[DNS] domain name news - 19 November

From: David Goldstein <david> Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2012 12:57:59 +1100 · This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Sat Sep 09 2017 - 22:00:11 UTC

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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Internet freedom remains US priority at UN conference [IDG]
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2014714/internet-freedom-remains-us-priority-at-un-conference.html

ITU Refuses Proposals for Open Discussion of Plans to Regulate Internet
http://www.ituc-csi.org/itu-refuses-proposals-for-open.html

Letter to the ICANN Community by Fadi Chehad?
http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-15nov12-en.htm

Trademark Clearinghouse Update by Fadi Chehad?
http://blog.icann.org/2012/11/trademark-clearinghouse-update/

Pritz?s conflict of interest was with ARI
http://domainincite.com/11037-pritzs-conflict-of-interest-was-with-ari

New gTLD guru Kurt Pritz quits ICANN over conflict of interest
http://domainincite.com/11024-breaking-kurt-pritz-quits-icann-over-conflict-of-interest

au: Outcomes of auDA 2012 AGM
http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-16112012/

Cooper Mills Director Appointed to auDA Board
http://www.coopermills.com.au/wordpress/index.php/2012/11/cooper-mills-director-appointed-to-auda-board/

Lessons from an Unlikely Place
http://www.gtldstrategy.com/marketing-strategies/lessons-from-an-unlikely-place

GNSO gives thumbs down to Olympic trademark protections in shock vote
http://domainincite.com/11013-gnso-gives-thumbs-down-to-olympic-trademark-protections-in-shock-vote

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GOVERNANCE
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Internet freedom remains US priority at UN conference [IDG]
The U.S. delegation to an upcoming United Nations telecom treaty-writing conference will not budge on its positions advocating free speech online and opposing broad new regulations for the Internet, the leader of the delegation said.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2014714/internet-freedom-remains-us-priority-at-un-conference.html

ITU Refuses Proposals for Open Discussion of Plans to Regulate Internet
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) today met with Dr Hamadoun Toure, Head of the UN?s International Telecommunication Union, to take internet regulation proposals off the agenda of the World Conference on International Telecommunication (WCIT-12) due to take place in Dubai in December.
http://www.ituc-csi.org/itu-refuses-proposals-for-open.html

?Stop the Net Grab?: NRO shares concerns about the WCIT process
The Number Resource Organization (NRO), the body representing the five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs), today expressed its support for the ?Stop the Net Grab? campaign that is being spearheaded by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) in the lead-up to the World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT-12).
http://www.nro.net/news/nro-shares-concerns-aboutwcit-process

Kramer: U.S. will emphasize market liberalization in WCIT-12
A second tranche of U.S. proposals for the planned December treaty-writing conference of the International Telecommunication Union in Dubai emphasizes "the criticality of liberalized markets," said Amb. Terry Kramer, head of the U.S. conference delegation.
http://www.fiercegovernmentit.com/story/kramer-us-will-emphasize-market-liberalization-wcit-12/2012-11-15

UN to Seek Internet Kill Switch Next Month, Documents Show
As Americans focused on the U.S. presidential election, the United Nations and a wide swath of its autocratic member regimes were drafting a plan to give a little-known UN agency control over the online world. Among the most contentious schemes: a plot to hand the International Telecommunications Union a so-called ?kill switch? for the Internet that critics say would be used to smash free speech.
http://www.thenewamerican.com/tech/computers/item/13656-un-to-seek-internet-kill-switch-next-month-documents-show

Secret UN Document Lays Out Plan to Seize Control of Internet
A report by a United Nations organization calls for the international body to seize control of information shared over the Internet should the governments of member nations fail to pass sufficient cybersecurity regulations. ... Chris Disspain, CEO of auDA, told ITWire that a drive to consolidate power is behind the UN?s net grab. He also said that, "for some countries it is about a belief that they can control things more easily if they go through the UN."
http://thenewamerican.com/world-news/item/13659-secret-un-document-lays-out-plan-to-seize-control-of-internet

ca: International campaign to keep the Internet free and open begins today
An international campaign to preserve the free and open Internet is launching in Canada this week.
http://www.exchangemagazine.com/morningpost/2012/week46/Thursday/12141517.htm

