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.


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The domain name news is supported by auDA

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Open - Public Comment Request for Community Input on Formulation of 2012-2015 Strategic Plan
http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-29jul11-en.htm

Will the new IANA contract politicize the IANA? by Milton Mueller
http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2011/7/28/4867692.html

NRO Response to NTIA Request for Further Comments on IANA Functions
http://www.nro.net/news/nro-response-to-ntia-request-for-further-comments-on-iana-functions

Does ICANN Need to Evolve Its Code of Conduct? by Byron Holland
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20110728_does_icann_need_to_evolve_its_code_of_conduct/

ICANN demands the right to terminate .jobs
http://domainincite.com/icann-demands-the-right-to-terminate-jobs/

InternetNZ announces election results; awards Fellowships
http://internetnz.net.nz/news/media-releases/2011/InternetNZ-announces-election-results-awards-Fellowships

Net security, job security and dot-bank
http://dot-nxt.com/2011/07/27/net-security-job-security

Commentary: Defense cyber strategy avoids tackling the most critical issues
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110728_3046.php

Australia the victim of 'massive' cyber espionage
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/australia-the-victim-of-massive-cyber-espionage-20110731-1i6hc.html

au: Custom Building Products, Inc. v. Stone Age (NSW) Pty. Limited - Case No. DAU2011-0014
http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/text.jsp?case=DAU2011-0014

Verisign Reports 13% Growth In Year To End Q2
http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/07/29/verisign-reports-13-growth-in-year-to-end-q2/


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DOMAIN NAMES
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 - ICANN
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Open - Public Comment Request for Community Input on Formulation of 2012-2015 Strategic Plan
As part of the strategic planning process each year, ICANN seeks public comment to inform the development of the next version of its Strategic Plan. The 2012-2015 strategic planning process kicked-off in May and community input discussions were held prior to and during Singapore. Leadership also held workshops exploring strategic issues facing ICANN. The next step in the strategic planning process is to gain broad community input prior to the development of a 2012-2015 Strategic Plan that will be posted for comment in September 2011.
http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-29jul11-en.htm

Will the new IANA contract politicize the IANA? by Milton Mueller
IGP filed comments on the Commerce Department's Further Notice of Inquiry on the IANA functions contract today. Our comments noted that there are elements in the proposed new IANA Statement of Work (SOW) which could radically alter the nature of the IANA functions contract.
http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2011/7/28/4867692.html

NRO Response to NTIA Request for Further Comments on IANA Functions
On 28 July 2011, the NRO submitted a response to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Request for comments on the Further Notice of Inquiry on The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) Functions.
http://www.nro.net/news/nro-response-to-ntia-request-for-further-comments-on-iana-functions

Does ICANN Need to Evolve Its Code of Conduct? by Byron Holland
If you follow the Internet governance world like I do, you've no doubt had time to ponder the news of former ICANN Board Chair Peter Dengate Thrush's appointment as Executive Chairman of Top Level Domain Holdings Limited (TLDH). This was a seemingly fast jump from the body that coordinates the Internet (whose most recent milestone was to approve the creation of new gTLDs) to one of the key companies that stands to actively benefit from this burgeoning part of the domain name industry. Further, he's taken up a position that, according to reports, will allow him to benefit substantially as well.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20110728_does_icann_need_to_evolve_its_code_of_conduct/

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 - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS
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Letter from Jeffrey J. Neuman, Neustar, to Rod Beckstrom
Notice of Fee Increase for .BIZ
http://www.icann.org/en/correspondence/neuman-to-beckstrom-29jul11-en.pdf

Neustar Announces .Biz Price Increase
Neustar has informed its registrars and ICANN that it will increase its annual prices for .biz domain names effective February 1, 2012. The new price will be $7.85, or 55 cents more than the current $7.30 per year. That?s about 7.5%.
http://domainnamewire.com/2011/07/31/neustar-announces-biz-price-increase/

Nominations Open for the Dot ie Net Visionary Awards 2011
The IE Domain Registry is delighted to be the headline sponsor for this year's Dot ie Net Visionary Awards. The deadline for nominating an online business for the awards is Friday the 29th July.
http://www.iedr.ie/index.php/component/content/article/50-general/275-tuesday-26th-july-2011-nominations-open-for-the-dot-ie-net-visionary-awards-2011

