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The domain name news is supported by auDA

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India working on better internet governance: Deora
<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-news/internet/India-working-on-better-internet-governance-Deora/articleshow/30799650.cms>

Do the NSA revelations have anything to do with Internet governance? by Milton Mueller
<http://www.internetgovernance.org/2014/02/19/do-the-nsa-revelations-have-anything-to-do-with-internet-governance/>

The European Commission?s position on the future of Internet governance
<http://www.internetsociety.org/blog/europe-bureau-public-policy/2014/02/european-commissions-position-future-internet-governance>

Board confirms: ICANN seeks non-US HQ
<http://domainincite.com/15837-board-confirms-icann-seeks-non-us-hq>

Euro registrars miffed about ICANN privacy delays
<http://domainincite.com/15855-euro-registrars-miffed-about-icann-privacy-delays>

Keynote Speaker for Name Collisions Workshop: Bruce Schneier
<http://blogs.verisigninc.com/blog/entry/keynote_speaker_for_name_collisions>

Building the gTLD Road Map
<http://info.wolfedomain.com/blog/bid/375124/Building-the-gTLD-Road-Map>

au: Melbourne suburban club defies UK juggernaut on name
<http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/melbourne-suburban-club-defies-uk-juggernaut-on-name-20140223-33amc.html>

Domain Pulse 2014: After Application Debacles, .BERLIN Ready To Rumble
<http://www.domainpulse.com/2014/02/20/berlin-ready-to-rumble/>


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GOVERNANCE
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India working on better internet governance: Deora
In order to strengthen cybersecurity programmes and safeguard secrecy of internet communication, the government is encouraging Indian IT firms to set up their servers in the country, the Parliament was informed today.
<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-news/internet/India-working-on-better-internet-governance-Deora/articleshow/30799650.cms>

Do the NSA revelations have anything to do with Internet governance? by Milton Mueller
The evolution of Internet governance has been characterized by a tension between the Internet?s organically evolved governance institutions and nation-states. The native Internet institutions, such as IETF, IANA/ICANN, the Internet Society, and the regional Internet address registries (RIRs) are transnational in scope and rooted in non-state actors. Governments on the other hand are seeking to reassert traditional forms of territorial authority over communications in the context of the internet. In this struggle, non-state actors had a first-mover advantage.
<http://www.internetgovernance.org/2014/02/19/do-the-nsa-revelations-have-anything-to-do-with-internet-governance/>

The European Commission?s position on the future of Internet governance
In view of major conferences taking place this year, the adoption of a formal policy position on Internet governance " Internet Policy and Governance - Europe's role in shaping the future of Internet governance" by the European Commission on 12 February is a major contribution.
<http://www.internetsociety.org/blog/europe-bureau-public-policy/2014/02/european-commissions-position-future-internet-governance>

New EU Internet Governance Policy: let?s find another path!
Last Wednesday, European Commission published a renewed policy for global internet governance. Substantial parts of the policy are well known oldies, like e.g. the COMPACT acronym, the GIPO observatory, the defense of human rights also online, the belief in an ?un-fragmented? internet, and in the defense for basic net neutrality.
<https://www.iis.se/english/blog/new-eu-internet-governance-policy/>

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DOMAIN NAMES
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 - ICANN
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Additional Call for Volunteers: New Working Group on Data & Metrics for Policy Making (non-PDP)
The Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Council seeks volunteers to serve on a new Working Group (WG). The Data & Metrics for Policy Making WG will be tasked with exploring opportunities with respect to reporting and metrics recommendations that could better inform policy development via fact-based decision making, where applicable. The GNSO Council approved the WG's charter at its 23 Jan 2014 meeting and assigned a Council Liaison.
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-21feb14-en.htm>

ICANN Appoints a Third New gTLD Data Escrow Agent
China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) has been approved by ICANN to provide data escrow services to new gTLD Registry Operators.
<http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/announcements-and-media/announcement-20feb14-en>

Help Reinvent WHOIS | Fact Finding by the EWG by Jean-Francois Baril
ICANN is on a journey to reinvent today?s WHOIS system. The Expert Working Group on gTLD Directory Services (EWG) is an important part of this journey, and we need YOUR help as we approach the final phase of our work to identify a replacement for WHOIS.
<http://blog.icann.org/2014/02/help-reinvent-whois-fact-finding-by-the-ewg/>

