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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Will the Web Break? by Jonathan Zittrain
http://ssrn.com/abstract=1995059

The 12 key inter-governmental meetings of 2012
http://news.dot-nxt.com/2012/02/09/12-intergovernmental-meetings-of-2012

ICANN Reaffirms Commitment to Second Round in New gTLD Program, Seeks Public Comment on Trademark Protections, and Moves Forward on Applicant Support Program
http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-09feb12-en.htm

ICANN moves to address defensive registration concerns
http://www.worldtrademarkreview.com/daily/detail.aspx?g=B9B5E059-9F7E-49F1-AC8B-2E232419D142

What do Columbus, the Americas and TLDs Have In Common? David Taylor Talks gTLDs
http://www.domainpulse.com/?p=7746

Domain Pulse Conference Live Webcast!
http://www.domainpulse.com/?p=7735


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GOVERNANCE
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Will the Web Break? by Jonathan Zittrain, Harvard Law School and Kennedy School; Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; Berkman Center for Internet & Society [Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society]
Abstract: This is the text of a talk delivered to the Royal Society Discussion Meeting ?Web Science: A New Frontier,? in September of 2010. It reflects on key questions about the way the Web works, and how an understanding of its past can help those theorizing about the future.
http://ssrn.com/abstract=1995059

The 12 key inter-governmental meetings of 2012
The Internet governance dance card gets fuller every year as each stakeholder group adds its own meetings on various isssues to the mix. Below is a list of 12 meetings within the global inter-governmental space to keep an eye on in 2012.
http://news.dot-nxt.com/2012/02/09/12-intergovernmental-meetings-of-2012

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DOMAIN NAMES
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 - ICANN
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ICANN Reaffirms Commitment to Second Round in New gTLD Program, Seeks Public Comment on Trademark Protections, and Moves Forward on Applicant Support Program
On 7 February 2012, the ICANN Board reaffirmed ICANN's commitment to opening a second round of applications in the New gTLD Program as expeditiously as possible.
http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-09feb12-en.htm

ICANN Board Reaffirms Commitment to Open Second Application Window for Generic Top-Level Domain Program
ICANN?s Board of Directors has passed a resolution reaffirming the organization?s commitment to open a second round of applications for the New gTLDs Program as expeditiously as possible.
http://www.icann.org/en/news/releases/release-09feb12-en.pdf

Tell Us What You Think of the Nominating Committee
How do you stay informed about Nominating Committee (NomCom) activities? How do you rate the selections made by the NomCom? Take a few minutes and send us your thoughts via ICANN's 2011 NomCom Survey today. All ICANN community members are invited to participate.
http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-10feb12-en.htm

Further Bylaw Changes Following Adoption of Revised GNSO Policy Development Process (PDP)
In order to complete the documentation of the revised GNSO PDP, it is recommended that the ICANN Bylaws be modified to include the new threshold definitions. In addition, a small revision to Annex A of the ICANN Bylaws is recommended to require that public comment periods on PDP-related documents shall abide by the practices for public comment periods in effect within ICANN.
http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-10feb12-en.htm

ICANN Commits To Second Round of New gTLD Applications
Following complaints from some brand owners and their representatives such as FairWinds Partners, and calls from the GNSO, ICANN's board has resolved to open a second round of gTLD applications. It is likely that the second round of applications will not be called until this first round has been largely completed as the board says any further rounds of gTLD applications "will not have any further impact on ICANN resources."
http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=16953
http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/02/11/icann-commits-to-second-round-of-new-gtld-applications/

ICANN promises a second new gTLD round
Seeking to reduce the perceived need for defensive new gTLD applications, ICANN has repeated its promise to accept a second round of applications after the first is over.
http://domainincite.com/icann-promises-a-second-new-gtld-round/

ICANN reaffirms second round of new gTLDs
ICANN?s board of directors has passed a resolution reaffirming that it plans to open another round of new TLD applications as ?expeditiously as possible?.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/02/10/icann-reaffirms-second-round-of-new-gtlds/

