[DNS] domain name news - April 23

From: David Goldstein <goldstein_david§yahoo.com.au> Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2009 03:07:37 -0700 (PDT) · This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Sat Sep 09 2017 - 22:00:10 UTC

Don't forget to check out http://www.auda.org.au/domain-news/ for the archive of the last 3 months of the news.

And see my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for daily updates in between postings.

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The domain name news is supported by auDA

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Verizon Voices Concerns about New Top Level Domain Names
http://domainnamewire.com/2009/04/22/verizon-voices-concerns-about-new-top-level-domain-names/

au: Bottle claims upper hand in auDA case
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/NewsStory.aspx?story=101533

Opinion: auDA recklessness damages Australian domain industry
http://www.crn.com.au/News/101356,opinion-auda-recklessness-damages-australian-domain-industry.aspx

Pentagon to Create Command Focusing on Cyber Security
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/22/AR2009042202742.html

A Pentagon Cyber-Command Is in the Works
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/22/AR2009042200029.html

New Military Command to Focus on Cybersecurity
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124035738674441033.html

Gates: Cyberattacks a constant threat
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10224637-83.html

Computer Spies Breach Fighter-Jet Project
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124027491029837401.html

Finjan finds botnet of 1.9 million infected computers
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10223716-83.html

Researchers Find Massive Botnet On Nearly 2 Million Infected Consumer, Business, Government PCs
http://www.darkreading.com/security/attacks/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=217000166

Global botnet hits Kiwis too
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10568129

Civil Liberties Groups Urge Kentucky Judges to Uphold Block on Domain Name Seizure
http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=7891

Bodog Regains Control of Bodog.com After Legal Battle
http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/bodog-regains-control-of-bodogcom-after-legal-battle-2059/

Susan Boyle: cybersquatters home in on Britain's Got Talent star
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/apr/23/susan-boyle-cybersquatters

Click fraud rate dropped in Q1 [IDG]
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/042309-click-fraud-rate-dropped-in.html

Turks hijack Kiwi MSN via DNS cracks
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/22/msn_hijacking/

nz: MSN website hacked
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/connect/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501833&objectid=10567751

Hackers hijack DNS records of high profile New Zealand sites
http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=3185

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DOMAIN NAMES
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 - ICANN
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Public Comment: Proposed IDN gTLD Constituency
The ongoing GNSO Improvements process has created significant community interest in the formation of new GNSO constituencies and several groups have stepped forward to begin the process of forming a new GNSO constituency. The ICANN Board has now received a third formal petition - from the prospective IDNgTLD Constituency. All members of the ICANN community and the public are now invited to review the petition and charter of the Consumers Constituency and share comments with the Board through 20 May 2009.
http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-21apr09-en.htm

Nomination Period Closes for 2009 Nom Com
On 15 April 2009, the nomination period closed to applicants for one of the nine open ICANN leadership positions this year. The Nominating Committee received 86 Statements of Interest from candidates worldwide during its open nomination period from 2 December 2008 to 15 April 2009. (The 2008 Nominating Committee received a comparable number of applications: 78). 71 of the 2009 candidates are men and 15 are women.
http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-21apr09-en.htm

Have an opinion on where ICANN should spend its money?
There is just over a week left on the public comment period for ICANN?s operating plan and budget for next year, and we have received only a few comments so far. We encourage you to provide your input on how the organization should spend its money in FY10.
http://blog.icann.org/2009/04/have-an-opinion-on-where-icann-should-spend-its-money/

ICA to ICANN: The IRT Must Open Up Or Be Stripped of Official Status and Support by Philip S Corwin
On April 21st the Internet Commerce Association submitted a formal request to Mr. Frank Fowlie, ICANN Ombudsman, requesting an immediate investigation of the non-compliance of the Implementation Recommendation Team (IRT) with applicable provisions of ICANN's Bylaws.
http://www.internetcommerce.org/node/179
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090422_ica_icann_implementation_recommendation_team/

Verizon Voices Concerns about New Top Level Domain Names
I?ve read dozens of comments submitted to ICANN about its new top level domain name applicant guidebook. Perhaps the most thoughtful comments in the latest round were from Verizon (NYSE: VZ), which is known in the domain community for aggressively pursuing cybersquatters.
http://domainnamewire.com/2009/04/22/verizon-voices-concerns-about-new-top-level-domain-names/

Trademark, brand wars to increase as firms protect image
What?s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. -Shakespeare: It?s the classic David and Goliath scenario. A small start-up registers a name, successfully does business for a few years, and then is challenged by a large company that lays claim to the same name.
http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14144&Itemid=5822

Global DNS SSR Recap
This past February, around 100 DNS industry experts met in Atlanta, GA for the "The Global DNS Security, Stability, & Resiliency Symposium." Organized by ICANN and hosted by Georgia Tech, this event was to strengthen personal relationships between operators and review what we know about the DNS infrastructure.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090422_global_dns_ssr_recap/

ICANN Looking to Hire Over 20 People
Domain parking revenue in the dumps? Worried that changes by ICANN will hurt the long run stability of your domain portfolio? If you can?t beat ?em, join ?em.
http://domainnamewire.com/2009/04/20/icann-looking-to-hire-over-20-people/

Israeli trademark lawyer blazes trail on internet policy
... So what's next? "There are two hot issues firing up the world of the internet now," says Shankman, who helped create the rules for allocation of domain names in Israel. Unlimited numbers of Top Level Domains: ICANN, the non-profit organization that regulates the internet, is on the brink of rolling out unlimited numbers of new TLDs.
http://www.israel21c.org/bin/en.jsp?enDispWho=Articles^l2527&enPage=BlankPage&enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=object&enVersion=0&enZone=Profiles

What New GTLDs Names Mean To Banks [sub req'd]
ICANN was formed in 1998 in order to manage and coordinate the Internet?s addressing system or the DNS.
http://ip.law360.com/registrations/user_registration?article_id=97974&concurrency_check=false

