[DNS] domain name news - 14 February

[DNS] domain name news - 14 February

From: David Goldstein <goldstein_david§yahoo.com.au>
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2011 03:50:29 -0800 (PST)
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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Building on Accountability & Transparency at ICANN by Rod Beckstrom
http://blog.icann.org/2011/02/building-on-accountability-transparency-at-icann/

Why ICANN dropped registrar ownership rules
http://domainincite.com/why-icann-dropped-registrar-ownership-rules/

Future Bright For Austrian Registry In Changing Times
http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=13697

Victorian Supreme Court places Australian Style Pty Ltd in liquidation
http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/auda09022011/

The auDA Foundation ? One of a Kind
http://blog.auda.org.au/2011/02/11/the-auda-foundation-one-of-a-kind/

Doublespeak from the NTIA by Milton Mueller
http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2011/2/7/4744972.html

Veto Power For Governments Against Any Internet Domain Name?
http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2011/02/08/veto-power-for-governments-against-any-internet-domain-name/


Chinese hackers infiltrate five energy firms - study
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/10/oukin-uk-energy-cyber-china-idUKTRE7190WT20110210


Reaching for the kill switch: The costs and practicalities of switching off the 
internet in Egypt and elsewhere
http://www.economist.com/node/18112043

au: COAG sub-committee praises disaster tech
http://www.zdnet.com.au/coag-sub-committee-praises-disaster-tech-339309195.htm

Global Policy Proposal for the Allocation of IPv4 by IANA Post Exhaustion ? 
Background Report, 10 February 2011 (Proposal for handling recovered IPv4 
address space)
http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-11feb11-en.htm

Battle begins over IP address WHOIS data by Milton Mueller
http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2011/2/12/4748945.html


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DOMAIN NAMES
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**********************
 - ICANN
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Building on Accountability & Transparency at ICANN by Rod Beckstrom
In order for ICANN?s international, bottom-up, multi-stakeholder model to 
operate effectively, frameworks and mechanisms for accountability and 
transparency were built into ICANN and have been improved upon over time. The 
Board of Directors, community and staff have an impressive record of 
accountability and transparency. Equally impressive is our shared commitment to 
build on these achievements and set a new standard for transparency and 
accountability.
http://blog.icann.org/2011/02/building-on-accountability-transparency-at-icann/

Who gets to decide domain names? - Letter to the editor by Josh Bourne
The Feb. 7 front-page article ".controversy, anyone?" spotlighted the potential 
changes to the Internet precipitated by the decision by [ICANN] to introduce 
more than 400 generic top-level domains. But the article failed to address 
deeper issues: How did ICANN develop this policy, and to whom is the 
organization accountable?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/12/AR2011021203446.html


Why ICANN dropped registrar ownership rules
ICANN has quietly published a list of 10 reasons explaining why it decided to 
start allowing domain name registrars and registries to buy each other.
http://domainincite.com/why-icann-dropped-registrar-ownership-rules/

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 - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS
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DotConnectAfrica seeks EOI for .AFRICA Registry [news release]
DotConnectAfrica (DCA) intends to participate in the new gTLD application issued 
by ICANN. As such DCA will be looking for a registry partner for technical and 
operational services for the planned .AFRICA Top Level Domain, that is 
consistent with the road-map of ICANN?s requirements.
http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/02/14/dotconnectafrica-seeks-eoi-for-africa-registry/


Future Bright For Austrian Registry In Changing Times
It has been a busy 12 months for the Austrian registry nic.at and its CEO 
Richard Wein. In mid-2010 Wein passed his ten year anniversary with the 
organisation, in January the one million .AT domain name registration milestone 
was passed and this week nic.at hosts the annual Domain Pulse conference in 
Vienna - the largest and most important annual domain name conference in Europe 
hosted on a rotating basis by the Austrian, Swiss and German registries.
http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=13697
http://www.domainpulse.com/2011/02/14/future-bright-for-austrian-registry-in-changing-times/

http://domainnews.com/en/future-bright-for-austrian-registry-in-changing-times.html


Victorian Supreme Court places Australian Style Pty Ltd in liquidation
On 7 February 2011, the Supreme Court of Victoria ordered Australian Style Pty 
Ltd be placed in liquidation and appointed John Lindholm of insolvency firm 
Ferrier Hodgson as liquidator. The decision follows a winding up application 
lodged by .au Domain Administration (auDA) on 29 November 2010.
http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/auda09022011/

The auDA Foundation ? One of a Kind
There are many types of foundations in Australia; private foundations 
established by individuals, family foundations, government initiated 
foundations, community foundations and corporate foundations that receive income 
or grants from profit making companies.
http://blog.auda.org.au/2011/02/11/the-auda-foundation-one-of-a-kind/

85% of .CZ Domains Are Not Protected Against Fraud
The cellar is full of water and the house owner is repairing the roof. Such 
behaviour is exhibited by most providers of online services, who are trying to 
maximise their safety but forget to protect the domains on which the services 
run.
http://www.nic.cz/page/845/85--of-.cz-domains-are-not-protected-against-fraud-/

ee: Today begins the last stage of the domain register reorganisation. Old 
domains will become inactive but they can be re-activated via re-registration.
Today begins the last stage of the domain register reorganisation: the domains 
that have still not been re-registered during the 7-month transitional period 
will be removed from the .ee zone and their names will become inactive.
http://www.eestiinternet.ee/eng/news/today-begins-the-last-stage-of-the-domain-register-reorganisation-old-domains-will-become-inactive-but-they-can-be-re-activated-via-re-registration


