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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Right here, right now - the changing the face of the internet by Hogan Lovells partner David Taylor
http://www.thelawyer.com/right-here-right-now-the-changing-the-face-of-the-internet/1010916.article

Web Domain Overseer Weighs Conflict Rule to Deflect Self-Dealing Criticism
http://webfarm.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-12/web-domain-overseer-weighs-conflict-rule-to-deflect-criticism.html

GAC gets more power to block controversial gTLDs
http://domainincite.com/gac-gets-more-power-to-block-controversial-gtlds/

Kinderis Says New Web Domain Names Create Opportunities
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/kinderis-says-new-web-domain-names-create-opportunities/2012/01/12/gIQAwQAnsP_video.html


**********************
 - ICANN
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ICANN Appoints New Vice President for Latin America
Respected Mexican telecommunications and Internet expert Rodrigo de la Parra has been selected as ICANN?s Vice President for Latin America.
http://www.icann.org/en/news/releases/release-2-11jan12-en.pdf

ICANN Appoints New Vice President for Europe
Highly-experienced governmental and regulatory expert Nigel Hickson has been appointed ICANN?s Vice President for Europe.
http://www.icann.org/en/news/releases/release-11jan12-en.pdf

Remarks by Assistant Secretary Strickling at the Brookings Institution's Center for Technology Innovation
... Nonetheless, we face challenges to this model even in our own country. In that regard, I would like to take a minute to update everyone on where we are with respect to the program of ICANN to expand TLDs on the Internet.
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/speechtestimony/2012/remarks-assistant-secretary-strickling-brookings-institutions-center-technology

What ICANN is Doing Wrong by St?phane Van Gelder
A couple of recent articles have caught my attention because they offer scathing criticism of ICANN. The first is a long and convoluted article by Kieren McCarthy on the .JOBS debacle. Kieren has basically written a feature that only a seasoned ICANN insider can hope to understand and that's a pity, because the points he makes appear very valid. Namely that ICANN is incapable of looking at itself in the mirror and admitting when it's wrong.
http://stephanevangelder.com/archives/393-What-ICANN-is-doing-wrong.html
http://www.circleid.com/posts/what_icann_is_doing_wrong/

It's time to place the web in safer hands
ICANN ... is no longer a fit and proper parent. On behalf of all of us who ever use the internet, I call for adoption papers urgently to be drawn up before our collective child is further damaged by a self-regarding body whose arrogance, conflicts of interest, greed and mismanagement would be laughable were ICANN not a monopoly.
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-01/12/safer-hands-web

NPR story on ICANN and Internet governance: way off target by Milton Mueller
National Public Radio in the U.S. did a feature piece on ICANN, presumably because January 12 is the day it starts its program to open up the domain name space to hundreds of new top level names. Yet what should have been a story about the pros and cons of new TLDs and ICANN?s political struggles with U.S.-based intellectual property interests and the legislators they influenced, became yet another story about?wait for it? how the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is threatening to take over the Internet!
http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2012/1/12/4977411.html

Getting ICANN to the next level of maturity: introducing Integrated Policy Impact Assessments by Maarten Botterman
Integrated Policy Impact Assessment was first introduced among OECD countries and has been recognized by many International Organisations and Governments as a primary means of examining and measuring the likely benefits, costs and effects of new or changed regulations and policies. It has for example been embraced as a standard by the European Union and the UNDP, and best practices and guidelines are now widely available.
http://news.dot-nxt.com/2012/01/14/icann-needs-policy-assessments

**********************
 - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS
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fr: 3 minutes with Isabel Toutaud, AFNIC Legal Affairs Director
Isabel Toutaud reviews the major projects that marked the end of 2011, such as opening French extensions to holders in Europe
http://www.afnic.fr/en/about-afnic/news/general-news/5558/show/3-minutes-with-isabel-toutaud-afnic-legal-affairs-director.html

Is The Gabon Registry Offline?
It looks like the Gabon registry is having issues of some kind. While it?s not unheard of for a domain registry operator to have technical difficulties they?re usually ?blips?.
http://www.internetnews.me/2012/01/13/is-the-gabon-registry-offline/

'.pl' domain names see highest growth rate [reg req'd]
http://www.worldtrademarkreview.com/

