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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UN Internet Governance Forum Looks At Human Rights, New Domains, Who?s In Charge
http://www.ip-watch.org/2012/11/04/un-internet-governance-forum-looks-at-human-rights-new-domains-whos-in-charge/

#IGF12 Workshop on ?Governing Identity on the Internet? Nov 8, 2012 by Brenden Kuerbis
http://www.internetgovernance.org/2012/11/02/igf-workshop-on-governing-identity-on-the-internet-nov-8-2012/

#IGF12 Workshop on ?Exploring a global transfer market for IPv4 addresses? Nov 6, 2012 by Milton Mueller
http://www.internetgovernance.org/2012/11/01/igf-workshop-on-exploring-a-global-transfer-market-for-ipv4-addresses-nov-6-2012/

New gTLD Weekly Update (2 November 2012)
http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/announcements-and-media/announcement-02nov12-en

Verisign Update On .COM Renewal: Expect Commerce Dept To Approve Registry Agreement Soon
http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/11/02/verisign-update-com-renewal/

Verisign defends .com price increases
http://domainincite.com/10922-verisign-defends-com-price-increases

VeriSign Issues Statement on Status of USG Review of the .Com Registry Contract by Philip Corwin
http://internetcommerce.org/VRSN_Press_Statement

Direct.uk domain name consultation - update and clarifications
http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/insight/directuk-domain-name-consultation-update-and-clarifications

NCSG Blasts BC/IPC Proposals for RPM Modifications by Philip Corwin
http://internetcommerce.org/NCSG_Blasts_RPMs

ICANN?s new gTLD fund at $352.3m
http://domainincite.com/10929-icanns-new-gtld-fund-at-352-3m

Top-Level Domain .Africa Becomes Object Of Bitter Fight
http://www.ip-watch.org/2012/11/03/top-level-domain-africa-becomes-object-of-bitter-fight/

ICANN should uphold freedom of expression in new web domains, says Council of Europe
http://www.fiercegovernmentit.com/story/icann-should-uphold-freedom-expression-new-web-domains-says-council-europe/2012-10-31

Attacking the Multi-Stakeholder Model by St?phane Van Gelder
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20121102_attacking_the_multi_stakeholder_model/

WIPO?s Proposal for a ?Workable? URS
http://isenbergondomains.com/2012/10/28/wipos-proposal-for-a-workable-urs/


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GOVERNANCE
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Internet control is battleground for Dubai talks
Talks in Dubai this December could bring radical changes to the Net and who controls it. Some want a body like the UN to rein in the Net's freewheeling nature.
http://www.dw.de/internet-control-is-battleground-for-dubai-talks/a-16343551

Azerbaijan Meet on Internet Sets Stage For December Confab
Government officials, tech industry representatives, and nongovernmental groups will be meeting in Azerbaijan next week to discuss Internet governance issues and may provide a peek into some of the proposals that could emerge at a highly anticipated telecommunications conference that some fear could result in more regulation of the Internet.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2012/11/azerbaijan-discussions-may-giv.php

UN Internet Governance Forum Looks At Human Rights, New Domains, Who?s In Charge
Human rights on the internet, the new gTLDs, how the net can be managed and ruled ? these are main topics on the published agenda of the 7th United Nations IGF in Baku, Azerbaijan.
http://www.ip-watch.org/2012/11/04/un-internet-governance-forum-looks-at-human-rights-new-domains-whos-in-charge/

Internet Governance Forum in Azerbaijan to Discuss Global Policy by Larry Magid
I arrived in this former Soviet republic on Saturday night ahead of the IGF that gets underway on Tuesday.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larry-magid/internet-governance-forum_b_2073514.html

Commission to promote Internet freedom in IGF conference
The European Commission is planning to defend the open Internet and promote its use as a means to ensure freedom of speech at a global level during the annual global conference of the IGF to be held in Baku between 5 and 9 November. In the context of the conference, the Commission will have the chance to promote also its No Disconnect Strategy and its support to multi-stakeholder governance of the Internet.
http://www.neurope.eu/article/commission-promote-internet-freedom-igf-conference

Azerbaijan: Shrinking Space for Media Freedom [news release]
At least eight journalists and three human rights defenders are in jail, and freedom of expression is severely limited in Azerbaijan, the host of the upcoming United Nations-sponsored IGF, Human Rights Watch said in a briefing paper published today. The government should use this opportunity to free imprisoned journalists and activists, decriminalize libel, and end the blanket ban on opposition rallies in the center of the capital, Baku.
http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/11/02/azerbaijan-shrinking-space-media-freedom

#IGF12 Workshop on ?Governing Identity on the Internet? Nov 8, 2012 by Brenden Kuerbis
>From single-sign-on to federated systems to WHOIS data associated with Internet resources, countless individuals, business and government organizations have a stake in Internet identity information and its governance.
http://www.internetgovernance.org/2012/11/02/igf-workshop-on-governing-identity-on-the-internet-nov-8-2012/