French Senate passes bill to bring several national health, labour and 
telecommunications laws into line with EU law
The new article L. 45 (et seq) will shortly be submitted to a joint committee of 
both chambers so that both assemblies can come to an agreement on the final 
text. AFNIC applauds this new step, especially in view of the extremely tight 
deadlines imposed by the Constitutional Council and the parliamentary calendar.
http://www.afnic.fr/actu/nouvelles/272/french-senate-passes-bill-to-bring-several-national-health-labour-and-telecommunications-laws-into-line-with-eu-law


Verhagen launches website celebrating twenty-five years of .nl
Dutch minister Maxime Verhagen today officially opened the website 
de25jaarvan.nl. At a launch ceremony in The Hague, the minister?s blog entry was 
posted on the special jubilee website developed by SIDN to mark the twenty-fifth 
anniversary of .nl?s creation.
https://www.sidn.nl/en/news/news/article/verhagen-lanceert-website-in-het-teken-van-25-jaar-nl-1/


Syria Launches its Arabic Top-Level Domain [SANA]
The National Commission for Network Services (NCNS) has launched the use of 
Arabic top-level domain name that represents Syria on the internet.
http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZAWYA20110212060748/Syria Launches its Arabic 
Top-Level Domain
http://www.dp-news.com/pages/detail.aspx?l=2&articleId=73907

Nominet calls on stakeholders to get involved in policy process
Nominet ... announces an update from its policy team, including a call for 
contributions to current policy proposals.
http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/releases/?contentId=8216

Debate opens on domain closures
Police plans to shut down web domains believed to be used by criminals are to be 
debated in public. In November, the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) 
tabled a plan to give such powers to Nominet, which oversees the .uk domain.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12429808

Nominet asks what you think of police domain grab
Nominet is asking for feedback on proposals from the police which would allow 
them to "switch off" websites used by criminals.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/02/10/police_close_domain/

Nominet Consults On Criminal Takedowns
Nominet, the UK domain name registry, is asking the nation how best to respond 
to a proposal from the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) to block sites 
believed to be used for criminal activities.
http://www.eweekeurope.co.uk/news/nominet-consults-on-criminal-takedowns-20578

Nominet debates Soca website proposals
Police want to be able to take down websites at a moment's notice, but require 
changes to the terms and conditions under which UK domain names operate.
http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2011/02/10/245338/Nominet-debates-Soca-website-proposals.htm


Unregistered Rights Sunrise for short .uk domains starts on 14 February
Following the closure of the IP rights validation period of the Registered 
Rights Sunrise phase for the release of short .uk domains on 31 January, 99 
uncontested domains were registered today.
http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=8175

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 - NEW TLDS
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Doublespeak from the NTIA by Milton Mueller
Our warnings against the GAC top level domain veto are getting attention. The 
story has been picked up by Ars Technica, CBS and CNET News and widely tweeted. 
An interesting new argument has surfaced in this controversy. As more and more 
reporters ask the U.S. government what the heck it is doing, the NTIA is issuing 
a stock answer. Try not to laugh when you read it.
http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2011/2/7/4744972.html

Veto Power For Governments Against Any Internet Domain Name?
The United States Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration (NTIA) is proposing possible veto power for 
governments against applications for new top-level domains. NTIA is asking for a 
change to domain name system management that would allow governments to object 
to any proposed internet address for any reason, which has not surprisingly 
stirred debate among observers.
http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2011/02/08/veto-power-for-governments-against-any-internet-domain-name/


New TLDs Are Coming, and They Are Coming Fast by Krista Papac
Despite what you may have read about possible delays to the rollout of the new 
Top-Level Domain (TLD) program, all the available evidence points to ICANN 
approving the applicant guidebook shortly after its San Francisco conference in 
March. My feelings about the timing of the new TLD program were further buoyed 
by Kurt Pritz, ICANN's Senior Vice President of Stakeholder Relations, who gave 
a presentation at the .nxt conference I attended in San Francisco this week. Mr 
Pritz said the applicant guidebook is currently in a "proposed final" version 
and should be approved after ICANN's San Francisco conference in March.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20110212_new_tlds_are_coming_and_they_are_coming_fast/


Afilias lawyers up for TLD applicants
Registry services provider Afilias has expanded its relationship with the law 
firm Crowell & Moring to support prospective new top-level domain applicants.
http://domainincite.com/afilias-lawyers-up-for-tld-applicants/

Afilias and Crowell & Moring to collaborate on supporting new top-level domains
Afilias Limited, a global provider of Internet domain name registry and Domain 
Name System (DNS) services, today announced that it has entered into a 
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Crowell & Moring LLP. Under this MoU, 
Afilias and Crowell & Moring will extend their current working relationship into 
supporting new TLDs.
http://www.afilias.info/news/2011/02/10/afilias-and-crowell-moring-collaborate-supporting-new-top-level-domains


Georgia will receive top-level country-code domain name
ICANN will provide Georgia with a ?.??? top-level country-code domain name in 
non-Latin script, in accordance with ICANN standards, The Domain Times reported.
http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/it_telecom/news/61316/Georgia_will_receive_toplevel_countrycode_domain_name