**********************
 - NEW TLDS
**********************
ICANN CEO Rod Beckstrom Discusses New gTLD Program Launch on PBS NewsHour
Rod Beckstrom and the ANA's Dan Jaffe discuss new gTLDs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8EnzK2_Odk

Right here, right now - the changing the face of the internet
Hogan Lovells partner David Taylor explores the likely impact of the introduction of a raft of new high-level internet domain names
http://www.thelawyer.com/right-here-right-now-the-changing-the-face-of-the-internet/1010916.article

Web Domain Overseer Weighs Conflict Rule to Deflect Self-Dealing Criticism
The nonprofit group overseeing the Web?s address system may strengthen its conflict-of-interest rules as it prepares to add hundreds of TLDs beyond .com in a program opposed by owners of large brands.
http://webfarm.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-12/web-domain-overseer-weighs-conflict-rule-to-deflect-criticism.html
http://news.businessweek.com/article.asp?documentKey=1377-aVhZUMer5RdI-1OLJQO8JECRFV247C7J5BOE7AD

GAC gets more power to block controversial gTLDs
While the new version of ICANN?s new gTLDs Applicant Guidebook contains mostly tweaks, there?s a pretty big change for those filing ?controversial? applications.
http://domainincite.com/gac-gets-more-power-to-block-controversial-gtlds/

SIIA: More trademark protections needed in ICANN gTLD program [IDG]
As ICANN moves forward, despite ongoing concerns, with its decision to launch a program to sell new gTLDs, the organization should take new steps to protect trademarks and other intellectual property, a U.S. software trade group said Thursday.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/412282/siia_more_trademark_protections_needed_icann_gtld_program/
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/248034/siia_more_trademark_protections_needed_in_icann_gtld_program.html

Kinderis Says New Web Domain Names Create Opportunities
Adrian Kinderis, a member of ICANN's advisory council and chief executive officer of ARI Registry Services, talks about domain names.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/kinderis-says-new-web-domain-names-create-opportunities/2012/01/12/gIQAwQAnsP_video.html

New domains open up unique opportunity for CMOs to own an entire online category by Adrian Kinderis
In this special guest blog which first appeared in Marketing Magazine Australia, Adrian Kinderis, CEO of ARI Registry Services, says savvy CMOs are poised to get exclusive ownership of an entire product category as the application window for new TLDs opens this week.
http://www.ariservices.com/blog/new-domains-open-up-unique-opportunity-for-cmos-to-own-an-entire-online-category/

Opinion: Should your brand own its own domain name? by John Swinson, partner, Mallesons Stephen Jaques
The biggest change to the domain name system in over ten years is now underway. Instead of domain names that end in .com or .com.au, anyone can now apply for their own domain name ending.
http://www.bandt.com.au/news/opinion--should-your-brand-own-its-own-domain---2

Dot Kiwi to enhance patriotic flavour of websites
People and businesses who find ".co.nz" insufficiently patriotic may be able to register websites that end with ".kiwi" from next year.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/6255747/Dot-Kiwi-to-enhance-patriotic-flavour-of-websites
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/6259884/Dot-Kiwi-to-enhance-patriotic-flavour-of-websites

Dot Kiwi applies for new .kiwi domain
Applications for new website domain names opened last week and a group of Kiwis have submitted one for .kiwi.
http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/dot-kiwi-applies-new-domain-4689308

Dot Kiwi applies for .kiwi domain
A group of Vancouver-based New Zealand expats has made an application for the .kiwi internet domain.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/dot-kiwi-applies-for-kiwi-domain

Expats apply for .kiwi domain
If .nz just isn?t kiwi enough for you, you may want to keep an eye on a business called Dot Kiwi Ltd.
http://www.techday.co.nz/itbrief/news/expats-apply-for-kiwi-domain/21815/7/

New Zealand org applies for 'Kiwi' top-level domain
A group of New Zealand expats in Canada have applied with ICANN for the .kiwi domain.
http://reseller.co.nz/reseller.nsf/news/new-zealand-org-applies-for-kiwi-top-level-domain