Applicants welcome new ICANN deadlines
Applicants for the new gTLDs have welcomed the news that ICANN will officially start reviewing bids in June, making final decisions by 12 November.
http://news.dot-nxt.com/2012/02/10/icann-names-gTLD-dates

ICANN moves to address defensive registration concerns
ICANN has opened a public comment period focused on concerns over the need for defensive new gTLD applications. The move follows government pressure to reassure brand owners over the trademark protections currently in place, but the question of infringement at the second level remains.
http://www.worldtrademarkreview.com/daily/detail.aspx?g=B9B5E059-9F7E-49F1-AC8B-2E232419D142

Dot-coms will double in price, but we don?t care -- ICANN [subscription]
We spoke to those in and around the closed-doors negotiation of the Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA). This is what we learnt.
http://news.dot-nxt.com/2012/02/10/raa-whois-verification

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 - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS
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CIRA and Media Awareness Network help keep consumers safe online
To mark Safer Internet Day, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) and Media Awareness Network (MNet) are launching the first in a series of cyber security tip sheets to help consumers stay safe when using the Internet.
http://www.cira.ca/news/news-releases/cira-and-media-awareness-network-help-keep-consumers-safe-online/

Estonian Internet Foundation accepted as full member of CENTR
At the General Assembly in Salzburg the CENTR (Council of European National Top Level Domain Registries) accepted the Estonian Internet Foundation as a full member.
http://www.internet.ee/eng/news/estonian-internet-foundation-accepted-as-full-member-of-centr

Estonian Registry accepted as Full Member in CENTR
At the recent CENTR Annual General Assembly held in Salzburg, the Estonian Registry (.ee), Estonian Internet Foundation, was unanimously accepted as the 51st CENTR Full Member.
http://centr.org/news/02-08-2012/1666/estonian-registry-accepted-full-member-centr

Did Kazakhstan just screw up somebody?s new gTLD plans?
ICANN has approved a new ccTLD for the nation of Kazakhstan. The new .???, which is ?kaz? is Cyrillic, will be delegated to the ?Association of IT companies of Kazakhstan?, according to a resolution passed by ICANN?s board of directors this week.
http://domainincite.com/did-kazakhstan-just-screw-up-somebodys-new-gtld-plans/

uk: Domain expiry issue group - opportunity for feedback
The issue group formed by Nominet to look at domain expiry policy has met three times since September 2011 and considered the principles of the expired period and the treatment of expired domains as a whole. They have also taken into account independently commissioned and internal research, related international developments, and stakeholder input.
http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=9060

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 - NEW TLDS
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What do Columbus, the Americas and TLDs Have In Common? David Taylor Talks gTLDs
What do TLDs and the year Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas have in common? According to David Taylor, he predicts the number of applications for TLDs will be 1492, the year Columbus discovered the Americas.
http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=16955
http://www.domainpulse.com/?p=7746
http://www.domainnews.com/en/what-do-columbus-the-americas-and-tlds-have-in-common-david-taylor-talks-gtlds.html

Newer Domain Extensions - Can They Help In The Internet Security?
In the near future, TLDs that are found in the internet would surely increase and our familiar addresses (.com .org and also .info) would be supplemented by dozens or even hundreds of newer extensions (.blog .sport, .music and such.)
http://www.earticlesonline.com/Article/Newer-Domain-Extensions---Can-They-Help-In-The-Internet-Security-/1220876

Music fans not welcome in RIAA-backed .music
The Recording Industry Association of America and other music industry groups are backing a proposal for a highly regulated ".music" TLD.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/02/10/music_fans_not_welcome_in_riaa_backed_dot_music_domain/

Placing to raise approximately ?9.0 million
The Directors of Top Level Domain Holdings Limited, the only publicly traded company focused exclusively on acquiring and operating new gTLDs, are delighted to announce that the Company has today conditionally placed 109,468,353 new ordinary shares (the ?Ordinary Shares?) at a placing price of 8.25p per Ordinary Share (the ?Placing Price?) with institutional and other investors to raise ?9,031,139 before expenses (equivalent to approximately US$14.2 million at current exchange rates) subject to admission (the ?Placing?).
http://www.tldh.org/2012/02/placing-to-raise-approximately-9-0-million/