Opening Session Remarks by Lawrence E. Strickling, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, IGF, Baku, Azerbaijan
... We must continue to support and strengthen the IGF and multistakeholder organizations such as ICANN. We must continue to engage all stakeholders, especially those representing civil society. We must continue to build bridges to the developing world and ensure that their voices are heard and their needs are met.
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/speechtestimony/2012/remarks-assistant-secretary-strickling-internet-governance-forum

Russia demands broad UN role in Net governance, leak reveals
The Russian Federation is calling on the United Nations to take over key aspects of Internet governance, including addressing and naming, according to documents leaked on Friday from an upcoming treaty conference.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57551442-38/russia-demands-broad-un-role-in-net-governance-leak-reveals/

Internet and governance in China
The Internet is influencing governance in China - in most cases for the better. The impact the Internet is having on governance can be gauged from an event on Tuesday, small in scale but huge in significance. The media center of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China organized online discussions between CPC delegates and netizens, which showed how important a channel the Internet has become for the Party to solicit people's opinions.
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2012-11/16/content_15934660.htm

Commentary: Why Policy Forums Should Be Held In Authoritarian States
Last week, thousands of foreigners descended on the Azerbaijani capital to attend the IGF ... . This is similar to when thousands of foreigners descended on Baku in May for the Eurovision Song Contest, only with less sartorial splendor and a renewed sense of hypocrisy.
http://www.rferl.org/content/hold-events-in-authoritarian-states-sarah-kendzior/24771509.html

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DOMAIN NAMES
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 - ICANN
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Letter to the ICANN Community
To the ICANN Community, Regretfully, I have accepted the resignation of Kurt Pritz, who has served most recently as ICANN?s Chief Strategy Officer. Kurt has submitted his resignation because of a recently identified conflict of interest, which he immediately communicated to ICANN.
http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-15nov12-en.htm

Trademark Clearinghouse Update by Fadi Chehad?
This week, I met with a group of stakeholder representatives to work with ICANN staff to complete implementation discussions on the Trademark Clearinghouse and its associated rights protection mechanisms. As I wrote in my previous post from Brussels, these implementation meetings addressed the following topics:
http://blog.icann.org/2012/11/trademark-clearinghouse-update/

Steve Crocker, Chair of the Board of Directors, ICANN, to Heather Dryden
Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy Part C Recommendations
http://www.icann.org/en/news/correspondence/crocker-to-dryden-15nov12-en

New gTLD Video Update: The GAC
New gTLD Video Update: The GAC Explained
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPHx87hysr0

Pritz?s conflict of interest was with ARI
Former ICANN chief strategy officer Kurt Pritz had a conflict of interest related to back-end registry provider ARI Registry Services, DI can reveal.
http://domainincite.com/11037-pritzs-conflict-of-interest-was-with-ari

New gTLD guru Kurt Pritz quits ICANN over conflict of interest
ICANN?s recently promoted chief strategy officer Kurt Pritz has resigned, citing a conflict of interest.
http://domainincite.com/11024-breaking-kurt-pritz-quits-icann-over-conflict-of-interest

ICANN's Pritz In Shock Resignation Over Conflict Of Interest
Like a bolt from the blue, ICANN has announced that new gTLD guru Kurt Pritz, officially known as Chief Strategy Officer, is resigning due to a conflict of interest.
http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=19222
http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/11/16/icanns-pritz-resignation/
http://www.domainnews.com/en/icanns-pritz-in-shock-resignation-over-conflict-of-interest.html

Uh-oh: Pritz out at ICANN over conflict of interest
Kurt Pritz was the face of ICANN?s new TLD program. Literally. It was Pritz who defended ICANN on Capitol Hill. It was Pritz who spoke to the press and at conferences.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/11/15/uh-oh-kurt-pritz-icann/

Now That Kurt Pritz Has Resigned over Conflict of Interest, Will a Transparent Investigation Follow? by Khaled Fattal
Yesterday ICANN announced that its new CEO Fadi Chehade accepted ICANN Chief Strategy Officer Kurt Pritz's resignation over conflict of Interests -- will a transparent investigation follow? Otherwise, what else and what next? In a statement on its ICANN website, Fadi Chehade states: "Kurt has submitted his resignation because of a recently identified conflict of interest".
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20121116_now_that_icann_kurt_pritz_has_resigned/

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 - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS
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au: Outcomes of auDA 2012 AGM
auDA held its 2012 Annual General Meeting in Sydney on Monday 12 November.
http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-16112012/