ICANN demands the right to terminate .jobs
ICANN has asked the International Chamber of Commerce to rule that it has the right to terminate Employ Media?s .jobs contract.
http://domainincite.com/icann-demands-the-right-to-terminate-jobs/

Enjoy 50% discount for all .my domain name registration
Dear Valued Customers, In conjunction with the Malaysia Merdeka Celebrations, National ICT Month (NIM 2011) and Breast Cancer Month, .my DOMAIN REGISTRY will be offering a 50% discount on all .my domain name registrations and renewals.
http://domainregistry.my/en/news.php?id=118

SIDN encourages on-line initiatives with awards
The second annual SIDN Internet Awards ceremony will take place on 10 November 2011, during the Jubilee Congress that SIDN is organising in Zaandam to mark twenty-five years of the .nl domain. By making the awards, SIDN ? the company behind .nl ? wishes to reward individuals, businesses and other organisations in the Netherlands for the contributions that they make to economic, social and/or personal aspects of the information society.
https://www.sidn.nl/en/news/news/article/sidn-moedigt-online-initiatieven-aan-met-awards-1/

InternetNZ reveals election results
InternetNZ has revealed the results of its latest round of elections. The non-profit organisation lobbies on behalf of internet users and, through its 100% owned subsidiaries the Domain Name Coimmission and NZ Registry Services, administers and wholesales .nz internet addresses.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/internetnz-reveals-election-results-ck-98088

InternetNZ announces election results; awards Fellowships
InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) is pleased to announce results of this year's InternetNZ Council elections and the appointment of three new InternetNZ Fellows.
http://internetnz.net.nz/news/media-releases/2011/InternetNZ-announces-election-results-awards-Fellowships

InternetNZ announces 2011 election results; awards Fellowships
InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) has announced results of this year's InternetNZ Council elections and the appointment of three new InternetNZ Fellows.
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?ContentId=9332

Qatar Domains Registry to Soon Make Domain Names Available to Trademark Holders
Trademark owners and Qatar?s government entities will be able to take advantage of the new Qatar-specific Internet domain names starting July 18th.
http://www.ictqatar.qa/en/news-events/news/qatar-domains-registry-soon-make-domain-names-available-trademark-holders

Nominet Internet Awards 2011 Winners announced
The winners of this year?s Nominet Internet Awards were announced at an awards ceremony in London tonight. Successful entrants were recognised for initiatives that contribute to a safe and accessible internet, used to improve lives and communities.
http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=8567

Best of the UK's innovative Internet initiatives recognised at the Nominet Internet Awards
Nominet, the not-for-profit organisation responsible for .uk Internet infrastructure, today announces the winners of last night?s Nominet Internet Awards ceremony, which recognises the individuals and organisations in the using the Internet to make a real difference to the individuals, communities and businesses in the UK.
http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/releases/?contentId=8575

Dot VN Announces Vietnamese IDN Registrations Exceed 294,000 And Surpasses Standard .VN Registrations
Dot VN ... announced ... that since it?s official launch of the Vietnamese Native Language Internationalized Domain Names (?Vietnamese IDN?) on April 28, 2011, registrations have exceeded 294,000 domain names which surpasses the total number of standard Vietnamese ccTLD registrations.
http://www.dotvn.com/downloads/NewsRelease/July2011/DotVNNewsRelease-July272011.pdf

MetaCert Content Labelling For XXX
The proverbial ?cat? is finally out of the ?bag?. MetaCert have announced their partnership with ICM Registry for content labelling. Basically what it means is that every .xxx domain name will be classified by MetaCert who specialise in ?labelling? content ie. giving consumers information about the type of content that a site provides.
http://www.internetnews.me/2011/07/27/metacert-content-labelling-for-xxx/

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 - DNS SECURITY
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Net security, job security and dot-bank
There's an old journalism adage that if you end a headline with a question mark, the answer is always 'No'. Clearly no one has told Afilias CTO and ICANN Board member Ram Mohan who has written a piece for SecurityWeek called 'Will new domain extensions help secure the Internet?'
http://dot-nxt.com/2011/07/27/net-security-job-security