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 - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS
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au: Bottle claims upper hand in auDA case
Bottle Domains has reportedly received another ?favourable? outcome in its case against the Australian domain name regulator over .AU accreditation.
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/NewsStory.aspx?story=101533

Opinion: auDA recklessness damages Australian domain industry
The Supreme Court's decision to grant a temporary injunction against the Australian Domain Name Administrator (auDA) on behalf of Bottle Domains has thrown the domain industry into a week of instability and chaos.
http://www.crn.com.au/News/101356,opinion-auda-recklessness-damages-australian-domain-industry.aspx

Chinese Netizen Number Increased 16.2 Million In Q1 2009
... In addition, the IPv4 resources grew rapidly, reaching 180 million in 2008, the total number of domain names reached 16 million, and the number of domestic websites in China reached 2.878 million.
http://www.chinatechnews.com/2009/04/22/9614-chinese-netizen-number-increased-162-million-in-q1-2009/

DENIC, JPRS, CIRA & Others Support Development of Open Source Name Server Software BIND10
DENIC, JPRS and CIRA, the registries for Germany (.de) , Japan (.jp) and Canada (.ca) respectively, have each signed contracts with the Internet Systems Consortium (ISC: www.isc.org) agreeing to substantially contribute to the development of BIND10.
http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/04/22/denic-jprs-cira-others-support-development-of-open-source-name-server-software-bind10/
http://www.domainnews.com/en/denic-jprs-cira-others-support-development-of-open-source-name-server-software-bind10.html

CIRA contributes to development of next-generation Domain Name Server software
The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA), is investing $1 million over the next five years towards the development of BIND 10, the next leap forward in Domain Name Server (DNS) software. CIRA will also contribute development resources to this project led by the Internet Systems Consortium
http://www.cira.ca/BIND10/

DENIC supports development of open source name server software BIND10
DENIC, the registry for .de domains, has signed a contract with the Internet Systems Consortium agreeing to substantially contribute to the development of BIND10. BIND is the world?s best-known software for name servers ? the servers that translate domain names into IP addresses. The current version of BIND, version 9, has already been in use for ten years. During that time, the Internet has moved on and there have been major changes in user expectations, software technology and computer architecture. BIND10 will address a number of shortcomings of the existing design including security and resilience, and its modular structure will enable customization.
http://www.denic.de/en/denic/news/news_92.html

JPRS Participates in BIND 10 Development Project [news release]
Japan Registry Services Co., Ltd., the company responsible for management and administration of .JP top-level domain and overall management and operation of the JP Domain Name System (JP DNS), announced today that it would participate in the BIND 10 development project. BIND 10 is the next version of DNS software to be launched by Internet Systems Consortium, Inc.
http://jprs.co.jp/en/press/20090422-e.html

Steady growth in the number of .nl domain names in 2008
SIDN, the .nl registry, saw its portfolio of domain names grow by 495,673 in 2008. The 18 per cent net increase in the number of registered .nl domain names brought the year-end total to 3,191,127. These figures were reported in SIDN?s annual report for 2008.
http://www.sidn.nl/ace.php/c,728,6050,,,,Steady_growth_in_the_number_of_nl_domain_names_in_2008.html

BRS Media Announces Plans for .Radio TLD
BRS Media, a San Francisco-based media e-commerce firm, has announced their plans to apply for the gTLD dotRadio that they are aiming to be positioned as the new multimedia domain for the on air and online community.
http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/04/20/brs-media-announces-plans-for-radio-tld/
http://www.domainnews.com/en/brs-media-announces-plans-for-.radio-tld.html

How to Use .tel to Get a Girl?s Attention
We?ve seen a few interesting virals surface as of late, but this one takes a stab at giving out the kind of most sought after- dating advice.
http://www.gaj-it.com/9087/sponsored-how-to-use-tel-to-get-a-girls-attention/

uk: Nominet governance review questions not-for-profit status
A major review of Nominet's governance has asked members to consider whether it should give up its not-for-profit status. The suggestion will be taken by some Nominet members as confirmation of their long-held suspicions that the firm was being steered towards a share offering.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/21/nominet_garratt/

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 - DNS SECURITY
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Pentagon to Create Command Focusing on Cyber Security
A spokesman for Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates confirmed today that the Pentagon plans to reorganize itself to confront the "persistent and growing" problem of cyber attacks, creating a new command focused on protecting military computer networks and fielding new offensive cyber-warfare weapons.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/22/AR2009042202742.html

A Pentagon Cyber-Command Is in the Works
The Obama administration is finalizing plans for a new Pentagon command to coordinate the security of military computer networks and to develop new offensive cyber-weapons, sources said last night.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/22/AR2009042200029.html

New Military Command to Focus on Cybersecurity
The Obama administration plans to create a new military command to coordinate the defense of Pentagon computer networks and improve U.S. offensive capabilities in cyberwarfare, according to current and former officials familiar with the plans.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124035738674441033.html

US ramps up cybersecurity focus
The White House should take direct control of US cybersecurity, the woman tipped to be President Obama's net security Czar has said. Melissa Hathaway told a conference in San Francisco that the net had not been built with safety in mind.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8011380.stm

We don't want to run U.S. cybersecurity efforts, NSA chief says
The director of the National Security Agency (NSA) today downplayed widespread concerns about his agency's growing role in national cybersecurity affairs.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9131933

NSA chief downplays cybersecurity power grab reports
The director of the National Security Agency on Tuesday downplayed reports of the NSA's attempt to wrest control of cybersecurity responsibilities from rival federal agencies.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10224579-38.html

Why the Top U.S. Cyber Official is Losing Sleep
The United States' top cybersecurity official already knew the world's digital infrastructure needed help before she took on a 60-day cyberspace policy review. With the review now complete, she admits the gravity of the situation seeps into her dreams and disturbs her sleep.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/042309-why-the-top-us-cyber.html