Cooper Mills Director Appointed to auDA Board
Cooper Mills Director, and Domain Name Lawyer, Erhan Karabardak was yesterday elected to the board of auDA (.au Domain Administration Ltd), the Australian regulator of .au domain names.
http://www.coopermills.com.au/wordpress/index.php/2012/11/cooper-mills-director-appointed-to-auda-board/

The .Co Domain Launches Membership Program With Free Events, Classes, And Consultation
To most companies, the two or three letters coming at the end of their URL probably don?t make a huge difference (with exceptions). However, the company behind the .co domain has been working to change that. In the words of vice president Lori Anne Wardi, it?s trying to turn .co into ?the domain about innovation.?
http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/15/co-membership-program/

.Co launches membership program
.co membership program.CO Internet has launched a membership program that offers perks to registrants of .co domain names.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/11/15/co-launches-membership-program/

More Than a Domain, .CO Announces Exclusive Membership Program
.CO launches beta program to provide valuable networking, promotion and support to .CO customers worldwide
http://www.cointernet.co/media/press-releases/more-domain-co-announces-exclusive-membership-program

60% of .fr domain names are IPv6 compliant, an increase of 19 points in one year
60% of the .fr domain names have an IPv6 address for their DNS servers, according to the AFNIC Industry Report on Domain Names.
http://www.afnic.fr/en/about-afnic/news/general-news/6429/show/60-of-fr-domain-names-are-ipv6-compliant-an-increase-of-19-points-in-one-year.html

gw: Protocol with Guinea Bissau
FCCN celebrates collaboration protocol with the National Regulatory Authority of Information Technologies and Communication of Guinea Bissau for technical support in the operation of the country's TLD, the ccTLD .GW
https://www.dns.pt/web/guest/content-display?content=2266413

Google and Yahoo among brands using protection with .sx domain names
The general availability phase for .sx, a country code domain name for Sint Maarten, begins today.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/11/15/google-and-yahoo-among-brands-using-protection-with-sx-domain-names/

?Sexy? .sx hits general availability today
The newest ccTLD to go live, .sx for Sint Maarten, starts its general availability phase today at 1500 UTC.
http://domainincite.com/11009-sx-hits-general-availability-today

Nominet responds to .uk criticism
British registry Nominet has responded to criticism that its plans for introducing shorter .uk web addresses will require existing registrants to fight costly auctions to secure domains.
http://www.worldipreview.com/newsstory.asp?ID=49

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 - NEW TLDS
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Lessons from an Unlikely Place
... This actually bodes well for new gTLD applicants. The message is pretty clear: if you have a clear strategy for how your gTLD will be used and can clearly communicate that strategy to Internet users, they will be more comfortable with and quicker to adopt your gTLD. This doesn?t just apply to gTLD applicants who plan to sell domains, either. For brand owners who are seeking to engage with their customers through their gTLD, these lessons apply equally.
http://www.gtldstrategy.com/marketing-strategies/lessons-from-an-unlikely-place

GNSO gives thumbs down to Olympic trademark protections in shock vote
ICANN?s GNSO Council voted against providing special brand protection to the Olympics and Red Cross today, in a shock vote that swung on a trademark lawyer?s conflict of interest.
http://domainincite.com/11013-gnso-gives-thumbs-down-to-olympic-trademark-protections-in-shock-vote

Latest update on the new gTLD program
ICANN held its monthly update call on the new gTLD program last night for applicants and interested parties. NetNames was of course in attendance and below you will find a distilled version of the key points raised.
http://www.netnames.com/blog/2012/11/latest-update-on-the-new-gtld-program/

ICANN CEO: Until the first new gTLD is Delegated, Akram Attalah & I Will Personally Oversee the Whole New gTLD Program
According to a blog post by the CEO of ICANN Fadi Chehad?, he and Akram Attalah will ?personally oversee the whole new gTLD program until the 1st new gTLD is delegated.
http://www.thedomains.com/2012/11/17/icann-ceo-until-the-first-new-gtld-is-delegated-akram-attalah-i-will-personally-oversee-the-whole-new-gtld-program/

ICANN To Hold New gTLD "Prioritisation Draw"
December 17 is the day ICANN has set for a "prioritisation draw", or lottery, at the LAX Hilton, Los Angeles, to determine the order in which applications for new gTLD strings will be processed. It is anticipated that all applications will be processed within a one and a half year period. And applications for internationalised domain names will be given priority.
http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=19208
http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/11/15/icann-new-gtld-prioritisation-draw/
http://www.domainnews.com/en/icann-to-hold-new-gtld-qprioritisation-drawq-on-17-december.html

