[DNS] domain name news - 30 April

From: David Goldstein <goldstein_david§yahoo.com.au> Date: Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:16:36 -0700 (PDT) · This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Sat Sep 09 2017 - 22:00:10 UTC

Hi all,

Just to let you know for any of you who check my website for news updates, I now have a new domain name.

So in future, go to http://GoldsteinReport.com for daily updates in between postings on domain name and other internet news stories.

Cheers
David

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

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

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The domain name news is supported by auDA

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In Support of ICANN's New Trademark Protection Rules (Mostly) by Antony Van Couvering
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090428_icann_new_trademark_protection_rules/

NTIA seeks comments on the future of ICANN and Internet management
http://gcn.com/articles/2009/04/29/ntia-requests-icann-comments.aspx

Where to Next for Paul Twomey?
http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=7975

au: Misleading unsolicited emails from Asian domain name companies [news release]
http://www.auda.org.au/consumeralert/ca-30042009/

auDA conducts audit of org.au registrations [news release]
http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/orgau-audit/

Regulator puts .org.au domains under microscope
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/NewsStory.aspx?story=102126

EU Commissioner Reding calls for preventive action to make the EU resilient against cyber attacks [news release]
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/09/199

Panel Warns U.S. on Cyberwar Plans
http://nytimes.com/2009/04/30/science/30cyber.html

U.S. Plans Attack and Defense in Cyberspace Warfare
http://nytimes.com/2009/04/28/us/28cyber.html

US Lawmakers Seek to Tighten Cyber Regulation on Power Grids
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/29/AR2009042902953.html

Critics say bill to protect electric grid from cyberattacks lacks teeth
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090429_2476.php

Minnesota Orders Telcos and ISPs to Block State Residents From Gambling Sites
http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/650936

Child Porn Websites Domains Concentrated in Ten Registries
http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=7989

Ad.com Sells for $1.4 Million
http://www.domainnamenews.com/miscellaneous/live-adcom-sells-14-million/5000

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GOVERNANCE
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2009 World Telecom Policy Forum: All About The ITU Mandate
The role of information and communications technology (ICTs) in boosting global economic recovery plus the greening and convergence of ICTs were made top issues of the 4th World Telecom Policy Forum (WTPF) in Lisbon held on 22-24 April.
http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2009/04/28/2009-world-telecom-policy-forum-all-about-the-itu-mandate/

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DOMAIN NAMES
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 - ICANN
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In Support of ICANN's New Trademark Protection Rules (Mostly) by Antony Van Couvering
Yesterday, I sent ICANN my comments about the draft recommendations from ICANN's Implementation Recommendation Team (IRT), which has been tasked with coming up with a trademark protection scheme for new top-level domains. For the most part, I think they did an excellent job.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090428_icann_new_trademark_protection_rules/

Working With ICANN's IRT and Not Against is in Order
ICANN realized during the Mexico City public meeting that its draft proposals for new generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs) did not take sufficient account of the trademark problems that might arise if the new top level domains become havens for cybersquatters. ICANN sensibly asked the trademark and brand owners to propose rules and procedures that might address these problems, and the Implementation Response Team (IRT) was formed to come up with some new ideas and recommendations for consideration by the ICANN Board of Directors.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090429_working_with_icann_irt_not_against/

Federal Register Notice: Assessment of the Transition of the Technical Coordination and Management of the Internet?s Domain Name and Addressing System
NTIA seeks comment regarding the upcoming expiration of the Joint Project Agreement (JPA) with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). NOTE: Contact Information Correction: The correct telephone number to contact Suzanne R. Sene, Office of International Affairs, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, is (202) 482-3167.
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/frnotices/2009/FR_ICANNVol.74_No78_Apr242009.pdf

NTIA seeks comments on the future of ICANN and Internet management
The current Joint Project Agreement (JPA) between the Commerce Department and ICANN expires at the end of September, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is seeking comments on the future of Internet management.
http://gcn.com/articles/2009/04/29/ntia-requests-icann-comments.aspx

ICANN Bonuses Tied to New Top Level Domain Rollout
ICANN has clear short term economic incentives to roll out new top level domain names, and bonuses are one of those reasons. Read this exchange at the Cairo ICANN meeting between ICANN Senior Vice President of Services Kurt Pritz and former ICANN board member Michael Palage:
http://domainnamewire.com/2009/04/27/icann-bonuses-tied-to-new-top-level-domain-rollout/