#IGF12 Workshop on ?Exploring a global transfer market for IPv4 addresses? Nov 6, 2012 by Milton Mueller
IGP has succeeded in putting IPv4 markets firmly on the agenda of the Baku IGF. On the afternoon of the first day of the Forum, there will be a workshop on the topic What is the best response to IPv4 scarcity? Exploring a global transfer market for IPv4 addresses, moderated by Dr. Milton Mueller of IGP and Geoff Huston, Chief Scientist at APNIC. There will also be a main session discussion of the topic.
http://www.internetgovernance.org/2012/11/01/igf-workshop-on-exploring-a-global-transfer-market-for-ipv4-addresses-nov-6-2012/

U.S. official: Internet Governance Forum is most important annual event
The IGF is the most important annual event and it has been very much success, U.S. Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy, Philip Verveer told journalists in Baku on Saturday.
http://en.trend.az/news/politics/2083737.html

ICANN, EURid And UNESCO Go IGF-ing In Azerbaijan
ICANN Chief Executive Officer Fadi Chehad? and Board Chair Dr. Stephen Crocker are on their way to the IGF Baku, Azerbaijan, to join other ICANN executives in conducting an 'Open Forum' session.
http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=19112
http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/11/01/icann-eurid-and-unesco-go-igf-ing-in-azerbaijan/

OECD events at the Internet Governance Forum 2012 (Baku, Azerbaijan)
The OECD will organise the following events at the seventh annual IGF Meeting in Baku (Azerbaijan) 6-9 November 2012:
http://www.oecd.org/internet/broadbandandtelecom/oecdeventsattheinternetgovernanceforum2012.htm

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DOMAIN NAMES
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 - ICANN
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New gTLD Weekly Update (2 November 2012)
We had many productive sessions during ICANN 45 in Toronto. We hope you found our New gTLD Update session useful and informative. And thank you to all who participated in the Trademark Clearinghouse and Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS) sessions.
http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/announcements-and-media/announcement-02nov12-en

What You Should Learn from the Diigo Domain Hijacking incident by Dave Piscitello
Diigo is a social annotation and bookmarking service that millions of individuals, educators, and students use daily to manage and share information, conduct research and collaborate. On October 24th, an attacker gained control of Diigo?s domain registrar account. Domain was hijacked away from Diigo?s control, into the hands of an attacker and Diigo?s services were lost to an estimated five million users for more than two days.
http://blog.icann.org/2012/11/what-you-should-learn-from-the-diigo-domain-hijacking-incident/

LACNIC at 10 and the Pioneers Who Made It Happen
LACNIC ?the Regional Internet Registry for Latin America and the Caribbean- celebrates its first ten years of service, featuring its solidity and honoring regional Internet pioneers.
http://blog.icann.org/2012/11/lacnic-at-10-and-the-pioneers-who-made-it-happen/

Letter from Non-Commercial Stakeholders Group to ICANN
Re: IPC-BC's Proposal for Additional Rights Protection Measures (RPM)
http://www.icann.org/en/news/correspondence/ncsg-to-icann-01nov12-en

Fadi Chehad? Explains Brussels Meeting
Philip Corwin from the Internet Commerce Association has published an email from Fadi Chehad? that explains this week?s ?secret? meeting in Brussels. Over the past week or so there had been rumours of a meeting being held in Brussels about the Trademark Clearing House.
http://www.internetnews.me/2012/11/01/fadi-chehade-explains-brussels-meeting/

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 - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS
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Azerbaijan has beaten record on net growth of registered domains this year
Net increase of registered domains in Azerbaijan for Jan-Oct 2012 made up 2,217 domain names. The figure is by 17.5% more than the indicator for the past year.
http://abc.az/eng/news/main/69251.html

CIRA report explores greatest challenges to Canada's Internet future
Canadians believe security, access and cost, and digital literacy pose the greatest challenges when it comes to their successful use of the Internet. The findings come from the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA), the organization that manages the .CA Internet domain.
http://www.cartt.ca/news/14599/Cable-Telecom/CIRA-report-explores-greatest-challenges-to-Canada-s-Internet-future.html

Verisign Update On .COM Renewal: Expect Commerce Dept To Approve Registry Agreement Soon
The pending approval of Verisign's .COM Registry Agreement is still underway and Verisign issued an update on 1 November. Verisign note that the main changes in the new Registry Agreement are "except for new provisions regarding indemnification, audit rights and more stringent service levels." And prices charged to registrars for .COM domains as well of course.
http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=19113
http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/11/02/verisign-update-com-renewal/
http://www.domainnews.com/en/verisign-update-on-com-renewal-expect-commerce-dept-to-approve-registry-agreement-soon.html

Verisign defends .com price increases
Verisign has assured investors that it is confident its .com registry agreement is not in jeopardy, after seeing its stock plummet due to uncertainties over the deal.
http://domainincite.com/10922-verisign-defends-com-price-increases

VeriSign Issues Statement on Status of USG Review of the .Com Registry Contract by Philip Corwin
VeriSign issued an extensive press statement today, with the probable intent of calming the markets -- given that its stock had dropped from about $46 to $36 in the last week, since its CEO advised analysts that US.. Government (USG) review of the .Com registry operations renewal agreement?s pricing provisions might delay its approval past the November 30th expiration date of the current contract. The share price did in fact recover somewhat today.
http://internetcommerce.org/VRSN_Press_Statement