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 - DNS SECURITY
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Chinese hackers infiltrate five energy firms - study
Hackers working in China broke into the computer systems of five multinational 
oil and gas companies to steal bidding plans and other critical proprietary 
information, the computer security firm McAfee Inc said in a new report.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/10/oukin-uk-energy-cyber-china-idUKTRE7190WT20110210

http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/02/10/idINIndia-54787320110210

Chinese hackers target oil companies: McAfee
Hackers from China have penetrated computer networks of global oil companies, 
stealing financial documents on bidding plans and other confidential 
information, a US computer security firm said yesterday evening.
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/chinese-hackers-target-oil-companies-mcafee-20110211-1aoyl.html

http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/chinese-hackers-target-oil-companies-mcafee-20110211-1aoyl.html


London city authorities plan 'war game' based on Olympic cyber attack scenario
A cyber attack coinciding with the start of London's Olympic Games is among the 
"war games" being planned by City regulators for around 70 financial firms later 
this year. The so-called tripartite authorities ? the Bank of England, the 
Treasury and the Financial Services Authority ? get firms together every few 
years to test how well their systems would hold up if they were struck by 
extreme conditions.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/feb/13/city-authorities-war-games-olympics


Reaching for the kill switch: The costs and practicalities of switching off the 
internet in Egypt and elsewhere
The timing was dire. On January 25th American senators reintroduced a bill 
granting the president emergency powers to shut down parts of the nation?s 
internet as a defence against cyber-attack. Three days later Egypt?s embattled 
autocrats took their country offline.
http://www.economist.com/node/18112043

au: COAG sub-committee praises disaster tech
The National Emergency Management Committee has issued an update on the National 
Strategy on Disaster Resilience, which has praised the use of technology in 
disaster scenarios, following the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) 
meeting in Canberra yesterday.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/coag-sub-committee-praises-disaster-tech-339309195.htm

us: Cybersecurity bill could be stalled by House-Senate differences
The House Republican tapped to drive passage of cyber legislation across 
committees said he does not plan to work on a comprehensive bill, a departure 
from Senate efforts to pass one large package covering federal, private and 
international networks.
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110211_9241.php

Stuxnet Malware Was Aimed at Five Sites in Iran, Report Says
The Stuxnet software worm repeatedly sought to infect five industrial facilities 
in Iran over a 10-month period, a new report says, in what could be a clue into 
how it might have infected the Iranian uranium enrichment complex at Natanz.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/science/13stuxnet.html

Critical infrastructure under attack
Critical infrastructure is a term that is used to describe assets and facilities 
that are essential for the functioning of society and the economy. It 
encompasses a wide range of vital assets, including utilities and communications 
networks, food and water supply, oil and gas facilities, public health systems, 
transport networks and financial services. Should such services be disrupted, 
the consequences could be dire. 

http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/Bloor-on-IT-security/2011/02/critical-infrastructure-under-attack.html


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 - DOMAIN DISPUTES
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Ferrari alters name of new F1 race car [NewsCore]
Ferrari said Thursday it has slightly altered the name of its new Formula 1 race 
car after being accused by Ford Motor Co. of copying the name of one of its 
pickup trucks. Ford filed a trademark infringement lawsuit Wednesday against 
Ferrari for naming the racer the F150, which resembles the name of the US 
manufacturer's best-selling F-150 truck.
http://msn.foxsports.com/motor/story/Ferrari-alters-new-F1-race-car-name-after-Ford-lawsuit-021011


Righthaven files first judgment motion, demands cash and domain name
A development in the Righthaven newspaper copyright infringement lawsuit 
campaign may generate some guidance on what damages Righthaven is entitled to 
collect from its lawsuits and whether it can seize the websites of lawsuit 
defendants.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/feb/12/righthaven-files-first-judgment-motion-demands-cas/


Trademark Law's Increment Through the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution 
Policy by Konstantinos Komaitis[Oxford Intellectual Property Law and Practice]
Abstract: Legal Context: This article discusses the changes independent Internet 
policy is imposing upon trademark law. The argument centres on the idea that the 
polymorphous nature of the trademark right is slowly drifting away from the 
traditional notions of goodwill and consumer protection, pertinent in trademark 
law philosophy; instead and because of the nature of domain names, existing and 
new policies focus on the protection of the word, creating an anti-competitive 
and hostile environment for users and entrepreneurs. 

http://ssrn.com/abstract=1757964

us: Business reboots copyright law
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said its top priority on intellectual property 
issues is pushing Congress to pass a law that tackles online copyright 
infringement and trade in counterfeit goods, setting up a potential clash 
between business interests and free-speech advocates.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/49192.html

Former Nazi camp Majdanek drops .pl on website [AP]
The Majdanek death camp memorial has switched its website from a Polish to a 
European Internet domain name, following pressure from the Polish government, an 
official said Thursday.
http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2011/02/10/former_nazi_camp_majdanek_drops_pl_on_website/

http://www.sify.com/news/former-nazi-camp-majdanek-drops-pl-on-website-news-international-lckuEvdfigh.html