Updated ICANN Glossary Terms and Acronyms Now Online by Christina Rodriguez
The ICANN Language Services department is proud to announce the final publication of the updated ICANN glossary terms and acronyms. This is the result of a process that lasted several months and saw our team working together with the community to revise our glossaries in the six United Nations languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish).
<http://blog.icann.org/2014/02/updated-icann-glossary-terms-and-acronyms-now-online/>

An Update on the Cross-Community Working Group on Internet Governance by Olivier Crepin-Leblond and Rafik Dammak
The genesis of the Cross-Community Working Group on Internet Governance (CCWG Ig), as well as other similar initiatives, dates back to several Internet Governance developments from last year, including the conception of /1net during the IGF in Bali and the Montevideo Statement signed by the leaders of a number of organizations involved in coordinating the Internet?s global technical infrastructure.
<http://blog.icann.org/2014/02/an-update-on-the-cross-community-working-group-on-internet-governance/>

New Contracting Statistics Released
Below are the key Contracting statistics, as of 21 February 2014:
<http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/announcements-and-media/announcement-21feb14-en>

Cherine Chalaby, Chair | New gTLD Program Committee of the ICANN Board, to Ron Andruff, Marilyn Cade, Olivier Cr?pin-Leblond, Alan Greenberg, and Evan Leibovitch
Policy Advisory Boards
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/correspondence/chalaby-to-andruff-et-al-20feb14-en>

Board confirms: ICANN seeks non-US HQ
ICANN?s board of directors has given the clearest indication yet that the organization wants to set up an HQ overseas, further loosening ties with the US government.
<http://domainincite.com/15837-board-confirms-icann-seeks-non-us-hq>

Euro registrars miffed about ICANN privacy delays
Registrars based in the European Union are becoming increasingly disgruntled by what they see as ICANN dragging its feet over registrant privacy rules.
<http://domainincite.com/15855-euro-registrars-miffed-about-icann-privacy-delays>

NTAG Chair Blog: Odds and Endings by Jacob Malthouse
Imagine if the US Bureau of Labor Statistics delayed one of its reports for say, two months. No explanation. Just didn't release the employment numbers when it said it would. What if the Federal Reserve decided to say it was going to raise interest rates, but then just didn't? The global economy would be thrown into chaos. These organizations know that when you run critical infrastructure your word is part of that infrastructure.
<http://www.circleid.com/posts/20140220_ntag_chair_blog_odds_and_endings/>

How to stop the new ICANN rule from shutting down your website
Imagine if your website were to get shut down by your domain registrar. Thanks to a new requirement by ICANN ? the governing body for all domain names ? it could happen to anyone.
<http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/computers/stories/how-to-stop-the-new-icann-rule-from-shutting-down-your-website>

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 - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS
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Launch of the Third Edition of Afnic?s "Technology Backdrop" Survey
Launched as part of its R&D work, the "Technology Backdrop" survey ? which went online for the first time in 2008 ? was designed by AFNIC?s Scientific Council and conducted by the INIT Company. This survey aims to seek a common vision for technology trends.
<http://www.afnic.fr/en/about-afnic/news/general-news/7631/show/launch-of-the-third-edition-of-afnic-s-technology-backdrop-survey.html>

Fi-domain names transferred to an international model
According to current knowledge, the legislation on fi-domain names will change on 5 September 2016. A legislative proposal concerning the Code for Information Society and Communications Services has been submitted to the Finnish Parliament for handling. If the proposal is implemented, the roles of FICORA and service providers will become clearer when customers can acquire all the services they need from one and the same place. Over 80 per cent of the current fi-domain names have a service provider.
<https://domain.fi/info/en/index/tietoa/ajankohtaista/2014/P_4.html>

rs: ?Cyrillic and the Internet, in Serbia and around the world? panel debate
On the second anniversary of the .SRB internet domain, on 27th January 2014, the Register of National Internet Domain Names of Serbia (RNIDS), organised a panel debate called ?Cyrillic and the Internet, in Serbia and around the world? at the Belgrade Centre for the Promotion of Science.
<http://www.rnids.rs/en/what-s-new/%E2%80%9Ccyrillic-and-the-internet,-in-serbia-and-around-the-world%E2%80%9D-panel-debate/id/4456>

uk: Entries now open for Nominet Internet Awards 2014
Nominet, the company best known for running the .uk internet infrastructure, is calling for entries to the Nominet Internet Awards 2014.
<http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/press-releases/entries-now-open-nominet-internet-awards-2014>

uk: Nominet launches Internet Awards 2014
Now in their eighth year, the awards celebrate the best Britain has to offer online and are open to businesses, charities, individuals and public and private sector organisations.
<http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/nominet-launches-internet-awards-2014>