Verisign Statement on .com Registry Agreement Renewal
VeriSign, Inc., the trusted provider of Internet infrastructure services for the networked world, today provided a statement on the pending review by the Department of Commerce of Verisign's .com Registry Agreement renewal with ICANN to serve as the authoritative registry operator for the .com registry.
http://www.verisigninc.com/en_US/news-events/press-room/articles/index.xhtml?artLink=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLm13bmV3c3Jvb20uY29tL2FydGljbGUvcnNzP2lkPTE2NTE2Mzg%3D

First December entry into force the new Rules of Registration??
New version of .cz Registration Rules will be in effect as of 1 December 2012.
http://www.nic.cz/

Take-up of fi-domain names exceeds 300,000 in Finland
About 52,000 new .fi domain names are granted each year and their number exceeds 300,000, according to telecom regulator Ficora.
http://www.telecompaper.com/news/take-up-of-fi-domain-names-exceeds-300000-in-finland--905884

Take-up of fi-domain names exceeds 300,000 in Finland - low deployment of security extension
Finnish domain name applicants favour reliability and Finnish origin in their choice of domain name, because the demand of fi-domain names has remained high. The popularity of the fi-domain name does not reflect on their information security, because only a fraction of domain name holders deploy the Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSec) FICORA has offered for a year now.
https://domain.fi/info/en/index/tietoa/ajankohtaista/2012/P_50.html

IANA Whois For IE Updated
The IANA whois data for .ie was changed yesterday. While the ?sponsoring organisation? is still listed as UCD, the other contacts have switched.
http://www.internetnews.me/2012/10/31/iana-whois-for-ie-updated/

.pw - the Professional Web Launch Schedule Announced
The .PW Registry today announced the launch schedule for the .PW TLD namespace. .pw ? the Professional Web was launched by the Directi Group as a re-purposed generic, unrestricted, clean and global TLD focused on professionals and businesses looking to showcase their presence online.
http://nic.pw/pw-announces-launch-schedule.php

.Pw Announce Launch Plans and Add Whois Server
We mentioned the plans to relaunch .pw recently. Since then the .pw team have been quite active. The new registry site is now live and includes information about the launch, with the dates of the various periods ie. sunrise, landrush and general availability.
http://www.internetnews.me/2012/10/31/pw-announce-launch-plans-and-add-whois-server/

se: The Internet?s health status ? better than ever
For the sixth consecutive year, .SE (The Internet Infrastructure Foundation) has charted how government agencies and other key social functions are managing their Internet presence, and the results are constantly improving. In this year?s survey, 18 percent of the more than 900 domain names surveyed showed errors in some form, which is the lowest percentage to date. In addition, there was a robust increase in the number of DNSSEC-signed domains, as well as domains and services that are reachable through IPv6.
https://www.iis.se/english/news/the-internets-health-status-better-than-ever/

Direct.uk domain name consultation - update and clarifications
As the direct.uk consultation continues, we wanted to provide another update on progress, while clarifying some of the issues that have been raised so far.
http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/insight/directuk-domain-name-consultation-update-and-clarifications

ICM Registry Announces Innovative Promotion For .XXX Names
Following the highly successful launch of its .XXX porn search engine Search.xxx, ICM Registry, the company that operates .XXX, announced a unique advertising credit program making .XXX amongst the most affordable domains available.
http://www.icmregistry.com/press/icm-registry-announces-innovative-promotion-for-xxx-names/

ICM to intro sponsored search results with $75 credit for registrants
Tearing several chapters out of the Google playbook, ICM Registry is to introduce a sponsored search placement service for .xxx registrants, along with a substantial introductory credit.
http://domainincite.com/10914-icm-to-intro-sponsored-search-results-with-75-credit-for-registrants

ICM Registry Giving $75 Search.XXX Advertising Credit to Registrants
In a bid to ?reward existing .XXX adult site owners and encourage new registrants,? the ICM Registry announced a $75 Search.XXX advertising credit (valid for 90 days) to .XXX domain name owners. The advertising platform has not been launched yet.
http://www.elliotsblog.com/icm-registry-giving-search-xxx-advertising-credit-to-registrants-9133

ICM Registry Launches .XXX Domain Discount Tied to Search Marketing Credit
ICM Registry, the operator of the .xxx domain launched a discount program this week, offering customers registering .xxx domain names discounts on their domain registrations in the form of credit toward its recently-launched search engine and ad program.
http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/icm-registry-launches-xxx-domain-discount-tied-to-search-marketing-credit

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 - NEW TLDS
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NCSG Blasts BC/IPC Proposals for RPM Modifications by Philip Corwin
ICANN?s Non-Commercial Stakeholders Group (NCSG) issued a November 1st statement taking strong issue with the substance of the 8-point proposals for modifications of the required rights protection mechanisms (RPMs) for new gTLDs being advocated by ICANN?s Business and Intellectual Property Constituencies (BC/IPC), as well as with the process by which they have been advanced and may be considered.
http://internetcommerce.org/NCSG_Blasts_RPMs