Is There Any Room for Communities in The New gTLD Program? by Avri Doria
With the start of hunting season for new gTLDs, attention needs to be paid to Community in all of its reality and diversity. After family, community is one of the strongest organizational principles in human society and has been since the beginning of history. With the rare exception of the classical hermit, everyone is part of multiple communities. Communities are important and need to be protected by society and by this new gTLD process.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/is_there_any_room_for_communities_in_the_new_gtld_program/

2012: The Year of the New gTLD Program and the Year to Support ICANN - Part I by Sophia Bekele
The ICANN new gTLD program began today, 12th January 2012, with the application round now open and this important activity will make 2012 a very memorable year. It is expected that a minimum of 500 fresh applications for new gTLDs will be received by ICANN through the online TLD Applications System (TAS) by April 12 when the round closes, for processing and evaluation afterwards. This promises to be a hectic and engaging period for new gTLD applicants, and also for ICANN.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/2012_the_year_of_the_new_gtld_program_and_the_year_to_support_icann_part_i/

Tiny start-up secures .bank gTLD trademark
A likely new gTLD applicant has secured a US trademark on the term ?.bank?.
http://domainincite.com/tiny-start-up-secures-bank-gtld-trademark/

6 things that could go horribly wrong with new TLDs
ICANN officially opens its application window for TLDs today, giving companies, organizations, and individuals 90 days to submit their plans for a .whatever.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/01/12/6-things-that-could-go-horribly-wrong-with-new-tlds/

ICANN to critics: we?ve already done pilot TLD rounds
A frequent complaint about ICANN?s new TLD plans in recent months is the scale, with numerous groups asking ICANN to run a pilot program.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/01/12/icann-to-critics-weve-already-done-pilot-tld-rounds/

Personalised domain suffixes up for grabs
New domain name suffixes are being auctioned off this week in an attempt to widen the spectrum of website domains available to be hosted across the web.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/personalized-domain-suffixes-bidding-rm-107614

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 - DNS SECURITY
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Secured domains mean a more secure Internet
The number of .se domains that were signed using the DNSSEC security standard rose from 4,299 in early 2011 to 171,650 by December 31, 2011. The considerable increase was attributable to a long-term strategy and a proactive initiative from .SE and several of its resellers (registrars) to enhance the security of the Internet in Sweden.
https://www.iis.se/en/pressmeddelanden/sakrade-domannamn-ger-sakrare-internet

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 - DOMAIN DISPUTES
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Legal Brief - January 2012 UDRP Decides in Favor of Domain Name Owner by Chase Marshall :: Sedo.com Legal Staff
A WIPO arbitration panel recently heard a UDRP dispute involving the use of IntercontinentalKabul.com by a hotel in Afghanistan. Inter-Continental Hotels Corporation (the Complainant) brought the claim against Pamirsoft Technologies of Kabul, Afghanistan (the Respondent).
https://sedo.com/us/news/2950/Legal-Brief---January-2012/

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 - IPv4/IPv6
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RIPE NCC Unlocks Registration in RIPE Registry
On 8 November 2011, following an order from the Dutch police, the RIPE NCC temporarily locked four specific blocks of IPv4 addresses in the RIPE Registry to prevent any changes being made to their registration.
http://www.ripe.net/internet-coordination/news/about-ripe-ncc-and-ripe/ripe-ncc-unlocks-registration-in-ripe-registry

**********************
 - MISCELLANEOUS
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DNS provision pulled from SOPA
In a move the technology sector will surely see as a victory, a controversial anti-piracy Bill being debated in US Congress will no longer include a provision that would require internet service providers to block access to overseas websites accused of piracy.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-57358947-261/dns-provision-pulled-from-sopa-victory-for-opponents/
http://www.zdnet.com.au/dns-provision-pulled-from-sopa-339329747.htm

Refusing REFUSED by Paul Vixie
The U.S. Congress' road to Stopping Online Piracy (SOPA) and PROTECT IP (PIPA) has had some twists and turns due to technical constraints imposed by the basic design of the DNS. PIPA's (and SOPA's) provisions regarding advertising and payment networks appear to be well grounded in the law enforcement tradition called following the money, but other provisions having to do with regulating American Internet Service Providers (ISPs) so as to block DNS resolution for pirate or infringing web sites have been shown to be ineffectual, impractical, and sometimes unintelligible.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20120111_refusing_refused_for_sopa_pipa/

