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 *************************************************** IANA Contract is Up for Renewal, Only to U.S. Bidders [IDG] http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/243788/iana_contract_is_up_for_renewal_only_to_us_bidders.html US Government Issues New IANA Contract For Tender, But Only To US Companies http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/11/15/us-government-issues-new-iana-contract-for-tender-but-only-to-us-companies/ Washington U., Mizzou aim to protect names from porn sites http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/washu-mizzou-aim-to-protect-names-from-porn-links/article_db0c808e-2665-59e8-a01f-05db778fe8cf.html Manwin Plans on Filing Antitrust Suit Over .XXX http://newswire.xbiz.com/view.php?id=141096 Africa Union calls for dotAfrica TLD proposals [CIO East Africa] http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=8F03CEAD-90FB-1952-05C76E21E4167060 Pricing and Efficiency in the Market for IP Addresses by Benjamin Edelman and Michael Schwarz http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6849.html Overstock retreats from O.co name change http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57324691-93/overstock-retreats-from-o.co-name-change/ Overstock learns that .com is still king http://econsultancy.com/us/blog/8282-overstock-learns-that-com-is-still-king ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** Italy demands digital investment from Mario Monti to end Eurozone woes [IDG] New Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti has been urged by participants of an internet forum in Trento to up Italy's investment in the digital economy in order to end the country's Eurozone woes. ... Participants at Italy's Internet Governance Forum warned Monti that the "digital spread" between Italy and its main industrial competitors was also reaching a level that could prove unsustainable for the national economy. http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/public-sector/3318385/italy-demands-digital-investment-from-mario-monti-to-end-eurozone-woes/ ?Our Internet ? Our rights, Our freedoms?: Council of Europe conference in Vienna A high level conference organised by the Council of Europe and the Federal Ministry of European and International Affairs of Austria on the theme ?Our Internet ? Our rights, Our freedoms? will take place in Vienna on 24 and 25 November. http://www.isria.com/pages/16_November_2011_172.php ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Board Technical Relations Working Group (BTRWG) ? Final Report for Public Comment In line with the Board resolution 2011.10.28.10 adopted in Dakar, the Final Report delivered by the Board Technical Relations Working Group is now open for public comment.. The public comment period will close on 30 December 2011. http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-16nov11-en.htm Commission welcomes improvements in new IANA contract The European Commission is pleased that its initiative to improve Internet Governance resulted in the introduction of a number of its suggested changes by the US Government for the post-March 2012 IANA contract. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/11/1345 IANA Contract is Up for Renewal, Only to U.S. Bidders [IDG] The IANA is aiming to strengthen requirements for transparency, independence and accountability in its next contract for the creation of top-level domains. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/243788/iana_contract_is_up_for_renewal_only_to_us_bidders.html http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/407347/iana_contract_up_renewal_only_u_bidders/ http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9221798/IANA_contract_is_up_for_renewal_only_to_U.S._bidders European Commission Likes New IANA Contract ? Doesn?t Like US Only Bidding Process In a move that shouldn?t come as a surprise to anyone, the EU Commission has given a rather mixed welcome to the IANA bid. While they obviously like a lot of what they are seeing, they?re also not overly impressed with the contract only being open to US companies. http://www.internetnews.me/2011/11/14/european-commission-likes-new-iana-contract-doesnt-like-us-only-bidding-process/ US Government Issues New IANA Contract For Tender, But Only To US Companies The US government has issued a tender for the operation of the IANA, a contract currently held by ICANN, and who is likely to again win the tender. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=16361 http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/11/15/us-government-issues-new-iana-contract-for-tender-but-only-to-us-companies/ Europe dislikes US-only IANA rule The European Commission is disappointed that only US-based companies are eligible to apply to take over ICANN?s IANA contract, but has otherwise welcomed the new deal. http://domainincite.com/europe-dislikes-us-only-iana-rule/ A Look at Rod Beckstrom's Term as ICANN CEO Rod Beckstrom announced August 16 that he would be leaving the position of CEO at ICANN following the end of his three year term on July 1, 2012. http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/111411_A_Look_at_Rod_Beckstroms_Term_as_ICANN_CEO ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** Gaddafi ousted from Libya?s Whois Libya has changed the Whois records for the .ly top-level domain to remove references to the usurped Gaddafi regime. http://domainincite.com/gaddafi-ousted-from-libyas-whois/ One in five .?? domains have web sites The .?? registry celebrated its first launch anniversary last week, with almost one million .?? names registered and apparently almost one in five domains with an active web site. http://domainincite.com/one-in-five-??-domains-have-web-sites/ Washington U., Mizzou aim to protect names from porn sites The world is getting closer to the launching of a new Internet address system for pornography providers, and there are some eye-opening names being registered. Among them: washu.xxx and mizzou.xxx. http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/washu-mizzou-aim-to-protect-names-from-porn-links/article_db0c808e-2665-59e8-a01f-05db778fe8cf.html Universities buying .xxx domains to keep their brands clean In an attempt to protect their brands from enterprising pornographers and cybersquatters, a number of universities have begun purchasing .xxx TLD, reports the St. Louis Dispatch. The move will hopefully prevent the school from being associated in any way with sex-laden content. http://www.newschannel5.com/story/16045343/universities-buying-xxx-domains-to-keep-their-brands-clean http://www.myfoxal.com/story/16045343/universities-buying-xxx-domains-to-keep-their-brands-clean Manwin Plans on Filing Antitrust Suit Over .XXX Adult entertainment company Manwin plans on filing an antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. against .XXX operator ICM Registry and ICANN relative to the new .XXX space. http://newswire.xbiz.com/view.php?id=141096 Manwin, Digital Playground Sue ICM, ICANN Over .XXX Manwin and Digital Playground have filed a lawsuit in federal court against ICM Registry, the operators of the .xxx top-level domain, and ICANN, the California-based administrator of the Domain Name System (DNS), alleging anti-trust violations related to the controversial TLD. http://news.avn.com/articles/UPDATE-Manwin-Digital-Playground-Sue-ICM-ICANN-Over-XXX-454891.html YouPorn sues ICANN and ICM over .xxx One of the biggest porn companies in the world has filed an antitrust lawsuit against ICANN and ICM Registry over the introduction of the .xxx TLD. http://domainincite.com/youporn-sues-icann-and-icm-over-xxx/ ********************** - NEW TLDS ********************** Africa Union calls for dotAfrica TLD proposals [CIO East Africa] The Africa Union (AU) on Monday send out a request for proposal for organisations looking to manage the dotAfrica TLD. ICANN, which oversees allocation of Internet domain names and addresses worldwide will be accepting applications for new gTLDs between January 12, 2012, and April 12, 2012, a period which the AU will submit its dotAfrica proposal too. http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=8F03CEAD-90FB-1952-05C76E21E4167060 http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/internet/3318474/africa-union-calls-for-dotafrica-tld-proposals/ CRIDO Says Battle Against New TLDs Won?t End January 12 Coalition for Responsible Internet Domain Oversight (CRIDO), a new group formed to try to stall or can ICANN?s new TLD program, says it has more than two months to make a difference. http://domainnamewire.com/2011/11/16/crido-says-battle-against-new-tlds-wont-end-january-12/ Screen Actors Guild opposes new gTLDs While it does not appear to be a member of the new Coalition for Responsible Internet Domain Oversight, the Screen Actors Guild has come out in opposition to new top-level domains. http://domainincite.com/screen-actors-guild-opposes-new-gtlds/ Staff changes at new gTLD consultancies There?s movement in the new top-level domains consultancy market this week, with new hires and departures at a couple of startups. http://domainincite.com/staff-changes-at-new-gtld-consultancies/ Welsh factions clash over .cymru and .wales bids A grassroots move to create .cymru as a new top-level internet domain has hit a roadblock after the Welsh government backed a .wales bid managed by an English company. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/11/15/cymru_wales_domands/ Afilias launches new educational materials on gTLD innovation for new top-level domains New educational materials from Afilias are designed to inform and stimulate the imaginations of potential dot Brand, dot City and dot Niche applicants http://www.afilias.info/news/2011/11/14/afilias-launches-new-educational-materials-gtld-innovation-new-top-level-domains ?New TLD? Becomes an Expensive Keyword on Google Companies offering new top level domain name services are getting into a pay-per-click bidding war on Google. http://domainnamewire.com/2011/11/16/new-tld-becomes-an-expensive-keyword-on-google/ ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** U.S. reserves right to meet cyber attack with force The United States reserves the right to retaliate with military force against a cyber attack and is working to sharpen its ability to track down the source of any breach, the Pentagon said in a report made public on Tuesday. http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/11/16/idINIndia-60552820111116 Pentagon: Offensive cyber attacks fair game The Pentagon has laid out its most explicit cyberwarfare policy to date, stating that if directed by the president, it will launch ?offensive cyber operations? in response to hostile acts. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/checkpoint-washington/post/pentagon-offensive-cyber-attacks-fair-game/2011/11/15/gIQAxQlcON_blog.html What Chinese DDoS Malware Looks Like by Terry Zink While at that same Virus Bulletin conference that I was talking about earlier in my other post, I also had the chance to check out a session on Chinese DDoS malware put on by some folks from Arbor Networks. As little insight as I have into Android malware, I know even less about Chinese DDoS malware. So what's Chinese DDoS malware like? What are its characteristics? http://www.circleid.com/posts/20111116_what_chinese_ddos_malware_looks_like/ Australian websites caught up in DNS Changer case Thousands of computers in Australia may have been affected by the largest botnet, dubbed domain name system (DNS) Changer, according to evidence from Trend Micro. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/407601/australian_websites_caught_up_dns_changer_case/ ISPs could have stopped massive click-fraud operation In the wake of the successful bust of an alleged click-fraud operation that netted cyber criminals more than $14 million, security experts are bringing to light more information that could help organizations and end-users alike protect themselves from similar threats. Experts are also asking whether ISPs could and should have done more to protect Internet users from the attacks that had been going on for four years. http://www.infoworld.com/t/web-security/isps-could-have-stopped-massive-click-fraud-operation-179118 ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** it: Use of registered trademarks in domain names - when and how to obtain seizure An Italian court has recently held that if a website wrongfully uses a registered trademark in its domain name, and if a court order is sought to require an Italian internet service provider (ISP) to block access to the website, such an order cannot be granted unless the applicant produces evidence of the website?s illicit content or purpose. In order to block access to a website that offers counterfeit goods, a trademark holder must produce adequate evidence of the illicit activity carried out through the website. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=0d225427-0239-4cc0-ae75-458e58dd0c98 ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** Pricing and Efficiency in the Market for IP Addresses by Benjamin Edelman and Michael Schwarz Abstract: We consider market rules for the transfer of IP addresses, numeric identifiers required by all computers connected to the Internet. Excessive fragmentation of IP address blocks causes growth in the Internet's routing table, which is socially costly, so an IP address market should discourage subdividing IP address blocks more than necessary. Yet IP address transfer rules also need to facilitate purchase by the networks that need the addresses most, from the networks who value them least. We propose a market rule that avoids excessive fragmentation while almost achieving social efficiency, and we argue that implementation of this rule is feasible despite the limited powers of central authorities. We also offer a framework for the price trajectory of IPv4 addresses. In a world without uncertainty, the unit price of IPv4 is constant before the first time when all blocks of IPv4 addresses are in use and decreasing after that time. With uncertainty, the price before that time is a martingale, and the price trajectory afterwards is a supermartingale. http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6849.html How to get IPv6 addresses from ARIN Whenever I help a company deploy IPv6, the first question I'm asked is how to get provider independent IPv6 address space from ARIN. ARIN has new policy guidelines that affect how a company approaches its allocation justification request for IPv6 vs. what was required for IPv4. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/111511-how-to-get-ipv6-address-from-arin-253129.html http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/407547/how_get_ipv6_addresses_from_arin/ http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9221863/How_to_get_IPv6_addresses_from_ARIN ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Vint Cerf: The government is going overboard in Internet copyright control ?When Bob and I started writing the specs for the Internet in 1973...? Only a handful of people can start a sentence anything like that. Today, Vint Cerf, one of the godfathers of the Internet, stood on a stage at the Google campus and addressed attendees of Atmosphere, the company?s cloud computing event. http://venturebeat.com/2011/11/14/vint-cerf/ Overstock retreats from O.co name change Just months after rolling out a media blitz to promote its new branding, Internet retailer Overstock.com is backpedaling on its O.co moniker. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57324691-93/overstock-retreats-from-o.co-name-change/ Overstock learns that .com is still king During the internet boom of the late 1990s, companies flush with investor cash regularly spent big bucks acquiring generic .com domain names. http://econsultancy.com/us/blog/8282-overstock-learns-that-com-is-still-king The Real o.co Lesson Branding a new domain name ? and especially a new top level domain ? takes a long time. http://domainnamewire.com/2011/11/14/the-real-o-co-lesson/ Overstock.com slows down O.co rebranding Overstock.com is throttling its transition to the O.co brand after discovering consumers typed o.com even after watching the company?s commercials, according to a report. http://domainincite.com/overstock-com-slows-down-o-co-rebranding/ Time to protect your domain BUSINESSES risk losing one of their most valuable assets if they are not diligent about their domain names. http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/sa-business-journal/time-to-protect-your-domain/story-e6fredel-1226194039928 ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Domain Name Pricing Data Reveals Insight into Potential Performance of New Extensions Sedo announced the addition of ten new sub-indices to IDNX, the industry?s first standardized domain price index. The addition of this functionality enables IDNX users to graphically compare the historical pricing trends of separate Top Level Domains (TLDs) including .com, .net, .org and .co.uk. With the pending introduction of hundreds of new gTLDs, the IDNX sub-indices give entrepreneurs, marketers, and others in the domain industry data to help forecast the potential success or failure of new endings. https://sedo.com/presse/presse.php?tracked=&partnerid=&language=us&id=406 I Disagree With Sedo?s Observation ... My issue is that I don?t think a new gTLD, especially regional gTLDs like .NYC or .PARIS, will need to keep pace with .com to be viable. I happen to think that with a local marketing campaign, awareness efforts, and some development by local businesses, people in New York City will know about .NYC, and local businesses will purchase .NYC domain names. http://www.elliotsblog.com/i-disagree-with-sedos-observation-5581 ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Paywalls an 'inevitable reality' Newspaper publishers must accept the reality that paywalls are necessary as readers become increasingly digitised and circulation continues to fall. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/paywalls-an-inevitable-reality/story-e6frg996-1226196081013 Fairfax calculates risk of a paywall-free presence by ABC's Alan Kohler The CEO of Fairfax Media, Greg Hywood, made a very interesting comment at the end of a lecture on journalism last night: "Don't rule out (Fairfax) not having paywalls." http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-16/kohler-papers-paywalls-and-crunching-the-numbers/3673926 ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Social network users risk losing control over information services, EU advisors say Social network users may be being fed "biased" information about personalised services that can impede their ability to make decisions, an EU advisory body has said. http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2011/november/social-network-users-risk-losing-control-over-information-services-eu-advisors-say/ Life-logging & online personal data; the effects on privacy, economy, society & people?s psychology; in new report; ?To log or not to log?? [news release] The EU's 'cyber security' agency ENISA reports on future impact of life-logging & online personal data; and the effects on privacy, economy, society and people?s psychology. http://www.enisa.europa.eu/media/press-releases/life-logging-online-personal-data-the-effects-on-privacy-economy-society-people2019s-psychology-in-201cto-log-or-not-to-log-201d-study Facebook dominates social websites in Southeast Asia: Nielsen Facebook dominates social websites in Southeast Asia with more than 50 percent of netizens have active profile on it, a report said on Tuesday. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/sci/2011-11/15/c_131247905.htm ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Google's Lab of Wildest Dreams In a top-secret lab in an undisclosed Bay Area location where robots run free, the future is being imagined. It?s a place where your refrigerator could be connected to the Internet, so it could order groceries when they ran low. Your dinner plate could post to a social network what you?re eating. Your robot could go to the office while you stay home in your pajamas. And you could, perhaps, take an elevator to outer space. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/14/technology/at-google-x-a-top-secret-lab-dreaming-up-the-future.html ********************************* CHILD PROTECTION & ONLINE SAFETY ********************************* au: One in three children run into disturbing content online ... The study, AU Kids Online, compared the experience of Australian children to European children and found Australians were more than twice as likely to say they were bothered by something online. http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/one-in-three-children-run-into-disturbing-content-online-20111115-1nh5m.html http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/one-in-three-children-run-into-disturbing-content-online-20111115-1nh5m.html us: Children's Online Privacy Panel: Kamala Harris, Jim Steyer & Mandeep Singh Dhillon Weigh In ... California Attorney General Kamala Harris had just managed to successfully unnerve a group of about 100 parents and educators with this online exchange between two 16-year-olds. Those in the crowd, which had gathered Monday night at the Center For Early Education for a panel on children's online privacy, muttered worriedly among themselves as they tried to decipher the instant message language. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/15/childrens-online-privacy_n_1094150.html Schools in Northern Ireland to focus on cyberbullying Almost 650 schools across Northern Ireland are to explore the impact of cyberbullying this week. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-15714030 nz: Kidzone Magic Desktop is huge success In August, TVNZ launched an innovative computer desktop designed specifically for children through an extension of its Kidzone24 television brand Kidzone Magic Desktop. http://tvnz.co.nz/magic-desktop/kidzone-huge-success-4544312 http://www.voxy.co.nz/technology/10000-downloads-child-safe-software/5/107838 ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** uk: Illegal downloading: What happens if you're caught? Whether it's swapping songs or swiping movies, almost every internet user has been tempted by the huge amount of free entertainment online. So what's the worst that could happen if you do fill your hard drive with illegal spoils? http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/illegal-downloading-what-happens-if-youre-caught-1736013.html Aussie expat's TV torrent site shut down as The Slap producers intervene The producers of ABC1 drama The Slap have succeeded in shutting down a Netherlands-based piracy website that over 40,000 Australian and New Zealand expats used to illegally watch local shows. http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/aussie-expats-tv-torrent-site-shut-down-as-the-slap-producers-intervene-20111115-1ng2p.html http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/aussie-expats-tv-torrent-site-shut-down-as-the-slap-producers-intervene-20111115-1ng2p.html Google Opens a Digital Music Store Looking to extend its reach as a hub for entertainment and social networking, Google on Wednesday introduced a set of music features that include a download store to compete with iTunes. http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/google-opens-a-digital-music-store/ Google Music goes live in US with Google+ integration [IDG] Google Music, the company's cloud-based online music service, is now available to all users in the US and includes song and album sales, as well as an integration with the Google+ social networking site. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/407711/google_music_goes_live_us_google_integration/ http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9221927/Google_Music_goes_live_in_U.S._with_Google_integration ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Samsung Wins Early Australia Trial on Apple Claim Samsung Electronics Co., embroiled in patent disputes with Apple Inc. around the globe, won an early trial on its claim that the iPhone and iPad 2 in Australia infringe its patents on 3G wireless transmissions. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-15/samsung-wins-early-australia-trial-on-apple-infringement-claim.html Samsung case against iPhone 4S to be heard in March An Australian court has agreed to hear in March a case brought by Samsung Electronics to ban sales of Apple's latest iPhone ? though sales will be allowed to continue as normal ahead of the full hearing on alleged patent infringements. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/nov/15/samsung-apple-court-patent-dispute Australia court to hear Samsung-Apple case in March An Australian court has agreed to hear in March a case brought by Samsung Electronics to ban sales of Apple Inc's latest iPhone, with sales allowed to continue as normal ahead of the full hearing on alleged patent infringements. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/11/15/oukin-uk-apple-samsung-idUKTRE7AE0AN20111115 http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/11/15/idINIndia-60530420111115 Apple v Samsung war 'might have been avoided' Samsung says its mammoth tit-for-tat patent battle with Apple could have been avoided if the latter wasn't so trigger happy, as the Korean giant's attempt to ban sales of Apple's iPhone 4S in Australia gets set for a full court hearing in March. http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/mobiles/apple-v-samsung-war-might-have-been-avoided-20111115-1ngl8.html http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/mobiles/apple-v-samsung-war-might-have-been-avoided-20111115-1ngl8.html ********************** SPAM ********************** Has the spam problem been solved? Microsoft founder Bill Gates said in 2004 that the problem of spam would be solved within two years. It seemed unlikely at the time, and in fact 2006 came and went without so much as a dip in the crushing load of unwanted email advertising. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/407383/has_spam_problem_been_solved_/ http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/111411-has-the-spam-problem-been-253074.html ********************** ONLINE CRIME & LEGAL ********************** Why isn't everyone hacked every day? Trouble befalls only a fraction of all who ply the Internet. Why is that? Michael Kassner explores the answer with a security researcher. http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/security/why-isnt-everyone-hacked-every-day/6633 http://www.zdnetasia.com/why-isnt-everyone-hacked-every-day-62302869.htm Facebook 'eliminates most of porn image spam attack' Facebook said it has rid its site of most of the pornographic and violent images posted as part of a spam attack. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15753549 Facebook finds cause of porn, violent images in NewsFeeds If you checked your Facebook NewsFeed on Monday night and found a dirty Photoshopped picture of Justin Bieber or an image of a beaten and bloodied dog, you are not alone. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/11/facebook-to-investigate-flood-of-porn-violent-images-in-newsfeeds.html nz: Porn turns up on Facebook Facebook users were yesterday confronted by hardcore pornography on their feeds after a virus attack on the social networking site. ... NetSafe chief executive Martin Cocker said there had been no reports of the Facebook porn plague in New Zealand but warned users to be cautious. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10766595 Facebook 'virus' shows hardcore porn and violent images Facebook says it is looking into reports that pornographic and violent images have been posted to its website. The pictures are reported to have shown up in users' newsfeeds. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15740798 Facebook investigates pornography deluge after users' complaints Facebook is investigating a rash of unsolicited graphic images that hit some users' accounts this week. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/nov/15/facebook-investigates-pornography-graphic-images ********************** SECURITY ********************** U.S. reserves right to meet cyber attack with force The United States reserves the right to retaliate with military force against a cyber attack and is working to sharpen its ability to track down the source of any breach, the Pentagon said in a report made public on Tuesday. http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/11/16/idINIndia-60552820111116 Pentagon: Offensive cyber attacks fair game The Pentagon has laid out its most explicit cyberwarfare policy to date, stating that if directed by the president, it will launch ?offensive cyber operations? in response to hostile acts. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/checkpoint-washington/post/pentagon-offensive-cyber-attacks-fair-game/2011/11/15/gIQAxQlcON_blog.html ********************** PRIVACY ********************** How Much Should People Worry About the Loss of Online Privacy? Privacy in the digital age means a lot of things to a lot of people. Some people fret about the privacy controls on social networks, some worry about the companies that track their online behavior, and others are concerned about government surveillance. We asked a diverse group of panelists how much our readers should worry about the vast array of privacy threats. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204190704577024262567105738.html When Sites Drag the Unwitting Across the Web Can an online algorithm track down your child? In some cases, yes ? and if you?re a parent, it could alarm you too. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/14/technology/klouts-automatically-created-profiles-included-minors.html Web privacy tools to warn of internet tracking cookies Internet users will receive a warning if sites do not respect their privacy thanks to new tools being developed by the web's standards setting body. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) wants to help users control how their personal data is managed. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15723407 W3C privacy workgroup issues first draft of Do Not Track standard W3C has published the first draft of a new Web standard that addresses online privacy. It establishes an official specification for the mechanism that browsers use to broadcast the ?Do Not Track? (DNT) privacy preference to websites. The draft was authored by a new W3C Tracking Protection Working Group and could be ratified as an official standard by the middle of next year. http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2011/11/w3c-privacy-workgroup-issues-first-draft-of-do-not-track-standard.ars Google Allows Wi-Fi Owners to Opt Out of Database Google, under pressure from privacy regulators in the Netherlands, said Tuesday that it had agreed to give people around the world the option of keeping the names and locations of their home or business Wi-Fi routers out of a company database. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/technology/google-allows-wi-fi-owners-to-opt-out-of-database.html Dutch watchdog approves Google WiFi data plan [AP] GOOGLE'S plan to let people "opt out" of having their wireless network data used by the company's location services such as StreetView may be clumsy, but the Netherlands' privacy watchdog says it adheres to the letter of the law. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10766661 http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/dutch-watchdog-approves-google-wifi-data-plan/story-e6frgakx-1226197388418 ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** us: Senators want probe of NetApp, Blue Coat devices' ties to Syria Three U.S. senators are asking Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to investigate recent reports that Internet-monitoring gear made by two California-based companies has found its way to Syria. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57324674-281/senators-want-probe-of-netapp-blue-coat-devices-ties-to-syria/ ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** China vows to speed up Internet of Things development: MIIT China is seeking breakthroughs in key technologies of the Internet of Things (IOT), and says it will strengthen the industry over the next five years, a senior official said Wednesday. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2011-11/16/c_131251258.htm Vint Cerf: The government is going overboard in Internet copyright control ... Today, Cerf gave the audience strong words on contemporary issues of intellectual property, open-source development and the need for better security ? not on the part of developers or companies, but on the part of normal Internet users. http://venturebeat.com/2011/11/14/vint-cerf/ Cerf calls Internet governance critical issue in high tech Vint Cerf, widely considered one of the fathers of the Internet, said Monday that Internet governance is one of the most critical issues in the high-tech world. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/407372/cerf_calls_internet_governance_critical_issue_high_tech/ http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9221801/Cerf_calls_Internet_governance_critical_issue_in_high_tech Father Of The Internet Says "Shoot The Patent Lawyer" Vint Cerf, one of the inventors of the Internet and now a Google evangelist, still thinks open standards will win in the end. http://www.businessinsider.com/father-of-the-internet-says-shoot-the-patent-lawyer-2011-11 us: Stop Sopa now by Dan Gillmor The Stop Online Piracy Act will kill online innovation and serve the interests not of ordinary web users but a corporate cartel http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/nov/16/stop-sopa-now us: Copyright Office will endorse SOPA anti-piracy bill The head of the influential U.S. Copyright Office plans to offer an unqualified endorsement tomorrow of a controversial Hollywood-backed copyright bill. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57325554-281/copyright-office-will-endorse-sopa-anti-piracy-bill/ us: Google, Yahoo join opposition to rogue website legislation Google, Yahoo, Facebook and several other large Web companies today joined a growing chorus of strong opposition to proposed legislation that aims to curb online IP and copyright theft by foreign sites. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/407537/google_yahoo_join_opposition_rogue_website_legislation/ http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9221857/Google_Yahoo_join_opposition_to_rogue_website_legislation us: Key Net Firms Oppose Anti-Online Piracy bills Several leading Internet companies are voicing strong concerns with House and Senate legislation to curb online piracy, saying the measures would impose new burdens that could stifle their industry's innovation and growth. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2011/11/key-net-firms-oppose-antionlin.php Cybersecurity in the Balance: Weighing the Risks of the PROTECT IP Act and the Stop Online Piracy Act Executive Summary: Cybersecurity has dominated headlines and the attention of American policymakers. The challenge is not in recognizing the problem, but in understanding how to balance cybersecurity efforts with other policy priorities and scarce resources. Two new bills designed to combat foreign websites that infringe on American intellectual property present one of the first such decisions to Congress: how can we balance the defense of cyberspace and defense against online piracy when the two conflict? http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2011/1115_cybersecurity_friedman.aspx U.S. Department of Justice Seeks Law Against Lying Online Using a pseudonym on Facebook or fibbing about your age on a dating site could be illegal if the U.S. Department of Justice has its way. http://www.pcworld.com/article/243920/us_department_of_justice_seeks_law_against_lying_online.html us: DOJ: Lying on Match.com needs to be a crime The U.S. Department of Justice is defending computer hacking laws that make it a crime to use a fake name on Facebook or lie about your weight in an online dating profile at a site like Match.com. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57324779-281/doj-lying-on-match.com-needs-to-be-a-crime/ http://www.zdnet.com.au/dating-site-lies-should-be-illegal-doj-339326260.htm Media freedom high on European agenda Media freedom and freedom of expression in the enlargement countries were topics of joint discussion between the Vice-President of the European Commission Neelie Kroes responsible for the Digital Agenda including media policy and Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy ?tefan F?le with President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek on Tuesday in Strasbourg. They focused on how to best foster Freedom of Expression in the existing legal framework. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/11/790 ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** Should Some of Broadcasters' Spectrum Be Auctioned Off to Wireless Carriers? The enthusiasm of American consumers and businesses for smartphones, tablet computers and other devices that tap into the Internet on the go seems boundless. But the capacity of the airwaves that carry all that traffic isn't. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203716204577017801681007194.html Steve Jobs wanted to 'replace' carriers using Wi-Fi spectrum Apple might have launched the iPhone without the help of carriers if Steve Jobs & Co. had found a wireless workaround. http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-57325292-248/steve-jobs-wanted-to-replace-carriers-using-wi-fi-spectrum/ uk: Virtual rush hour slows broadband speeds There is a virtual rush hour after the real one, and it slows down people who want to get things done there, too. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/nov/16/virtual-rush-hour-slows-broadband-speeds ca: Telecommunications regulator turns off online meter Tuesday's decision by Canada's telecommunications regulator to allow large Internet providers to use new capacity-based billing for independent providers is a step forward, say some experts, but they argue the majority of Canadian consumers are still at the mercy of online usage fees. http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Telecommunications+regulator+turns+online+meter/5719468/story.html China?s Largest Telecoms Probed by Anti-Monopoly Investigation China?s two biggest telecom companies are being probed by an anti-monopoly investigation that is being publicized in the state media. http://blogs.voanews.com/china-wangre/2011/11/16/chinas-largest-telecoms-probed-by-anti-monopoly-investigation/ nz: Telecom may face hefty bill from rivals Telecom may need to repay millions of dollars to rival telcos as a result of a Supreme Court decision out today. http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/5984376/Telecom-may-face-hefty-bill-from-rivals +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2011 ------ David Goldstein email: david at goldsteinreport.com web: http://goldsteinreport.com/ http://davidgoldstein.tel/ phone: +61 418 228 605 - mobile; +61 2 9665 5773 - office/home "Every time you use fossil fuels, you're adding to the problem. Every time you forgo fossil fuels, you're being part of the solution" - Dr Tim FlanneryReceived on Thu Nov 17 2011 - 01:46:16 UTC
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