ICANN?s new gTLD fund at $352.3m
ICANN had $352.3 million in its new gTLD program bank account as of October 13, according to notes from a recent board meeting.
http://domainincite.com/10929-icanns-new-gtld-fund-at-352-3m

Google registers 18 '.??' domain names
Google has registered 18 domain names in China for various Web products under the simplified Chinese ccTLD.
http://www.zdnet.com/cn/google-registers-18-domain-names-7000006728/

Google scoffs down Chinese domain name takeaway
Google may have a love-hate relationship with China, but local reports suggest it still sees huge potential in the People?s Republic, claiming that it recently snapped up 18 key domain names under the internationalised suffix ?.???.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/02/google_china_android_domains/

ICANN publishes 29 change requests to new top level domains
A lot of new TLD name applicants have requested changes to their new TLD applications.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/11/02/icann-publishes-29-change-requests-to-new-top-level-domains/

Top-Level Domain .Africa Becomes Object Of Bitter Fight
A dispute over the .africa regional geographic TLD has entered entered round. The Kenya-based DotConnectAfrica trust (with headquarters in Mauritius) in a press release this week applauded ICANN for granting a change request to their application. DotConnectAfrica by mistake had applied for .dotafrica instead of .africa in its application during the new gTLD process in April.
http://www.ip-watch.org/2012/11/03/top-level-domain-africa-becomes-object-of-bitter-fight/

ICANN should uphold freedom of expression in new web domains, says Council of Europe
The rights of freedom of expression and association should be given priority by the ICANN when deciding which new gTLDs to introduce, says the Council of Europe, parent organization of the European Court of Human Rights.
http://www.fiercegovernmentit.com/story/icann-should-uphold-freedom-expression-new-web-domains-says-council-europe/2012-10-31

Attacking the Multi-Stakeholder Model by St?phane Van Gelder
"If at first you don't succeed, try and try again." A famous saying, that some within the ICANN world seem to think actually means: "if at first you don't get what you want, try and try again." The basic premise of the ICANN system is simple and fair: get all parties to work together, give everyone an equal voice, and act on whatever consensus emerges. ICANN insiders have coined this the "multi-stakeholder, bottom-up, policy development process".
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20121102_attacking_the_multi_stakeholder_model/

Hurricane.Sandy: What Hurricane Preparations Can Teach Us about New gTLDs
... So what does all that have to do with gTLDs? Well, like those of us on the East Coast who spent the last few days preparing for the hurricane, new gTLD applicants should spend the lull between December and April to really prepare for the rapidly approaching next phase of the New gTLD Program ? not because the introduction of new gTLDs will be a disaster, but because like any major event, new gTLDs will require adequate planning and preparation.
http://www.gtldstrategy.com/brand-protection-strategies/hurricane-sandy-what-hurricane-preparations-can-teach-us-about-new-gtlds

TLDH expects gTLD auctions in second half of 2013
While some new gTLD portfolio applicants are trying to get their contention sets resolved as quickly as possible, Top Level Domain Holdings reckons auctions won?t happen until the second half of 2013.
http://domainincite.com/10926-tldh-expects-gtld-auctions-in-second-half-of-2013

Right Of The Dot to offer new gTLD contention auctions with Escrow.com
New gTLD consultancy Right Of The Dot has partnered with Escrow.com on a new auction offering designed for new gTLD applicants in contention sets.
http://domainincite.com/10917-right-of-the-dot-to-offer-new-gtld-contention-auctions-with-escrow-com

Right Of The Dot Partner With Escrow.com To Offer New TLD Private Auction Solution
If you have a look at the new TLD applications you?ll quickly see that there are quite a few in competition with each other. ICANN will be sorting out some form of ?draw? to see who goes first and there?s also going to be objections, string contention and government ?advice?.
http://www.internetnews.me/2012/11/01/right-of-the-dot-partner-with-escrow-com-to-offer-new-tld-private-auction-solution/

For new TLD companies, ball finally gets rolling
Finally. After years and years of false starts, it looks like the business engine behind new TLDs is starting to fire up.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/11/01/for-new-tld-companies-ball-finally-gets-rolling/

MT Expert: Get ready for launch of new gTLDs
The internet is set to go through its biggest ever transformation when ICANN completes the next stage of its new gTLDs programme. MarkMonitor's Charlie Abrahams explains what businesses need to do to prepare.
http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/features/1157898/mt-expert-ready-launch-new-gtlds/

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 - DNS SECURITY
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Security the top Internet concern for Canadians: CIRA study
Security, accessibility and cost are the biggest concerns Canadians have about the Internet, according to a new study released by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority.
http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/en/home/News.asp?id=69239

Firefox to Force Secure Connections for Selected Domains [IDG]
Mozilla introduced a pre-loaded list of domains for Firefox that only can be connected to securely in order to help protect the privacy and security of users.
http://www.cio.com/article/720588/Firefox_to_Force_Secure_Connections_for_Selected_Domains
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/440873/firefox_force_secure_connections_selected_domains/

Open DNS resolvers behind gigantic DDoS
Internet network performance company CloudFlare has identified the nature of and networks behind a massive distributed denial of service attack against one of its customers.
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/321618,open-dns-resolvers-behind-gigantic-ddos.aspx