Commentary: Defense cyber strategy avoids tackling the most critical issues
Summer in Washington is not usually the time when major news breaks. This year is proving the exception as lawmakers and the White House struggle with the debt ceiling. Amid this economic activity, the Defense Department on July 14 issued its Strategy for Operating in Cyberspace. Given the volume and nature of nefarious cyber activity seen recently, a bold and innovative plan could have been expected. Those hoping for such would have been disappointed, however, at least by the unclassified version of the document made publicly available. With so much at stake, either in the cyber domain or dependent on it, a clear-eyed assessment of the strategy -- its strengths, weaknesses and gaps -- is in order. Indeed, the future shape of both conflict and warfare likely will include a cyber component.
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110728_3046.php

Australia the victim of 'massive' cyber espionage
Cyber espionage is being used against Australia on a ''massive scale'' and some foreign spies are using Australian government networks to penetrate the cyber defences of allies such as the US, ASIO chief David Irvine has told business leaders.
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/australia-the-victim-of-massive-cyber-espionage-20110731-1i6hc.html
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/australia-a-sitting-duck-for-hacker-attacks-20110731-1i6io.html
http://www.watoday.com.au/technology/security/australia-the-victim-of-massive-cyber-espionage-20110731-1i6hc.html
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/technology/security/australia-the-victim-of-massive-cyber-espionage-20110731-1i6hc.html

Symantec Announces July 2011 Symantec Intelligence Report: Aggressive use of rapidly changing malware leads to rise in sophisticated socially engineered attacks; twist in phishing attacks bait mobile phone users [news release]
Symantec Corp. announced the publication of its July 2011 Symantec Intelligence Report, now combining the best research and analysis from the Symantec.cloud MessageLabs Intelligence Report and the Symantec State of Spam & Phishing Report. This month?s analysis reveals a significant increase in activity related to what may be described as a aggressive and rapidly changing form of generic polymorphic1 malware. With one in 280.9 emails identified as malicious in July, the rise accounted for 23.7 percent of all email-borne malware intercepted in July; more than double the same figure six months ago, indicating a much more aggressive strategy on the part of the cyber criminals responsible.
http://www.symantec.com/about/news/release/article.jsp?prid=20110726_01

DNSSEC Baby Steps Reported at ICANN 41 by Ram Mohan
The Internet is slowly beginning to adopt the new DNSSEC domain names standard, but significant challenges remain. That was the main takeaway from a four-hour workshop on the technology held during the recent ICANN 41 public meeting in Singapore, which heard from many domain registries, registrars and other infrastructure providers.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20110729_dnssec_baby_steps_reported_at_icann_41/

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 - DOMAIN DISPUTES
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Facebook files lawsuit against 25 domain ?typosquatters?
Facebook filed a lawsuit Thursday against several companies that bought domain names similar to facebook.com, alleging trademark infringement.
http://venturebeat.com/2011/07/28/facebook-suing-typosquatters/

au: Custom Building Products, Inc. v. Stone Age (NSW) Pty. Limited - Case No. DAU2011-0014
1. The Parties: The Complainant is Custom Building Products, Inc. of Seal Beach, California, United States of America represented by Griffith Hack Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, Australia. The Respondent is Stone Age (NSW) Pty. Limited of Kirrawee, New South Wales, Australia. 2. The Domain Name and Registrar: The disputed domain name <aquamix.com.au> (the ?Domain Name?) is registered with NetRegistryPty Ltd. ... Accordingly, the Panel finds the Respondent to be using the Domain Name in bad faith. The Complainant has established this element of its case. 7. Decision: For all the foregoing reasons, in accordance with paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the Domain Name <aquamix.com.au> be transferred to the Complainant.
http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/text.jsp?case=DAU2011-0014

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 - IPv4/IPv6
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ae: TRA Organizes a Training Programme for the IPv6
Committed to providing the best level of services in the United Arab Emirates ICT sector, and in line with its objective of seeking the latest global developments in the fields of information and telecommunications, the Telecommunications
http://tra.gov.ae/news_TRA_Organizes_a_Training_Programme_for_the_IPv6-322-1.php

RIPE NCC IPv4 Address Space Chart - Now Updated
The RIPE NCC's IPv4 address space chart has been updated. This chart shows the amount of available IPv4 addresses in the RIPE NCC's pool and is updated weekly.
http://www.ripe.net/internet-coordination/news/about-ripe-ncc-and-ripe/ipv4-chart-updated

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 - MISCELLANEOUS
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Jeff Kupietzky, CEO and President of Oversee, Leaves
Jeff Kupietzky, CEO and President of Oversee is leaving the organisation at the end of August the company announced.
http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/07/31/jeff-kupietzky-ceo-and-president-of-oversee-leaves/