A Navigation Aid or a Brand TLD? (Part 1 of 2) by Alexa Raad
Every TLD has domain name registrants who use their domain name either as their primary site, the basis of their online identity, or as a navigational aid to direct traffic to other sites. The dominant purpose determines the long-term financial wellbeing of the registry. The choice to use a domain as a simple pointer to another site versus creating a branded identity online does not just happen. It is almost always the direct result of the registry's own efforts and focus. How does the registry define their customer?
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20121116_a_navigation_aid_or_a_brand_tld_part_1_of_2/

Clarifying Clarifying Financial Questions: What New gTLD Applicants Need To Do To Pass Evaluation by Phil Buckingham, CEO Dot Advice Ltd
It is certainly proving to be a long and winding road for the 1923 gTLD applications submitted to ICANN. Glitches, delays and now a very high percentage of applications will very shortly be receiving clarifying (financial) questions on 26 November.
http://www.thedomains.com/2012/11/16/guest-post-clarifying-clarifying-financial-questions-what-new-gtld-applicants-need-to-do-to-pass-evaluation/

Trademark owners set for gTLD talks
IP owners are heading into a meeting today armed with eight proposals for enhancing trademark protection under the new gTLD programme.
http://www.worldipreview.com/newsstory.asp?ID=51

New gTLD applicants ponder private auctions
Applicants for contested new gTLDs are showing interest in using private auctions to determine who wins the rights to a disputed string.
http://www.worldipreview.com/newsstory.asp?ID=46

.RU ? Russian internet in figures, 2012
Let's take a break from the law on blacklist and it's subpar execution - there's nothing new I can tell you right now - it's as bad as it was 24 hours ago. So, let's just put this topic on the backburner. Meanwhile, some good news for a change! Turns out that the Cyrillic domain name .?? that was met with a bit of apprehension from the internet industry over here is actually doing pretty well. A joint report by European Registry for Internet Domains (EURid) and UNESCO takes a look at "the growth of multilingualism on the Internet" and basically focuses on internationalized national domains (IDNs) and the diversity of languages in the global network.
http://english.ruvr.ru/radio_broadcast/36172287/94749727.html

Cyrillic web domain ranked the world's largest
Russia may not be the world champion in terms of computer use or Internet access, but when it comes to non-Latin domains, .?? is the name to beat. The Cyrillic domain .?? has the most registered users and is the most successful instance of an internationalized domain to date, according to the 2012 World Report on Internationalized Domain Names Deployment, which the .eu registry EURid and UNESCO released in November 2012.
http://rbth.ru/articles/2012/11/16/cyrillic_web_domain_ranked_the_worlds_largest_20163.html

Putonghua domain names up for grabs next year
Hong Kong companies doing business on the mainland must brace for the biggest change ever in e-commerce when hundreds of new domain names are released next year, says the Asian head of the international body governing web names.
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1084964/putonghua-domain-names-grabs-next-year

One of the .AUTO new gTLD applicant launches pre-registration and promotional site
Dot Auto, LLC, one of the four applicants for the .AUTO gTLD (the other ones are Donuts, Fegistry, LLC and Uniregistry) has started their marketing for a potential launch of the gTLD, before they even know any results of the evaluation phase.
http://www.domainnamenews.com/new-gtlds/one-of-the-auto-new-gtld-applicant-launches-pre-registration-and-promotional-site/21950

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 - DNS SECURITY
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The Hackers of Damascus
... Much has been written about the rebellion in Syria: the protests, the massacres, the car bombs, the house-to-house fighting. Tens of thousands have been killed since the war began in early 2011. But the struggle for the future of the country has also unfolded in another arena?on a battleground of Facebook pages and YouTube accounts, of hacks and counterhacks. Just as rival armies vie for air superiority, the two sides of the Syrian civil war have spent much of the last year and a half locked in a struggle to dominate the Internet. Pro-government hackers have penetrated opposition websites and broken into the computers of Reuters and Al Jazeera to spread disinformation. On the other side, the hacktivist group Anonymous has infiltrated at least 12 Syrian government websites, including that of the Ministry of Defense, and released millions of stolen e-mails.
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-11-15/the-hackers-of-damascus

