Don't forget to check out http://auda.org.au/domain-news/ for today's edition of the complete domain news, including an RSS feed - already online! Headlines from the May 5 edition of the news include: The Future of the Internet - And How to Stop It by Jonathan Zittrain | Internet in danger of losing innovation | A simple way to avoid being the next Star Wars Kid by Jonathan Zittrain | A Killer Product: Will closed devices like Apple's iPhone murder the Web? | ICANN One Step Closer to Outlawing Domain Tasting: Public comment invited on proposal | Spain to reach a million domains this summer | How to Get Started as a Domainer: 28 Tips, Techniques and Resources | Google alters policy on linked adverts | The Real Threat to Google | Google adwords fuel new URL attack And see my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for daily updates in between postings. *************************************************** The domain name news is supported by auDA *************************************************** Web in infancy, says Berners-Lee http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7371660.stm Are gadgets killing the internet? http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/may/01/internet.gadgets uk: Ofcom: BBC not accountable for 'web meltdown' http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=12867 Is Balkanization of the Internet inevitable? http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=8628 ca: Domain name policy balances privacy with public access by Michael Geist http://www.thestar.com/sciencetech/article/418991 Quarter million domain names for .mx http://www.domainpulse.com/2008/04/29/quarter-million-domain-names-for-mx/ Battling Brandjackers: Study finds declines in domain kiting and pay-per-click abuses against the world's strongest brands by Ihab Shraim, MarkMonitor http://www.infoworld.com/news/feeds/08/04/29/Battling-brandjackers.html Interpol: Olympics cyberattack not a major threat [IDG] http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/04/30/Interpol-Olympics-cyberattack-not-major-threat_1.html MySpace stripped of myspace.co.uk domain victory http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/29/myspace_domain_dispute_nominet_davies/ Google readies for action against Dutch smut site http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/01/google_mulls_action/ Domainer Loses LH.com to Airline Giant Lufthansa http://www.dotsauce.com/2008/04/28/lh-domain-lost/ Opportunists Profit From Domain Names and Tragedy in Austria http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=4803 A Case of Network Identity Theft? http://blog.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/04/a_case_of_network_identity_the_1.html Melbourne IT acquires VeriSign Digital Brand Management http://www.domainpulse.com/2008/04/29/melbourne-it-acquires-verisign-digital-brand-management/ ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** Web in infancy, says Berners-Lee The world wide web is "still in its infancy", the web's inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee has told BBC News. ... The future web will put "all the data in the world" at the fingertips of every user, Sir Tim said. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7371660.stm Are gadgets killing the internet? 'Tethered appliances' are stifling the innovation that led to the rise of the world wide web, argues academic and author Jonathan Zittrain http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/may/01/internet.gadgets uk: Ofcom: BBC not accountable for 'web meltdown' The BBC should not be forced to pay for upgrading the U.K.'s broadband network to cater for the growing number of video downloads, telecommunication watchdog Ofcom has said. http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=12867 http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/145197/bbc_not_accountable_for_web_meltdown.html Does online video threaten the net? There is no doubt that video is big on the net. But is it getting too big? Ask AT&T and it will answer - yes. Speaking in London in late April, Jim Cicconi, AT&T's vice president of legal affairs, said the burgeoning amount of video would consume all the net's bandwidth in two years. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7370956.stm Hollywood taking sides in network neutrality debate Hollywood believes the Internet is the key to its future. But its constituents are again squabbling over how to get there. As in the recent television writers strike, the major studios are at odds with some members of the creative community over digital distribution. This time it's about a public policy issue known as network neutrality. http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fi-neutral29apr29,1,5899504.story ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Is Balkanization of the Internet inevitable? The openness of the Internet could fall to nationalism. That's just one of the side effects from nationalism and its impact on global trade, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Journal in its Monday edition zoomed out to look at the rise of nationalism. After all, talk of free trade has been shouted down. Governments are raising barriers across economic and political frontiers and entering daily lives more. And the world is becoming much less flat contrary what the New York Times? Thomas Friedman argues. http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=8628 Public Comments Wanted on ORG Proposal ICANN is currently seeking comments on Public Interest Registry's proposed implementation of DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) in .ORG. Information on the proposal can be found at this announcement, and at