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 - IPv4/IPv6
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Global Policy Proposal for the Allocation of IPv4 by IANA Post Exhaustion ? 
Background Report, 10 February 2011 (Proposal for handling recovered IPv4 
address space)
Introduction: Global Internet Number Resource Policies are defined by the ASO 
MOU ? between ICANN and the NRO ? as "Internet number resource policies that 
have the agreement of all RIRs according to their policy development processes 
and ICANN, and require specific actions or outcomes on the part of IANA or any 
other external ICANN-related body in order to be implemented". Attachment A of 
this MOU describes the Development Process of Global Internet Number Resource 
Policies, including the adoption by every RIR of a global policy to be forwarded 
to the ICANN Board by the ASO, as well as its ratification by the ICANN Board. 
In this context, the ICANN Board adopted its own Procedures for the Review of 
Internet Number Resource Policies Forwarded by the ASO for Ratification.
http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-11feb11-en.htm

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 - MISCELLANEOUS
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Battle begins over IP address WHOIS data by Milton Mueller
A few days ago ICANN quietly posted this letter from David Holtzman of 
Depository Inc. to ICANN CEO Rod Beckstrom. The letter, dated January 27, has 
gone almost totally unnoticed, but it is important. It means the first warning 
shots have been fired in a prospective litigation duel between ARIN, which is 
the IP address registry for North America, and a company positioning itself to 
compete with ARIN in the provision of certain IP address-related services. What 
is at stake here is the control of IP address Whois data - or more precisely, 
whether ARIN owns this data and can withhold it from other organizations in 
order to maintain exclusive control over certain services.
http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2011/2/12/4748945.html

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 - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET
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.eu moves to second in 2010 ccTLD sales
.eu is the second most commonly sold country code top-level domain (ccTLD) 
according to the 2010 Domain Market Study report issued by Sedo, a domain name 
sales marketplace. .eu achieved 20% of ccTLD sales in 2010 which moved .eu into 
second position for the first time.
http://www.eurid.eu/en/content/eu-moves-second-2010-cctld-sales

Sedo Sweeps First Seven Spots on This Week's Domain Sales Chart With 2-Digit 
Domain Setting the Pace
We may be in the middle of winter but things appear to be heating up at 
Sedo.com. They rang up the seven biggest sales reported this week and claimed 12 
places overall on our new all-extension Top 20 Sales Chart. A two-digit 
numerical domain, 06.com, led the pack at $91,888. The next five names were also 
.coms, including #2 Coyote.com at $65,000 and #3 Serbia.com at $62,000.
http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2011/20110202.htm

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REPORTS & RESEARCH PAPERS
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Online Privacy as a Corporate Social Responsibility: An Empirical Study by Irene 
Pollach [Business Ethics: A European Review]
Abstract: Information technology and the Internet have added a new stakeholder 
concern to the corporate social responsibility (CSR) agenda: online privacy. 
While theory suggests that online privacy is a CSR, only very few studies in the 
business ethics literature have connected these two. Based on a study of CSR 
disclosures, this article contributes to the existing literature by exploring 
whether and how the largest IT companies embrace online privacy as a CSR. The 
findings indicate that only a small proportion of the companies have 
comprehensive privacy programs, although more than half of them voice moral or 
relational motives for addressing online privacy. The privacy measures they have 
taken are primarily compliance measures, while measures that stimulate a 
stakeholder dialogue are rare. Overall, a wide variety of approaches to 
addressing privacy was found, which suggests that no institutionalization of 
privacy practices has taken place as yet. The study therefore indicates that 
online privacy is rather new on the CSR agenda, currently playing only a minor 
role.
http://ssrn.com/abstract=1754812

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INTERNET USE
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Stephen Wolfram: Can he topple Google?
The British scientist Stephen Wolfram has a clear vision for the future ? a 
vision that dates back to his childhood in the 1960s and 70s. In those days, we 
didn't prophesise that computer technology would bring us convenient ways to 
shop, or new ways to talk to our friends in short sentences. The dream was much 
grander ? that computers would work out stuff for us, a bit like Hal in 2001: A 
Space Odyssey (without the murderous intent).
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/feb/12/stephen-wolfram-alpha-interview-google


Study: Too Many Users Reuse Passwords
You may have a remarkably strict password policy in place at your organization, 
requiring a long string of letters, numbers, and special characters. 
Unfortunately, those policies become far less effective if you use a similar or 
identical password for, say, logging in to Facebook or Amazon.com or any other 
Web site. If a malicious hacker is able to get his or her hands on a user's 
password credentials for one domain, said hacker has a good starting point for 
figuring out the user's password for other sites.
http://infoworld.com/t/data-security/study-finds-high-rate-password-reuse-among-users-188

http://www.pcworld.com/article/219393/.html

Password Reuse Is All Too Common, Research Shows
A British security researcher has analyzed password data made public by 
Anonymous group hacks against Gawker and rootkit.com, and found that many users 
with accounts at both sites used the same password for their login credentials.
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/219303/.html

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES
**********************
Global data storage calculated at 295 exabytes
Mankind's capacity to store the colossal amount of information in the world has 
been measured by scientists. The study, published in the journal Science, 
calculates the amount of data stored in the world by 2007 as 295 exabytes.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12419672

Technology the modern bogey
Parents are finding it harder than ever to buffer their kids from the chaos of 
modern life, with the future influence of new technologies on childhood 
development the big unknown, a leading child health expert warns.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/technology-the-modern-bogey/story-fn59niix-1226005370642


Don't be blinded by the web. The world is actually stagnating by Will Hutton
My grandfather grew up in the 1900s in a world of horse-drawn carts and 
candle-lit houses. In the following 50 years he would live through a series of 
astonishing transformations ? electricity, the motor car, television and radio, 
the telephone, the refrigerator, the vacuum-cleaner, penicillin and the 
aeroplane, just to name a few. It was not just these things that made the 20th 
century what it was. Their production was industrialised. They created huge 
employment and wealth.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/feb/13/will-hutton-innovation-must-be-encouraged