Gates: Cyberattacks a constant threat
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday that the United States is "under cyberattack virtually all the time, every day" and that the Defense Department plans to more than quadruple the number of cyber experts it employs to ward off such attacks.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10224637-83.html
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/security/0,39044215,62053433,00.htm
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/security/0,1000000189,39643172,00.htm

Computer Spies Breach Fighter-Jet Project
Computer spies have broken into the Pentagon's $300 billion Joint Strike Fighter project -- the Defense Department's costliest weapons program ever -- according to current and former government officials familiar with the attacks.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124027491029837401.html

Hackers breach defences of joint strike fighter jet programme
Computer hackers have breached the cyber defences of an advanced US fighter jet programme, stealing data on the plane's design and electronics systems.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/21/hackers-us-fighter-jet-strike

Lockheed fends off Chinese hack attack
US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin has dismissed claims that Chinese computer spies hacked into top-secret files containing information on the $500 billion Joint Strike Fighter program.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25373608-15306,00.html

Chinese hackers steal JSF secrets
Chinese computer spies are suspected of having cracked the Pentagon's $500 billion Joint Strike Fighter program, accessing top-secret files containing details of the aircraft's stealth design and electronics.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25368297-31477,00.html

Finjan finds botnet of 1.9 million infected computers
Security firm Finjan has uncovered what it says is one of the largest bot networks controlled by a single cybergang, with 1.9 million infected zombie computers.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10223716-83.html
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/security/0,39044215,62053497,00.htm
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/security/0,1000000189,39643173,00.htm

Researchers Find Massive Botnet On Nearly 2 Million Infected Consumer, Business, Government PCs
Researchers have discovered a major botnet operating out of the Ukraine that has infected 1.9 million machines, including large corporate and government PCs mainly in the U.S.
http://www.darkreading.com/security/attacks/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=217000166

Hackers hijack 1.9 million computers worldwide
A gang of hackers which has hijacked 1.9 million computers around the world is being hunted by the Metropolitan Police and the FBI.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/5198275/Hackers-hijack-1.9-million-computers-worldwide.html

Botnet 'ensnares government PCs'
Almost two million PCs globally, including machines inside UK and US government departments, have been taken over by malicious hackers.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8010729.stm

Botnet expert suggests hitting cybercriminals in pocket book
Technology is not enough to help the security industry keep botnets from stealing peoples' money and committing denial-of-service attacks, a top botnet researcher said on Wednesday. His suggestion? Stop the flow of money to their coffers.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10225454-83.html

Global botnet hits Kiwis too
At least 10,000 New Zealand computers have been taken over by malicious hackers, who are already selling sensitive information online.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10568129

Call to rally against cyber crime
Security professionals are being called on to band together to fight the highly organised cyber criminals of the world. The call was made at a San Francisco conference organised by security firm RSA - the largest event of its kind.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8011160.stm

Russia Web Firm Negotiates Autonomy
Russia's most prominent Web player, Yandex NV, is in discussions to give a state company veto power over changes in its ownership while ensuring independence in other areas, amid growing Kremlin calls for more control over major local Internet companies.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124034976448440479.html

More co-operation among providers and policy makers is called for at national and pan European level to enhance the resilience of public communication networks [news release]
EU Agency ENISA presents the first ever EU wide analysis report of National Policy and Regulatory environment on resilience of public communications networks. The report analyses rules, policies and practices, which EU member States and EFTA countries develop and deploy, in order to enhance the resilience of communication networks. It provides high level and context specific recommendations to both policy and decision makers. The report concludes with a list of identified good practices. The study was done in the context of ENISA?s program on Resilience of public communication networks.
http://enisa.europa.eu/pages/02_01_press_2009_04_22_resilience_policies.html

Are We Already Losing the Cyber War?
Wouldn't it be great to read on Xinhua, the Chinese news agency, reports that American cyber spies have penetrated the Chinese electric grid and may have left software behind that would allow Washington to plunge the People's Republic into darkness?
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/163610/.html

Cyber spying a threat, and everyone is in on it
Ghost hackers infiltrating the computers of Tibetan exiles and the U.S. electric grid have pulled the curtain back on 21st-century espionage as nefarious as anything from the Cold War ? and far more difficult to stop.
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090423/GJLIFESTYLES/904109868/-1/FOSLIFESTYLES

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 - DOMAIN DISPUTES
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EFF Urges Kentucky Judges to Uphold Block on Domain Name Seizure [news release]
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), and the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky (ACLU of Kentucky) on Friday urged the Kentucky Supreme Court to uphold an appeals court ruling that blocked state officials from ordering out-of-state registrars to turn over control of over 100 overseas Internet domain names accused of violating state gambling laws.
http://www.eff.org/press/archives/2009/04/20

Civil Liberties Groups Urge Kentucky Judges to Uphold Block on Domain Name Seizure
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), and the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky (ACLU of Kentucky) on Friday urged the Kentucky Supreme Court to uphold an appeals court ruling that blocked state officials from ordering out-of-state registrars to turn over control of over 100 overseas domain names accused of violating state gambling laws.
http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=7891
http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/04/21/civil-liberties-groups-urge-kentucky-judges-to-uphold-block-on-domain-name-seizure/

Kentucky Supreme Court Addressed by ICA
The Internet Commerce Association (ICA) today joined in a Friend-of-the-Court brief filed with the Kentucky Supreme Court urging it to uphold the decision of the Court of Appeals that domain names are not ?gambling devices? subject to seizure under Kentucky law.
http://www.webhostdir.com/news/showNews.aspx?ID=32081

EFF Urges Kentucky Judges to Uphold Block on Domain Name Seizure
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), and the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky (ACLU of Kentucky) on Friday urged the Kentucky Supreme Court to uphold an appeals court ruling that blocked state officials from ordering out-of-state registrars to turn over control of over 100 overseas Internet domain names accused of violating state gambling laws.
http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/35448/