http://www.icann.org/registries/rsep/#2008004. http://blog.icann.org/?p=307 ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** ca: Domain name policy balances privacy with public access by Michael Geist Earlier this month, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA), the agency that manages the dot-ca domain, celebrated its one millionth domain name registration. While that represents an important milestone, a far more noteworthy development is that CIRA also quietly announced the implementation of a new "WHOIS" policy that will better protect the privacy of hundreds of thousands of Canadians and serve as a model for domain name registries around the world. http://www.thestar.com/sciencetech/article/418991 http://www.canada.com/topics/technology/columnists/story.html?id=d59576c6-87b3-48a7-b6d1-79faa1490861&k=60781 http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/bustech/story.html?id=d59576c6-87b3-48a7-b6d1-79faa1490861 .co Registry Reassignment and launch of 2nd level registrations The Colombian government has announced it will reassign the registry for .co and currently has a task force set up to investigate how to go about this. http://www.domainpulse.com/2008/04/30/co-registry-reassignment-and-launch-of-2nd-level-registrations/ The German Digital Divide: East lags behind west Germany, Europe's biggest economy, is experiencing a digital divide, according to German industry association Bitkom. http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2008/04/28/the-german-digital-divide West dominates Web in digitally divided Germany [Reuters] The digital divide that separates rich and poor nations by their unequal access to information technology also exists within Europe's biggest economy, German industry association Bitkom said on Monday. ... As a whole, Germany has the world's second-biggest Internet presence after the United States, said Bitkom, quoting figures from the German Network Information Centre (DENIC), the central registry for all domains under the top level domain ".de." http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080428/wr_nm/germany_internet_divide_dc_1 Tina Dam, the new DK Hostmaster? Today at 12:00 expired the deadline to present proposals to the Danish Telecommunication Agency for the management of the .DK Registry. The great news is that besides the current operator, DK-Hostmaster, 2 big players of the domain industry have joined forces to present a competitive proposal to the Danish authorities. Tina Dam, Director of ICANN?s IDN programme and Danish national, is the leading figure in the DotDK adventure: with the help of Afilias. http://www.dedominibus.com/2008/04/01/tina-dam-e-afilias-per-la-rinascita-di-dk/ Quarter million domain names for .mx NIC Mexico announced they reached the milestone of the 250,000th .mx domain name on April 28. While .mx is not one of the larger ccTLDs, it is experiencing strong growth with an increase of 24 per cent in 2007. It took 15 years to reach the first 100,000 .mx domain names and another two years to reach 200,000 and a further six months to reach the quarter million mark. http://www.domainpulse.com/2008/04/29/quarter-million-domain-names-for-mx/ ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Battling Brandjackers: Study finds declines in domain kiting and pay-per-click abuses against the world's strongest brands by Ihab Shraim, MarkMonitor The Internet has changed the world in astonishing ways?both good and bad?and all in the last 10 to 15 years. We marvel at the good: immediate access to even the most obscure information, free and secure worldwide person-to-person communication, and the ability to access almost any product or service with just the click of a mouse. http://www.infoworld.com/news/feeds/08/04/29/Battling-brandjackers.html Interpol: Olympics cyberattack not a major threat [IDG] Executive Director for Police Services at Interpol downplays threat of cyberattack at Beijing games, concentrates on protecting physical security of visitors http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/04/30/Interpol-Olympics-cyberattack-not-major-threat_1.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,145349-c,cybercrime/article.html Researchers infiltrate Kracken botnet, could clean it out A group of security researchers Wednesday said they have infiltrated one of the world's biggest botnets and can snatch control of compromised machines from the hackers. But while 3Com's TippingPoint researchers say they have the ability to disinfect the systems by eradicating the malware installed on the hijacked PCs, the company has decided against the move, citing liability issues. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9081258 http://www.techworld.com/security/news/index.cfm?newsID=12142 ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** MySpace stripped of myspace.co.uk domain victory An independent appeals panel has overturned a heavily-criticised decision to hand control of the myspace.co.uk domain to Rupert Murdoch's Fox Interactive Media. Nominet's Dispute Resolution Service (DRS), had ruled in favour of MySpace in January, despite the domain having been registered by a small British ISP six years before the US social network was founded. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/29/myspace_domain_dispute_nominet_davies/ MySpace loses .co.uk domain The domain name Myspace.co.uk has been wrestled from the grasp of the social networking site after an independent appeals panel overturned a previous decision to award it to the Rupert Murdoch-owned company. http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/news.nv?storyid=single10885 Google readies for action against Dutch smut site Google is girding its loins for action against Porngoogle.nl, a Dutch site which indexes 26,000 movies from 11 Dutch online porn companies and shows previews. Site owner Ruben Doctor has several porn sites under different names. He claims name Porngoogle actually means porn ogle (to stare at porn) and is "just a joke". http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/01/google_mulls_action/ Domainer Loses LH.com to Airline Giant Lufthansa Some disturbing news hitting home today. The premium generic domain name ?LH.com? has been ordered to be transfered to airline giant Lufthansa. http://www.dotsauce.com/2008/04/28/lh-domain-lost/ Avoiding Adverse UDRP Decisions: A NAF Transfer Order of The Million Dollar Domain LH.com Does Not Bode Well For Domainers On April 17, 2008 a NAF Arbitration Panel (David Sorkin Dissenting) ordered the transfer of lh.com from Future Media Architects, Inc. to Deutsche Lufthansa AG. Read the cybersquatting and transfer decision here. The most interesting part of the decision was the Panel's conclusion that buying and holding domain names was not a legitimate use. http://tcattorney.typepad.com/anticybersquatting_consum/2008/04/avoiding-advers.html A Case of Network Identity Theft? Digital real estate leased to one of the Internet's oldest landholders appears to have been quietly seized by e-mail marketers closely associated with an individual once tagged by anti-spam groups as one of the world's most notorious spammers. http://blog.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/04/a_case_of_network_identity_the_1.html ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** IPv6... Becoming a Hot Topic Again? by Yves Poppe Is IPv6 a hot topic again in the wake of the increased coverage of the looming IPv4 address depletion? This was the theme of a coffee break discussion we had at the recent MENOG3 conference in Kuwait. With as many opinions as participants, I turned to ?Google Trend? to help me get a better feel. That astonishing little tool analyzes the frequency of searches on a particular word or set of words through the Google search universe. Google Trend provides a graphic representation of search volumes and reference volume over time starting in January 2004. Using IPv6 as search word and varying the time line indeed provided some interesting perspective and tidbits on when and where IPv6 seems to be or have been a hot topic indeed. http://www.circleid.com/posts/84288_ipv6_hot_topic_again/ ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Opportunists Profit From Domain Names and Tragedy in Austria With Amstetten in Lower Austria making the headlines around the world, the domain name world opportunists are quickly registering domain names relating to the Fritzl family and attempting to sell them on eBay and elsewhere. Others are registering domain names of the family and regularly updating the websites with news and information on the happenings. http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=4803 http://www.domainpulse.com/2008/04/30/profiting-from-domain-names-and-tragedy-in-austria/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/general/opportunists-profit-from-domain-names-and-tragedy-in-austria.html Melbourne IT acquires VeriSign Digital Brand Management Melbourne IT announced today it has acquired VeriSign's Digital Brand Management Services for US$50 million, effective May 1. http://www.domainpulse.com/2008/04/29/melbourne-it-acquires-verisign-digital-brand-management/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/general/melbourne-it-buys-verisigns-digital-brand-management.html Melbourne IT (MLB) $3.10 Despite its parochial moniker, Melbourne IT derives about half its earnings from abroad and, as of this morning, will strut the offshore cyber stage with even more aplomb. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23622042-23634,00.html Melbourne IT quadruples customer base with US$50m VeriSign acquisition Melbourne IT Limited today announced it will acquire the assets of VeriSign's global Digital Brand Management Services (DBMS) business for US$50 million. Effective May 1, 2008, the acquisition will significantly boost Melbourne IT's scale and market share in the digital brand protection and performance market. http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1515923750;fp;2;fpid;1 Melbourne IT salvages VeriSign business for US$50m Domain name registrar Melbourne IT will acquire VeriSign's underperforming Digital Brand Management Services for US$50 million. http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/soa/Melbourne-IT-salvages-VeriSign-business-for-US-50m/0,130061744,339288557,00.htm Melbourne IT Acquires Versign DBMS For $50 Million Melbourne IT has acquired Versign?s Digital Brand Management Services (DBMS) division for $50 million. http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/30/melbourne-it-acquires-versign-dbms-for-50-million/ Fun and Games In the ccTLD World by Michele Neylon There must be something in the air. I?m not sure exactly what it is, but there are a lot of things going on in the ccTLD world at the moment. In the UK Nominet?s Annual General Meeting (AGM) is being held this week. This would normally provoke a yawn from most people ? it?s an AGM ? how exciting can that be? This year?s AGM looks like it could be quite entertaining, although it probably isn?t going to be particularly beneficial for its membership. http://www.circleid.com/posts/84293_fun_and_games_cctld_world/ ccTLDs: it?s time for transparency and efficiency The domain market in the last few years has seen incredible growth rates: the growing number of people with Internet access and the increasing number of low cost offerings has made ?registering a domain name? a mainstream phenomenon, a practical and easy way even for Average Joe to get a customized email