M+M adds $14m to new gTLDs war chest
Top Level Domain Holdings has raised ?9 million ($14.2 million) with a share sale, boosting its ability to apply for new gTLDs.
http://domainincite.com/mm-adds-14m-to-new-gtlds-war-chest/

Top Level Domain Holdings raises $14.2 million
Publicly traded Top Level Domain Holdings Limited has added ?9,031,139 (US $14.2 million) to to its war chest to go after the top level domain market, the company announced today.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/02/10/top-level-domain-holdings-raises-14-2-million/

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 - DNS SECURITY
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DDoS Tools Aplenty On The Market For Hactivists
How hard is it to launch a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack? Arguably, the hacktivist collective Anonymous has made launching DDoS attacks look easy, due to its high-profile DDoS campaigns against everyone from PayPal and MasterCard to the FBI and Department of Justice. In addition, Anonymous offered the promise of one-click attacks via its low orbit ion cannon (LOIC) DDoS attack tool.
http://www.darkreading.com/security/news/232600597/ddos-tools-aplenty-on-the-market-for-hactivists.html

Can government stem the rise of hacktivism?
Most distributed denial-of-service attacks today are politically or ideologically motivated, a dramatic shift from past years, according to a recent survey. 
http://gcn.com/articles/2012/02/10/ddos-cyberattacks-law-enforcement-survey.aspx

FICORA?s CERT-FI information security review 4/2011: Sharp increase in information security breaches
The year 2011 was characterised by many information security breaches, which received a lot of publicity. The data stolen in these break-ins was posted publicly on the internet. The usernames, passwords, and other data giving access to several services were published in discussion forums and file sharing services. The data theft against Sony?s services in April 2011 can be considered as the most wide-spread data leakage of all times. In Finland, the information systems at training firms and various online services were used as the sources of hacking.
http://www.ficora.fi/en/index/viestintavirasto/uutiset/2012/P_7.html

Reporters Without Borders creates mirror sites to fight censorship
Filtering, denial of service attacks, withdrawal of content ? censors use many different methods to silence news websites. In addition to drawing attention to these acts of censorship and providing the victims with legal, material and financial help, Reporters Without Borders has now decided to provide them with technical assistance as well.
http://en.rsf.org/rwb-mirror-censorship-08-02-2012,41825.html

Big Brother 2.0: FBI wants a social media mining app [AP]
The US government is seeking software that can mine social media to predict everything from future terrorist attacks to foreign uprisings, according to requests posted online by federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10785245

In cyber era, militaries scramble for new skills
With growing worries about the threat of "cyber warfare", militaries around the world are racing to recruit the computer specialists they believe may be central to the conflicts of the 21st century.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/02/12/defence-cyber-idINDEE81B04E20120212

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 - DOMAIN DISPUTES
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We're Not in 1994 Anymore
The first UDRP decision involving a .XXX domain name was handed down by a National Arbitration Forum (NAF) Panelist on Tuesday. HEB Grocery Company, L.P. prevailed in its Complaint against Eric Gonzales over the domain name HEB.xxx. The decision itself was unremarkable as Mr. Gonzales clearly lacked rights or interests to the domain name. In fact, Mr. Gonzales admitted to registering HEB.xxx simply because the grocery chain had failed to "exhibit a proactive approach" towards registering in the new .XXX TLD.
http://www.domainnamestrategy.com/2012/02/10/were-not-1994-anymore

A dozen .xxx sites hit by rapid takedown
The National Arbitration Forum has ordered the secret takedown of 12 .xxx domains since the adults-only gTLD launched in December.
http://domainincite.com/a-dozen-xxx-sites-hit-by-rapid-takedown/