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 - NEW TLDS
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Keynote Speaker for Name Collisions Workshop: Bruce Schneier
There may still be a few security practitioners working in the field who didn?t have a copy of Bruce Schneier?s Applied Cryptography on their bookshelf the day they started their careers. Bruce?s practical guide to cryptographic algorithms, key management techniques and security protocols, first published in 1993, was a landmark volume for the newly emerging field, and has been a reference to developers ever since.
<http://blogs.verisigninc.com/blog/entry/keynote_speaker_for_name_collisions>

Building the gTLD Road Map
Most brands applied for gTLD(s) to protect their brand and ensure they didn?t miss an important new opportunity, but few had a clear business case for how they would use the gTLD platform when they applied. While the $185,000 price tag was substantially more than acquiring a typical domain, the short window of time to apply and ability to receive a partial refund made it a risk worth taking.
<http://info.wolfedomain.com/blog/bid/375124/Building-the-gTLD-Road-Map>

Uniregistry doing private new gTLD auctions? Company deals with Donuts on five strings
Uniregistry and Donuts have settled at least five new gTLD contention sets this week, raising the question of whether Uniregistry has reversed its objection to private auctions.
<http://domainincite.com/15861-uniregistry-doing-private-new-gtld-auctions-company-deals-with-donuts-on-five-strings>

100 .sexy names reserved by Uniregistry
If you?re thinking about trying to bag these names when Uniregistry takes .sexy into general availability next week, you?re out of luck ? they?re among almost 100 registry-reserved names.
<http://domainincite.com/15847-100-sexy-names-reserved-by-uniregistry>

Does England need its own internet domain?
Debates concerning national identity and patriotism have a habit of turning lively. But does anyone care whether England gets its own internet domain name?
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26171143>

New web domain names 'mean big business'
The Meantime Brewing Company thinks new domain names that can incorporate locations, such as London, are a capital idea. It means the brewery, based in Greenwich, south-east London, can launch a new web address - meantimebrewing.london - which it thinks will help its business.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26230867>

Dot Scot domain name flooded with applications
A .Scot internet domain name has been swamped with applications ? even though it won?t go live until the summer.
<http://www.scotsman.com/news/scotland/top-stories/dot-scot-domain-name-flooded-with-applications-1-3315187>

Nagoya first city to get own Net domain name
Japan has just received its first geographical TLD, ?.nagoya,? named after the nation?s third-largest metropolitan area, according to GMO Registry Inc.
<http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/02/21/business/nagoya-first-city-to-get-own-net-domain-name/#.UwfSMYXN1Ts>

The Development Potential for the Upcoming 5 French GeoTLDs
On the eve of the insertion of 5 French GeoTLDs in the root zone, the Afnic Industry Report on Domain Names looks into their prospects for development.
<http://www.afnic.fr/en/about-afnic/news/general-news/7633/show/the-development-potential-for-the-upcoming-5-french-geotlds.html>

IBM wins first new gTLD URS case
IBM has been successful in the first ever decision under the Uniform Rapid Suspension system against domain names registered using new gTLDs. Interestingly, the panel held that the respondent?s receipt of a Trademark Claims notice prior to registration demonstrated that he knew of the existence of IBM?s trademark at the time of registration. The decision, which was handed down only seven days after IBM filed its complaint, is also notable for its speed.
<http://www.worldtrademarkreview.com/daily/Detail.aspx?g=5103c316-6369-40e2-90b8-655786f8f681>

Sedo and .CLUB Amp Up Domain Competition with Auction Snowboarding.club, Skiing.club Among Names Available in Special Auction for Pre-Registration Priority on February 19
Sedo and .CLUB Domains have partnered to offer a Winter Sports Auction of never before released .CLUB domain names.
<https://sedo.com/us/news/3425/Sedo-and-.CLUB-Amp-Up-Domain-Competition-with-Auction/>

Domain registrars question Minds + Machines? Priority Reservation System
The separation between registry and registrar is being blurred with the introduction of new TLDs. For the first time, gTLD registries can also own domain name registrars.
<http://domainnamewire.com/2014/02/20/rrsg-minds-machines/>

.construction internet domain names go on sale
Today marks the start of general sales of the new .construction TLDs.
<http://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/construction-internet-domain-names-go-on-sale>