Bodog Regains Control of Bodog.com After Legal Battle
In breaking news, Bodog has assumed ownership of its original domain name, Bodog.com. The change came as a result of the popular online sports book, casino, and poker room settling a patent infringement lawsuit with 1st Technology, LLC.
http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/bodog-regains-control-of-bodogcom-after-legal-battle-2059/

Bodog Regains Control of Bodog.com Following Lengthy Legal Battle
The online poker website Bodog has won back control of the domain name bodog.com, assuming control of the domain name as a result of settling a longstanding dispute dating back to August 2007 with 1st Technology, LLC.
http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/04/21/bodog-regains-control-of-bodogcom-following-lengthy-legal-battle/

Goldman Sachs threatens blogger over demonic domain name
A blogger has taken legal action to defend his right to criticise bailed-out investment bank Goldman Sachs. The bank has threatened to sue over trade mark infringement, but the blogger has launched his own legal campaign to defend himself.
http://out-law.com/default.aspx?page=9944

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 - MISCELLANEOUS
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Susan Boyle: cybersquatters home in on Britain's Got Talent star
The phenomenal popularity of Susan Boyle has led to dozens of websites being set up by fans and cybersquatters looking to cash in on the global interest in the Britain's Got Talent star.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/apr/23/susan-boyle-cybersquatters

Click fraud rate dropped in Q1 [IDG]
Click fraud, a scam based on the highly profitable search advertising business, dipped in the first quarter after hitting an all-time high in the last three months of 2008.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/042309-click-fraud-rate-dropped-in.html
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/163683/.html
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9131999

Companies must take e-mail authentication seriously to protect brands and domains
Many e-commerce and multichannel retailers need to go to greater lengths to pre?vent deceptive e-mail and phishing scams, according to industry group the Online Trust Alliance (OTA).
http://www.dmnews.com/Companies-must-take-e-mail-authentication-seriously-to-protect-brands-and-domains/article/130754/

Turks hijack Kiwi MSN via DNS cracks
The New Zealand version of Microsoft's MSN website was briefly hijacked after attackers penetrated that country's prominent domain name registrar. Websites for Sony, BitDefender, and HSBC were also commandeered.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/22/msn_hijacking/

nz: MSN website hacked
Visitors to the msn.co.nz website are being re-directed to a site that includes a photograph of Microsoft boss Bill Gates with pie on his face. The site usually carries news stories. However hackers have changed the name servers which means that visitors to the site are redirected to the hackers' website.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/connect/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501833&objectid=10567751

Hackers hijack DNS records of high profile New Zealand sites
Remember the DNS hijackings of such high profile sites such as Comcast, Photobucket, and ICANN/IANA domains that were taking place last year? Similar incidents are still happening. Today, a web site defacement group known as ?The Peace Crew? has successfully hijacked the DNS records for high profile New Zealand web sites, through what Zone-H claims to be a SQL injection at New Zealand?s based registrar Domainz.net, in order to redirect the visitors to a defaced page featuring the infamous Bill Gates pieing photo, as well as anti-war messages.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=3185

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 - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET
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Exclusive: Why ABCsearch Bought Advertise.com Domain
On Friday Domain Name Wire reported that ABCsearch had purchased Advertise.com and was rebranding. I asked ABCsearch CEO Daniel Yomtobian why his company made such a bold move. The answer is music to the ears of domain owners who have been preaching the value of a quality, category-killer domain name over the past decade. Yomtobian definitely ?gets it?.
http://domainnamewire.com/2009/04/20/exclusive-why-abcsearch-bought-advertisecom-domain/

Yahoo Posts 78% Profit Drop, Cuts Jobs
Yahoo Inc. posted a 78% quarterly profit decline as the recession hit its slumping advertising business and the Internet company said it would eliminate about 675 more jobs, or 5% of its work force.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124034487471340099.html

Xtra Parking Announces Keyword Optimisation Platform
Xtra Parking has announced they have designed an advanced service called KeyRPM to enhance existing parking program accounts with the aim of maximising revenue.
http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/04/22/xtra-parking-announces-keyword-optimisation-platform/
http://www.domainnews.com/en/xtra-parking-announces-keyword-optimisation-platform.html

US advertising famine ravages New York Times and Yahoo profits
The publisher of the New York Times and the internet portal Yahoo both revealed plunging profits yesterday as the worst slump for decades in advertising spend by recession-hit US companies hit old and new media alike.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/apr/21/new-york-times-company-ad-slump

Rick Latona?s Live Domain Name Auction List Released
Rick Latona Auctions has released its list of domain names for next week?s live domain name auction at TRAFFIC Silicon Valley.
http://domainnamewire.com/2009/04/22/rick-latonas-live-domain-name-auction-list-released/

Sedo's Spanish Themed Auction is coming - Huge opportunity for "lo mejor de dominios"
Sangria, Flamenco and Siesta ? for many people these terms conjures up images of Spain. At Sedo these names remind us of the rapidly growing Spanish domain name market that grew by a staggering 30% in 2008 compared to the previous year.
http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=2372

Domainer's Magazine Now Available on Kindle
Domainer's Magazine has announced it is now available via the Kindle ebook reader, one of 27 magazines to be available for the Kindle via Amazon.com.
http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/04/22/domainers-magazine-now-available-on-kindle/
http://www.domainnews.com/en/domainer-s-magazine-now-available-on-kindle.html

Sedo Sells LiveStream.com for $100,000
Sedo has brokered the sale of LiveStream.com for $100,000. The seller was Control Room Technologies of Lansing, Michigan. The buyer is using whois privacy protection to protect his identity.
http://domainnamewire.com/2009/04/21/sedo-sells-livestreamcom-for-100000/

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INTERNET USE
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Internet has only just begun, say founders [AFP]
While the internet has dramatically changed lives around the world, its full impact will only be realised when far more people and information go online, its founders said on Wednesday.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/technology/web/2009/04/23/1240079767277.html
http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/web/2009/04/23/1240079767277.html