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 - MISCELLANEOUS
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Domain Pulse Conference Live Webcast!
The 2012 Domain Pulse kicks off on Monday, this year being held in the German city of Hamburg. But don't despair if you can't make it. There will be a live webcast accessible from the home page. So while those attending will already have made up their minds too, for those not, you can still follow all the proceedings.
http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=16954
http://www.domainpulse.com/?p=7735
http://www.domainnews.com/en/domain-pulse-conference-live-webcast.html

The "exceptional" status of IP address governance by Milton Mueller
Just today the Number Resource Organization released a review report of the Address Supporting Organization (ASO). Few people noticed or cared. But this report, which is objective and thorough if a bit dull, starts to raise issues that are of great significance to the future of ICANN and Internet governance. More specifically, it raises some unfinished business from 1998: the status of IP address governance in the ICANN regime.
http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2012/2/8/4994150.html

CENTR elects new Chair and Board Members
At the recent Annual General Assembly held in Salzburg, CENTR elected 3 new Board members to replace outgoing members Annebeth B. Lange, Mathieu Weill and Juhani Juselius. The 3 newly elected Board Members are; Lise Fuhr (.dk), Giovanni Seppia (.eu) and Richard Wein (.at).
http://centr.org/news/bod/02-08-2012/1667/centr-elects-new-chair-and-board-members

Netcraft February 2012 Web Server Survey
In the February 2012 survey we received responses from 612,843,429 sites. Compared to January, this represents an increase of 30M hostnames or +5.2%.
http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2012/02/07/february-2012-web-server-survey.html

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 - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET
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Sedo?s 2011 Market Study: how end user behavior is changing
Domain sales remain stable, while newer TLDs grow in strength Sedo?s Annual 2011 Domain Market Study, published last week, shows a healthy domain market. Increased average prices and the strength of newer TLDs like .co help the marketplace continue to grow, and the Market Study shows how end user behavior may be changing!
https://sedo.com/us/news/2966/Sedos-2011-Market-Study-how-end-user-behavior-is-changing/

Diversity Reigns on This Week's Domain Sale Chart as 6 ccTLDS and 2 Non .Com gTLDs Join a Dozen .Coms on the Leader Board 
Diversity was the keyword for week two of the 2012 domain sales season. As usual, the .coms did dominate with a dozen entries on our latest weekly all extension Top 20 Sales Chart, however a half dozen ccTLDs and a pair of non .com gTLDs also elbowed their way onto the elite list.
http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2012/20120125.htm

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INTERNET USE
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us: Youths Are Watching, but Less Often on TV
Television is America?s No. 1 pastime, with an average of four hours and 39 minutes consumed by every person every day. But more and more young people are tuning in elsewhere.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/09/business/media/young-people-are-watching-but-less-often-on-tv.html

au: Online ads overhauling television and newspapers
Online advertising will outstrip TV and newspapers as the biggest ad sector within 18 months, the head of the Interactive Advertising Bureau has predicted after revealing another year of double-digit growth.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/monday-section/online-ads-overhauling-television-and-newspapers/story-fna1k39o-1226269102257

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES
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The Dilemma of Cheap Electronics
Last week, an important Times article set off shockwaves in the consumer tech industry by focusing on tragedies and working conditions at Foxconn, the Chinese electronics factory that makes Apple iPhones. It describes excessive overtime, crowding in worker dorms, improper disposal of hazardous waste and unsafe working conditions. ... Apple is the poster child for the conditions at the Foxconn factory, and no wonder: it?s the most profitable electronics company. It makes a big, spectacular target. There?s an important factor, however, that seems to be largely missing from the conversation, though it was noted in the article: Apple isn?t the only company that builds electronics at Chinese factories. The truth is, almost all of them do.
http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/09/the-dilemma-of-cheap-electronics/

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CHILD PROTECTION & ONLINE SAFETY
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nz: School criticised for expelling girls over 'cocaine' stunt
A top New Zealand school has come under fire for expelling three schoolgirls pretending to snort cocaine. ... Sean Lyons from NetSafe said the important thing in this instance would be to educate them around the decisions they make with technology.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/school-criticised-expelling-girls-over-cocaine-stunt-4716056