Letter from the CEO: A New Year, A New Leader Tim Schumacher, CEO of Sedo Holding AG, passes the torch to Tobias Flaitz
To the Sedo Community: As you may have heard at the end of 2011, I will step up to a new role on the Supervisory Board of Sedo Holding AG early this year. With this new role and other personal projects, I will be in a position to help guide the future of both Sedo and its partner, Affilinet, under Sedo Holding AG.
https://sedo.com/us/news/2946/Letter-from-the-CEO-A-New-Year-A-New-Leader/

**********************
 - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET
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Dine With An Expert At DOMAINfest
The upcoming DOMAINfest Global 2012 to be held at Santa Monica, California from 31 January to 2 February has brought back, due to popular demand, their ?Dine with an Expert? to give participants the opportunity to meet and network with leading experts in their field.
http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/01/13/dine-with-an-expert-at-domainfest/
http://www.domainnews.com/en/dine-with-an-expert-at-domainfest.html

Multi-Million Dollar Marijuana.com Sale Made Possible By Escrow.com's Domain Name Holding Services
You probably heard about the sale of Marijuana.com (including both the domain name and the popular forum built on it) last November in a deal reportedly worth $4.2 million.
http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2012/dailyposts/20120112.htm 

The Latest News From Four Domain Conferences Plus Lana Del Rey Readies for Her National TV Debut
Just over two weeks from now the center of the domain universe shifts to Santa Monica, California for the 6th annual DOMAINfest Global conference. While the event that will run at the oceanfront Fairmont Miramar Hotel Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2012 is still 18 days away, there is one thing you might want to do right now if you are planning to attend.
http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2012/dailyposts/20120113.htm

.CO Internet Selects Sedo for Exclusive, Two-Year Partnership to Broker Select Set of Previously Unreleased .CO Domain Names
Sedo, the leading online domain marketplace and monetization provider, today announced that it has signed a two-year exclusive partnership with .CO Internet S.A.S. to provide brokerage of a select set of previously unreleased .CO domain names, including:
http://www.cointernet.co/media/press-releases/co-internet-selects-sedo-exclusive-two-year-partnership-broker-select-set-previ
https://sedo.com/presse/presse.php?tracked=&partnerid=&language=e&id=422

2011 Sales Season Closes With a Bang: Trio of Six-Figure Sales and More Than Three Dozen Five-Figure Transactions Reported
The 2011 domain sales season has come to a close and the old year went out with a bang. The final week of sales reports brought three six-figure transactions to light along with 37 solid five-figure sales
http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2011/20120111.htm

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INTERNET USE
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Web addicts have brain changes, research suggests
Web addicts have brain changes similar to those hooked on drugs or alcohol, preliminary research suggests. Experts in China scanned the brains of 17 young web addicts and found disruption in the way their brains were wired up.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16505521

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SOCIAL NETWORKING
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Facebook May Reach 1 Billion Members in August, ICrossing Says [Bloomberg]
Facebook Inc., the most popular social-networking service, may reach 1 billion members around August as growth accelerates in developing countries, according to a blog by digital-marketing firm ICrossing.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-01-12/facebook-may-reach-1-billion-members-in-august-icrossing-says.html

Facebook to reach 1 billion users in August, study says
Facebook is soon to have 14 percent of the world?s population all to itself. That is, a new study says the social network will hit one billion users this year.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/facebook-to-reach-1b-active-users-in-august-thats-14percent-of-the-world/2012/01/12/gIQAeTH4tP_story.html

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CHILD PROTECTION & ONLINE SAFETY
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au: Government launches cyber bullying website
THE federal government has launched a new website to help tackle cyber bullying amid calls for parents to keep a closer watch on their children's internet use after a teenage girl's suicide.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/government-launches-cyber-bullying-website/story-e6frg6nf-1226243273609

au: Cyber-bullying site not enough: expert
A Canberra academic has labelled the Federal Government's new anti-bullying website a ''Band-Aid solution'' and says a more proactive approach is needed to curb the rates of youth suicide.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/cyberbullying-site-not-enough-expert/2419825.aspx

au: Porn blamed for children's problem sexual behaviour
VICTORIAN children as young as five are being referred to specialist programs to address sexually abusive behaviour - and the number of minors exhibiting such behaviour is exploding.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/porn-blamed-for-childrens-problem-sexual-behaviour-20120113-1pzhh.html
http://www.smh.com.au/national/porn-blamed-for-childrens-problem-sexual-behaviour-20120113-1pzhh.html

uk: Cyber-stalker targets women in 16,000 tweets
Scotland Yard is investigating what is believed to be one of the first cases of cyber-stalking involving Twitter. The Metropolitan Police confirmed it was examining claims that a 37-year-old man has allegedly been targeting two women who claim to have received offensive, racist and sexually demeaning tweets and emails.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jan/15/twitter-stalking-racism