Calls for study into effect of computer games on children's brains
The leading neuroscientist and director of the Royal Institution, Lady Greenfield, will today call for ministers to fund a study into the impact of repeated use of computer games and social network sites on the development of children's brains.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/apr/22/games-children-study

Google rolls out search changes
Google has launched two experimental products it hopes will change the way users search for pictures and news. A feature known as Similar Images uses a picture rather than text to find other matching images.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8009400.stm

Google News, and More, on a Timeline
Google on Monday unveiled a new experimental product called Google News Timeline that displays news and related search results on an interactive timeline. It offers interesting possibilities for exploring stories, especially older ones, that are largely hidden in newspaper and magazine archives. It is also a powerful way to view trends in culture and society or the careers of famous people.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/20/google-news-and-more-on-a-timeline/

Google gives users control over their searchable life
Come on. Admit it. You've searched for your own name on Google. Likely, you've done it way more than once or twice.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9131938

Why did Google create News Timeline and not newspapers?
Google Labs has launched News Timeline that allows internet users to search news by date. Why have so few news organisations launched an innovative services like this?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2009/apr/21/google-newspapers

Google?s Black-Box Social Network
Google wants to conquer the social networking world without creating an explicit social network.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/googles-black-box-social-network/

The Cost of Downloading All Those Videos
In an article in today?s New York Times, I wrote about the controversy over the now-abandoned plan by Time Warner Cable to impose additional fees on customers who upload and download more than a set quota.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/20/the-cost-of-downloading-all-those-videos/

As Costs Fall, Companies Push to Raise Internet Price
Internet service providers want to end the all-you-can-eat plans and get their customers paying ? la carte. But they are having a hard time closing the buffet line.
http://nytimes.com/2009/04/20/business/20isp.html

Fears over web health revolution
Concerns have been raised about the use of the internet and new technologies to revolutionise health care. There has been a rise in the use of online drug sales and private DNA tests and scans in recent years, says the Nuffield Council on Bioethics.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8008361.stm

Internet leading to cultural 'black hole'
Australia is in danger of losing its cultural heritage and much of its recent history if ephemeral material on the web isn't archived for future generations, the National Library of Australia has warned.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/04/20/1240079578676.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2009/04/20/1240079578676.html

Online slacking not all bad - study [The Press]
Employee cyberloafing - using work internet for personal use - may be good for the economy, a new study shows. Massey University PhD student Andrea Polzer-Debruyne surveyed 300 people from around the world about how internet use had changed their work and personal boundaries.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2348678/Online-slacking-not-all-bad-study

Microsoft delivers a vision of hope
Online social networking sites and digitised libraries have become important sources of modern information, but until now they have been inaccessible to the 300,000 Australians who are blind or who have low vision.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25368314-5013404,00.html

Yahoo Posts 78% Profit Drop, Cuts Jobs
Yahoo Inc. posted a 78% quarterly profit decline as the recession hit its slumping advertising business and the Internet company said it would eliminate about 675 more jobs, or 5% of its work force.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124034487471340099.html

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SOCIAL NETWORKING
**********************
Facebook Users -- and Research -- Need Further Study - Good News: The Social-Networking Site Likely Doesn't Cause Poor Grades. Bad News: Students Achieve Them on Their Own
College students who have defriended Facebook after news broke of a link between the social-network site and lower grades, or younger users whose parents have made them, can rest easy. The grade numbers arise from a study that is preliminary -- so much so that it cries out for further study even more than many other pilot experiments.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124034974305240495.html

Facebook and MySpace users 'fed up with spam marketing messages'
Almost a third of users of social networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace are fed up with receiving requests to join online groups or try new applications, according to a study.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/apr/21/facebook-users-marketing

First steps in the online world: Growing numbers of children are using social networking sites; but can they ever be safe?
Social networking websites, particularly those popular with children and young people, are frequently on the receiving end of criticism. When a Lincolnshire schoolgirl ran away to France with a 49-year-old man in January, reports soon began to circulate that they had met on Facebook and MSN messenger.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/apr/21/schools-child-protection

To Nonprofits Seeking Cash, Facebook App Isn't So Green - Though Popular, 'Causes' Ineffective for Fundraising
It seems foolproof: nonprofits using the power of the Internet to raise money through a clever Facebook application. After all, the Web earned gobs of cash for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. And besides, going online means sending fewer fundraising letters, which makes it appealing to penny-pinchers and environmentalists alike.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/21/AR2009042103786.html

Ignore Twitter? Major brands learn they'd better respond -- and quick
Separate incidents involving CNN, Amazon and Domino's Pizza reveal that fluency in the evolving language of digital public relations comes easier to some companies than others.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-twitter20-2009apr20,0,2701874.story

Second Life cracks whip on adult content
Virtual world Second Life has put in effect some new measures to keep adult content away from users who might not want to run into it. Or fly into it, as avatars might do.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10224636-36.html

Linden Lab will rate parts of Second Life adults only [IDG]
Inhabitants of Second Life, the virtual world run by Linden Lab, will soon have new options to customize how they see the world. The first will be the ability to filter adult content, Linden Lab said on Wednesday.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/042209-linden-lab-will-rate-parts.html
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/163599/.html
http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/300339/

MySpace Founders Pushed Aside
News Corp. is in discussions with former Facebook Chief Operating Officer Owen Van Natta to head its MySpace social networking business, according to people familiar with the situation.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124043324710044929.html

Telstra sets staff rules on social media sites
Australian telecoms group Telstra has been forced to rush out guidelines that instruct its more than 35,000 employees on how they should conduct themselves when using social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d8734dfc-2dca-11de-9eba-00144feabdc0.html