?Connecting Generations and Educating Each Other??ACMA supports Safer Internet Day 2012 [news release]
More than 7,500 students in 88 schools across Australia will participate in Cybersmart Networking, Cybersmart Hero and online Internet Safety Awareness Presentations to mark International Safer Internet Day on 7 February 2012.
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_410290

Making the Internet safer for young people
Tuesday marked Safer Internet Day, an annual event sponsored by the European Commission to encourage people, especially the young, to use the Internet and digital devices more responsibly.
http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,15724316,00.html

Switzerland's young people chatting day and night [news release]
The SWITCH Junior Web Barometer survey looks into the behaviour of children and young people in the Internet. As the latest survey shows: the older those questioned, the more time they spend chatting. All those included in the survey are former participants in the Junior Web Award who created a homepage of their own for the award.
http://www.switch.ch/about/news/2012/jwabarometer.html

uk: Revealed: How parents control children?s access to adult media
A new online survey conducted by the website ParentPort reveals that, of those parents surveyed whose children watch films at home, 40% had allowed their children to watch a film classified above their age.
http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2012/02/08/revealed-how-parents-control-children?s-access-to-adult-media/

Norton Online Family Expands to Keep Kids Safe on Mobile Phones [news release]
Norton by Symantec released Norton Safety Minder: Mobile Edition, a free app that allows parents to keep an eye on their kids? smartphone activities. The application is used as part of Norton Online Family, the award-winning online family safety service for PCs and Macs. Through the new app, parents can avail themselves of several tools to teach kids safe and age-appropriate digital habits on their mobile devices.
http://www.symantec.com/about/news/release/article.jsp?prid=20120207_02

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ONLINE TV & MUSIC
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An ?Entertainment Device? Is Expected From Google
Google is developing a home entertainment device, according to people with knowledge of the company?s plans, in a move that would bring it more broadly into consumer electronics.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/10/technology/google-at-work-on-an-entertainment-device.html

Google plans home entertainment system
Google is planning a major push into home entertainment with a new music streaming system controlled by Android smartphones.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/feb/10/google-plans-home-entertainment-system-android

In world of copyright craziness, BitTorrent, Inc. soars to new heights
It's a turbulent time in the world of content distribution. Despite a successful protest against overly restrictive anti-piracy legislation, law enforcement has demonstrated its already considerable power to take copyright-infringing websites offline, and several hosting and torrent sites have gone dark voluntarily to evade prosecution.
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2012/02/in-world-of-copyright-craziness-bittorrent-inc-soars-to-new-heights.ars

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MOBILE/WIRELESS
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EU seen approving Google's Motorola deal - sources
Google Inc is expected to win approval next week from European regulators as well as U.S. antitrust authorities for its planned $12.5 billion (?7.9 billion) purchase of Motorola Mobility, according to people familiar with the matter.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/02/10/uk-motorola-google-europe-idUKTRE8191EE20120210
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/02/10/motorola-google-europe-idINDEE8190HC20120210

Mobile phones in North Korea - Some North Koreans get better connected
A North Korean professor apparently posted footage on YouTube last year boasting that his country was developing applications for the Android mobile-phone operating system. Ordinary North Koreans are more likely to be pining for a humble mobile phone of any sort, and now their chances of owning one are increasing. Smuggled mobiles have been used on Chinese networks near the border for years, but now business is booming for Koryolink, the North?s only official cellular network, based in the capital, Pyongyang.
http://www.economist.com/node/21547295

Attacks on Android Devices Intensify
A recent rise in Android malware?combined with increased efforts to combat the threat?highlight the fact that, just like tech companies, app makers, and users, hackers are fast turning their attention to mobile devices. What's more, experts say, such devices are often configured in ways that make it easier for malware to thrive.
http://www.technologyreview.com/communications/39677/