Verisign Reports 13% Growth In Year To End Q2
Verisign reported financial results for the second quarter to end 30 June 2011 with reported revenue of $190 million for the quarter, up five per cent from the prior quarter and up 13 per cent from the same quarter in 2010.
http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/07/29/verisign-reports-13-growth-in-year-to-end-q2/

Verisign Reports 13% Year-Over-Year Revenue Growth in Second Quarter 2011
VeriSign ... reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2011. VeriSign, Inc. and subsidiaries reported revenue of $190 million for the second quarter of 2011, up 5% from the prior quarter and up 13% from the same quarter in 2010.
http://www.verisigninc.com/en_US/news-events/press-room/articles/index.xhtml?artLink=aHR0cHM6Ly9wcmVzcy52ZXJpc2lnbi5jb20vZWFzeWlyL2N1c3RvbXJlbC5kbz9lYXN5aXJpZD1BRkMwRkYwREI1QzU2MEQzJnZlcnNpb249bGl2ZSZwcmlkPTc4MjYxMSZyZWxlYXNlanNwPWN1c3RvbV85Nw==

VeriSign CEO quits. But where?s he going?
VeriSign?s CEO and president Mark McLaughlin has quit the company for a CEO position at an undisclosed private company.
http://domainincite.com/verisign-ceo-quits-but-wheres-he-going/

Neustar Reports Revenue Growth of 16% for Second Quarter 2011
Neustar ... announced results for the quarter ended June 30, 2011 and updated guidance for full-year 2011. ... Revenue increased 16% to $147.7 million: Net income increased 13% to $32.4 million; net income would have increased 18% excluding the impact of a $1.8 million credit to sales tax and interest expense in the second quarter of 2010; income from continuing operations increased 3% to $33.6 million; income from continuing operations would have increased 7% excluding the impact of a $1.8 million credit to sales tax and interest expense in the second quarter of 2010
http://www.neustar.biz/about-neustar/press-room/neustar-announcements/2011/neustar-reports-revenue-growth-of-16-for-second-quarter-2011

Neustar Names Mark F. Bregman Chief Technology Officer
Mark F. Bregman will join the company as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), effective August 2. He will be responsible for Neustar?s product technology strategy and product development efforts.
http://www.neustar.biz/about-neustar/press-room/neustar-announcements/2011/neustar-names-mark-f.-bregman-chief-technology-officer

Centralnic?s Gb.com In Dispute ? gb.com now wildcarded
Centralnic?s gb.com is no longer pointing to their nameservers and any domains in the zone are now being wildcarded to the main gb.com website which carries the following notice:
http://www.internetnews.me/2011/07/30/centralnics-gb-com-in-dispute-gb-com-now-wildcarded/

Fight over gb.com claims thousands of victims
Thousands of companies that use the pseudo-top-level-domain .gb.com have gone offline due to a legal fight between the registry and its founder.
http://domainincite.com/fight-over-gb-com-claims-thousands-of-victims/

Monte Cahn: Acquisition of Moniker Violated Google Contract
Moniker founder says Oversee.net contract with Google violated in Moniker acquisition. Monte Cahn has filed a response to Oversee.net?s motion to dismiss certain claims he brought against his former employer.
http://domainnamewire.com/2011/07/31/monte-cahn-acquisition-of-moniker-violated-google-contract/

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 - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET
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Sedo Strikes $71,000 Gusher With Sadara.com to Take Top Spot on This Week's Domain Sales Chart
Sedo claimed the pole position on our latest weekly all extension Top 20 Domain Sales Chart with Sadara.com at $71,000. The buyer appears to be the Saudi Arabian Oil Company who filed for a trademark on the term "Sadara" in March. The TM application covers chemicals and the same holding company and law firm now shown on the WhoIs record as the new owner of Sadara.com already owned Sadara-Chemical.biz. The law firm, located at the same address as the holding company, also appears to be the same firm that filed the Sadara trademark application on behalf of the Saudi oil company.
http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2011/20110727.htm

Million Dollar-Plus Figures for Social.com, Data.com, and DOMAINfest Europe Auction Totals Demonstrate Value of Premium Domain Names
Moniker? and SnapNames?, both Oversee.net? companies, said today that sales of premium domain names from their June DOMAINfest Europe Auction have now exceeded $7.2 million and are expected to reach over $9 million as a result of the auction. Top contributing sales include the recently closed transaction for Social.com, for $2.6 million, and Data.com, for an officially undisclosed price that significantly exceeded its $1.5 million reserve.
http://oversee.net/news/476