US Bank Cyber Attackers Deny Iran Connection
The group that claimed to launch large, sustained cyber attacks against the websites of several major U.S. financial institutions told ABC News it is not acting on behalf of and is not supported by the Iranian government, contrary to recent news reports.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/us-bank-cyber-attackers-deny-iran-connection/story?id=17620096

Cyberattacks victimizing largest banks, feds say [CSO]
Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano says the nation's largest financial institutions "are actively under attack" by cybercriminals, and one expert says it is a trend contributing to the rising security costs of banks.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2013502/cyberattacks-victimizing-largest-banks-feds-say.html

Hacktivist Speaks Out About DDoS
A self-described member of the hacktivist group Izz ad-din Al Qassam Cyber Fighters says the group's recent attacks against 10 U.S. banks were not backed by the Iranian government, according to ABC News.
http://www.bankinfosecurity.com/hacktivist-speaks-out-about-ddos-a-5262

Could computer hackers disrupt the US election? It?s happened in other countries.
Hackers have targeted elections in Mexico, Canada, Russia, and South Korea. Experts warn that it could happen in the US, causing temporary disruptions and perhaps delaying election results.
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/2012/1103/Could-computer-hackers-disrupt-the-US-election-It-s-happened-in-other-countries

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 - DOMAIN DISPUTES
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WIPO?s Proposal for a ?Workable? URS
Amid an ongoing debate about the practicality and usefulness of ICANN?s proposed Uniform Rapid Suspension System (?URS?) for the new gTLDs, the World Intellectual Property Organization (?WIPO?) has proposed a revised version of this new domain name dispute policy ? ?URS 2.0? ? which it says will address many of the criticisms of URS.
http://isenbergondomains.com/2012/10/28/wipos-proposal-for-a-workable-urs/

Wow: Google Loses UDRP On Woogle.com & Domain Holder Didn?t Even Respond
In what could be the strangest decision of the year, Google Inc. just lost a UDRP on the domain name woogle.com and the domain holder didn?t even respond.
http://www.thedomains.com/2012/11/02/gwow-google-loses-udrp-on-woogle-com-domain-holder-didnt-even-respond/

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 - MISCELLANEOUS
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IETF 85 Begins Next Week In Atlanta - Here Is How To Follow Along by Dan York
The 85th meeting of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) begins next week in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Over 1000 engineers, maybe as many as 1400 or more, from all around the world will gather in various working groups to discuss and debate issues relating to the open standards that define the Internet's infrastructure.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20121102_ietf_85_begins_next_week_in_atlanta_here_is_how_to_follow_along/

How the Internet Economy Works: Guns, Butter, and Bandwidth
Most people know certain things about the Internet. They know that cables run under the sea, that wires come into your homes, and that modems carry the digital signals to your devices.
http://gigaom.com/2012/11/01/how-the-internet-economy-works-guns-butter-and-bandwidth/
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-11-02/how-the-internet-economy-works-guns-butter-and-bandwidth

Internet traffic exchange: 2 billion users and it?s done on a handshake by Rudolf Van der Berg of the OECD?s Science, Technology and Industry Directorate
Every day one Exabyte of data is said to travel over the Internet ? enough data to fill 300,000 of the world?s biggest hard disks or 212 million DVDs. And astonishingly, according to Internet Traffic Exchange: Market Developments and Policy Challenges a new OECD report on Internet traffic exchange, most of the thousands of networks that exchange this traffic do so without a written contract or formal agreement.
http://oecdinsights.org/2012/10/22/internet-traffic-exchange-2-billion-users-and-its-done-on-a-handshake/

Internet Traffic Exchange: Market Developments and Policy Challenges
This report finds that the Internet has developed an efficient market for connectivity based on voluntary contractual agreements. Operating in a highly competitive environment, largely without regulation or central organisation, the Internet model of traffic exchange has produced low prices, promoted efficiency and innovation, and attracted the investment necessary to keep pace with demand.
http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/science-and-technology/internet-traffic-exchange_5k918gpt130q-en

Why Staying Anonymous is a Good Idea When Buying a Domain Name
When I receive inquiries on my domain names, the first thing I do is try to find out who the buyer is. I use a variety of means to try and determine who wants to buy my domain name. Although my price isn?t solely based on the buyer, that is a strong consideration that I make.
http://www.elliotsblog.com/why-staying-anonymous-is-a-good-idea-when-buying-a-domain-name-1716

Storm Prep
Every hurricane season, it's difficult to predict which storms will cause colossal damage and which will barely register. There is one thing that is easy to figure out in advance, though: the names of the hurricanes that will emerge each year. ... What does any of this have to do with domain names? Well, whenever there is a big storm or natural disaster, there is often a rush to register related domain names to take advantage of the increased interest and corresponding traffic. I noticed that a company called Weather Risk Solutions had already registered HurricaneSandy.com, which relates to this past week's East Coast storm. After doing some more digging, I found that the company has nabbed virtually every HurricaneName.Com domain name from the six-list cycle.
http://www.domainnamestrategy.com/2012/10/31/storm-prep