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES
**********************
One in ten computer gamers are 'pathologically addicted'
Nearly one in 10 American children who play computer games are pathologically addicted, according to new research. Some young gamers show at least six symptoms of gambling addiction, such as lying to family and friends about how much they play games, using the games to escape their problems and becoming restless or irritable when they stop playing. They may also skip homework to play games or spend too much time playing and do poorly in school, the study shows.
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/gadgets_and_gaming/article6139935.ece

Study Finds Some Youths 'Addicted' to Video Games
A new study concludes that children can become addicted to playing video games, with some skimping on homework, lying about how much they play and struggling, without success, when they try to cut back.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/19/AR2009041902350.html

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CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION
************************************************
German cabinet backs new law against child porn
The German cabinet backed a new draft law Wednesday that would make it harder to access child pornography online and easier to prosecute those who use it.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE53L3PF20090422

A Lawyer, Some Teens and a Fight Over 'Sexting'
Revealing Images Sent Via Cellphones Prompt District Attorney to Offer Seminars but Threaten Felony Charges: The group of anxious parents crowded around District Attorney George Skumanick Jr. as he sat behind a table in a courtroom here and presented them with an ultimatum.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124026115528336397.html

Internet pornography: naked bodies are cheaper than ever before
It is estimated that about 25% of total search engine requests are porn-related. Accessing x-rated material on the Internet is the fastest and most anonymous way to watch porn. Nowadays, it has also become very cheap. With the introduction of numerous free websites and torrents, the cost of online pornography significantly decreased.
http://ecommerce-journal.com/articles/14792_internet_pornography_naked_bodies_are_cheaper_than_ever_before

The European Framework for Safer Mobile Use- Pricewaterhouse Coopers implementation report
Two years on from the introduction of the European Framework for Safer Mobile Use by Younger Teenagers and Children, Pricewaterhouse Coopers published a report summarising the status of its implementation in the EU. The report shows that the Framework has been transposed into codes of conduct in 22 EU Member States and that mobile operator signatories have taken substantial action to implement these codes alongside other voluntary activities. Consequently around 580 million mobile customers, representing 96% of all EU mobile subscriptions, currently benefit from the self-regulatory initiative.
http://gsmeurope.org/documents/PwC_Implementation_Report.pdf

au: Optus joins internet filter trial
Australia's second largest internet service provider, Optus, has agreed to take part in the Federal Government's internet filtering trial.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/22/2549860.htm

Optus to participate in ISP filtering pilot [news release]
The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today announced that Optus will participate in the Australian Government's Internet Service Provider (ISP) filtering pilot.
http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2009/027

Optus says yes to filtering trial
After months of negotiation, Australia's second-largest internet provider, Optus, has finally agreed to participate in the federal Government's live ISP internet filtering trial.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,,25370155-15319,00.html

Optus says 'yes' to internet filter plan
Optus customers in Sydney and Newcastle will be asked to take part in the Federal Government's controversial test of internet filters.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/04/22/1240079731058.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2009/04/22/1240079731058.html
http://www.watoday.com.au/technology/optus-says-yes-to-internet-filter-plan-20090423-afqj.html
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/technology/optus-says-yes-to-internet-filter-plan-20090423-aft9.html

Optus joins internet filtering trial
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's controversial plans to block banned internet sites at the internet service provider level have been aided by Australia's second-largest ISP, Optus, which has agreed to take part in a trial.
http://business.theage.com.au/business/optus-joins-internet-filtering-trial-20090422-afdz.html
http://business.watoday.com.au/business/optus-joins-internet-filtering-trial-20090422-afdz.html

Optus joins internet filtering trial
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has announced that Optus will be taking part in the government's internet server provider (ISP) filtering trial.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Optus-joins-internet-filtering-trial-/0,130061791,339296083,00.htm

Optus joins ISP net filter trials
Optus has won a place in the second round of the Federal Government?s controversial internet filtering trials, whilst Telstra will now also conduct non consumer-facing technical tests of filtering technology.
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/NewsStory.aspx?story=101538

Optus puts hands up for ISP filtering pilot
Senator Stephen Conroy, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has confirmed Optus will participate in its Internet Service Provider (ISP) filtering pilot.
http://www.crn.com.au/News/101620,optus-puts-hands-up-for-isp-filtering-pilot.aspx

Optus joins govt internet filter trial
Australia's second largest internet service provider, Optus, has agreed to participate in the government's internet filtering pilot.
http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Optus-joins-govt-internet-filter-trial-pd20090422-RC8SK

Analyst: Optus' Internet filter participation shocking and disappointing
A leading telco analyst has expressed surprise and disappointment at Optus? decision to join the Federal Government?s controversial Internet filtering trial.
http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/300333/
http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/300333/
http://computerworld.com.au/article/300333/
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/042209-analyst-optus-internet-filter-participation.html

Optus joins Federal Government's contentious Internet filter trial
Optus has announced it will participate in the Federal Government?s contentious Internet filtering trial.
http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/300325/
http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/300325/
http://computerworld.com.au/article/300325/
http://techworld.com.au/article/300325/
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/042209-optus-flags-participation-in-net.html

Opposition, Xenophon unswayed by Optus support for filter trials
Optus? decision to join the Federal Government's controversial Internet filtering trial has been shrugged off by the Opposition and independent, Nick Xenophon.
http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/300478/
http://computerworld.com.au/article/300478/

Optus joins filtering trial
Optus has joined the federal government's Internet filter trial, after being initially excluded.
http://whirlpool.net.au/news/?id=1845

Optus Now Taking Part In The Government's Internet Filter Trial
We laughed when the original six ISPs were announced to trial the Government's ISP-level internet filtering scheme - aside from iPrimus, we'd never heard of any of them. Well, yesterday the Government added a seventh ISP to the trial, and this time it's a biggie. Optus will be taking part in the trial from May 22.
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2009/04/optus_now_taking_part_in_the_governments_internet_filter_trial.html