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REPORTS & RESEARCH PAPERS
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Child Abuse Images and Cleanfeeds: Assessing Internet Blocking Systems by T. J. McIntyre
Abstract: One of the most important trends in internet governance in recent years has been the growth of internet blocking as a policy tool, to the point where it is increasingly becoming a global norm. This is most obvious in states such as China where blocking is used to suppress political speech; however, in the last decade blocking has also become more common in democracies, usually as part of attempts to limit the availability of child abuse images. Numerous governments have therefore settled on blocking as their ?primary solution? towards preventing such images from being distributed.
http://ssrn.com/abstract=1893667

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INTERNET USE
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Chinese internet companies: An internet with Chinese characteristics
Online business in China is growing even faster than the offline sort. Local tastes and needs, as well as the state, are endowing it with distinctive features
http://www.economist.com/node/21524821

Can Microsoft Make You 'Bing'?
... Microsoft?s assault on Google in Internet search and search advertising may be the steepest competitive challenge in business today. It is certainly among the most costly. Trying to go head-to-head with Google costs Microsoft upward of $5 billion a year, industry executives and analysts estimate.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/31/technology/with-the-bing-search-engine-microsoft-plays-the-underdog.html

uk: Ofcom demands better service for disabled customers
People with disabilities who rely on communication services to make phone calls are set to benefit from new measures being proposed by the communications regulator Ofcom.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/jul/28/ofcom-service-for-disabled-users

Ofcom plans to upgrade telecoms services for disabled people [news release]
Phone users with hearing and/or speech impairments stand to benefit from new measures being proposed today by Ofcom. By law, communications providers must provide ?text relay? services for disabled consumers. This involves a relay assistant converting typed messages into speech and then back again, allowing consumers with hearing and/or speech impairments to communicate on the phone.
http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2011/07/28/ofcom-plans-to-upgrade-telecoms-services-for-disabled-people/

NZ broadband better than Australia - Akamai
New Zealand's broadband performance may be so-so, but it's better than the global average, and better than that enjoyed by our cousins across the ditch.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/nz-broadband-better-australia-akamai-aw-98072

us: A group of research universities is trying to bring 1 gigabit service into your home.
College campuses are shielded from many of the ugly realities of the outside world, such as dead-end jobs, underwater mortgages and pokey Internet connections. Now, a group of research universities wants to bring one of their perks ? blazing fast Internet access ? to the communities that surround them. They're trying to persuade telecommunications companies to use the towns as test beds for broadband services almost 200 times faster than today's average connection. The goal of the effort, dubbed Gig.U, is to spur a leap in broadband technologies and the services they enable. Although it's something of a "Field of Dreams" notion, the project could help the country surmount one of the biggest obstacles to a truly high-speed Internet.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinionla/la-ed-gigu-20110730,0,7435533.story

Google Chrome becomes UK's second most popular web browser
Google's Chrome is Britain's second most popular browser, a sign of the internet giant's increasing grip on the UK search market.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jul/31/google-chrome-popular-web-browser

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SOCIAL NETWORKING
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Google and Facebook get personal in battle for social networking rewards
It is one month since the launch of Google+, a belated attempt at a social networking tool that invites users to follow friends' activities in their news feed and share favourite content by marking it "+1". If this sounds familiar, it shows the extent to which Google is playing catchup with Facebook, which is brewing a public offering next year that could value the firm at $100bn and, critically, has positioned itself as the gateway to the web for many of its 750 million users.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/30/google-plus-facebook-social-networking

The Daily Show Takes On News Organisations Using Twitter Pundits
News organizations turn to random Twitter account holders instead of vetting facts with proper journalistic integrity and authority.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-july-27-2011/twitter-pundits

Use social media to retain customers
As consumer loyalty diminishes and user expectation for instant gratification rise, businesses ought to effectively leverage and manage new technology such as social media and smartphones that will enhance user experience in order to retain customers.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/use-social-media-to-retain-customers-62301427.htm

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CHILD PROTECTION & ONLINE SAFETY
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Zuckerberg's sister takes aim at internet bullies
Facebook's marketing director and sister of founder Mark Zuckerberg has called for an end to online anonymity to help stop cyber-bullying.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/zuckerbergs-sister-takes-aim-at-internet-bullies-2327995.html