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ONLINE TV & MUSIC
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uk: 'Piracy' student loses US extradition battle over copyright infringement
A judge ruled on Friday that a 23-year-old student can be extradited to the United States for running a website posting links to pirated TV shows and films, despite significant doubts over whether such sites break any UK laws.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2012/jan/13/piracy-student-loses-us-extradition

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MOBILE/WIRELESS
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eBay Predicts Mobile Commerce Will Grow 60 Percent in 2012
EBay?s John Donahoe has drawn his 2012 mobile predictions line in the sand.
http://allthingsd.com/20120112/ebay-predicts-mobile-commerce-will-grow-60-percent-in-2012/

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ONLINE CRIME & LEGAL
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New lawyer email scam surfaces in New Zealand
While most New Zealand lawyers have taken a break over the summer holiday period, email scammers are staying hard at work.
http://www.lawsociety.org.nz/home/for_the_public/for_the_media/latest_news/news/january2/new_lawyer_email_scam_surfaces_in_new_zealand

EFF Urges Court to Reject Baseless Righthaven Appeals
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) filed two briefs in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals today in its ongoing battle to end copyright troll Righthaven LLC's litigation campaign.
https://www.eff.org/press/releases/eff-urges-court-reject-baseless-righthaven-appeals

South African police rescue Asian pair kidnapped in 419 scam
The bigger the lie, the more it will be believed, to paraphrase the Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels. So when a South Korean man received an email promising him tens of millions of dollars in a lottery scheme if he travelled to South Africa, he fell for it.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/13/south-african-police-419-scam

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SECURITY
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Cyber-Crimes Pose 'Existential' Threat, FBI Warns
Despite the increased frequency and severity of online crime and espionage in 2011, many American corporations and consumers are still not taking the threat seriously, the FBI's top cyber official said Thursday.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/12/cyber-threats_n_1202026.html

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PRIVACY
**********************
Epic to FTC: Google Search+ is violating users' privacy
An influential privacy watchdog has asked the US government to investigate Google+, the search giant's social network, claiming it may violate people's privacy and raises anti-trust concerns.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jan/12/epic-ftc-google-search-plus-privacy

EPIC Urges FTC Probe Of Google Personalized Search
The Electronic Privacy Information Center Thursday urged the Federal Trade Commission to examine whether Google's new personalized search results violate antitrust laws or a privacy agreement the Internet firm reached with the agency last year.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2012/01/epic-urges-ftc-probe-of-google.php

EPIC Urges Trade Commission to Investigate Google Search
In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, EPIC has called for an investigation of recent changes by Google to Google Search, the dominant search algorithm on the Internet. EPIC cited Google's decision to include personal data, such as photos, posts, and contact details, gathered from Google+ in Google Search results.
http://epic.org/2012/01/epic-urges-trade-commission-to.html

Google Changes Search Results, Preferences Google+ Results
Google is changing the results displayed by its search engine to include data from its social network, such as photos or blog posts made by Google+ users, as well as the public Internet. Although data from a user?s Google+ contacts is not displayed publicly, Google?s changes make the personal data of users more accessible.
http://epic.org/2012/01/google-changes-search-results-.html

FTC Adds Google+ to Antitrust Investigation
Bloomberg News has reported that the Federal Trade Commission has expanded its antitrust investigation of Google to include Google's social networking service, Google+. The report comes after Google announced that it would include personal data gathered from Google+ in the results of users' searches, a move that led EPIC to urge the FTC to investigate the company.
http://epic.org/2012/01/ftc-adds-google-to-antitrust-i.html