No Privacy or Proxy Registrations For .NYC New gTLD Domain Names
This week during the Fairwinds Beyond The Dot conference held in Washington, Jeff Neuman of Neustar, laid out some more interesting information about the new .NYC extension which Neustar will be running in cooperation with the city of New York.
<http://www.thedomains.com/2014/02/23/no-privacy-or-proxy-registrations-for-nyc-new-gtld-domain-names/>

PeopleBrowsr tones it down in new .ceo vids
PeopleBrowsr, registry for the forthcoming .ceo gTLD, has eschewed the cringe in its new promotional videos.
<http://domainincite.com/15842-peoplebrowsr-tones-it-down-in-new-ceo-vids>

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 - DNS SECURITY
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Cyber-security: Law-abiding hackers are helping businesses to fight off the bad guys
Andrew Whitaker has made a career out of breaking into things. A ?white hat? hacker in techie jargon, Mr Whitaker leads a team of security specialists at Knowledge Consulting Group who spend their days trying to worm their way into clients? computer systems to see how vulnerable they are to cyber-criminals, spies and other nefarious ?black hats?. The team?s record is both impressive and alarming. Some of the firm?s clients are utilities, and Mr Whitaker and his colleagues often target software that controls critical infrastructure, such as water and power supplies. ?We?re getting in pretty much every single time,? he says.
<http://www.economist.com/news/business/21596984-law-abiding-hackers-are-helping-businesses-fight-bad-guys-white-hats-rescue>

Energy Sector a Prime Target for Cyberattacks
Any government that wants to set priorities for cybersecurity should probably put its energy infrastructure close to the top.
<http://www.csoonline.com/article/748580/energy-sector-a-prime-target-for-cyber-attacks>
<http://www.cio.com/article/748609/Energy_Sector_a_Prime_Target_for_Cyberattacks>

2013 an epic year for data breaches with over 800 million records lost
Flowing tap. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.If it felt like the last year saw more and bigger data breaches than usual, well, that's because it did.
<http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2014/02/19/2013-an-epic-year-for-data-breaches-with-over-800-million-records-lost/>

South Korea to develop Stuxnet-like cyberweapons
South Korea is to develop cyber-attack tools in an attempt to damage North Korean nuclear facilities.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-26287527>

300,000 Usernames, Passwords Posted to Pastebin
More than 300,000 credentials, usernames and passwords, were posted on the clipboard website Pastebin.com in the year 2013 alone according to a recent analysis by a Swiss security firm.
<http://threatpost.com/300000-usernames-passwords-posted-to-pastebin/104333>

Security failings in home routers exposed
Serious security failings in home routers are getting more attention from both attackers and researchers.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-26287517>

Apple mobile devices at risk of hacking, firm says
Flaw in iOS software for phones, tablets and music players could allow protected emails to be intercepted, with Macs also at risk
<http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/feb/22/apple-ios-software-hacking-risk>

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 - DOMAIN DISPUTES
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UDRP respondent ?hostile? but panellist terminates case
A panellist in a cybersquatting dispute has terminated a complaint filed by cognac producer Remy Martin, despite dealing with a ?hostile? respondent.
<http://www.worldipreview.com/news/udrp-respondent-hostile-but-panellist-terminates-case>

Real Estate of Internet: An Introduction to Cyber-Squatting by Gargi Sharma
Abstract: The development of internet over the last two decades has given rise to a new type of misrepresentation called ?cyber-squatting?. Technically speaking, registration as domain of well-known trademarks, deliberately and in bad faith, in the hope of being able to sell the domain to the owners of those marks (or rival owners) or simply to take unfair advantage of the reputation attached to those marks is, in technical parlance, called cyber-squatting.
<http://ssrn.com/abstract=2399738>

au: Melbourne suburban club defies UK juggernaut on name
A suburban soccer club is preparing a David and Goliath-style battle against global superpower, Manchester City, over the right to keep its name. ... Those plans are now under way, with a company associated with Heart and its new owners recently applying to register a trademark for ''Melbourne City Football Club''. Another related company controls the domain name, MelbourneCityFC.com.au.
<http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/melbourne-suburban-club-defies-uk-juggernaut-on-name-20140223-33amc.html>

SteelBuildings.com: an example of what?s wrong with UDRP
Last month I was shocked to see a UDRP filed for SteelBuildings.com. I was even more surprised when I saw that the domain name seemed to be in use by a company that sells steel buildings.
<http://domainnamewire.com/2014/02/20/steelbuildings-com-an-example-of-whats-wrong-with-udrp/>