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CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION
************************************************
MEPs putting child pornographers' rights ahead of abuse victims, claim 
campaigners
European MPs have been accused of putting the rights of child pornographers 
ahead of abused children after it emerged that they are to water down new laws, 
backed by the UK government, for curbing the dissemination of child abuse 
images.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/feb/13/child-pornography-internet-laws

au: Julian Assange helped crack Victorian kid porn ring
As a young man nearly 20 years ago, Julian Assange used his prodigious computer 
skills to help the Victorian police catch online pedophiles.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/wikileaks/legal-threats-as-assange-laid-bare/story-fn775xjq-1226004688496


Conroy remains committed to mandatory filtering
Australia's proposed mandatory ISP filter proposal was very much alive, the 
Minister for Broadband Communications and the Digital Economy, Stephen Conroy 
said today.
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/247676,conroy-remains-committed-to-mandatory-filtering.aspx


Cyber bullying is not acceptable ? how to help your children stand up for 
themselves online
Lloyd Borrett, Security Evangelist for AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd, says: ?The use of 
social media is exploding, with even early primary school kids setting up 
accounts. As parents, you can?t always be looking over their shoulders to stop 
e-mail, chat and social network messages from pranksters and bullies who can be 
active 24/7. But you can help your kids be safe and savvy online.?
http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/mediareleases/11992/cyber-bullying-is-not-acceptable-how-to-help-your/


Guidelines on keeping online environments safe for children launch in the UK on 
Safer Internet Day
Comprehensive guidelines for how to moderate online environments for children 
have today been launched by the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS).
http://www.iwf.org.uk/about-iwf/news/post/299-guidelines-on-keeping-online-environments-safe-for-children-launch-in-the-uk-on-safer-internet-day


Safer Internet Day to Promote Safe Online Behaviour [news release]
The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator 
Stephen Conroy, today used Safer Internet Day 2011 to remind Australians to stay 
safe online, especially when using social networking sites.
http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2011/130

EU children still exposed to Internet risks
Only 14% of Europeans use web filtering software to prevent children from 
accessing inappropriate websites, despite the European Commission having carried 
out multimillion-euro awareness-raising campaigns in the last decade.
http://www.euractiv.com/en/infosociety/eu-children-exposed-internet-risks-news-501970


Swiss Kids on Facebook & Co. [news release]
The SWITCH Junior Web Award survey is looking into the way that children and 
young people behave in the internet. The current survey shows that the majority 
of Swiss kids are on Facebook & Co. By contrast to the first survey, which 
focused primarily on the pupils? self-assessment, the key topic this time round 
was the use of social platforms. Those questioned were all former participants 
in the Junior Web Award who had jointly designed their own homepage as their 
entry for the award.
http://www.switch.ch/about/news/2011/juniorwebbarometer.html

UK children asked to think before they send [news release]
?Think before you send? is the message from the Child Exploitation and Online 
Protection (CEOP) Centre - the UK?s national centre for protecting children ? as 
it marks EU Safer Internet Day 2011 to talk about the dangers young people face 
when sending indecent images of themselves to each other, often called 
?sexting?.
http://www.ceop.police.uk/Media-Centre/Press-releases/2011/UK-CHILDREN-ASKED-TO-THINK-BEFORE-THEY-SEND/


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MOBILE/WIRELESS
**********************
Smartphones clogging mobile networks - ITU chief
Smartphones are causing heavy congestion on the world's mobile networks and 
governments need to act quickly to support wireless broadband growth, the head 
of the International Telecommunications Union warned on Friday.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/11/oukin-uk-telecoms-broadband-idUKTRE71A4KF20110211

http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/02/11/idINIndia-54835820110211

Network congestion set to worsen - ITU calls for international broadband 
commitment
Governments need to take urgent action now to support mobile broadband growth. 
So says ITU Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun Tour?, adding that accelerated fibre 
roll-out and greater spectrum availability will be imperative if network 
bottlenecks are to be avoided.
http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2011/01.aspx
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=37517

Nokia to Use Microsoft Software in Smartphones
Nokia, the struggling world leader in mobile phones, said Friday that it would 
discard its own cellphone operating system in favor of software made by 
Microsoft, in an alliance of market leaders designed to shore up their halting 
efforts in smartphones.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/12/technology/12nokia.html

Nokia and Microsoft sign strategic tie-up
Embattled mobile phone firm Nokia has signed up to a "broad strategic 
partnership" with Microsoft in an effort to rebuild its fortunes.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/feb/11/nokia-microsoft-sign-strategic-tieup


Nokia and Microsoft form partnership
Nokia has joined forces with Microsoft in an attempt to regain ground lost to 
the iPhone and Android-based devices.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12427680

Nokia at the crossroads: It is not just the world?s biggest handset-maker that 
has lost its edge. So has Europe?s whole mobile-phone industry
Apocalyptic language fuels the technology industry as much as venture capital 
does. But Stephen Elop, Nokia?s new boss, may have set a new standard. ?We are 
standing on a burning [oil] platform,? he wrote in a memo to all 132,000 
employees of the world?s biggest handset-maker. If Nokia did not want to be 
consumed by the flames, it had no choice but to plunge into the ?icy waters? 
below. In plainer words, the company must change its ways radically.
http://www.economist.com/node/18114689?story_id=18114689