Epic to FTC: Google Search+ is violating users' privacy
An influential privacy watchdog has asked the US government to investigate Google+, the search giant's social network, claiming it may violate people's privacy and raises anti-trust concerns.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jan/12/epic-ftc-google-search-plus-privacy

EPIC Urges FTC Probe Of Google Personalized Search
The Electronic Privacy Information Center Thursday urged the Federal Trade Commission to examine whether Google's new personalized search results violate antitrust laws or a privacy agreement the Internet firm reached with the agency last year.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2012/01/epic-urges-ftc-probe-of-google.php

FTC Is Said to Be Expanding Its Antitrust Probe to Include Google+ Service
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is expanding its antitrust probe of Google Inc., the world?s most popular search engine, to include scrutiny of its new Google+ social networking service, according to two people familiar with the situation.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-13/google-s-social-networking-service-said-to-be-added-to-ftc-antitrust-probe.html

U.S. FTC expands Google antitrust probe - source
U.S. regulators looking at whether Google manipulates its search results to favor its own products have expanded the probe to include Google+, the search giant's new social networking tool, a source familiar with the probe said on Friday. ... Google announced on Tuesday new features aimed at making search results more personalized. As part of the changes, photos and posts from Google+ will increasingly appear within the search results.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/01/13/oukin-uk-google-ftc-idUKTRE80C2JR20120113

FTC To Probe Google+ In Antitrust Investigation: REPORT
Another of Google's many web properties may come under scrutiny in an ongoing antitrust investigation by U.S. regulators.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/13/ftc-google-plus-antitrust_n_1205490.html

**********************
CENSORSHIP
**********************
India?s Courts Grapple With Web Censorship
India has long faced an uneasy tension between allowing free expression to its citizens and staunching sectarian violence among its people. It was one of the first countries to ban ?The Satanic Verses? by Salman Rushdie. Lawsuits forced the Indian painter Maqbool Fida Husain to live in exile during the last several years of his life. An academic book about the 17th-century warrior known as Shivaji was banned for fear of offending Shivaji?s modern-day fans, until the Supreme Court lifted the prohibition.
http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/14/indias-courts-grapple-with-web-censorship/

India court warns Web giants about China-style controls
Internet giants including Google and Facebook are embroiled in a growing battle in India over offensive content with a judge warning websites may be blocked "like in China," stoking worries about freedom of speech in the world's largest democracy.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/01/13/oukin-uk-india-websites-idUKTRE80C0N220120113

India govt backs case against internet giants
The Indian government on Friday threw its weight behind a case against internet giants including Google and Facebook, who are embroiled in a battle over offensive content after a judge warned websites may be blocked "like in China".
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/01/13/india-websites-idINDEE80C09R20120113

Google, Facebook Fight Indian Censorship Demands
Google Inc. and Facebook Inc. are fighting back against increasing censorship demands from the Indian government and courts, arguing that they aren't legally responsible for monitoring their websites and proactively removing user content that regulators deem objectionable.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204542404577158342623999990.html

Google Softens Tone on China: Two Years After Censorship Clash, Company Renews Push to Expand in World's Biggest Internet Market
Google Inc., which pulled its Web-search engine out of mainland China two years ago after a confrontation with Chinese authorities over censorship, has renewed its push to expand there, in an acknowledgment that it can't afford to miss out on the world's biggest Internet market.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203436904577155003097277514.html

**************************
GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
**************************
uk: Royal Society offers ways to overhaul ICT teaching
The Royal Society has suggested ways the government can overhaul information and communications technology (ICT) teaching in schools. It follows promises from Education Secretary Michael Gove to scrap the way the subject is taught currently.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16515275

White House Says It Opposes Parts of Two Antipiracy Bills
The Obama administration said Saturday that it strongly opposed central elements of two Congressional efforts to enforce copyrights on the Internet, all but killing the current versions of legislation that has divided both political parties and pitted Hollywood against Silicon Valley.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/us/white-house-says-it-opposes-parts-of-2-antipiracy-bills.html

White House Won?t Back Internet Censorship
The Obama administration won?t back legislation to combat online piracy if it encourages censorship, undermines cybersecurity or disrupts the structure of the Internet, three White House technology officials said.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-14/white-house-won-t-support-internet-censorship-in-online-anti-piracy-bills.html