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 - MISCELLANEOUS
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Domain Pulse 2014: After Application Debacles, .BERLIN Ready To Rumble
Applicants for new gTLDs have faced a few hurdles to not just get their applications submitted, but also processed and implemented. ... These were the hurdles Dirk Krischenowski of dotBERLIN, applicant for .berlin, described that new gTLD applicants faced at the Domain Pulse conference in the Austrian city of Salzburg in front of over 300 attendees attending the annual two day conference, this year hosted by the Austrian (.at) registry nic.at. The conference rotates between Germany (.de), Switzerland (.ch) and Austria.
<http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=21905>
<http://www.domainpulse.com/2014/02/20/berlin-ready-to-rumble/>
<http://www.domainnews.com/berlin-ready-to-rumble.html>

GoDaddy Can't Strike Restitution, Attorneys Fees in 'Parked Pages' Case
In another stinging defeat for GoDaddy, a federal court last week denied the domain registrar's attempt to strike the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' request for restitution and attorneys fees in a lawsuit alleging its Parked Pages program was involved in a cybersquatting scheme.
<http://newswire.xbiz.com/view.php?id=175122>

Capturing the Gold by Stepping Up Your Game With the Right Registrations
Brands are constantly juggling different platforms to reach different demographics. Print, TV, and digital platforms are all part of an ever-changing formula for the attention ? and buy-in ? of customers. Between conceiving of different ideas and then coordinating them, the job of delivering a brand?s message is far more complicated than it was 20 years ago.
<http://domainnamestrategy.com/2014/02/18/capturing-the-gold-by-stepping-up-your-game-with-the-right-registrations/>

uk: Buckingham Palace buys up Royal Family domain names
Buckingham Palace has bought up dozens of website addresses for members of the Royal Family to protect their online identities, fuelling speculation it will launch websites about them.
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/prince-george/10656955/Buckingham-Palace-buys-up-Royal-Family-domain-names.html>

Kentucky Court Overturns Seizure Of Gambling Sites [AP]
Kentucky's efforts to seize 132 internet gambling domain names is on hold after an appeals court ruled Friday that a trade association may represent the owners of the sites trying to fend off forfeiture proceedings.
<http://www.lex18.com/news/kentucky-court-overturns-seizure-of-gambling-sites/>
<http://www.whas11.com/news/local/Ky-court-overturns-seizure-of-gambling-sites-246572631.html>

The domain name conference circuit is really, really busy
The domain name conference circuit is undergoing a big shakeup in 2014 because there are a lot more options.
<http://domainnamewire.com/2014/02/21/the-domain-name-conference-circuit-is-really-really-busy/>

Donuts looking for accountant with IPO experience
The largest new gTLD portfolio applicant has placed a job ad on its web site for an accountant with ?Understanding of SEC and/or IPO related accounting?.
<http://domainincite.com/15859-donuts-looking-for-accountant-with-ipo-experience>

Moniker gets a new CEO
KeyDrive has appointed Bonnie Wittenburg, Key-System USA executive vice president, as the new CEO of sister registrar Moniker.
<http://domainincite.com/15845-moniker-gets-a-new-ceo>

The RIPE NCC Welcomes 10,000th Member
This is an exciting milestone that the entire RIPE NCC membership should be proud of. The RIPE NCC fully embraces the addition of so many new members from all 76 countries in its service region and from an expanding range of industries. The RIPE NCC is committed to providing support and guidance to all its members and fostering a spirit of cooperation among them.
<http://www.ripe.net/internet-coordination/news/about-ripe-ncc-and-ripe/the-ripe-ncc-welcomes-10-000th-member>

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 - WEBHOSTING
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Beyond the first mile: where your Internet comes from
... It is not enough that countries are well connected through networks. The presence of data centres or other local facilities that can host Internet exchange points (IXPs) and servers is also essential. This allows local traffic to stay local. A new indicator of the number of websites under a ccTLD such as .fr for France, hosted in the country, developed based on data provided by Pingdom, gives some insight into the functioning of the country?s hosting market. Just six OECD countries host more than half of their ccTLD domains outside that country, with Greece being the only country where two countries (Germany and the United States) host more of its ccTLD domains.
<http://oecdinsights.org/2014/02/18/beyond-the-first-mile-where-your-internet-comes-from/>

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INTERNET USE
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30 Years Email in Germany
It is almost 30 years since the first email arrived in Germany. To be exact, it was on the 3 August 1984 at 10:14 am when Professor Michael Rotert received the first electronic mail. eco CEO Harald A. Summa honored this anniversary at the eco New Year?s Reception with a framed certificate, and with this welcomed in the jubilee year ?30 Years Email?.
<http://international.eco.de/2014/news/30-years-email-in-germany.html>