Nokia Ties Up With Microsoft in Overhaul
In a major shift, Nokia Corp. said Friday it will adopt Windows Phone as its 
main smartphone platform, part of a broad strategic partnership with Microsoft 
Corp. that will see the next two years become a period of transition for the 
ailing handset maker.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703786804576137470685432438.html

Anger with Apple pushes firms to Android
The hardline approach taken by Apple towards media companies selling apps 
through its iTunes Store could push crucial content partners into the hands of 
competitors such as Google's Android.
http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/smartphone-apps/anger-with-apple-pushes-firms-to-android-20110210-1aonm.html

http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/smartphone-apps/anger-with-apple-pushes-firms-to-android-20110210-1aonm.html


War looms as Sony hints that it will abandon iTunes
Sony has signalled it may withdraw its artists from Apple's iTunes store and 
withhold its games from the iPhone in a sign the two companies are on the brink 
of all-out war.
http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/mp3s/war-looms-as-sony-hints-that-it-will-abandon-itunes-20110210-1aonn.html

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/mp3s/war-looms-as-sony-hints-that-it-will-abandon-itunes-20110210-1aonn.html


Gartner Says Worldwide Mobile Device Sales to End Users Reached 1.6 Billion 
Units in 2010; Smartphone Sales Grew 72 Percent in 2010 [news release]
Worldwide mobile device sales to end users totaled 1.6 billion units in 2010, a 
31.8 percent increase from 2009 (see Table 1), according to Gartner, Inc. 
Smartphone sales to end users were up 72.1 percent from 2009 and accounted for 
19 percent of total mobile communications device sales in 2010.
http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1543014

Apple Is Said to Work on Cheaper, Smaller IPhones
Apple Inc. is working on new versions of the iPhone that are aimed at slowing 
the advance of competing handsets based on Google Inc.?s Android software, 
according to people who have been briefed on the plans.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-10/apple-said-to-work-on-cheaper-more-versatile-iphone-models.html


**************************
ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL
**************************
Chinese hackers infiltrate five energy firms - study
Hackers working in China broke into the computer systems of five multinational 
oil and gas companies to steal bidding plans and other critical proprietary 
information, the computer security firm McAfee Inc said in a new report.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/10/oukin-uk-energy-cyber-china-idUKTRE7190WT20110210

http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/02/10/idINIndia-54787320110210

Chinese hackers target oil companies: McAfee
Hackers from China have penetrated computer networks of global oil companies, 
stealing financial documents on bidding plans and other confidential 
information, a US computer security firm said yesterday evening.
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/chinese-hackers-target-oil-companies-mcafee-20110211-1aoyl.html

http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/chinese-hackers-target-oil-companies-mcafee-20110211-1aoyl.html


London city authorities plan 'war game' based on Olympic cyber attack scenario
A cyber attack coinciding with the start of London's Olympic Games is among the 
"war games" being planned by City regulators for around 70 financial firms later 
this year. The so-called tripartite authorities ? the Bank of England, the 
Treasury and the Financial Services Authority ? get firms together every few 
years to test how well their systems would hold up if they were struck by 
extreme conditions.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/feb/13/city-authorities-war-games-olympics


Reaching for the kill switch: The costs and practicalities of switching off the 
internet in Egypt and elsewhere
The timing was dire. On January 25th American senators reintroduced a bill 
granting the president emergency powers to shut down parts of the nation?s 
internet as a defence against cyber-attack. Three days later Egypt?s embattled 
autocrats took their country offline.
http://www.economist.com/node/18112043

au: COAG sub-committee praises disaster tech
The National Emergency Management Committee has issued an update on the National 
Strategy on Disaster Resilience, which has praised the use of technology in 
disaster scenarios, following the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) 
meeting in Canberra yesterday.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/coag-sub-committee-praises-disaster-tech-339309195.htm

us: Cybersecurity bill could be stalled by House-Senate differences
The House Republican tapped to drive passage of cyber legislation across 
committees said he does not plan to work on a comprehensive bill, a departure 
from Senate efforts to pass one large package covering federal, private and 
international networks.
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110211_9241.php

Stuxnet Malware Was Aimed at Five Sites in Iran, Report Says
The Stuxnet software worm repeatedly sought to infect five industrial facilities 
in Iran over a 10-month period, a new report says, in what could be a clue into 
how it might have infected the Iranian uranium enrichment complex at Natanz.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/science/13stuxnet.html

Critical infrastructure under attack
Critical infrastructure is a term that is used to describe assets and facilities 
that are essential for the functioning of society and the economy. It 
encompasses a wide range of vital assets, including utilities and communications 
networks, food and water supply, oil and gas facilities, public health systems, 
transport networks and financial services. Should such services be disrupted, 
the consequences could be dire. 

http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/Bloor-on-IT-security/2011/02/critical-infrastructure-under-attack.html


FTC Offers Tips on Wise Use of Wi-Fi Networks
The Federal Trade Commission, the nation?s consumer protection agency, today 
released tips to help people protect their personal information while they use 
public wireless networks ? Wi-Fi hotspots in coffee shops, libraries, airports, 
hotels, universities, and other public places. While convenient, public Wi-Fi 
networks often are not secure.
http://ftc.gov/opa/2011/02/wireless.shtm