Optus enters Government internet filtering trials
Australia's second-largest internet service provider has announced that it will take part in the Government's trials of its mandatory filtering system.
http://www.smartcompany.com.au/internet/20090423-optus-enters-government-internet-filtering-trials.html

Australia ISP Agrees To Help Government Filter Internet
Optus, the second largest Internet Service Provider in Australia, has given the federal government's controversial plan to filter Internet content a boost by agreeing to take part in a six week trial of the scheme.
http://www.recentpoker.com/news/optus-2620.html

Big boost for Aussie firewall
The controversial Great Aussie Firewall got a big boost yesterday when Australia's second largest ISP Optus agreed to join the pilot.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/23/aussie_firewall_boost/

Optus to participate in ISP filtering pilot [sub req'd]
Australian operator Optus will participate in the Australian government's ISP filtering pilot. Optus joins seven other ISPs participating in the pilot, including Primus Telecommunications, Highway 1, Nelson Bay Online, Netforce, OMNIconnect, Tech 2U...
http://www.telecompaper.com/news/

uk: Thousands of kids seek help over cyberbullying
Nearly 10,000 children each week are seeking help to cope with cyberbullying, figures reveal today. The schoolkids are turning to a support website for advice after being subjected to abusive mobile phone texts and emails.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/04/22/thousands-of-kids-seek-help-over-cyberbullying-115875-21295822/

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ONLINE TV & MUSIC
**********************
EU Telecoms Law Reforms Blocked by Dispute Over Net Access [IDG]
European Union lawmakers failed to overcome the last remaining obstacle to a broad reform of the E.U.'s telecommunications laws late Tuesday, when a committee of the European Parliament rejected a compromise on the issue of how to deal with Internet piracy.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/163600/.html

European Plan to Fight Illegal Downloads Faces Opposition
The governing party of President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, scrambling to save a national law that would cut off Internet service to those who make repeated illegal downloads, is threatening to block a European Union telecommunications bill that would undermine the legal foundation of the French plan.
http://nytimes.com/2009/04/21/technology/internet/21net.html

EU states, lawmakers on Internet collision course
European Union states headed for a collision course with the bloc's parliament on Tuesday as a spat over how to tackle illegal downloads threatened a wider telecom reform.
http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-39162420090421
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE53K36I20090421

Eurocrats, MEPs clash on telecoms reform to flush out pirates
The European Parliament and its member states are reportedly on a ?collision course? over tackling online piracy, after the two parties failed to agree on a final sticking point in a massive reform of the telecoms industry.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/22/eurocrats_meps_clash_on_telecoms_reform/

Activists rally troops against proposed EU 'Net regulations
As the EU's major telecoms reform package makes its way through the European Commission, agreement is getting harder to come by, and groups that advocate in favor of unfettered consumer access are mobilizing opposition.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/04/european-telecom-negotiations-bog-down-as-activists-mobilize.ars

EU Tackles Piracy and ISP's Rights to Cut Off Users [Reuters]
European Union states headed for a collision course with the bloc's parliament on Tuesday as a spat over how to tackle illegal downloads threatened a wider telecom reform.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2345703,00.asp

Study: pirates biggest music buyers. Labels: yeah, right
Those who download illegal copies of music over P2P networks are the biggest consumers of legal music options, according to a new study by the BI Norwegian School of Management. Researchers examined the music downloading habits of more than 1,900 Internet users over the age of 15, and found that illegal music connoisseurs are significantly more likely to purchase music than the average, non-P2P-loving user.
http://arstechnica.com/media/news/2009/04/study-pirates-buy-tons-more-music-than-average-folks.ars

Global music sales down 8 percent in 2008
Global recorded music sales fell by more than 8 percent in 2008 to $18.42 billion (12.56 billion pounds) led by a sharp drop-off in sales in the United States, according to the world music trade body IFPI.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE53K5WH20090421

Sorting out the Pirate Bay verdict
In the aftermath of the Pirate Bay trial, many Swedish law experts say they consider Friday's high-profile guilty verdict severe but fair. Very few had predicted the verdict before it was handed out.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10224201-93.html
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/security/0,39044215,62053433,00.htm

Paul McCartney: Pirate Bay verdict is 'fair'
Singer Paul McCartney has voiced his support for the verdict rendered in The Pirate Bay trial. "If you get on a bus you've got to pay," the former Beatle told the BBC. "And I think it's fair, you should pay your ticket."
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10223914-93.html

Pirate Bay says appeal is filed
Days after four defendants in the high-profile Pirate Bay case were found guilty of violating copyright law, the Web site implored fans to stay calm, not to send donations, and to stay united.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10223683-93.html
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/internet/0,39044908,62053382,00.htm
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/0,1000000097,39642688,00.htm

IWF denies wielding Pirate Bay banhammer
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has denied involvement in blocking the Pirate Bay BitTorrent tracker site, after BT mobile broadband users were told they had fallen foul of a filter against "over 18 sites".
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/21/iwf_pirate_bay/

Adobe in Push to Spread Web Video to TV Sets
The denizens of Hollywood and Silicon Valley have, by and large, vastly different value systems, role models, even tastes in cars, food and clothing. But they increasingly agree on one thing: a standard for online video called Adobe Flash.
http://nytimes.com/2009/04/20/technology/20adobe.html

LimeWire targeted in US filesharing investigation
A House committee is reopening its investigation of internet services that let computer users distribute music and movies online amid reports the same software was exploited to gain unauthorised access to government and private data.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10568009

BBC iPlayer goes high definition
The BBC's iPlayer is to start offering high definition (HD) streams and downloads of some programmes. It will mean improved picture quality on streams to web browsers.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8008886.stm

BBC iPlayer goes high definition
Selected programmes will soon be available on the BBC's iPlayer online on-demand TV service in high-definition (HD) form.
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/0,1000000097,39642650,00.htm