MERIT to Temporarily Use 2a00:0000::/12 for Darknet Experiment
Starting on 1 November 2012, MERIT, a non-profit research organisation, will temporarily use and announce 2a00:0000::/12 as part of its darknet experiment. The range was allocated to the RIPE NCC by the IANA.
http://www.ripe.net/internet-coordination/news/merit-to-temporarily-use-2a00-0000-12-for-darknet-experiment

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 - WEBHOSTING
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Tumblr Becomes Tenth Largest Web Host in Netcraft November Web Server Survey
Microblogging platform Tumblr became the tenth largest hosting company by number of sites in the November 2012 web server survey, which Netcraft released on Thursday. According to the survey, Tumblr previously hosted its customers sites? with Softlayer, but now hosts 9.2 million sites on its own netblock.
http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/tumblr-becomes-tenth-largest-web-host-in-netcraft-november-web-server-survey

Netcraft November 2012 Web Server Survey
In the November 2012 survey we received responses from 625,329,303 sites, a modest increase of 4.8 million sites since last month's survey.
http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2012/11/01/november-2012-web-server-survey.html

Canadian Web Hosting Offers New Botnet and Malware Prevention Service
Canadian Web Hosting announced on Tuesday that it has deployed a new Secure IT botnet and malware prevention service across its network. By combining technologies and partnerships, Secure IT creates an advanced defense network layer that protects users and networks from possible malware attacks.
http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/canadian-web-hosting-offers-new-botnet-and-malware-prevention-service

Content Delivery Network EdgeCast Adds Austria, Sweden and Brazil PoPs
Content delivery network EdgeCast is expanding its reach to new markets in Europe and South America, according to an announcement on Tuesday. The new point of presence locations in Vienna, Austria, Stockholm, Sweden, and Sao Paulo, Brazil, will help expand its global network.
http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/content-delivery-network-edgecast-adds-austria-sweden-and-brazil-pops

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 - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET
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How Will All of Those Big Marchex Domain Sales Revealed Thursday Fit Into DNJournal's Charting System? 
As I told you yesterday, when Marchex announced they were spinning off their massive portfolio of domain assets into a new company called Archeo, Marchex also released, for the first time, the prices they received in each of their top 500 domain sales over the past four years.
http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2012/dailyposts/20121102.htm

$24 Million In Domain Sales To Be Added To DnJournal.com
In its announcement splitting Marchex into two separate companies and releasing over 500 domain name sales previously not reported, we reached out to Ron Jackson of DnJournal.com who has served as the ?official? record keeper of domain sales to see how he would be handling these sales.
http://www.thedomains.com/2012/11/01/24-million-in-domain-sales-to-be-added-to-dnjournal-com/

Interview: Marchex CEO Russell Horowitz on Archeo
Yesterday Marchex announced it was splitting the company in two, forming a new domain-centric business called Archeo. Archeo will manage a portfolio of over 200,000 domain names, many of which were acquired when Marchex bought Yun Ye?s domain portfolio for $164 million back in 2005.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/11/02/interview-marchex-ceo-russell-horowitz-on-archeo/

Marchex? top 500 domain sales of all time
With Marchex? announcement today that it is spinning off its domain business into Archeo, the company released a treasure trove of data about its domain operations.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/11/01/marchex-top-500-domain-sales-of-all-time/

Three-Letter .com Takes Top Spot on This Week's Chart After Changing Hands for $80,000
This was a good week for 3-letter domains. One of them, LHN.com, leads this week's all extension Top 20 Sales Chart after changing hands for $80,000 in a private transaction. Truaxe Holdings Inc. bought the acronym to serve as a shortcut to the company's Look Hot Naked website that will be launching next spring.
http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2012/20121031.htm

Domain Brokers: How to Choose One and What it Takes to Be a Successful One 
The domain brokerage business is heating up as more and more domain owners turn to sales as a way to replace PPC revenues that evaporated in recent years. Those newly motivated to sell joined an already sizeable contingent of domain investors who had always put sales first, resulting in a flood of new business for experienced brokers with a track record of success. One of the most frequent inquires we get are from people asking us to recommend a broker.
http://dnjournal.com/cover/2012/august-september.htm

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INTERNET USE
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The Skirmish That Could Threaten Google News
What if Google had to start paying for each link that shows up when you do a search? It would totally wreck the company's business model, right? And maybe change the nature of search engines too?
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/11/the-skirmish-that-could-threaten-google-news/264426/

Google Casts a Big Shadow on Smaller Web Sites
Starting in February, Jeffrey G. Katz grew increasingly anxious as he watched the steady decline of online traffic to his company?s comparison-shopping Web site, Nextag, from Google?s search engine.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/04/technology/google-casts-a-big-shadow-on-smaller-web-sites.html

The cyber war: Voters are being targeted in new and powerful ways
The scene could be in Tampa, or Santa Barbara, or Chicago. Mr and Mrs Sixpack are relaxing after dinner with their iPads. Each is looking at the same news website, but each will be shown different political advertising. He sees something about naval bases, from the Romney camp; she sees a post about the president?s environmental record. This is a new trick. Behind this year?s digital campaigns?whether through e-mail, social networks, apps or web advertising?lies an enormous body of data that have been integrated for the first time.
http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21565653-voters-are-being-targeted-new-and-powerful-ways-deus-ex-machina

