other countries - you can find plenty of them. ... What misses really in these stories is the answer to the question "So, what? http://www.circleid.com/posts/what_is_new_in_the_field_of_cybersecurity_cooperation/ Hackers steal info on military, defense personnel Email addresses and names of subscribers to DefenseNews, a highly-regarded website that covers national and international military and defense news, were accessed by hackers and presumed stolen, Gannett announced yesterday. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9217995/Hackers_steal_info_on_military_defense_personnel http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/062811-hackers-steal-info-on-military.html Fending Off Cyber Attack Security threats will continue to dominate the corporate landscape, and will come from three main areas: Mobile devices, the Internet of things and targeted personal attacks. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304186404576387273049905038.html Germans most aware of online threats, Russians believe the most security myths [Relaxnews] Computer users in Germany are the best informed about the threats lurking online. Their Russian counterparts, on the other hand, may fall victim to more online scams because of their trust in security myths. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/germans-most-aware-of-online-threats-russians-believe-the-most-security-myths-2303791.html Why the Internet Is Fundamentally Less Secure Than It Used To Be Your company's data is only as secure as the weakest security of the most fly-by-night website to which anyone in your organization has ever given their password. http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/mimssbits/26936/ Cybercrime Surveys Aren't Telling Us What We Need to Know For years, government officials, news articles, and security companies have warned about the dangers and impact of cybercrime. Patrick Peterson, chief security researcher at Cisco, has estimated that losses totaled $560 million in 2009. Killian Strauss of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has estimated them at $100 billion annually. And in March 2009, Edward Amoroso, AT&T's chief security officer, submitted written testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation estimating that cybercrime was bringing in illicit revenues of approximately $1 trillion a year. http://www.technologyreview.com/business/37839/ uk: MoD cyber-command will combine with intelligence The government plans to set up a joint command to harmonise cybersecurity with military intelligence, as part of a revamp at the Ministry of Defence. http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/security-management/2011/06/27/mod-cyber-command-will-combine-with-intelligence-40093233/ Massive botnet 'indestructible,' say researchers A new and improved botnet that has infected more than four million PCs is "practically indestructible," security researchers say. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9218034/Massive_botnet_indestructible_say_researchers http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/062911-massive-botnet-indestructible-say.html Researchers discover massive, technologically advanced botnet Millions of PCs around the world appear to have been quietly infected by the dangerous TDSS 'super-malware' rootkit as part of a campaign to build a giant new botnet, researchers from security firm Kaspersky Lab have discovered. http://news.techworld.com/security/3288748/researchers-discover-45-million-strong-super-botnet/ http://www.infoworld.com/d/security/researchers-discover-massive-technologically-advanced-botnet-640 Hacking group Anonymous is planning on targeting Australian banks after already breaching a Sydney Council HACKING group Anonymous is planning to target Australian banks after penetrating the security walls of a Sydney council. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/hackers-to-target-aussie-banks/story-fn7bsi21-1226084538194 http://www.perthnow.com.au/lifestyle/technology/hackers-to-target-aussie-banks/story-fn7bsj10-1226084538194 http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/hackers-to-target-aussie-banks/story-e6frea8c-1226084574969 Hackers to target Australian banks AUSTRALIAN banks could be the next target of hacking organisation Anonymous after members warned yesterday the group was planning on "sailing to Australia". http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/hackers-to-target-australian-banks/story-fn6b3v4f-1226084775578 Hackers beware: Australian govt tightens policies against cyber attacks The Australian government has announced a new bill aimed at strengthening Australia's cyber security laws, the Cybercrime Legislation Amendment Bill (Bill). The Bill amends various criminal and communications legislation, significantly tightening Australia's laws in this area. http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/170370/20110628/hackers-beware-australian-govt-tightens-policies-against-cyber-attacks.htm Low-level malware worries security professionals the most, says report A survey of over 1,600 IT administrators and professionals that includes managers and C-level executives found that 55 percent consider "traditional" threats of malware and spyware to be the main threats facing the enterprise today. http://www.fiercecio.com/story/low-level-malware-worries-security-professionals-most-says-report/2011-06-27 ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Olympics chiefs approve Twitter use at London 2012 Athletes at the London Olympics will be allowed to blog and post on Twitter but could be thrown out if their musings breach guidelines. ... Internet domain names and URLs including the word "Olympic" or "Olympics" will not be allowed either, unless approved by the IOC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/london_2012/13927076.stm Olympics Committee Issues Social Media Guidelines For London 2012, Including Domain Names There are not many organisations in the world that are as vociferous in their control of their trademarks as the International Olympic Committee. With the London Olympics scheduled for 2012, the IOC has issued social media guidelines for participants and other accredited persons. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=15136 http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/06/28/olympics-committee-social-media-guidelines-for-london-2012-include-domain-names/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/olympics-committee-issues-social-media-guidelines-for-london-2012-including-domains.html IOC Social Media, Blogging and Internet Guidelines for participants and other accredited persons at the London 2012 Olympic Games ... Domain names and URLs including the word ?Olympic? or ?Olympics? or any similar words related thereto (or any foreign language equivalents thereof) are not allowed unless approved by the IOC beforehand. http://www.olympic.org/Documents/Games_London_2012/IOC_Social_Media_Blogging_and_Internet_Guidelines-London.pdf Key internet address server sees spike in traffic Traffic hitting a key internet address look-up server in Europe has spiked over the past 24 hours, reaching loads that are four times higher than normal. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/06/29/k_root_traffic_spike/ Netregistry loses some Click 'n Go customers following acquisition Web hosting provider ,Netregistry, has admitted that some customers of Distribute.IT's subsidiary ,Click 'n Go, who were acquired recently have decided to look around for other providers. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/391881/netregistry_loses_some_click_n_go_customers_following_acquisition/ http://www.techworld.com.au/article/391881/netregistry_loses_some_click_n_go_customers_following_acquisition/ http://www.cio.com.au/article/391881/netregistry_loses_some_click_n_go_customers_following_acquisition/ 15 Unintentionally Inappropriate Domain Names Some people are really naive. They're so naive that when they buy a domain name, like SpeedOfArt.com, they don't notice the double entendre. We found the funniest, most inappropriate-sounding domain names and gathered screenshots to prove their innocence. http://www.businessinsider.com/20-wildly-inapproriate-sounding-domain-names-2011-6 Go Daddy Launches Educational Campaign To Help Curb Cyberbullying [news release] Go Daddy has spent years working to keep the Internet safe for all users and now the Internet giant is targeting cyberbullies. Go Daddy announced it has donated $200,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, Ariz. in order to expand the organization's technology labs, add new computers and incorporate education about how to combat bullies who use the Internet to harass others. https://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/news/release_view.asp?app_hdr=&news_item_id=359&se=%2B ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** The 20 Most Expensive Domain Names Of All Time We collaborated with DN Journal and put together a list of the 20 most expensive domains in the world. Not surprisingly, most have to do with sex and gambling, the two biggest money-makers online. http://www.businessinsider.com/the-20-most-expensive-domain-names-urls-2011-4# ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Children who surf the internet are better readers Parents might label it a waste of time but the hours spent surfing the internet, chatting online, and even on the dreaded Facebook appear to improve children's reading skills. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/children-who-surf-the-internet-are-better-readers/story-e6frg6nf-1226083774557 Aussie students rank 2nd in digital skills [AAP] Australian high school students are among the best in the world when it comes to digital reading skills, a new international report has found. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/391891/aussie_students_rank_2nd_digital_skills/ au: Internet is becoming a daily habit for more than half of us Australia is embracing the digital age, with seven out of 10 households connecting to the internet, and more than half of them going online daily. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/internet-is-becoming-a-daily-habit-for-more-than-half-of-us/story-fn59niix-1226084455871 au: Our young children are the digital generation, social trends study confirms Seven in 10 Australian households have access to the internet at home, one in five of us want to work less and the most popular physical activity is walking, the latest data on social trends shows. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/our-children-are-the-digital-generation-social-trends-study-confirms/story-e6frg6nf-1226084175950 Australian businesses take $143 billion worth of internet orders Just under $143 billion dollars worth of internet orders were received by Australian businesses in 2009-10, up 15% on the previous year, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). http://abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs§.nsf/mediareleasesbyReleaseDate/73F360C49FBD9C49CA2575E0000187BE au: Internode comes out on top in customer satisfaction survey Australians have weighed in on ISPs' customer service, with Internode coming out on top. http://www.techworld.com.au/article/391701/internode_comes_top_customer_satisfaction_survey/ China's army develops online game to train soldiers - report China's People's Liberation Army has developed its first online military game, called "The Glorious Mission", to train soldiers in combat skills and technological awareness, the China Daily reported. http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/06/29/idINIndia-57982120110629 ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Google+ challenges Facebook in social network battle Online search giant Google has launched a new social networking website in its latest attempt to take on Facebook, which now claims more than 500m users. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13953416 Another Try by Google to Take On Facebook Remember Google Buzz? What about Orkut, or Google Wave? Google has tried several times, without much success, to take on Facebook and master social networking. Now it is making its biggest effort yet. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/29/technology/29google.html Google Steps Up Attack on Facebook's Turf Google launched its most ambitious social-networking effort yet, broadening a battle with Facebook to grab the attention of Web users and advertising dollars. Amir Efrati has details http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304447804576413992112605886.html http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/news/google-ups-the-ante-against-facebook-with-google/story-e6frg90o-1226084032649 Google+ launched to take on Facebook Google is challenging Facebook domination by unveiling a new project called Google+ that it says will try to make online sharing more like real life. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jun/29/google-plus-facebook-social-networking News Corporation Sells MySpace for $35 Million MySpace, the long-suffering Web site that the News Corporation bought six years ago for $580 million, was sold Wednesday to the advertising network Specific Media for roughly $35 million. http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/29/news-corp-sells-myspace-to-specific-media-for-35-million/ Companies Are Erecting In-House Social Networks ... As social networks increasingly dominate communications in private lives, businesses of all sizes ? from tiny start-ups to midsize companies like Nikon to behemoths like Dell ? are adopting them for the workplace. Although it is difficult to quantify how many companies use internal social networks, a number of corporate software companies have sensed the opportunity and offer various systems, some free to existing customers, others that charge a fee per user. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/27/technology/27social.html Olympics chiefs approve Twitter use at London 2012 Athletes at the London Olympics will be allowed to blog and post on Twitter but could be thrown out if their musings breach guidelines. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/london_2012/13927076.stm ********************************* CHILD PROTECTION & ONLINE SAFETY ********************************* Cyber bullying likened to human rights abuse The Australian Human Rights Commission says in the world of the web, cyber bullying is an abuse of human rights. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/28/3255965.htm Work begins on new campaign to stop cyber bullying [news release] The Australian Human Rights Commission has announced that it is partnering with the Child Health Promotion Research Centre at Edith Cowan University, and communications specialists, Primary Communication, to develop an innovative anti-cyber bullying campaign. http://www.hreoc.gov.au/about/media/media_releases/2011/55_11.html New campaign to stop cyber bullying The Australian Human Rights Commission has begun work on an innovative anti-cyber bullying campaign. http://www.hreoc.gov.au/about/media/news/2011/55_11.html Internet gaming a problem for youth The rise of internet gaming is exposing Australia's tech-savvy youth to problem gambling at school with an increase in advertising adding to the growth of interactive gambling. http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/games/internet-gaming-a-problem-for-youth-20110628-1gpfg.html http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/games/internet-gaming-a-problem-for-youth-20110628-1gpfg.html au: AFP readies list for ISPs to block child porn links The Australian Federal Police has started preparing its first ISP censorship notices under a voluntary internet filtering scheme targeting online child abuse material. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/government/afp-readies-list-for-isps-to-block-child-porn-links/story-fn4htb9o-1226083325196 Child porn filter set to cover 90 percent of Australians Around 80 to 90 percent of Australians will have their internet connections filtered for child pornography this year, according to the association that represents Australia's internet industry. http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/compliance/2011/06/28/child-porn-filter-set-to-cover-90-percent-of-australians-40093241/ Interpol list not censorship: IIA Australia's peak internet industry body, Internet Industry Association, has stated that its fledgling child pornography filtering scheme was not a form of censorship but was more akin to internet service providers (ISPs) cooperating with law enforcement authorities, and should not be compared with the Federal Government's mandatory filtering policy. http://www.zdnet.com.au/interpol-list-not-censorship-iia-339317542.htm http://www.itwire.com/virtualisation/48123-its-not-censorship-iia-defends-interpol-blacklist Child abuse content blocking is for 'curious individuals': IIA The voluntary blocking of online child abuse material being implemented by ISPs Telstra and Optus is not attempting to address hardened offenders but instead looking to limit the availability of material to ?curious individuals?, according to the Internet Industry Association (IIA). http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/391671/child_abuse_content_blocking_curious_individuals_iia/ au: Apps, games could be classified to ensure 'unity' MAKERS of mobile phone apps and games could be made to submit their products for classification if the recommendations of a senate inquiry are adopted. http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/apps-games-could-be-classified-to-ensure-unity-20110628-1gp5s.html au: School project to aid cyber bullying victims Young people must do more to help victims of cyber bullying, who can feel depressed and disconnected from society, students from Perth's high schools say. http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/9720016/school-project-to-aid-cyber-bullying-victims/ au: Schools take tougher stance on web bullies FIVE public principals on Sydney's northern beaches have emailed every school parent highlighting policies on cyberbullying after Fairfax Media exposed sexual slanders published on a website used by more than 2000 students. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/schools-take-tougher-stance-on-web-bullies-20110627-1gnlv.html http://www.watoday.com.au/technology/technology-news/schools-take-tougher-stance-on-web-bullies-20110627-1gnlv.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/schools-take-tougher-stance-on-web-bullies-20110627-1gnlv.html http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/technology/technology-news/schools-take-tougher-stance-on-web-bullies-20110627-1gnlv.html US court rejects California ban on violent video games The US Supreme Court has struck down a Californian law banning the sale or rental of violent video games to those aged under 18. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13933670 Justices Reject Ban on Violent Video Games for Children The Supreme Court on Monday struck down on First Amendment grounds a California law that banned the sale of violent video games to children. The 7-to-2 decision was the latest in a series of rulings protecting free speech, joining ones on funeral protests, videos showing cruelty to animals and political speech by corporations. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/28/us/28scotus.html Violent Video-Game Limits Struck Down by Supreme Court in California Case The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a California law prohibiting sales of violent video games to minors, saying the ban is an unconstitutional infringement on speech rights. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-27/violent-video-game-limits-struck-down-by-supreme-court-in-california-case.html Parents' Rights Take Stage In Debate Over Violent Video Games The Supreme Court's decision on Monday to strike down California's ban on selling violent video games to children didn't go over well with groups that say the law would have given parents more control. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2011/06/parents-rights-take-stage-in-d.php Go Daddy Launches Educational Campaign To Help Curb Cyberbullying [news release] Go Daddy has spent years working to keep the Internet safe for all users and now the Internet giant is targeting cyberbullies. Go Daddy announced it has donated $200,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, Ariz. in order to expand the organization's technology labs, add new computers and incorporate education about how to combat bullies who use the Internet to harass others. https://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/news/release_view.asp?app_hdr=&news_item_id=359&se=%2B ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** Film studios want BT to block website offering The King's Speech Colin Firth's box office hit The King's Speech is at the heart of a landmark court battle over online piracy between Hollywood film giants and Britain's largest internet service provider, BT. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jun/28/bt-newzbin2-king-s-speech uk: Film piracy battle heads to court Hollywood film studios will take their battle against illicit downloading to the high court in London on Tuesday in an attempt to force Britain's largest internet service provider, BT, to block access to a website that allegedly distributes pirated material. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jun/27/film-piracy-battle-heads-to-court Film-makers seek injunction to block pirate site Film-makers are going to court in a bid to block access to a site that hosts pirated versions of popular movies. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13927335 ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** U.K., U.S. Watchdogs Stay Out of Google Fight With Europe Mobile Operators Telecommunications regulators in the U.K. and U.S. say they plan to stay out of a dispute between mobile-phone operators and Internet companies such as Google Inc. over who should pay for high-speed wireless networks. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-29/regulators-to-stay-out-of-google-fight-with-wireless-operators.html Mobile banking to help 2 bln people by 2020 - study Mobile financial services are expected to improve the lives of around 2 billion people in developing countries within a decade and boost economies, a Boston Consulting Group study found. http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/06/28/idINIndia-57969920110628 http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/06/28/oukin-uk-telenor-banking-idUKTRE75R3QP20110628 Half a million Android smartphones activated daily, Google says More than half a million Android phones are activated every day, according to Google's Andy Rubin, head of the Android platform. Rubin tweeted about the activations today. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9217994/Half_a_million_Android_smartphones_activated_daily_Google_says http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/062811-android-500k.html Android's biggest security flaw is its users, report finds Google?s Android has solved many of the security weaknesses that beset Windows but at the expense of handing a dangerous level of decision-making to users, a Symantec study has argued. http://news.techworld.com/mobile-wireless/3288392/androids-biggest-security-flaw-is-its-users-report-finds/ http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=69B1B613-1A64-6A71-CE8ED984FEF9A83C Symantec compares iOS and Android security [IDG] Apple's iOS and Google's Android smartphone platforms are more secure than traditional desktop-based operating systems, but are still susceptible to many existing categories of attacks, according toa 23-page report from security software vendor Symantec. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/391732/symantec_compares_ios_android_security/ http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/391732/symantec_compares_ios_android_security http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/062811-symantec-mobile-report.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/231352/symantec_finds_big_differences_in_ios_android_security.html A Window Into Mobile Device Security Executive Summary: The mass-adoption of both consumer and managed mobile devices in the enterprise has increased employee productivity but has also exposed the enterprise to new security risks. The latest mobile platforms were designed with security in mind?both teams of engineers attempted to build security features directly into the operating system to limit attacks from the outset. However, as the paper discusses, while these security provisions raise the bar, they may be insufficient to protect the enterprise assets that regularly find their way onto devices. Finally, complicating the security picture is the fact that virtually all of today?s mobile devices operate in an ecosystem, much of it not controlled by the enterprise?they connect and synchronize out-of-the-box with third-party cloud services and computers whose security posture is potentially unknown and outside of the enterprise?s control. http://www.symantec.com/content/en/us/about/media/pdfs/symc_mobile_device_security_june2011.pdf ********************** SPAM ********************** Spam, spam and slightly less spam At first this looks so promising. Volumes of spam are down nearly 70 per cent from last year according to a report from Symantec, the IT security company. In June, there were 39.2bn unsolicited, 'spam' messages in circulation each day, compared with 121.5bn a day in June 2010. This echoes findings earlier this month from rival McAfee, which suggested spam levels had halved in the last year. http://blogs.ft.com/fttechhub/2011/06/spam-spam-and-slightly-less-spam/ ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Fending Off Cyber Attack Security threats will continue to dominate the corporate landscape, and will come from three main areas: Mobile devices, the Internet of things and targeted personal attacks. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304186404576387273049905038.html Germans most aware of online threats, Russians believe the most security myths [Relaxnews] Computer users in Germany are the best informed about the threats lurking online. Their Russian counterparts, on the other hand, may fall victim to more online scams because of their trust in security myths. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/germans-most-aware-of-online-threats-russians-believe-the-most-security-myths-2303791.html Average person 'uses 10 online passwords a day' The average person needs to remember 10 individual PINs or passwords a day, according to research. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8602346/Average-person-uses-10-online-passwords-a-day.html French Company Says It Will File Anticompetitive Suit Against Google, Seeking Damages An Internet company in France says it will seek heavy damages from Google in what it says is the largest claim of its kind in Europe against the American giant. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/28/business/global/28google.html Google faces French court claim over market dominance French search engine 1PlusV is suing Google for ?295m, the largest damage claim the search engine has faced in Europe. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13941382 Why the Internet Is Fundamentally Less Secure Than It Used To Be Your company's data is only as secure as the weakest security of the most fly-by-night website to which anyone in your organization has ever given their password. http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/mimssbits/26936/ Cybercrime Surveys Aren't Telling Us What We Need to Know For years, government officials, news articles, and security companies have warned about the dangers and impact of cybercrime. Patrick Peterson, chief security researcher at Cisco, has estimated that losses totaled $560 million in 2009. Killian Strauss of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has estimated them at $100 billion annually. And in March 2009, Edward Amoroso, AT&T's chief security officer, submitted written testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation estimating that cybercrime was bringing in illicit revenues of approximately $1 trillion a year. http://www.technologyreview.com/business/37839/ uk: MoD cyber-command will combine with intelligence The government plans to set up a joint command to harmonise cybersecurity with military intelligence, as part of a revamp at the Ministry of Defence. http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/security-management/2011/06/27/mod-cyber-command-will-combine-with-intelligence-40093233/ Massive botnet 'indestructible,' say researchers A new and improved botnet that has infected more than four million PCs is "practically indestructible," security researchers say. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9218034/Massive_botnet_indestructible_say_researchers http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/062911-massive-botnet-indestructible-say.html Researchers discover massive, technologically advanced botnet Millions of PCs around the world appear to have been quietly infected by the dangerous TDSS 'super-malware' rootkit as part of a campaign to build a giant new botnet, researchers from security firm Kaspersky Lab have discovered. http://news.techworld.com/security/3288748/researchers-discover-45-million-strong-super-botnet/ http://www.infoworld.com/d/security/researchers-discover-massive-technologically-advanced-botnet-640 Hacking group Anonymous is planning on targeting Australian banks after already breaching a Sydney Council HACKING group Anonymous is planning to target Australian banks after penetrating the security walls of a Sydney council. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/hackers-to-target-aussie-banks/story-fn7bsi21-1226084538194 http://www.perthnow.com.au/lifestyle/technology/hackers-to-target-aussie-banks/story-fn7bsj10-1226084538194 http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/hackers-to-target-aussie-banks/story-e6frea8c-1226084574969 Hackers to target Australian banks AUSTRALIAN banks could be the next target of hacking organisation Anonymous after members warned yesterday the group was planning on "sailing to Australia". http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/hackers-to-target-australian-banks/story-fn6b3v4f-1226084775578 Hackers beware: Australian govt tightens policies against cyber attacks The Australian government has announced a new bill aimed at strengthening Australia's cyber security laws, the Cybercrime Legislation Amendment Bill (Bill). The Bill amends various criminal and communications legislation, significantly tightening Australia's laws in this area. http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/170370/20110628/hackers-beware-australian-govt-tightens-policies-against-cyber-attacks.htm Low-level malware worries security professionals the most, says report A survey of over 1,600 IT administrators and professionals that includes managers and C-level executives found that 55 percent consider "traditional" threats of malware and spyware to be the main threats facing the enterprise today. http://www.fiercecio.com/story/low-level-malware-worries-security-professionals-most-says-report/2011-06-27 Oracle: Google owes us $2.6B [IDG] An Oracle damages expert estimates that Google owes the company $2.6 billion for alleged Java patent violations, according to a court filing made Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9218004/Oracle_Google_owes_us_2.6B ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Advertising agency database boasts it will track web behaviour of everyone in UK A British advertising company claims to have built the world's largest database of individuals' internet behaviour, which it says will track "almost 100 per cent" of the UK population. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/online/database-boasts-it-will-track-web-behaviour-of-everyone-in-uk-2303657.html Danish Police Aim to End Anonymity on the Internet A proposal has been put forward by a working group at the Danish Ministry of Justice that will essentially eradicate anonymous use of the Internet, according to Computerworld Denmark. http://www.pcworld.com/article/231249/.html FTC's Brill: New Online Privacy Tools Needed An old privacy model in which websites gave consumers notice about what information they were collecting and allowed them to opt out isn't working in an age of "unprecedented" online tracking, a member of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said Monday. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/231231/.html ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Google chairman warns of censorship after Arab Spring The use of the web by Arab democracy movements could lead to some states cracking down harder on internet freedoms, Google's chairman says. ... He also said he feared his colleagues faced a mounting risk of occasional arrest and torture in such countries. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13935470 Google sees growing struggle over web censorship Internet giant Google's tussles with some governments over Internet censorship could get worse, Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt said on Monday, adding he feared his own colleagues faced mounting danger of occasional arrest and torture. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/06/27/oukin-uk-google-censorship-idUKTRE75Q4EI20110627 http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/06/27/idINIndia-57947720110627 Google reveals US government leads way in private data requests Private information on Google users was demanded by governments or police more than 14,000 times in 26 developed countries in the second half of last year, according to figures released for the first time by the internet group yesterday. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jun/27/google-data-protection Google Gives User Data To U.S. Government In Almost All Cases Google disclosed on Monday that law enforcement agencies in the United States requested user data from the company more than 8,000 times last year. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2011/06/google-gives-user-data-to-us-g.php Updated and more detailed Transparency Report Our Transparency Report discloses the information that governments have asked for over the past six months. For our latest batch of data, covering July through December 2010, we wanted to improve the way we give you the information, so we?ve updated the look of the report and added more details. http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/updated-and-more-detailed-transparency.html Stealth Internet helps get images, messages out of troubled areas, but proves less useful for protests Advanced technology that keeps dissidents online during state-sponsored Internet blackouts can help the rest of the world stay informed about and engaged in a faraway struggle against an autocratic regime, but it may be less useful at keeping protest movements on track, analysts told Nextgov. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110628_4512.php ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** Copyright group Creative Commons targets web users A campaign has been launched to help people avoid breaking the law when they post pictures, music and videos online. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13961051 OECD declaration on Internet policy angers EFF [IDG] The OECD on Wednesday issued a communication on developing Internet policy that puts pressure on ISPs to take responsibility for policing their networks. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/062911-oecd-declaration-on-internet-policy.html http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/231378/oecd_declaration_on_internet_policy_angers_eff.html OECD leaders split on web's future An OECD debate in Paris on internet governance has thrown up conflicting visions of the future, with politicians and consumer groups disputing key issues on web openness and freedoms. http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/368332/oecd-leaders-split-on-webs-future http://www.pcauthority.com.au/News/262048,oecd-leaders-split-on-webs-future.aspx Governments tested on their new Internet principles by Kieren McCarthy A government conference that intends to produce a groundbreaking set of Internet principles is already being tested on those very rules, thanks to an argument over intellectual property. http://news.dot-nxt.com/2011/06/28/governments-tested-on-internet-principles NTIA Statement on the OECD's Announcement of Principles for Internet Policy-making at its Meeting on the Internet Economy ... The following may be attributed to Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Administrator Lawrence E. Strickling: ?Today?s OECD agreement is major achievement that will support the continued innovation and growth of the global Internet economy. The policy-making principles provide a shared framework for addressing Internet issues while promoting an open, interconnected Internet that encourages investment and the trust of its users. Today?s announcement also reflects a growing global consensus on the value of the multi-stakeholder approach towards addressing Internet challenges, an approach that remains critical to the Internet?s success.? http://www.ntia.doc.gov/press/2011/OECD_Internet_policymaking_statement_06292011.html EFF Declines to Endorse OECD Draft Communiqu? on Principles for Internet Policy-Making EFF has joined with a coalition of more than 80 global civil society groups which have declined to endorse a set of Internet Policy Principles presented today in Paris by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). EFF and the other members of the OECD?s Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council (CSISAC) were unwilling to accept the high profile OECD Communiqu? on Internet Policy-making because it could encourage states to use Internet intermediaries to police online content, undermining freedom of expression, privacy and innovation across the world. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/06/eff-declines-endorse-oecd-communiqu-principles OECD internet policy guidelines hit turbulence A coalition of 80 international consumer and privacy groups have "declined" to negotiate on the text of a draft set of internet policy guidelines overnight, amid concerns they undermined internet freedom. http://www.itnews.com.au/News/262006,oecd-internet-policy-guidelines-hit-turbulence.aspx us: Senators push for privacy, data security legislation [IDG] Democratic members of a Senate committee promised Wednesday to push hard for new online privacy protections and for legislation that would require companies to put security monitoring tools on their networks. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/062911-senators-push-for-privacy-data.html ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* NZRise Feature In Hi Chi Min City Presentation To TPPA Negotiators Intellectual property rights, copyright legislation and the future of New Zealand's trade discussions around the Trans Pacific Partnership were all up for discussion in Ho Chi Minh City at a lunch hosted by NZRise. http://www.voxy.co.nz/business/nzrise-feature-hi-chi-min-city-presentation-tppa-negotiators/5/93390 InternetNZ replaces Carter InternetNZ has made two appointments to fill the gap left by policy director Jordan Carter, who announced his resignation April 26 after making Labour's list. http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/internetnz-replaces-carter-ck-96148 nz: Anger over copyright on the internet A chorus of IT professionals made a controversial call that copyright had no place on the internet at the inaugural NetHui in Auckland yesterday run by lobby group InternetNZ. http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/5211400/Anger-over-copyright-on-the-internet http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/5209643/Is-internet-copyright-dead http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/5209643/Is-internet-copyright-dead nz: Internet copyright burning issue at NetHui Copyright was a burning issue from early in the piece yesterday when the country's internet community met to discuss the issues shaping web use in New Zealand. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10735328 Shroff looks to LawCom to tackle ?privacy pollution? The Privacy Commissioner hopes reform of the Privacy Act, sparked by a wide-ranging Law Commission study of privacy, will enable her office to investigate and pursue remedies for ?generic? infractions of privacy, without having to wait for clear demonstration of harm to one or more individuals. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/shroff-looks-to-lawcom-to-tackle-privacy-pollution Joyce ducks questions on Southern Cross, SkyTV-on-fibre ICT Minister Steven Joyce, questioned today at the InternetNZ-organised NetHui in Auckland, would not be drawn on the question of where Southern Cross will sit in the Telecom split. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/joyce-ducks-questions-on-southern-cross-skytv-on-fibre ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** au: Structural reform of telecommunications a step closer The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, has introduced five key regulatory instruments to move closer the structural reform of the telecommunications industry. http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/391398/structural_reform_telecommunications_step_closer/ nz: Telecom will not change its spots, says Labour The Labour Party has lashed out at Telecom and warns the company's "history of monopolistic behaviour" will continue when it splits in two. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/connect/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501833&objectid=10735089 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10735089 Europe invests in photonics research to accelerate high-speed broadband [news release] Thirteen photonics research projects are being launched in the field of high-speed fibre broadband networks with the aim of developing technologies to deliver super fast internet speeds to the home in excess of 1 Gigabit per second. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/11/794 Spain Starts Wireless-Spectrum Sale in Plan to Trim Deficit Spain kicks off its first wireless- spectrum auction today, a sale aimed at raising ?2 billion ($2.9 billion) as the government races to rein in the euro area?s third-largest budget deficit. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-29/spain-starts-wireless-spectrum-sale-to-raise-2-9-billion-to-trim-deficit.html Spain kicks off auction of mobile licences to 2030 Spain will kick off its first- ever auction of mobile telecoms licences on Wednesday in an internet contest the government hopes will generate at least ?1.45 billion ($2.05 billion). http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/06/29/spain-spectrum-auction-overnighter-idUKLDE75R10020110629 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (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 Wed Jun 29 2011 - 23:23:20 UTC
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