Obama Secret Order Authorizes Cybersecurity Strikebacks
A secret directive, signed by President Obama in mid-October, has authorized the military to help battle cyber attacks launched against the United States.
http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/obama-secret-order-authorizes-cybersecur/240134945

A year in cybersecurity and cybercrime: 2012 review
During the year, we have seen the destruction of SOPA and PIPA but the emergence of CISPA and similar laws around the world, a growing trend in hacks and scams, an explosion in malware, and states committing cyberwarfare on their friends and foes. Here's a run-down of what happened in 2012.
http://www.zdnet.com/a-year-in-cybersecurity-and-cybercrime-2012-review-7000007521/

DDoS attacks hitting firms to tune of $3.5m annually
Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks are costing companies an average of $3.5m (?2.2m) a year, US-based research has found.
http://www.channelweb.co.uk/crn-uk/news/2225168/ddos-attacks-hitting-firms-to-tune-of-usd35m-annually

When Businesses Go Dark: A DDoS Survey by Ted Swearingen
We asked IT pros what's at stake during a DDoS attack. Here's what they said about downtime, losing customers and public trust.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20121109_when_businesses_go_dark_a_ddos_survey/

us: Senate Defeats Dangerously Vague Cybersecurity Act?Again
With your help last summer we helped defeat Senator Lieberman's Cybersecurity Act. But for some reason, Senate Majority Leader Reid decided to call for another vote on the bill in the lame duck session today. After an hour's debate, the full Senate voted 51 to 47 against cloture for the Cybersecurity Act, meaning it can't move forward for a vote.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/11/senate-defeats-dangerously-vague-cybersecurity-act-again

Anonymous Launches OpIsrael DDoS Attacks After Internet Threat
Hacktivist collective said the attacks are in response to the Israeli government threatening to sever all Internet connections to and from Gaza strip.
http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/anonymous-launches-opisrael-ddos-attacks/240142149

Israeli government websites under mass hacking attack
More than 44 million hacking attempts have been made on Israeli government web sites since Wednesday when Israel began its Gaza air strikes, the government said on Sunday.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/11/18/uk-palestinians-israel-hacking-idUKBRE8AH0DC20121118
http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/7968138/Israeli-govt-sites-under-massive-hacking-attack

Malware Spy Network Targeted Israelis, Palestinians
Researchers in Norway have uncovered evidence of a vast Middle Eastern espionage network that for the past year has deployed malicious software to spy on Israeli and Palestinian targets.
http://krebsonsecurity.com/2012/11/malware-spy-network-targeted-israelis-palestinians/

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 - DOMAIN DISPUTES
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Sickening Sandy Domain Scams
Lives were tragically lost in Hurricane Sandy, with many additional victims sustaining acute physical injuries. Power remains out in many storm-affected areas as temperatures skew colder. Thousands of homes have been destroyed or badly damaged, and businesses have been shuttered and laid off workers, as public officials scramble to find adequate alternative shelter for the homeless and coordinate relief efforts. The rebuilding effort will take months, and in some cases years.
http://internetcommerce.org/Sandy_Scams

Ad network says scammers are impersonating it using cybersquatted domain names
Chicago based online advertising company Q Interactive has filed a lawsuit alleging that someone is impersonating it to dupe web site publishers out of advertising revenue.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/11/15/q-interactive-ad-network-scam/

Gripe site defeats Wal-Mart in UDRP dispute
Wal-Mart has failed to remove a website used to criticise the company in a dispute highlighting the divide between US and non-US views on free speech.
http://www.worldipreview.com/newsstory.asp?ID=48

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 - IPv4/IPv6
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Nearly 60% of .fr domain names are IPv6 compliant
Nearly 60 percent of .fr domain names had an IPv6 address for their DNS servers at the end of October, 19 points more than a year earlier, according to French domain name registry Afnic.
http://www.telecompaper.com/news/nearly-60-of-fr-domain-names-are-ipv6-compliant--908368

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 - MISCELLANEOUS
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Elected to the ARIN Advisory Council by Milton Mueller
In a sure sign that the winds of change are blowing in the addressing world, on November 9 it was announced that I was one of the 6 people elected to the Advisory Council (AC) of ARIN, the Internet address registry for the North American region.
http://www.internetgovernance.org/2012/11/16/elected-to-the-arin-advisory-council/