Firefox dips below 20 percent, Chrome falls, Internet Explorer gains
Mozilla Firefox has?barely?dipped below 20 percent market share for the second time in six months, after an October that saw Microsoft Internet Explorer grow, Google Chrome fall, and mobile browsing account for 10 percent of all Web traffic for the first time ever.
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/11/firefox-dips-below-20-percent-chrome-falls-internet-explorer-gains/

The Law?s cyber drug war. Is it time to hold peace talks with internet suppliers of ?legal highs??
... What these three and many other drugs have in common is that your 15-year-old son or daughter could acquire them online with a few clicks on their iPhone. Within days a small package could be sent from China, pass through the UK Border Forces? grasps and reach your child for their Friday night.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/our-voices/battle-of-ideas/the-laws-cyber-drug-war-is-it-time-to-hold-peace-talks-with-internet-suppliers-of-legal-highs-8274077.html

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES
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Everyone wants a slice of Raspberry Pi
The ?25 programmable computer invented by British scientists has turned into a global sensation. Will it encourage kids to teach themselves code, or just end up in the hands of nerds?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/nov/04/raspberry-pi-programming-jam-cern

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CHILD PROTECTION & ONLINE SAFETY
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nz: Racist Facebook pages increasing
Internet safety watchdog Netsafe says it's disturbed by the growing number of racist hate speech pages turning up on social networking sites like Facebook.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Racist-Facebook-pages-increasing/tabid/412/articleID/275241/Default.aspx

Canada's justice ministers to tackle cyberbullying together
Canada's justice and public safety ministers say they'll work together to see what more can be done to stop cyberbullying.
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/canada-s-justice-ministers-to-tackle-cyberbullying-together-1.1019947

au: Telstra offers opt-in customer internet tracking
Telstra's controversial cybersafety project that tracks customer internet browsing has returned, but this time it's on an opt-in basis.
http://www.zdnet.com/au/telstra-offers-opt-in-customer-internet-tracking-7000006872/

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ONLINE TV, MUSIC & PIRACY
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Pornographic films on BitTorrent: Flava Works gets huge damages
An American man has been hit with a $1.5m (?932,000) fine for pirating 10 gay porn movies via BitTorrent.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20178171

Kim Dotcom reveals Mega to replace Megaupload file-sharing site
Kim Dotcom has announced plans for Mega, a service to replace his banned file-sharing website Megaupload.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20165657

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MOBILE/WIRELESS
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Apple ordered to re-write 'inaccurate' Samsung statement
Apple has 48 hours to re-write a statement on its website relating to its design rights dispute with Samsung, UK judges have ruled.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20165664

Apple's Samsung statement reprimanded by court of appeal
The UK court of appeal has reprimanded Apple over the wording of the statement on its website acknowledging that Samsung did not infringe the iPad tablet's registered design, and ordered it to put an altered statement on its homepage ? rather than tucked away in a linked page ? until 14 December.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/nov/01/apple-samsung-statement

New technology could double smartphone battery life
While tremendous advances are being made in smartphone hardware, each new technology is still at the mercy of the phone's battery, a power source that can be maddeningly inefficient.
http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/new-technology-could-double-smartphone-battery-life-1109741

Google's Android software in 3 out of 4 smartphones
Three out of every four smartphones sold in the third quarter featured Google Inc's Android mobile operating system, as the gap between Google and Apple Inc-based phones widened further, according to a new research report.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/11/03/android-share-idINDEE8A10BQ20121103
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/11/02/uk-android-share-idUKBRE8A11A920121102

Sandy exposes gaps in wireless system during emergency
The leap toward wireless and digital phone service may be setting Americans behind during times of emergency, some experts say.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-tech/post/sandy-exposes-gaps-in-wireless-system-during-emergency/2012/11/02/2d4d5a4e-2461-11e2-ba29-238a6ac36a08_blog.html

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ONLINE CRIME & LEGAL
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Aussie's Google win could open the floodgates
Websites that link to offensive material may no longer be able to hide behind the defence that they are not technically publishers, after an Australian man successfully sued Google for defamation.
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/aussies-google-win-could-open-the-floodgates-20121102-28nsj.html
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/aussies-google-win-could-open-the-floodgates-20121102-28nsj.html

Aussies held to ransom by nasty software
If your computer appears to be taken hostage by local police who demand the payment of a fine to grant you access to your data, would you pay the fee, yank the power cord or recognise a scam and figure out how to neutralise it?
http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/consumer-security/aussies-held-to-ransom-by-nasty-software-20121029-28etx.html

70% of Canadians Have Been Victims of Cybercrime
70% of online adults in Canada have been the victim of cybercrime at some point in their life, according to Norton's Cybercrime 2012 report. More than eight million have experienced it in the past year.
http://www.techvibes.com/blog/canadians-cybercrime-2012-11-02

Indonesia busts online gambling ring
The police arrest six women and a man for allegedly running an illegal online gambling site and are charging them for money laundering and gambling, among other offences.
http://www.zdnet.com/indonesia-busts-online-gambling-ring-7000006873/