PINs cracked on phone credit system [AFP]
The quest to make credit card payments with smartphones has suffered an embarrassing setback in the US with the cracking of a security PIN code.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/exec-tech/pins-cracked-on-phone-credit-system/story-e6frgazf-1226269301714

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ONLINE CRIME & LEGAL
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Texas Jury Strikes Down Patent Troll?s Claim to Own the Interactive Web
After threatening web companies for more than a decade, Michael Doyle and his patent-holding company Eolas Technologies ? named after the Irish word for knowledge ? may be finished.
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/02/interactive-web-patent/

NZ police access Facebook evidence
Police investigating a Wellington murder enlisted the help of the United States Government to order Facebook to hand over the personal pages of suspects.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/6401235/NZ-police-access-Facebook-evidence

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SECURITY
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Big Brother 2.0: FBI wants a social media mining app [AP]
The US government is seeking software that can mine social media to predict everything from future terrorist attacks to foreign uprisings, according to requests posted online by federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10785245

In cyber era, militaries scramble for new skills
With growing worries about the threat of "cyber warfare", militaries around the world are racing to recruit the computer specialists they believe may be central to the conflicts of the 21st century.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/02/12/defence-cyber-idINDEE81B04E20120212

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PRIVACY
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Comparing Privacy and Security Practices on Online Dating Sites
Concerned about your privacy when you use online dating sites? You should be. We recently examined 8 popular online dating sites to see how well they were safeguarding user privacy through the use of standard encryption practices.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/02/comparing-privacy-and-security-online-dating-sites

Six Heartbreaking Truths about Online Dating Privacy
Millions of people are using online dating sites to search for love or connection, but users should beware: many online dating sites are taking short cuts in safeguarding the privacy and security of users. Whether it?s due to counter-intuitive privacy settings or serious security flaws, users of online dating profiles risk their privacy and security every day. Here are six sobering facts about online dating services and a few suggestions for routing around the privacy pitfalls.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/02/six-heartbreaking-truths-about-online-dating-privacy

The Heartbreaking Truth About Online Dating Privacy - Users Beware: Many Sites Have Serious Security Holes [news release]
Millions of people use Internet dating sites to search for love and connection every day, but it could come a big cost for their privacy and security. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has found that many services are taking shortcuts in safeguarding users' profiles and other sensitive data.
https://www.eff.org/press/releases/heartbreaking-truth-about-online-dating-privacy

Internet won't always be anonymous: ITU
Anonymity and the internet may appear to go hand in hand, but, according to International Telecommunications Union (ITU) head of corporate strategy Alexander Ntoko, it wasn't always that way, and shouldn't be in the future.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/internet-wont-always-be-anonymous-itu-339331388.htm

Google says its new privacy policy complies with FTC settlement
Google is rebutting charges that its new privacy policy violates a settlement it struck with federal regulators last year.
http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-google-privacy-ftc-20120210,0,5736133.story

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CENSORSHIP
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Reporters Without Borders creates mirror sites to fight censorship
Filtering, denial of service attacks, withdrawal of content ? censors use many different methods to silence news websites. In addition to drawing attention to these acts of censorship and providing the victims with legal, material and financial help, Reporters Without Borders has now decided to provide them with technical assistance as well.
http://en.rsf.org/rwb-mirror-censorship-08-02-2012,41825.html

Iran reportedly blocking encrypted Internet traffic
The Iranian government is reportedly blocking access to websites that use the HTTPS security protocol, and preventing the use of software residents use to bypass the state-run firewall.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/02/iran-reportedly-blocking-encrypted-internet-traffic.ars

Brazil Files Twitter Injunction To Take Down Roadblock Warning Tweets
A request for an injunction to stop Twitter users from alerting drivers to police roadblocks, radar traps and drunk-driving checkpoints could make Brazil the first country to take Twitter up on its plan to censor content at governments' requests.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/10/brazil-twitter-injunction-traffic_n_1267754.html