A Look at How the Internet Routes Around Damage: Measuring Global Effects of Storm Sandy by Mirjam Kuehne
Hurricane Sandy caused major damage in both the Caribbean and the North-Eastern part of the USA. In an earlier article (RIPE Atlas - Superstorm Sandy) we showed data on 15 RIPE Atlas probes that are located in or near the affected areas in the USA. Most of these locations now appear to be back to normal round trip times to targets we monitor. But the effects of Hurricane Sandy were felt beyond the immediately affected area.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20121115_a_look_at_how_internet_routes_around_damage_storm_sandy_effects/

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 - WEBHOSTING
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Web Host Go Daddy Launches Mobile Website Building Tool
Web hosting provider Go Daddy added a mobile component to its Go Daddy Website Builder on Thursday, adding that customers who have already built sites using the tool will have their sites automatically optimized for mobile devices.
http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/web-host-go-daddy-launches-mobile-website-building-tool

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 - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET
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A Pair of Six-Figure Sales Including One That Ties for the Year's 2nd Biggest Transaction Headline a Solid Week for the Domain Aftermarket
November is off to a fast start in the domain aftermarket with two-six figures sales and 40 more that hit five figures leading the way. The owners of FreeWebsite.com just revealed that they acquired the domain for their new site for $500,000 in January.
http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2012/20121114.htm

Sedo reports earnings: domain parking still a drag, revenue down 18%
Sedo Holding just reported earnings for the first three quarters of 2012, and the message is more of the same: domain parking is still a drag.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/11/15/sedo-earnings-q3-2012/

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INTERNET USE
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us: Broadband can save users $8,400 a year, study says [IDG]
U.S. residents can save nearly $8,400 a year in entertainment, clothing, food and other expenses by subscribing to broadband, according to a study released Friday.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2014721/broadband-can-save-users-8400-a-year-study-says.html

au: Dangerous new drugs sold on web 'silk road'
DANGEROUS new psychoactive drugs are emerging in Australia at a breathtaking rate, say experts conducting groundbreaking research into online drug sales.
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/dangerous-new-drugs-sold-on-web-silk-road-20121118-29k71.html
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/sci-tech/dangerous-new-drugs-sold-on-web-silk-road-20121118-29k71.html

Mobile workers health threatened by spending weekends online
A new survey found 63% of mobile workers are spending at least six hours each weekend online -- and nearly one-third are online for up to 20 hours over the two days.
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9233687/Mobile_workers_health_threatened_by_spending_weekends_online

Kiwis not sold on finding love online
Business might be booming for online and professional dating services but when it comes to finding love, Kiwis still prefer to meet partners the old-fashioned way.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10848430

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SOCIAL MEDIA
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How one law student is making Facebook get serious about privacy
The world?s largest legal battle against Facebook began with a class assignment. Student Max Schrems still hasn?t turned in his university paper on the topic, due well over a year ago, but he has already accomplished something bigger: forcing Facebook to alter its approach to user privacy. Now, Schrems wants cash?hundreds of thousands of euros?to launch the next phase of his campaign, a multi-year legal battle that might significantly redefine how Facebook controls the personal data on over one billion people worldwide.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/11/how-one-law-student-is-making-facebook-get-serious-about-privacy/

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CHILD PROTECTION & ONLINE SAFETY
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The danger lurking in laws to end cyberbullying
In an attempt to protect people, we risk curbing their right to be offensive, inane, or downright ridiculous. What a boring place Twitter would become.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/the-danger-lurking-in-laws-to-end-cyberbullying-8319163.html

Cyberbullying may force out young teachers, says union
The head teachers' union says it is increasingly concerned about internet bullying of teachers.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-20339484

uk: David Cameron 'orders new curbs on internet porn'
David Cameron has ordered tough new controls on web pornography to protect children, it has been reported.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/internet/9684797/David-Cameron-orders-new-curbs-on-internet-porn.html

au: Paedophiles prey on children via webcam
Australian paedophiles are "ordering" south-east Asian children for abuse on webcams, specifying age, gender and acts they want performed, police have revealed.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/paedophiles-prey-on-children-via-webcam-20121117-29j5h.html

au: Stop the bullies - Abbott puts his case for cyber house rules
OPPOSITION Leader Tony Abbott has vowed to establish an "e-Safety Commissioner" to tackle online bullying and end the "hands-off" approach adopted by social media companies such as Facebook.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/stop-the-bullies--abbott-puts-his-case-for-cyber-house-rules-20121116-29hqf.html