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SOCIAL MEDIA
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Why is WhatsApp worth up to $19bn to Facebook?
People will bring their prejudices to the table when judging whether Facebook agreeing to pay up to $19bn for messaging app WhatsApp is a smart deal or not.
<http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/feb/20/facebook-whatsapp-acquisition-apps-messaging>

For Facebook, It's Users First and Profits Later
Technology companies have always been paranoid about missing the next big thing, be it email, e-commerce or social media.
<http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/02/20/for-facebook-its-users-first-and-profits-later/>

Facebook Looks to Become Big Fish in Another Big Pond
Facebook is already the world?s biggest social network. Now it wants to be the biggest player in a new global field by buying WhatsApp, the global leader in mobile messaging.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/21/technology/facebook-looks-to-become-big-fish-in-another-big-pond.html>

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CHILD PROTECTION & ONLINE SAFETY
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au: Cyberbullying back in spotlight following death of Charlotte Dawson
The death of Charlotte Dawson has Australia reflecting on depression and the increasing incidence of cyberbullying via social media websites.
<http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-23/charlotte-dawson-death-puts-focus-on-cyber-bullying/5277904>

au: BeyondBlue takes aim at social media firms [AAP]
A TOP mental health advocate has hit out at Twitter and Instagram after TV presenter Charlotte Dawson's death, saying they need to respond more quickly to bullying attacks on vulnerable users.
<http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/beyondblue-takes-aim-at-social-media-firms/story-fn3dxiwe-1226835282727>

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MOBILE/WIRELESS
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Mobile internet speed in Australia the best in the world, when you can get it
Australia has the world?s fastest mobile internet but patchy coverage means it is accessible only 58% of the time.
<http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/feb/21/mobile-internet-speed-in-australia-the-best-in-the-world-when-you-can-get-it>

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PRIVACY & SURVEILLANCE
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Australia, NSA, lawyers tangle in spy case [IDG]
Reported interceptions by an Australian spy agency of a U.S. law firm?s communications with overseas clients violates long-standing legal protections, the American Bar Association charges.
<http://www.pcworld.com/article/2100300/us-lawyers-group-questions-the-targeting-of-law-firm-by-spy-agency.html>

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GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
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Google deal is no "gentlemen's agreement", says EU antitrust chief
The EU antitrust chief defended a deal with Google over how it displays web search results, following criticism from rival firms and his own colleagues, saying there had been no gentlemen's agreement to close the case.
<http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/eu-google-idINDEEA1K08Q20140221>
<http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/uk-eu-google-idUKBREA1K0V420140221>

Will the Net Stay Neutral?
It is no doubt a coincidence that six days after the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger was unveiled, Tom Wheeler, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, announced that his agency was planning ? yet again ? to come up with rules to ensure that no Internet service provider could discriminate against any company or website. And it is also a coincidence ? for sure! ? that on the same day as the Wheeler announcement, Google let it be known that it was going to begin discussions with 34 cities to expand its Google Fiber business. Google Fiber provides high speed Internet service, though so far only in Kansas City and Provo, Utah. (It is about to begin service in Austin, Tex.)
<http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/22/opinion/nocera-a-free-net-one-way-or-another.html>

au: Fair Use May Be Headed Down Under
The Australian government may soon introduce major copyright reforms, including the possibility of adding a fair use doctrine similar to that of the United States. Fair use was central among the 30 recommendations to come out of a nearly two-year study by the Australian Law Reform Commission published late last week. As the report states, "Australia is ready for, and needs, a fair use exception now."
<https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/02/fair-use-may-be-headed-down-under>

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TELECOMMUNICATIONS
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Beyond the first mile: where your Internet comes from
In 2012 the only submarine fibre optic cable that then connected Benin with global telecommunication networks and the Internet was cut for two weeks. International payments were not possible and the equivalent of 150,000 weekly salaries were not available in a country of 10 million people. The influence was particularly severe because most servers are located outside the country due to a lack of data centres and local-hosting facilities. Though similar cable cuts happen on average twice a week, their effects are generally less. This is due to the fact that most countries are connected to multiple submarine fibre-cables, connect overland to neighbouring countries, and have domestic data centres.
<http://oecdinsights.org/2014/02/18/beyond-the-first-mile-where-your-internet-comes-from/>

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David Goldstein

 email: david at goldsteinreport.com

 web:   http://goldsteinreport.com / http://davidgoldstein.tel/
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"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