Malaysia Detains Saudi Over Twitter Posts on Prophet
Authorities here said they will likely repatriate a Saudi Arabian writer who fled Saudi Arabia amid calls for him to be executed after he posted Twitter messages considered insulting to the Prophet Muhammad, Malaysian authorities said Friday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/11/world/asia/malaysia-detains-saudi-over-twitter-posts-on-prophet.html

Pakistan blocks 13,000 websites for 'obscenity' [PTI]
Pakistani authorities have blocked 13,000 "obscene" websites and are taking more steps to prevent the spread of such materials through the Internet, a top official said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/news/internet/Pakistan-blocks-13000-websites-for-obscenity/articleshow/11834922.cms

Pakistan blocks 13,000 'obscene' sites
Pakistan has blocked 13,000 "obscene" Web sites and are taking additional steps to prevent the spread of such materials across the Internet. 
http://www.zdnetasia.com/pakistan-blocks-13000-obscene-sites-62303812.htm

Brazil Wants To Ban Tweets About Police Speed-Traps
Brazil?s attorney general?s office has filed for an injunction against the Internet communications company Twitter Inc., as well as some of its local users, to ban all messages alerting to the time and location of police speed traps and road traffic checkpoints.
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2012/02/10/brazil-wants-to-ban-tweets-about-road-traffic/

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GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
**************************
Acta protests: Thousands take to streets across Europe
Thousands of people have taken part in co-ordinated protests across Europe in opposition to a controversial anti-piracy agreement.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16999497

Anti-ACTA protests hit high gear across EU
Protests against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) have kicked into high gear with massive demonstrations across four continents.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10785247

Protests erupt across Europe against web piracy treaty
Tens of thousands of protesters took part in rallies across Europe on Saturday against an international anti-piracy agreement they fear will curb their freedom to download movies and music for free and encourage Internet surveillance.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/02/11/uk-europe-protest-acta-idUKTRE81A0I620120211
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/02/12/europe-protest-acta-idINDEE81B00820120212

Acta: Germany delays signing anti-piracy agreement
Germany has halted signing a controversial anti-piracy accord, the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (Acta), after the justice ministry voiced concerns.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16980451

ACTA stumbles in Germany
Germany has stepped back from signing the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, amid growing reluctance to ratify the international pact.
http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/intellectual-property/2012/02/10/acta-stumbles-in-germany-40095017/

au: Opinion: Internet laws a sledgehammer approach to privacy - Legislators with little knowledge of internet privacy will do more harm than good.
THE protest against the American Stop Online Piracy Act recently, where Wikipedia and 7000 other websites went dark for 24 hours, made two things plain. First, online activism can be effective. Before the protest, 31 members of Congress opposed the act. After the protest, that number swelled to 122. The bill died overnight.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/internet-laws-a-sledgehammer-approach-to-privacy-20120211-1sycv.html

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MISCELLANEOUS
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FBI releases files on Steve Jobs: he was 'a deceptive individual'
The FBI has released its files on Steve Jobs, Apple co-founder and icon of the business world, painting a picture of a complex man who is described both as "a deceptive individual" and one of "high moral character and integrity".
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/feb/09/steve-jobs-fbi-files-released

Steve Jobs?s FBI File Notes Past Drug Use, Tendency to ?Distort Reality?
The Federal Bureau of Investigation released a decades-old file it kept on Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs that noted his past drug use and cites interviews with people who say he tended to ?distort reality.?
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-09/steve-jobs-fbi-file-notes-past-drug-use-tendency-to-distort-reality.html

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TELECOMMUNICATIONS
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Israel eyes ultra-fast Internet network
Four groups have submitted preliminary bids for a super-fast Internet network aimed at significantly upgrading Israel's telecoms landscape to allow for high-definition television, 3DTV and other services needing large bandwidth.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/02/09/israel-fiberoptics-internet-idINDEE8180CJ20120209

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(c) David Goldstein 2012

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David Goldstein

email: goldstein_david at yahoo.com.au
web:  http://davidgoldstein.tel/
         http://goldsteinreport.com/
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