au: Tony Abbott proposes cyber-bullying watchdog
CYBER-BULLYING on social-networking websites such as Twitter and Facebook would be monitored by a national e-safety commissioner and offensive posts immediately removed, under a Coalition plan aimed at protecting children from online dangers.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/tony-abbott-proposes-e-safety-commissioner/story-fn59niix-1226518115029

nz: Internet scammers target Instagram
Scammers are moving into the popular photo sharing smartphone application Instagram, prompting a warning from computer security experts. ... NetSafe cyber security consultant Chris Hails said scammers always went where things were popular, but he was not aware of any complaints by New Zealand users about falling victim to Instagram scammers.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/connect/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501833&objectid=10847976
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10847976

nz: Calls to stay switched on to impact of cyberbullies
Digital technology that lets young people be "switched on" at all hours is playing a role in teenage suicides as parents find themselves locked out of their child's cyberworld.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/7962875/Calls-to-stay-switched-on-to-impact-of-cyberbullies

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ONLINE TV, MUSIC & PIRACY
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Verizon to choke pirates' browsing speeds
US net firm Verizon has declared war on illegal downloaders, or pirates, who use technologies such as BitTorrent to steal copyrighted material.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20361952
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-20361952

us: Cable companies say they won't disconnect accused pirates
Verizon and Time Warner Cable said today they won't pull the plug on customers accused of piracy through a forthcoming "six strikes" program.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57550782-38/cable-companies-say-they-wont-disconnect-accused-pirates/

uk: Help wanted on O2 porn piracy cases
A digital rights group is seeking financial help to stop an adult film-maker contacting Britons suspected of pirating pornographic movies.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20360914

Are parents responsible for kids' file-sharing? Germany decides no
The German Federal Supreme Court (BGH) ruled on Thursday that parents cannot be held responsible for the illegal downloads of their children, provided they have previously explained to their kids that the practice is illegal.
http://www.zdnet.com/are-parents-responsible-for-kids-file-sharing-germany-decides-no-7000007475/

Germany: Parents win appeal over son's downloads [AP]
A German court has ruled that the parents of a 13-year-old boy weren't liable for his illegal file sharing.
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/germany-parents-win-appeal-over-sons-downloads-20121116-29ffn.html
http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/7960441/German-parents-win-appeal-over-sons-downloads
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/germany-parents-win-appeal-over-sons-downloads-20121116-29ffn.html

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MOBILE/WIRELESS
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Data jam threat to UK mobile networks
Steps need to be taken now to head off a looming "capacity crunch" on the UK's mobile networks, says regulator Ofcom.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20356760

Ofcom unveils plans to avoid mobile ?capacity crunch? [news release]
Ofcom today published plans to enable the release of new airwaves for future generations of mobile devices, which will help meet consumers? growing demand for data on the move.
http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2012/11/16/ofcom-unveils-plans-to-avoid-mobile-capacity-crunch/

As Boom Lures App Creators, Tough Part Is Making a Living
... The couple?s chosen field is so new it did not even exist a few years ago: writing software applications for mobile devices like the iPhone or iPad. Even as unemployment remained stubbornly high and the economy struggled to emerge from the recession?s shadow, the ranks of computer software engineers, including app writers, increased nearly 8 percent in 2010 to more than a million, according to the latest available government data for that category. These software engineers now outnumber farmers and have almost caught up with lawyers.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/18/business/as-boom-lures-app-creators-tough-part-is-making-a-living.html

Mozilla: The problem is mobile, not money
With more than 400 million Firefox users, Mozilla doesn't have a problem with relevance. And with today's disclosure that organization's revenue grew 33 percent to $163.5 million in 2011, the nonprofit organization doesn't have a problem with money. But it does have a problem with mobile.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57550227-93/mozilla-the-problem-is-mobile-not-money/

Samsung will not settle patent suits with Apple
Samsung will not follow HTC's lead and settle its patent lawsuits with Apple, the company has said.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/samsung/9678085/Samsung-will-not-settle-patent-suits-with-Apple.html

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SPAM
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Spam in Q3 2012: Spam Flow Falls, but Poses Greater Danger [news release]
Kaspersky Lab analysts continue to observe a downward trend in the share of spam in total mail traffic. Compared to the previous quarter, the volume of spam traffic in Q3 2012 decreased by 2.8 percentage points and averaged 71.5%. At the same time, the experts recorded a significant increase in the share of malicious mailings ? from 3% to 3.9% - continuing yet another trend for the year.
http://www.kaspersky.com/about/news/spam/2012/Spam_in_Q3_2012_Spam_Flow_Falls_but_Poses_Greater_Danger