White House casts doubt over anti-piracy legislation
White House officials raised concerns on Saturday about online piracy legislation pending in Congress that Google and Facebook have decried as heavy-handed and Hollywood studios and music labels say is needed to save U.S. jobs.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/01/15/usa-internet-whitehouse-idINDEE80E00F20120115

Online Piracy Legislation Outcry Prompts White House Response
Online piracy legislation has caused such an outcry that the White House is now weighing in.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/248213/online_piracy_legislation_outcry_prompts_white_house_response.html

A TV Debate on Antipiracy
A pair of bills that would strengthen antipiracy laws ? and that could effectively censor the Internet, according to heavyweights like Google ? have received scant coverage from the major television networks. The parent companies of the TV networks are among the chief supporters of the bills, having lobbied Congress to write them in the first place.
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/a-tv-debate-on-antipiracy/

us: Smith Joins Leahy In Dropping Disputed Website-Blocking Proposal
Following the lead of his counterpart in the Senate, House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, announced on Friday that he will drop a proposal that Internet service providers block foreign websites that feature pirated content.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2012/01/smith-joins-leahy-in-dropping.php

us: Fighting Antipiracy Measure, Activist Group Posts Personal Information of Media Executives
The online activist group known as Anonymous, which has targeted opponents of the Occupy Wall Street movement and businesses that stopped providing services to WikiLeaks, has set its sights on a new adversary: media executives.
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/activist-group-opposing-antipiracy-bill-posts-information-on-media-executives/

Companies taking a stand against piracy caught in SOPA crosshairs
The debate over the Stop Online Piracy Act has been emotional. And as politicians consider the language of the House bill, Web users are taking matters into their own hands by compiling lists of companies that are said to support the bill and by calling for boycotts.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/companies-taking-a-stand-against-piracy-caught-in-sopa-crosshairs/2012/01/12/gIQAQ2qRuP_story.html

Rupert Murdoch squares off with Obama over online piracy legislation
The gathering storm over online piracy legislation being debated in the US Congress has sucked two more heavy hitters into the fray, with the Obama administration and Rupert Murdoch lining up on opposite sides of the argument.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jan/15/online-piracy-legislation-murdoch-obama

Texan?s Anti-Piracy Bill Gets Home State Pushback
United States Representative Lamar Smith says online piracy is damaging the United States economy and putting American lives at risk. Foreign Web sites that distribute American-made entertainment and counterfeit products, like fake pharmaceuticals, are ?stealing our profits, they?re stealing our jobs and they may be endangering the health of Americans,? said Mr. Smith, a Republican from San Antonio.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/us/anti-piracy-bill-sopa-by-lamar-smith-gets-texas-pushback.html

Author of Controversial Piracy Bill Now Says ?More Study? Needed
The senator who introduced hotly debated legislation intended to shut down pirate websites said Thursday he is backing away from one of the most controversial parts of the bill, amid criticism from Web companies, human rights groups and Internet engineers.
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2012/01/12/author-of-controversial-piracy-bill-now-says-more-study-needed/

Sen. Leahy bows to pressure, pledges to amend Protect IP bill
Sen. Patrick Leahy, the sponsor of a controversial Hollywood-backed copyright bill, has bowed to public pressure and will yank the most controversial sections from the legislation.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57358374-281/sen-leahy-bows-to-pressure-pledges-to-amend-protect-ip-bill/

Chamber Holds Out Fig Leaf To SOPA Critics
The Chamber of Commerce, which is leading a broad coalition pushing for legislation that would crack down on piracy and counterfeiting on foreign websites, pledged Thursday to work with critics of such measures who argue that they will stifle free speech, innovation and could harm the Internet.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2012/01/chamber-holds-out-fig-leaf-to.php

Internet blacklist power to be stripped from Senate's PROTECT IP Act
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) doesn't want to give up his DNS-based Interent blacklisting plans?but he's willing to put them on hold. One of the key drivers of the PROTECT IP Act in the Senate announced today that he will recommend stripping the DNS-blocking provisions from his bill while further technical studies are underway.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/01/internet-blacklist-power-to-be-stripped-from-senates-protect-ip-act.ars