Monitor Kids on Facebook Without Being Their 'Friend'
Parents fret all the time about protecting their kids on Facebook, but many of the products and services I've seen that aim to help are intrusive, and inject the parents into the child's normal, healthy online social life in a way that's awkward for both.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904888304576472202967281480.html

nz: More unedited R18+ games expected
Shops in New Zealand are likely to stock a wider variety of unedited adult video games as a side effect of an Australian government decision to introduce an R18+ category for games.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/5367055/More-unedited-R18-games-expected

au: Calls to tighten online content
ONLINE music videos featuring ''adult-oriented behaviour'' by performers such as Lady Gaga or Rihanna should have a MA15+ rating or even refused classification and deemed illegal, says the Australian Family Association.
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/calls-to-tighten-online-content-20110730-1i5dh.html

au: Review bid in 'sext' cases
VICTORIA Legal Aid is investigating the cases of two youths listed on the sex offender register after being found guilty of ''sexting'' offences.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/review-bid-in-sext-cases-20110730-1i5kq.html

au: Teachers lack power to punish cyber bullies
VICTORIA'S principals are powerless to expel or suspend students who use social media websites or their mobile phones to bully classmates outside school hours.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/teachers-lack-power-to-punish-cyber-bullies-20110730-1i5ks.html

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ONLINE TV & MUSIC
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uk: BT ordered to block links to Newzbin 2 website
A High Court judge has ruled that BT must block access to a website which provides links to pirated movies.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14322957

uk: High court forces BT to block file-sharing website
Hollywood film studios won a landmark UK high court ruling on Thursday forcing BT to block access to an illegal file-sharing website accused of operating "on a grand scale".
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jul/28/high-court-bt-filesharing-website-newzbin2

High Court forces BT to block links to pirate site
BT must prevent its customers from accessing a website which provides links to pirated films, a High Court judge has said.
http://out-law.com/page-12117

Spotify: Online Music, Unshackled
Everybody seems to think that record company executives are big, greedy dunderheads. ?How dare you charge for music?? the college set shouts. ?Music wants to be free!?
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/28/technology/personaltech/spotify-unshackles-online-music-david-pogue.html

Google struggles in TV world as sales of Logitech device flounder [Dow Jones]
Google's efforts to become a bigger player in traditional media were dealt a setback when partner Logitech International said sales of a television remote control device built on the search giant's technology fell far short of expectations.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/world/google-struggles-in-tv-world-as-sales-of-logitech-device-flounder/story-e6frg90o-1226104065400

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MOBILE/WIRELESS
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China's Low Roaming Fees Won?t Be Matched Soon
When Su Xiaoqin, a Chinese translator living in D?sseldorf, calls family and friends back in Shanghai, she does not use the mobile network of her German operator, O2. She pops in the SIM card for China Mobile.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/01/technology/companies/roaming-fees-as-low-as-chinas-wont-be-matched-soon.html

Alibaba launches new mobile operating software
China's Alibaba has taken on established players such as Google and Apple in the mobile operating system market.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14337914

Mobile phone shipments rise 13% to 361m, says report
Mobile phone makers shipped 361 million handsets in the second quarter of this year, up 13% on the same period in 2010, according to a new report.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14337388

Nokia Cedes Smartphone Crown to Apple, Samsung
Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. overtook longtime leader Nokia Corp. for the top two spots in the global smartphone market during the second quarter, according to one research firm, highlighting the continued struggles of the Finnish handset maker even as it sets up a battle for the top spot between the U.S. and South Korean rivals.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904800304576475360770139794.html

Android tops U.S. smartphone OS market with 39% share; Apple No. 1 overall vendor
Android's multiple vendors are keeping it on top in the U.S. smartphone operating system market, although Apple is still dominant as an individual manufacturer.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/072811-nielsen-android-apple.html

India adds 60m mobile users in 3 months
Indian telecom companies added nearly 60 million mobile users in three months, taking the country's number of wireless subscribers to around 812 million, according to official data.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-29/millions-more-indian-mobile-users/2815256

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SPAM
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Blogs and forums taken over by spam, says study
New generation internet spam that happens on Web 2.0 platforms such as blogs, wikis and forums is becoming a growing problem, according to researchers.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/blogs-and-forums-taken-over-by-spam-says-study/story-e6frgakx-1226101617103