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MOBILE/WIRELESS
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Number of new global mobile subscribers drops 15%
The most recent snapshot of the global telecoms industry has dialled up some bad numbers for managers at Vodafone and other mobile phone operators. Figures compiled by Informa Telecoms & Media, a London-based telecoms industry consultancy, show that the number of net new mobile phone subscribers in the world fell sharply in the fourth quarter of 2008 and the growth of mobile data revenues stalled for the first time.
http://www.theherald.co.uk/business/news/display.var.2503025.0.Number_of_new_mobile_subscribers_drops_15.php

Cost of roaming texts, calls and data services to plummet from 1 July [news release]
A text message sent from abroad in the EU will cost no more than ?0.11 as of 1 July, instead of ?0.28 today. The times where consumers had to expect "bill shocks" for downloading a picture or a movie with a mobile phone while roaming in the EU are over. The European Parliament, in its plenary session in Strasbourg, today voted by a large majority in favour of new EU rules on SMS and data roaming, proposed by the European Commission in September 2008.
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/620

EU set to adopt new mobile price curbs
It will be up to 60 percent cheaper to send mobile phone text messages while travelling in the European Union or surf the Web by laptop under price curbs to be adopted by the bloc's assembly on Wednesday.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE53L1IT20090422
http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-39179020090422

EU Parliament Caps Text Roaming Charges
The European Parliament on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved the first price controls on cross-border text messaging, cutting current costs by 60 percent starting this summer.
http://nytimes.com/2009/04/23/technology/23roam.html

EU debates new mobile price caps
New price caps for mobile phone use abroad are expected to be adopted by the European Parliament. For the first time text messages and data roaming services, such as checking e-mails while abroad, will be included in EU-wide price caps.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8010352.stm

India adds record 15.6 million mobile users in March
Indian mobile operators added a record 15.64 million customers in March, helped by the expansion of networks to smaller towns and rural areas, data from the telecoms regulator showed.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE53L0SF20090422

China Mobile's Net Rises
China Mobile Ltd. warned that subscriber growth is slowing as the company posted a 5.2% increase in first-quarter net profit. Meanwhile, China Telecom Corp.'s profit fell 27% as consumers switched from its fixed-line business to mobile phones.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124024820231135593.html

China Mobile Users, Music Downloads Set New Records [IDG]
More Chinese than ever have mobile phones and are using them to download music and send multimedia text messages, although revenue per user fell at China's largest carrier in the first quarter.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/163483/.html

Commission calls on mobile operators to continue to improve child safety policies [news release]
50% of 10 year-old, 87% of 13 year-old and 95% of 16 year-old children in the EU have a mobile phone, but half of European parents worry mobile phone use might expose their children to sexually and violently explicit images (51%) or bullying by other children (49%), according to a survey. The European Commission today called on mobile operators to do more to keep children safe while using mobile phones by putting in place all the measures in the voluntary code of conduct, signed by 26 mobile operators in 2007. A report just published by the GSM Association, the trade body of the mobile phone industry, showed that national self-regulatory codes based on the framework agreement brokered by the European Commission now exist in 22 Member States, 90% of them in line with the 2007 agreement, and 80% of operators have put in place measures to control child access to adult content.
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/596

Half of European 10 year olds now mobile connected
Half of 10 year old kids in the EU have mobile phones, a figure that rises to 95 per cent once they get to 16, but parents still reckon their kids aren't being protected from inappropriate content.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/21/eu_kids_mobile/

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SPAM
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au: SPAM A LOT - SMS Marketing, SPAM And Recent ACMA Activity
The popularity of SMS (or texting) continues to grow. With that, many businesses are using SMS to send regular communications to their customers, including account balance updates, appointment reminders and alerts about new products or services. However, while businesses may be aware of the potential benefits that SMS can deliver, they may not be so certain about the legal regulation surrounding commercial SMS communications.
http://mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=77920

One bot-infected PC = 600,000 spam messages a day
Some bot-infected PCs can crank out as many as 25,000 spam messages per hour, new research released today claimed.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9131984
http://computerworld.com.au/article/300411/
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/042209-one-bot-infected-pc--600000.html
http://www.techworld.com/news/index.cfm?NewsID=114788

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ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL
**************************
Tech giants to pay Aust science agency, CSIRO, $1 billion
Australia's top science agency has walloped some of the world's biggest industrial giants in the US patent courts to bring the country a pay check worth up to $1 billion over the next five to 10 years.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25370534-15306,00.html

Bonanza for CSIRO after landmark patent win
The CSIRO has won a long legal battle with the some of the world's leading technology companies in an outcome that will give a substantial financial windfall to Australia's peak scientific body.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/04/22/1240079730838.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2009/04/22/1240079730838.html

CSIRO settles wireless battle
The Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organisation (CSIRO) has settled its wireless technology patent battle out of court against some of the world?s technology giants, and plans to use the financial windfall to fund new research.
http://computerworld.com.au/article/300310/

Australian courts use social networking sites as evidence
Constable Robert Hogan claimed he was just playing around outside a nightclub when an off-duty military commando bit his face so hard that he drew blood and a five-centimetre gash.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/04/20/1240079605140.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2009/04/20/1240079605140.html
http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2349621/Facebook-legal-traps-for-the-unwary

Nine Network loses online copyright case
An online start-up company with 15 staff has triumphed over the might of the Nine Network in a three-year legal battle that made it all the way to Australia's High Court - and forced workers to watch the Nine Network 24 hours a day.
http://smallbusiness.smh.com.au/managing/technology/nine-network-loses-online-copyright-case-620428236.html
http://smallbusiness.theage.com.au/managing/technology/nine-network-loses-online-copyright-case-620428236.html

Pentagon to Create Command Focusing on Cyber Security
A spokesman for Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates confirmed today that the Pentagon plans to reorganize itself to confront the "persistent and growing" problem of cyber attacks, creating a new command focused on protecting military computer networks and fielding new offensive cyber-warfare weapons.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/22/AR2009042202742.html