Sponsor: Protect IP Act may be amended in response to concerns [IDG]
The controversial copyright enforcement bill the Protect IP Act may be amended on the Senate floor later this month in response to ongoing concerns about its provisions affecting Internet service providers and the domain-name system, the bill's chief sponsor said.
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223409/Sponsor_Protect_IP_Act_may_be_amended_in_response_to_concerns

nz: SOPA & PIPA: threats to our national interests
Kiwis get all upset at the slightest suggestion of a foreign government trying to influence our domestic law-making. The US government and others do so to further their national interests. We now have the mirror opposite situation.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/sopa-pipa-threats-our-national-interests-ck-107788

nz: Predictions 2012: Dawning of a golden age for ICT
The really exciting businesses will be home-based and 3D TV will lead to a 3D Web are among InternetNZ CEO Vikram Kumar's predictions for the coming year
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/predictions-2012-dawning-of-a-golden-age-for-ict

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TELECOMMUNICATIONS
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uk: Ofcom outlines 4G spectrum plans
The biggest auction of space on the British airwaves is to be held at the end of 2012, when telecoms companies will bid to acquire the spectrum they need to enable an explosion in the use of bandwidth-hungry smartphones and tablets.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jan/12/ofcom-outlines-4g-mobile-spectrum-plans

4G mobile internet promised across UK
Superfast mobile broadband will be rolled out from Britain's cities to the most remote villages, with at least 98% of the population receiving a signal indoors, thanks to the biggest auction of the UK's airwaves, but the sell-off could lead to higher prices for customers by reducing the number of national networks from four to three.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jan/12/4g-superfast-broadband-airwaves-auction-ofcom

Ofcom boosts 4G coverage plan in rural 'not-spots'
Ofcom has revised proposals for its fourth-generation mobile spectrum auction, adding measures that could bring coverage to 98% of the UK.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16527490

Proposals to extend 4G mobile coverage [news release]
Ofcom has today set out a number of new proposals for making 4G mobile spectrum available in the UK. This includes introducing new measures expected to extend coverage to at least 98%[1] of the UK population and revised plans to promote competition.
http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2012/01/12/proposals-to-extend-4g-mobile-coverage/

Telcos to resell Telstra 3G services
Telstra has unveiled the details of a new white label 3G mobile service that it will sell to telco customers in a bid to boost its flagging wholesale revenues.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/telecommunications/telcos-to-resell-telstra-3g/story-fn4iyzsr-1226243305012

au: Regulator not for turning when it comes to sale of digital spectrum [The Australian]
The communications regulator will not be influenced by political considerations when it sets the reserve for digital spectrum.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/regulator-not-for-turning-when-it-comes-to-sale-of-digital-spectrum/story-e6frg996-1226243015514

ACMA details Digital Dividend auction plan for 2012
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) detailed its plan for the lead up to its ?Digital Dividend? auction of Australia?s 700MHz spectrum at the end of 2012.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/412211/acma_details_digital_dividend_auction_plan_2012/

au: World-first system of fire alerts to pick up location of phones
A world-first system to send emergency warnings to mobile phones will be rolled out across Australia in time for next summer.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/world-first-system-of-fire-alerts-to-pick-up-location-of-phones/story-e6frgczx-1226243009086

Rival in bid to scupper Telstra separation
The competition watchdog has been urged to reject Telstra's plan to structurally separate its business - crucial to the $11 billion deal with the National Broadband Network - putting a dampener on expectations that most of the concerns with the proposal had been addressed.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/rival-in-bid-to-scupper-telstra-separation/story-fn91v9q3-1226243013654

Telcos to halt mobile network spending spree
Telecom operators globally are expected to cut spending on their networks this year, hitting equipment makers that were only just beginning to recover from intense price wars and the last economic downturn.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/13/us-telecoms-gear-idUSTRE80C0HV20120113

China Telecom to Start Mobile Service in Britain
Virtual mobile network operators ? those who buy and resell calling, text and Internet services from actual network operators ? have come and gone.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/16/technology/china-telecom-to-buy-network-access-in-britain.html

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ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR ONLINE CHILD PROTECTION
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nz: Man facing jail in NZ for overseas child sex crime
A New Zealand man faces a prison sentence after taking sexual pictures of a young girl in Russia.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/pornography/news/article.cfm?c_id=283&objectid=10778984


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(c) David Goldstein 2012


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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 Flannery