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ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL
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uk: Clippings ruling could derail much online publishing, says expert
OPINION: Are you reading this at work? Are you sure you are not breaking copyright law by doing so? If OUT-LAW.COM copied most websites' terms and conditions you probably would be, if the Court of Appeal is to be believed.
http://out-law.com/page-12116

Commentary: Defense cyber strategy avoids tackling the most critical issues
Summer in Washington is not usually the time when major news breaks. This year is proving the exception as lawmakers and the White House struggle with the debt ceiling. Amid this economic activity, the Defense Department on July 14 issued its Strategy for Operating in Cyberspace. Given the volume and nature of nefarious cyber activity seen recently, a bold and innovative plan could have been expected. Those hoping for such would have been disappointed, however, at least by the unclassified version of the document made publicly available. With so much at stake, either in the cyber domain or dependent on it, a clear-eyed assessment of the strategy -- its strengths, weaknesses and gaps -- is in order. Indeed, the future shape of both conflict and warfare likely will include a cyber component.
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110728_3046.php

Australia the victim of 'massive' cyber espionage
Cyber espionage is being used against Australia on a ''massive scale'' and some foreign spies are using Australian government networks to penetrate the cyber defences of allies such as the US, ASIO chief David Irvine has told business leaders.
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/australia-the-victim-of-massive-cyber-espionage-20110731-1i6hc.html
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/australia-a-sitting-duck-for-hacker-attacks-20110731-1i6io.html
http://www.watoday.com.au/technology/security/australia-the-victim-of-massive-cyber-espionage-20110731-1i6hc.html
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/technology/security/australia-the-victim-of-massive-cyber-espionage-20110731-1i6hc.html

Symantec Announces July 2011 Symantec Intelligence Report: Aggressive use of rapidly changing malware leads to rise in sophisticated socially engineered attacks; twist in phishing attacks bait mobile phone users [news release]
Symantec Corp. announced the publication of its July 2011 Symantec Intelligence Report, now combining the best research and analysis from the Symantec.cloud MessageLabs Intelligence Report and the Symantec State of Spam & Phishing Report. This month?s analysis reveals a significant increase in activity related to what may be described as a aggressive and rapidly changing form of generic polymorphic1 malware. With one in 280.9 emails identified as malicious in July, the rise accounted for 23.7 percent of all email-borne malware intercepted in July; more than double the same figure six months ago, indicating a much more aggressive strategy on the part of the cyber criminals responsible.
http://www.symantec.com/about/news/release/article.jsp?prid=20110726_01

au: ALDI sells hard drives with malware inside
The Australian Computer Emergency Response Team (AusCERT) released an alert yesterday on the Federal Government's Stay Smart Online alert service, alleging that the Fission External 4-in-1 Hard Drive, DVD, USB and Card Reader product offered by ALDI contains the components of the "Conficker" worm.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/aldi-sells-hard-drives-with-malware-inside-339319481.htm

au: Woman sues over office porn
A test case is under way in the Federal Court which will determine whether a woman can sue for being exposed to male colleagues viewing computer pornography at work.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/woman-sues-over-office-porn-20110801-1i7v1.html

uk: LulzSec: Shetland teen charged over computer hacking claims
A man from the Shetland Islands has been charged with computer offences by police investigating hacking attacks.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14359933

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PRIVACY
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A Case for Pseudonyms
There are myriad reasons why individuals may wish to use a name other than the one they were born with. They may be concerned about threats to their lives or livelihoods, or they may risk political or economic retribution. They may wish to prevent discrimination or they may use a name that?s easier to pronounce or spell in a given culture.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/07/case-pseudonyms

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CENSORSHIP
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In Baring Facts of Train Crash, Blogs Erode China Censorship
?After all the wind and storm, what?s going on with the high-speed train?? read the prophetic message posted last Saturday evening on the Chinese microblog Sina Weibo. ?It?s crawling slower than a snail. I hope nothing happens to it.?
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/29/world/asia/29china.html

The internet nourished Norway's killer, but censorship would be folly by Timothy Garton Ash
'You can ignore jihad, but you cannot avoid the consequences of ignoring jihad." That was the first reaction of the American anti-Islam blogger Pamela Geller to news of the terror attacks in Norway, and on her Atlas Shrugs website she linked to an earlier video of a pro-Hamas demo in Oslo. When it turned out the mass murderer was not an Islamic terrorist but an anti-Islamic terrorist, whose 1,500-page online manifesto was replete with material from anti-Islam writers like her, Atlas Geller shrugged: "He's a bloody murderer. Period. He is responsible for his actions. He and only he. There was no 'ideology' here."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/29/internet-norway-killer-censorship-folly