**************************
PRIVACY
**************************
Internet Policy Task Force Green Paper: Commercial Data Privacy and Innovation 
in the Internet Economy: A Dynamic Policy Framework
This report recommends consideration of a new framework for addressing online 
privacy issues in the United States
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/reports/2010/IPTF_Privacy_GreenPaper_12162010.pdf

US 'Do Not Track Me Online' privacy bill introduced by California Rep. Jackie 
Speier
The first "do not track" legislation was introduced in Congress on Friday, 
raising the possibility that Web users will be able to prevent advertisers from 
recording their online behavior for marketing purposes, similar to the Do Not 
Call Registry created in 2003.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/02/do-not-track-me-online-privacy-legislation-introduced-by-calif-congresswoman.html


us: Rush Reintroduces Privacy Bill
Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., Thursday reintroduced his legislation from the last 
Congress aimed at enhancing consumer privacy online.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2011/02/rush-reintroduces-privacy-bill.php

http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110210_8560.php

Speier Unveils 'Do-Not-Track' Online Privacy Bill
Just a day after Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., rolled out his latest online privacy 
legislation, Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., unveiled a package of bills Friday 
that includes a "do-not-track" requirement giving consumers the option to 
opt-out of being tracked while browsing online.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2011/02/speier-unveils-donottrack-onli.php

http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110211_5698.php

**********************
CENSORSHIP
**********************
China Cracks Down On Uprising Chatter-Events Cloud Prospects of U.S. Social 
Sites Entering Market
The Chinese government maintained a tight grip on news and discussion of the 
Egyptian president's dramatic downfall?an event that could send a subversive 
message to its own population?but some Internet users managed to evade censors 
to celebrate.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704657104576141921095552608.html

US Internet censorship fight falling short: finding [AFP]
State Department efforts to combat Internet censorship in China and other 
countries have fallen short and funding for the drive should be shifted to 
another US agency, a Senate committee report says.
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/us-internet-censorship-fight-falling-short-finding-20110213-1as72.html

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/us-must-ramp-up-fight-on-internet-censorship-20110213-1arwv.html


Technology Poses Big Test for Regimes
On Friday afternoon, Wael Ghonim, the Google executive who has become the face 
of Egypt's so-called Revolution 2.0, tweeted it was time at last for President 
Hosni Mubarak to resign.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704329104576138643482318336.html

Egypt's Internet Blackout Highlights Danger of Weak Links, Usefulness of Quick 
Links
In response to ongoing protests, Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak ordered a 
shutdown of all Internet access for five whole days, from January 28 to February 
2, but social media and news continued to flow in and out of the country thanks 
to a group of protagonists dedicated to supporting the flow of information.
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/02/egypts-internet-blackout-highlights-danger-weak


Iranian web programmer faces execution on porn charges
A 35-year-old Iranian web programmer is facing imminent execution in connection 
with developing and promoting porn websites, charges that his family insist are 
trumped up.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/09/iranian-death-sentence-pornography

**************************
GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
**************************
White House will propose new digital copyright laws
The Obama administration has drafted new proposals to curb Internet piracy and 
other forms of intellectual property infringement that it says it will send to 
the U.S. Congress "in the very near future."
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20030956-281.html

EU mulls tax cuts for online media
The European Commission is considering the idea of lowering value added tax 
(VAT) rates for online media to the level of printed media wherever they 
diverge, in a move aimed at alleviating financial pressure on a struggling 
sector.
http://www.euractiv.com/en/infosociety/eu-mulls-tax-cuts-online-media-news-502035


*********************************
MISCELLANEOUS
*********************************
Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9 web browser goes live
Microsoft has said the latest version of its internet explorer web browser puts 
it ahead of competitors like Google and Firefox.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12424407

Microsoft ships IE9 RC with tracking opt-out
Microsoft today launched the release candidate of Internet Explorer 9 (IE9), 
saying that the browser is now feature complete and that the final build would 
ship shortly.
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9208962/Microsoft_ships_IE9_RC_with_tracking_opt_out


Search for Low Airfares Gets More Competitive
The familiar world of online air travel search is about to get a major shake-up. 
With airlines imposing fees for things like checked bags, priority seating and 
access to airport lounges, finding a good fare is just the starting point. 
Ticket buyers then need to check multiple Web sites to figure out the best deal.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/business/11air.html

PayPal Will Play an Even Bigger Role at eBay
Hoping to counter concerns that their business has become an online has-been, 
eBay executives on Thursday laid out plans to restore its luster over the next 
three years.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/paypal-will-play-an-even-bigger-role-at-ebay/


Twitter valued at $10bn as Google and Facebook reportedly vie to buy it
$10bn buys a lot of company; Harley-Davidson, the 108-year-old motorbike icon, 
is worth just shy of $10bn (?6.2bn). The Deutsche B?rse is hoping to pay about 
that for the New York stock exchange.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/feb/10/twitter-valued-at-10-billion-dollars


Search Engine Optimisation to Lure Readers: Web Words That Lure the Readers
The Huffington Post has hired veteran journalists to beef up its news coverage. 
But a significant chunk of its readers come instead for articles like one 
published this week: ?Chelsy Davy & Prince Harry: So Happy Together??
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/business/media/11search.html