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SECURITY
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Open DNS resolvers behind gigantic DDoS
Internet network performance company CloudFlare has identified the nature of and networks behind a massive distributed denial of service attack against one of its customers.
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/321618,open-dns-resolvers-behind-gigantic-ddos.aspx

US Bank Cyber Attackers Deny Iran Connection
The group that claimed to launch large, sustained cyber attacks against the websites of several major U.S. financial institutions told ABC News it is not acting on behalf of and is not supported by the Iranian government, contrary to recent news reports.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/us-bank-cyber-attackers-deny-iran-connection/story?id=17620096

Cyberattacks victimizing largest banks, feds say [CSO]
Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano says the nation's largest financial institutions "are actively under attack" by cybercriminals, and one expert says it is a trend contributing to the rising security costs of banks.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2013502/cyberattacks-victimizing-largest-banks-feds-say.html

Hacktivist Speaks Out About DDoS
A self-described member of the hacktivist group Izz ad-din Al Qassam Cyber Fighters says the group's recent attacks against 10 U.S. banks were not backed by the Iranian government, according to ABC News.
http://www.bankinfosecurity.com/hacktivist-speaks-out-about-ddos-a-5262

Could computer hackers disrupt the US election? It?s happened in other countries.
Hackers have targeted elections in Mexico, Canada, Russia, and South Korea. Experts warn that it could happen in the US, causing temporary disruptions and perhaps delaying election results.
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/2012/1103/Could-computer-hackers-disrupt-the-US-election-It-s-happened-in-other-countries

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CENSORSHIP
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Russia enacts restrictive new cyber-law
New internet laws have come into force in Russia, making it easier for the state to block access to certain online content it considers offensive.
http://www.aljazeera.com/video/europe/2012/11/2012111193550182880.html

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GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
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Apple paid only 2% corporation tax outside US
Apple paid less than 2% corporation tax on its profits outside the US, its filing with US regulators has shown.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20197710

uk: MPs call communications data bill 'honeypot for hackers and criminals'
The home secretary, Theresa May, has been told by peers and MPs that her ?1.8bn internet monitoring proposals will be a "honeypot for hackers and criminals around the world" and that she must bring in prison sentences for those who hack databases.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/oct/31/communications-data-bill-honeypot-hackers-criminals

E-books: Developments and Policy Considerations
Books are undergoing a massive transformation from being a physical object to something electronic, or an "e-book". And while e-book sales still make up only a small proportion of book sales (1% in most OECD countries, 2-3% in the United Kingdom and 8% in the United States), consumers spent an estimated USD 966 million on them in 2010. By 2015, the industry is anticipated to nearly triple to almost USD 3 billion.
http://www.oecd.org/internet/e-booksdevelopmentsandpolicyconsiderations.htm

us: Verizon, MetroPCS push back on FCC's net neutrality rules
Verizon Wireless and MetroPCS have filed a joint appeal against a court decision concerning the Federal Communications Commission's net neutrality rules that took effect in December of last year. The court had ruled in favor of the FCC, despite the complaints levied against it in Verizon and MetroPCS' lawsuit. The carriers contend that the FCC is over stepping its bounds with the regulation, which is designed to prevent network operators from controlling traffic to apps, services, and other functions on an individual basis.
http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/1/3586546/verizon-metropcs-fcc-appeal-net-neutrality

au: Attorney-General's Dept unsure of cost of data retention scheme
The Attorney-General?s Department (AGD) has told a parliamentary inquiry it has not yet assessed the potential costs of implementing proposals around data retention, despite several estimates from industry it could cost hundreds of millions.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/440834/attorney-general_dept_unsure_cost_data_retention_scheme/

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MISCELLANEOUS
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IT sector booms during downturn, says OECD
Internet firms continue to drive growth and job creation in the IT industry, with fast-rising demand for mobile services helping to boost revenue and investment in research and development, according to a new OECD report.
http://www.oecd.org/newsroom/itsectorboomsduringdownturnsaysoecd.htm

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TELECOMMUNICATIONS
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Kim Dotcom: fund free NZ internet by suing Hollywood and US government
Kim Dotcom, the flamboyant German-born internet entrepreneur facing extradition to the US for alleged piracy, has put forward a plan to give all householders in his new home of New Zealand free broadband access, financed by suing Hollywood studios and the American government.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/nov/04/kim-dotcom-broadband-suing-hollywood

nz: Cable revival promise nothing to get excited about
Some IT experts say Kim Dotcom's promise to revive the bid to get a second high-speed broadband cable between New Zealand and the United States, is nothing to get excited about. ... Internet NZ chief executive Vikram Kumar says because of his legal problems in America, the US would block any plan Mr Dotcom has financially backed, so it would never work.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/119966/cable-revival-promise-nothing-to-get-excited-about

nz: Dotcom pledges to resurrect international cable project
Kim Dotcom has announced his intention to invest in a second internet cable connecting New Zealand to the world.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/dotcom-pledges-to-resurrect-international-cable-project

nz: Spectrum as a property right questioned
Telcos have stated their positions, Maori groups have staked a claim, but should radio spectrum made available after the switch to digital TV become a property right?
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/spectrum-as-a-property-right-questioned

------
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