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GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
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us: House Panel Votes to Require ISPs to Keep Customer Records [IDG]
A U.S. House of Representatives committee has voted to approve legislation that would require Internet service providers to retain customer IP data for 12 months in the name of combating child pornography.
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/236866/house_panel_votes_to_require_isps_to_keep_customer_records.html
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/072811-house-panel-votes-to-require.html

us: ISP Data-Retention Bill Rankles Privacy Advocates
A proposed law designed to fight child pornography has rankled privacy advocates because it would require Internet service providers to keep 12-month logs of customers' names, credit card information, and other identifying information that are tied to temporarily assigned network addresses.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/236985/isp_dataretention_bill_rankles_privacy_advocates.html

au: Review of access to telecommunication services by people with disability, older Australians and people experiencing illness [news release]
The review will inform the Australian Government on ways to help people in need of assistance to access and make the most of the telecommunication choices available to them, including the National Relay Service. The department invites individuals, including carers, and organisations to make submissions to the review?whether to address its terms of reference or simply to tell of their own experiences.
http://www.dbcde.gov.au/telephone_services/information_for_people_with_disability

nz: Internet pirates laugh at new law
The worst illegal downloaders are likely to escape detection under a new law against internet piracy.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10741800

nz: Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Act - process diagrams
I've been consulting to the Telecommunications Carriers' Forum on copyright issues since the ill-fated introduction of section 92A of the Copyright Act a few years ago.
http://lawgeeknz.posterous.com/copyright-infringing-file-sharing-amendment-a

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MISCELLANEOUS
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Apple's rise continues but few others are getting a bite
How things change. Once upon a time, Microsoft was the Evil Empire. But now Microsoft is middle-aged, respectable and, well, boring. I've been to two high-powered, invitation-only symposia on cybersecurity recently at which the Microsoft representative patiently explained to delegates that his company dealt with governments as a "partner" rather than as a mere player in a competitive game.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jul/31/apple-empire-growth-john-naughton

InternetNZ reveals election results
InternetNZ has revealed the results of its latest round of elections. The non-profit organisation lobbies on behalf of internet users and, through its 100% owned subsidiaries the Domain Name Coimmission and NZ Registry Services, administers and wholesales .nz internet addresses.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/internetnz-reveals-election-results-ck-98088

InternetNZ announces 2011 election results; awards Fellowships
InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) has announced results of this year's InternetNZ Council elections and the appointment of three new InternetNZ Fellows.
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?ContentId=9332

Incumbents re-elected to InternetNZ council
An election decided at the InternetNZ annual general meeting last night in Wellington brought no change to the ranks of the ruling council.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/incumbents-relected-to-internetnz-council

nz: FryUp: The pinot noir test
It may or may not have been a coincidence that two tech industry groups, NZICT and InternetNZ, had their annual general meetings on the same evening this week.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/fryup/fryup-the-pinot-noir-test

Blogger named Fellow of InternetNZ
Advocacy group InternetNZ has recognised three people as InternetNZ Fellows at its AGM, as well as re-electing its four incumbent councillors.
http://www.techday.co.nz/netguide/news/blogger-named-fellow-of-internetnz/20726/

Hector's World alleged insolvency in dispute
InternetNZ has written off a $200,000 loan to cybersafety initiative Hector's World, with a note in the charity's accounts saying it is insolvent - but the company's sole director Rick Shera disputes this claim.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/hectors-world-insolvency-in-dispute

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TELECOMMUNICATIONS
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Wireless challenge to 'future-proof' NBN
A technology guru who has been described as the Thomas Edison of Silicon Valley claims to have developed a new wireless technology that could one day rival the download speeds on the National Broadband Network.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/wireless-challenge-to-future-proof-nbn/story-fn59niix-1226104623595

Irate NBN chief blasts media over hack arrest
The head of the company rolling out the National Broadband Network has responded angrily to security concerns sparked by the alleged hacking of one the network's providers, accusing the media of distorting the story.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-28/nbn-chief-blasts-media-over-hacking-coverage/2814582

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(c) David Goldstein 2011



------
David Goldstein

 email: david&#167;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 Flannery