In the PC Wars, the Asians Have a Clear Advantage
As the balance of power in many domains shifts from the U.S. to China, computer 
makers are also refocusing their strategies to include a larger China component. 
China is critical as both a market and a supply base. And Asian vendors have 
become serious rivals to the top U.S. companies, many of which are beset by 
persistent management dramas and palace intrigue.
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2011/tc20110128_028525.htm

Netbooks Lose Status as Tablets Like the iPad Rise
Remember the Last Big Thing in computing? You?ll be forgiven for having 
forgotten it was the netbook ? a small notebook computer with a slender price 
tag, about $300.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/14/technology/14netbook.html

**********************
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
**********************
NBN will kill off fixed-line telephony
The National Broadband Network will kill off the already ailing business of 
fixed-line local calls that was once the cornerstone of Telstra's business.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/industry-sectors/nbn-will-kill-off-fixed-line-telephony/story-e6frg9hx-1226003971400


Wireless a threat to NBN, government's own consultant warns
WIRELESS internet technologies present a major threat to Labor's $35.9 billion 
national broadband network, a government-appointed consultant has warned.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/telecommunications/wireless-a-threat-to-nbn-governments-own-consultant-warns/story-fn4iyzsr-1226005795467


Obama Unveils Wireless Expansion Plan
Declaring that ?we can?t expect tomorrow?s economy to take root using 
yesterday?s infrastructure,? President Obama traveled to this snowbound town in 
a remote corner of Michigan on Thursday to make the case that expanding wireless 
access is critical to the nation?s economic recovery.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/us/politics/11obama.html

Obama Says Plan to Expand Wireless Access Is Critical
Declaring that ?we can?t expect tomorrow?s economy to take root using 
yesterday?s infrastructure,? President Obama traveled to this snowbound town in 
a remote corner of Michigan on Thursday to make the case that expanding wireless 
access is critical to the nation?s economic recovery.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/us/politics/11obama.html

Obama goal: 98% of U.S. covered by 4G broadband [IDG]
Ninety-eight percent of U.S. residents would have access to high-speed mobile 
broadband service within five years under a plan that President Barack Obama 
detailed Thursday.
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9208963/Obama_goal_98_of_U.S._covered_by_4G_broadband

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/021011-obama-goal-98-percent-of.html
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/219330/.html

Obama: U.S. Must Provide Americans With Tools Of Digital Age
In a speech outlining his new initiative to expand wireless access and 
innovation, President Obama Thursday compared the effort aimed at connecting 98 
percent of Americans to "next-generation, high-speed" wireless to past 
infrastructure projects such as building railroads and highways that also were 
aimed at advancing the nation's economy.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2011/02/obama-us-must-provide-american.php


Analysis - Telcos battle tech, banking titans in mobile payment
Paying for your morning coffee and newspaper by swiping your mobile phone 
instead of fumbling for cash or debit card could be just around the corner.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/14/oukin-uk-mobile-fair-mobilemoney-idUKTRE71D1BO20110214

http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/02/14/idINIndia-54873520110214

Regulatory holiday, secrecy attacked on telecomms reforms: InternetNZ and TUANZ 
debate UFB regulation
The 10-year period of ?regulatory forbearance? for Local Fibre Companies 
supplying the Ultra Fast Broadband network will be the prime target of 
submitters on the Telecommunications Amendment Bill, if they follow the advice 
of convenors of a joint InternetNZ/TUANZ seminar on the Bill held in Wellington 
this week.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/regulatory-holiday-secrecy-and-lack-of-clear-direction-attacked-on-telecoms-reforms


Rural broadband negotiations raise serious concerns, require Government 
assurances
?Today?s announcement that the Government is in negotiation with a 
Telecom/Vodafone consortium to deliver its Rural Broadband Initiative reinforces 
serious concerns about the future of a competitive communications market in 
rural areas,? says InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) Chief Executive Vikram 
Kumar.
http://internetnz.net.nz/news/media-releases/2011/Rural-broadband-negotiations-raise-serious-concerns-require-Government-assu


AOL and the Huffington Post: An internet veteran weds a youthful online bride
If any firm can testify to the risks involved in corporate mating it is AOL. At 
the end of 2009 the internet firm split from Time Warner, a media and 
entertainment giant, finally putting an end to one of the most disastrous 
mergers in American business history. But in spite of its traumatic experience, 
AOL still believes in the virtues of marriage: on February 7th it announced a 
plan to buy the Huffington Post, a web service founded in 2005, in a $315m deal 
that it claims will make everyone involved richer rather than poorer.
http://www.economist.com/node/18114317?story_id=18114317

**********************************
ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR ONLINE CHILD PROTECTION
**********************************
au: 'Cookie monster' jailed for internet grooming
A 24-year-old Melbourne man who called himself Cookie Monster as he groomed 
teenagers for sex over the internet is jailed for four years.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/10/3135051.htm

au: Online predator sought 'vampire sex'
A young Melbourne university student who preyed on nine girls that he met online 
has been jailed for more than four years.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/online-predator-sought-vampire-sex-20110210-1anmo.html

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

(c) David Goldstein 2011


 
---------
David Goldstein
email: goldstein_david&#167;yahoo.com.au
web:  http://davidgoldstein.tel/
         http://goldsteinreport.com/
phone: +61 418 228 605 - mobile; +61 2 9665 5773 - office/home
"Every time you use fossil fuels, you're adding to the problem. Every time you 
forgo fossil fuels, you're being part of the solution" - Dr Tim Flannery



      
Received on Mon Feb 14 2011 - 03:50:29 UTC

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