address or an easily accessible place on the web where to post the family photos or promote his business. http://www.dedominibus.com/2008/04/20/cctld-e-tempo-di-trasparenza-e-efficienza/ Understanding IP addresses in computers Internet Protocol or IP addresses are common in today's world of networked computers. That's because every computer connected to a single network has an IP. http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=53869 ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Understand Google's Guidelines Meet Google, the "coolest kid" on the cyberblock! Google is popular, and popularity means it may be tough to get in initially. Even if you do everything right, it could take months to see results, at least if you use their URL submission page. However, there is hope! There's a method to get indexed in 24 hours, so don't even bother submitting through the URL page. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/145229/understand_googles_guidelines.html Sedo?s Better-than-Ever Brokerage Service! [news release] Sedo?s brokerage services are being updated with a new process for submitting both buyer and seller side brokerage requests and enhanced communications tools. Our dedicated brokers will now be able to work one-on-one with clients through Sedo?s exclusive message tool. The goal of this new process is to strengthen relationships and to provide more efficient service and support to each individual buyer and seller. http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=1714 Angel Investor Accelerates WhyPark.com Development Demand for a profitable alternative to conventional domain parking is on the rise. As domain owners with minimal returns on traditionally parked sites seek better paying options, business investors are taking note. http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080428/nem044.html Harmony.com is now for Sale We are exclusively listing Harmony.com for sale. It is being offered at a $5 Million dollar reserve price. http://blog.domaintools.com/2008/04/harmonycom-is-now-for-sale/ Israel.com, Pay.com and Jackpot.com for Sale at Upcoming Moniker.com Domain Auction at T.R.A.F.F.I.C. East in Orlando [news release] Moniker.com announced an initial list of premium contenders for a live and online domain name auction at the T.R.A.F.F.I.C. East conference in Orlando. The exclusive live auction will take place Friday, May 23 at 3:30-6:30 p.m. EDT (12:30-3:30 p.m. PDT) at The Grand Floridian Hotel. http://www.domainpulse.com/2008/04/29/israelcom-paycom-and-jackpotcom-for-sale-at-upcoming-monikercom-domain-auction/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/general/israel.com-pay.com-and-jackpot.com-for-sale-at-upcoming-moniker.com-domain-auction.html 5 Ways to Boost Domain Parking Revenue at Parked.com When it comes to ease-of-use, Parked.com is a clear winner in domain name parking. Even its domain editing tools are simple and quick to use. If you haven?t yet edited your domains there, here are five simple ways to tweak your way to more profits. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/04/30/5-ways-to-boost-domain-parking-revenue-at-parkedcom/ ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Has Google solved the problem of image search? Google has unveiled a technology which it says will make the task of searching for images on the web far simpler and more effective. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3833337.ece BT rolls out 'faster broadband' in UK Faster broadband speeds could soon be on offer to a limited number of people in the UK as BT starts offering access to its 21st Century Network. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7376173.stm uk: Internet provokes more complaints than newspapers or magazines The internet is now the second most complained-about advertising medium, overtaking newspapers and magazines for the first time. http://out-law.com/page-9086 Microsoft: we'll keep 'chipping away' at Google Microsoft has said that it will continue "chipping" away at Google in the market for internet search, but warned that there would be no magic bullet to increase its share overnight. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3850028.ece ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Identity 'at risk' on Facebook Personal details of Facebook users could potentially be stolen, the BBC technology programme Click has found. ... But a malicious program, masquerading as a harmless application, could potentially harvest personal data. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/7375772.stm ********************** SPAM ********************** MySpace wins suit against 'spam king' Sanford Wallace, the so-called spam king, has often been accused of sending annoying messages that are typically ignored by the recipient. Perhaps he considered a series of court orders as something he could blow off. http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9930977-7.html Chinese spam complaint center kicks off operation [news release] A complaint center to deal with the increasing volume of spam on telecom networks in China kicked off operations yesterday, the Internet Society of China announced. The complaint center, named 12321 after the hotline number people can call to report spam, was authorized by the Ministry of Industry and Informatization (MII) and set up by the Internet Society of China. http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=4770 Colorado Has a New Spam Law by John Levine The governor of Colorado recently signed a new anti-spam law into effect. Since CAN SPAM draws a tight line around what states can do, this law is mostly interesting for the way that it pushes as firmly against that line as it can. http://www.circleid.com/posts/84308_colorado_new_spam_law/ ********************** DIGITAL DIVIDE ********************** Rural Australians missing out on broadband The digital divide appears to be growing, with less than a quarter of rural communities having access to high-speed internet, according to a recent report. A study by the Bureau of Rural Sciences, titled 2008 Country Matters: Social Atlas of Rural and Regional Australia, has found that only 24 per cent of remote communities have access to broadband, compared to 46 per cent of homes in major cities. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/04/30/1209234927110.html http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/04/30/1209234927110.html ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** au: Identity Theft - Is Your Number Up? The number of villains and their various modern methods of identity theft has grown exponentially in recent years. Some estimate the financial cost of modern day identity theft at over $2 billion each year in Australia, a figure itself dwarfed by the more than $100 billion estimated to be lost worldwide annually. In this Update, we have collated a number of very practical means to reduce your chances of becoming another victim of identity theft. http://www.maddocks.com.au/download/ipt-april-2008.pdf Payment fraud moves to Internet in Europe, says Commission [IDG] Electronic payment fraud is increasingly moving to non-face-to-face situations such as Internet payments, according to a European Commission report. Despite recent efforts to clamp down on electronic payments fraud, the crime is still rife and is undermining citizens' confidence in buying and selling over the internet, the European Commission said Monday. http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;799801520;fp;2;fpid;1 Microsoft highlights efforts to police the net - Efforts made in cause of 'good citizenship' Microsoft spends millions of dollars each year developing security products that it gives to law enforcement agencies, knowing that it may not make any money directly in return. The work is part of the company's efforts to be a good corporate citizen, although there are also some business benefits from the work it does. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9080959 http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/scrt/483CCFC36F505465CC25743A0010A12E Google Warns Users About Phishing In advising users to be wary of clicking on links in e-mail messages or responding to requests for personal information, Google is trying to protect its own business. http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/security/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207403606 Criminal hackers claim copyright over malware Even criminal hackers want to protect their intellectual property, and they've come up with a method akin to copyrighting - with an appropriate dash of internet thuggery thrown in. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/05/01/1209235009545.html http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/05/01/1209235009545.html Feds tout malware as Australia's biggest cyber threat The director of the Australian High Tech Crime Centre believes that the diversity of malware and its abilities to circumvent security products, is the greatest threat on the local cyber crime landscape. http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;451574834;fp;2;fpid;1 Hackers focus efforts on Firefox, Safari Many people are switching from Internet Explorer to alternative browsers such as Firefox and Safari. Though that might make them feel more secure, the shift has also opened new doors for bad guys. http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/04/28/Hackers-focus-efforts-on-Firefox-Safari_1.html EBay-Craigslist Fight Is About Kijiji and Control, Complaint Shows Last week, eBay sued the classified advertising site Craigslist in a Delaware court. The suit received widespread coverage but its causes were opaque, since a copy of the complaint was not made public and the parties were not speaking publicly. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/30/ebay-craigslist-fight-is-about-kijiji-and-control-complaint-shows/ eBay releases complaint against Craigslist The mystery over what prompted eBay to sue Craigslist last week appears to have been solved. Apparently eBay feels that its ownership stake in Craigslist was unfairly reduced because of eBay's rival online classifieds service Kijiji, which was launched overseas in 2005 and in the U.S. in 2007, according to the 26-page complaint, which was filed in Delaware's Court of Chancery and made available online by eBay on Wednesday. http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9933088-7.html ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** Worldwide music download information campaign helps parents and teachers advise children The charity Childnet is launching a global information campaign to warn children about the potential dangers of downloading music illegally. The campaign, which is supported by the music industry, will distribute a pocket-sized guide to schools and colleges in 21 countries. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7375621.stm Worldwide music download information campaign helps parents and teachers advise children [news release] Childnet launched today a global information campaign to explain the world of music downloading to teachers and parents worldwide. http://childnet-int.org/news/articles/290408.html US Federal Court Dents RIAA Strategy Against File-Sharers A federal judge's ruling against the Recording Industry Association of America not only represents a setback for the litigious trade group in one particular intellectual property case, but also opens a Pandora's box of technicalities that could mean a few speed bumps ahead for its legal steamroller. The case in question is Atlantic v. Howell. http://www.ecommercetimes.com/rsstory/62822.html Coldplay to give away latest single as free download Coldplay have bowed to the realities of a music business afflicted by file-sharing by announcing that their new single will be given away tomorrow as a free download. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article3832158.ece Online music services could pay royalties Time Warner's AOL unit, RealNetworks and Yahoo could stand to pay up to $100 million (50.3 million pounds) in royalties owed to thousands of songwriters and publishers, after a federal judge established a formula for determining the payments. http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKN3056366720080501 Australian musicians unite against illegal file sharing Australia's biggest musical acts are crying poor in a new documentary that seeks to discourage people from obtaining music illegally and change the public's perception that they live a high life of riches and glamour. Ironically, the 10-minute documentary, which was developed by the music industry and will be distributed for free to all high schools in Australia, has been designed so it can easily be spread virally across the file sharing websites that also hold much of the pirated music the industry is seeking to eradicate. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/04/29/1209234824947.html http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/04/29/1209234824947.html ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Chinese authorities crack down on internet use In the run-up to the Olympic Games, Chinese authorities are cracking down on certain internet users, especially on bloggers who say anything critical about the event. Ironically, other sites have been unblocked for the first time in years. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/29/2230082.htm China - The Great Firewall of China [ABC Television] There are an estimated 60 million bloggers in China and 230 million Chinese internet users, making it the fastest growing market in the world. Internationally people assume the internet is an open and uncontrollable phenomenon, but in China popular western web sites like Wikipedia, Flikr and YouTube are all restricted. http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2008/s2225682.htm Carrefour Removed From Chinese Internet According to staff from Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, the Chinese word for "Carrefour" has been screened and removed from all the major Chinese search engines. http://www.chinatechnews.com/2008/04/30/6693-carrefour-removed-from-chinese-internet/ fr: F1 chief loses bid to ban Internet sex vid [AP] A French judge said Tuesday it was not within his jurisdiction to ban an Internet video of motor racing chief Max Mosley with prostitutes but ordered the French recall of newspapers containing photos of the scene. http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/04/29/mosley.judge.ap/ Japan police tells Internet providers to remove suicide tips [AFP] The Japanese police moved Wednesday to stop a string of suicides using detergent, asking Internet providers to remove information on how to generate the deadly gas. http://news.smh.com.au/japan-police-tells-internet-providers-to-remove-suicide-tips/20080501-29uz.html http://news.theage.com.au/japan-police-tells-internet-providers-to-remove-suicide-tips/20080501-29uz.html Japanese police ask ISPs for help in reducing suicides Japanese police are apparently trying some desperate measures in order to stop a string of suicides by asking ISPs to remove information on how to carry them out. Almost 50 suicides have been attempted within the last month using a newly-popular method of extracting hydrogen sulphide out of bath salts and detergent, the instructions for which are easily found on the Internet. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080430-japanese-police-ask-isps-for-help-in-reducing-suicides.html ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ au: Schoolboy, 12, bombarded with porn videos via mobile phone Children are viewing graphic pornography, including acts of bestiality, on their mobile phones and parents appear powerless to stop them without banning their phones completely. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23614743-2,00.html http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,23615248-3462,00.html ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** Australian minister addresses APEC meeting in Bangkok [news release] The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy, today addressed the 7th APEC Telecommunications and Information Working Group Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand. ?The Australian Government is firmly committed to broadening and deepening our links in the Asia?Pacific region and APEC is one of the most important regional forums,? Senator Conroy said. ?Today I called on my APEC counterparts to support regional cooperation to make the internet a safer and more secure environment.? http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2008/028 In the UK, when does kinky porn become illegal? A bill outlawing the possession of "extreme pornography" is set to become law next week. But many fear it has been rushed through and will criminalise innocent people with a harmless taste for unconventional sex. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7364475.stm Cuba walks tightrope of reforms In a campaign that bears much similarity to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's 1980s appeal for glasnost, Cuba's President Raul Castro has been urging the public to investigate social shortcomings, denounce them and propose improvements. And in concessions to allow Cubans some access to 21st century technology, Castro's government recently announced the lifting of bans on cellphones and personal computers. http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fg-glasnost29apr29,1,1548876.story eu: State aid: Commission approves ?3.4 million public funding for broadband in Scotland [news release] The European Commission has authorised under the EC Treaty state aid rules ?3.4 million (?4.32 million) of public funding for a broadband measure in remote and rural areas of Scotland. The measure is the final step to bring affordable broadband services to all Scottish citizens. The Commission concluded that the aid is well-targeted to achieve this objective and contains adequate safeguards to ensure that Scottish citizens will enjoy the benefits of a competitive broadband market. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/668 ********************************* COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS ********************************* Can Windows XP survive its death sentence? Yes, in businesses and on what Microsoft calls "ultra low cost PCs" such as the Asus Eee PC, but probably not otherwise. Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer, visiting Belgium, prompted another round of speculation last week by quipping that XP could be given a stay of execution beyond June 30. "XP will hit an end-of-life," he said. "We have announced one. If customer feedback varies, we can always wake up smarter, but right now we have a plan for end-of-life for new XP shipments." http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/may/01/windowsxp Microsoft?s Board Meets on Yahoo Bid Microsoft?s directors met Wednesday to discuss how to proceed with the company?s attempted takeover of Yahoo, according to a person briefed on the discussions. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/technology/01soft.html Microsoft to get tough with Yahoo Wall Street expects Microsoft to enter a protracted period of "trench warfare" in its attempt to buy Yahoo after the failure of its three-month-long attempt to bring the online company's board to the negotiating table. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/apr/29/microsoft.yahootakeover Steve Ballmer ready to demand date from Yahoo! Steve Ballmer, Microsoft?s chief executive, will decide this week whether to step up his campaign against Yahoo! and is likely to nominate an alternative board of directors and demand that its target set a date for its annual meeting. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article3835110.ece No Break in the Standoff of Microsoft and Yahoo The deadline that Microsoft imposed on Yahoo to reach a negotiated merger agreement passed three days ago, and the two companies are still not talking. http://nytimes.com/2008/04/29/technology/29soft.html Schmidt says Google still scratching head over YouTube profits Google CEO Eric Schmidt likely surprised few by confirming Wednesday that his company's video-sharing powerhouse YouTube isn't quite throwing off lots of cash. http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9932778-7.html ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** UK telecom firms ready to sue over sale of airwaves Mobile phone operators are threatening legal action against Ofcom to delay September's multibillion-pound auction of phone spectrum. The operators are required to register their interest in the new spectrum in July. The industry is angry about comments last week by Ed Richards, head of Ofcom, that called for a re-think of the way they use their existing bandwidth. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/apr/28/telecoms.telecoms More than one way to beat NZ Telecom It's fair to say the regulatory reforms unleashed on the telecommunications sector over the past year or so haven't played out the way some people expected. The unbundling of the local loop - the process of opening up Telecom's copper network to competitive broadband service providers - hasn't yet been the dream opportunity many of the incumbent telco's rivals were hoping for. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=137&objectid=10507217 Australian Senate to block broadband bill Plans by the Coalition to use its senate numbers to block Labor legislation unlocking the $2 billion Communications Fund will put more pressure on Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's already tight time frame for the national broadband network tender. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23626914-5013040,00.html ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** WiMax: The next Wi-Fi? A wireless technology that Sprint Nextel plans to launch within a year makes high-speed and secure Internet access possible from almost anywhere. http://www.thestate.com/technology-wire/story/391590.html Faster Wi-Fi raises concerns for some users at Interop Higher-speed Wi-Fi in the form of 802.11n access points and related hardware began rolling out in earnest in the first quarter of this year, and the next-generation technology became an important topic at the Interop trade show this week. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9081338 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2008 --------- David Goldstein address: 4/3 Abbott Street COOGEE NSW 2034 AUSTRALIA email: Goldstein_David §yahoo.com.au phone: +61 418 228 605 (mobile); +61 2 9665 5773 (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 Get the name you always wanted with the new y7mail email address. www.yahoo7.com.au/y7mailReceived on Mon May 05 2008 - 06:00:00 UTC
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