India becomes King of Spam
The festive season has just ended, but the number of newsletters or unwanted emails ? or spam ? clogging your inbox can get on your nerves. And no matter what you do ? unsubscribe, delete or set spam filters ? new ones emerge daily, making the task of sorting genuine, useful mails daunting.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/Technology/India-becomes-King-of-Spam/Article1-959992.aspx

Spam from India targeted mostly at Europe
Spam from India is primarily targeted at Europe where the country is among the top two sources of such emails, says Kaspersky Lab's Q3 spam report. While India is the second largest source of spam in Eastern Europe, in the western part of the continent Vietnam is also a major source of such unsolicited mails.
http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/spam-mails-india-europe-kaspersky-lab/1/189900.html

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ONLINE CRIME & LEGAL
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uk: Viewpoint: What dangers may lie ahead for libellous tweeters
On 2 November, Newsnight broadcast what are now known to be mistaken claims by former care home resident Steve Messham that he had been sexually abused by a prominent 1980s Conservative politician. ... Media reports suggest that Lord McAlpine may be considering suing at least some of those thousands of people for libel.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20299551

uk: Peer to sue tweeters who linked him to sex abuse as BBC pays ?185,000 damages
Lord McAlpine has promised to end ?trial by Twitter? by announcing an unprecedented series of libel actions against people who used the website to link him wrongly to child abuse allegations.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/9681881/Peer-to-sue-tweeters-who-linked-him-to-sex-abuse-as-BBC-pays-185000-damages.html

uk: McAlpine's solicitor warns long list of Twitter users to 'apologise or be sued'
ITV's This Morning is top of "a very long list", including Sally Bercow, wife of the Commons speaker, of those facing legal action from Lord McAlpine over false accusations in relation to child abuse.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/nov/15/mcalpine-solicitor

Australian Google Decision Changes Online Legal Landscape
A defamation decision that went against Google in Australia and also against British judgments will create uncertainty among ISPs, online news providers and bloggers.
http://www.lawfuel.co.nz/news/524/australian-google-decision-changes-online-legal-landscape

us: Senate Clears Bill to Fight Online Fraud
The Senate cleared legislation on Wednesday that would reauthorize a six-year-old law that gave the Federal Trade Commission new authority to combat cross-border spam, spyware, and other types of online fraud.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/blogs/techdailydose/2012/11/senate-clears-bill-to-fight-online-fraud-15

za: Google v Doogle: school dropout ready for legal battle with internet's Goliath
Google has threatened a young South African with a lawsuit, claiming his website infringes its copyright
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/14/google-warns-doogle-over-copyright

us: Marketers Behind Fake News Sites Settle FTC Charges of Deceptive Advertising [news release]
The Clickbooth affiliate network has agreed to pay $2 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that its affiliate marketers deceived consumers through bogus weight-loss claims on fake news sites about acai berry supplements and so-called ?colon cleansers.?
http://ftc.gov/opa/2012/11/clickbooth.shtm

Online defamation in NZ: Google case supports Aust, not UK conclusions by Michael Wigley
This article follows my earlier Google Court Loss: Shake up for online defamation on the implications of an Australian court decision to award $A208,000 damages against Google arising out of its search engine presenting defamatory material to viewers.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/online-defamation-nz-google-case-supports-aust-not-uk-conclusions-ck-132351

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SECURITY
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The Hackers of Damascus
... Much has been written about the rebellion in Syria: the protests, the massacres, the car bombs, the house-to-house fighting. Tens of thousands have been killed since the war began in early 2011. But the struggle for the future of the country has also unfolded in another arena?on a battleground of Facebook pages and YouTube accounts, of hacks and counterhacks. Just as rival armies vie for air superiority, the two sides of the Syrian civil war have spent much of the last year and a half locked in a struggle to dominate the Internet. Pro-government hackers have penetrated opposition websites and broken into the computers of Reuters and Al Jazeera to spread disinformation. On the other side, the hacktivist group Anonymous has infiltrated at least 12 Syrian government websites, including that of the Ministry of Defense, and released millions of stolen e-mails.
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-11-15/the-hackers-of-damascus