Intellectual Property Group Suggests Protections for New Domains
The Implementation Recommendation Team (IRT), formed by ICANN?s Intellectual Property Constituency, has released its preliminary report of suggested safeguards for trademark holders in light of the introduction of new top level domain names.
http://domainnamewire.com/2009/04/27/intellectual-property-group-suggests-protections-for-new-domains/

au: Chris Anderson in running for NBN project chairman
One-time Optus chief executive and Packer family adviser Chris Anderson and former Telstra executive Doug Campbell are being considered by the federal Government to chair its $43 billion National Broadband Network (NBN) company. ... Other possibilities raised by industry figures include Paul Twomey who is in the final months of four years at the helm of the ICANN...
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,,25403140-5013040,00.html
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25403140-15306,00.html
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25401547-643,00.html

Where to Next for Paul Twomey?
With Paul Twomey, ICANN's CEO and President, set to step down from his position at ICANN mid-year, and continuing as a consultant with ICANN till the end of the year, there is undoubtedly going to be speculation as to what his next role will be.
http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=7975
http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/04/29/where-to-next-for-paul-twomey/
http://www.domainnews.com/en/where-to-next-for-paul-twomey.html

Icann publishes report on trademark dispute in new gTLDS [sub req'd]
Industry parties can now comment on recommendations over how to resolve the problems of trademark-holders with the introduction of new top-level web domains.
http://www.telecompaper.com/news/

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 - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS
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au: Misleading unsolicited emails from Asian domain name companies [news release]
auDA is aware that at least two companies apparently based in China and Hong Kong have been sending unsolicited emails to people with .au domain names, attempting to mislead them into registering their name in a number of Asian domain spaces.
http://www.auda.org.au/consumeralert/ca-30042009/

auDA conducts audit of org.au registrations [news release]
... auDA has conducted an audit of all org.au domain names registered between 1 January 2007 and 28 February 2009. The purpose of the audit was to check each registration for compliance with the org.au eligibility criteria listed above. Of the total 18,103 org.au domain names audited, auDA found that 4,113 (23%) do not comply with the eligibility criteria.
http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/orgau-audit/

Regulator puts .org.au domains under microscope
An audit of two years of .org.au registrations by domain regulator auDA will lead to a further scrutiny for almost 4,000 domains and their owners.
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/NewsStory.aspx?story=102126

Per Capita, Netherlands Is the World's ccTLD Leader
The Netherlands, a country with just 16 million people, accounts for more than 3 million ccTLDs.
http://www.globalbydesign.com/blog/2009/04/29/netherlands-cctld/
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090229_per_capita_netherlands_domain_leader/

.tel Application for Outlook Enables Automatic Contacts Update
Telnic, the registry operator for .TEL, have launched a free Microsoft Outlook plug-in application that will enable anyone with Outlook to have their address book updated dynamically.
http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/04/29/tel-application-for-outlook-enables-automatic-contacts-update/
http://www.domainnews.com/en/tel-application-for-outlook-enables-automatic-contacts-update.html

Telnic unveils .tel domain app for Microsoft Outlook [news release]
UK-based domain manager Telnic has announced that its free plug-in application for Microsoft Outlook is now available, enabling anyone with Outlook to have their address book updated.
http://www.telecompaper.com/news/

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 - DNS SECURITY
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EC's Reding urges preventive action against cyberattacks [IDG]
Europe needs a "Mister cyber security" to take control in the event of an attack on Internet infrastructure, Europe's telecommunications commissioner, Viviane Reding said Monday.
http://computerworld.com.au/article/300856/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/163888/.html
http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/300856/

EU Commissioner Reding calls for preventive action to make the EU resilient against cyber attacks [news release]
In a video posted on her website this morning, Viviane Reding, the European Union's Commissioner for Information Society and Media, called on Member States to act to ensure that Europe's electronic communication networks are well protected. While being the backbone of most other crucial services, such as energy and water distribution, air and road traffic control or banking, European critical information infrastructures are themselves under constant threat of technical breakdowns and cyber attacks.
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/09/199

Panel Warns U.S. on Cyberwar Plans
The United States has no clear military policy about how the nation might respond to a cyberattack on its communications, financial or power networks, a panel of scientists and policy advisers warned Wednesday, and the country needs to clarify both its offensive capabilities and how it would respond to such attacks.
http://nytimes.com/2009/04/30/science/30cyber.html

U.S. Plans Attack and Defense in Cyberspace Warfare
When American forces in Iraq wanted to lure members of Al Qaeda into a trap, they hacked into one of the group?s computers and altered information that drove them into American gun sights.
http://nytimes.com/2009/04/28/us/28cyber.html

Report: U.S. needs policy for attacking foreign networks
The U.S. government lacks adequate rules of engagement for attacking the computer networks of adversaries, creating huge legal and policy questions that must be addressed, including the role that Congress should play in authorizing such use of force, according to a new report released today.
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090429_8883.php

Report: US cyber warfare needs oversight, debate [AP]
Shrouded in secrecy, the U.S. government's policies on how and when to wage cyber warfare are ill-formed, lack adequate oversight and require a broad public debate, a new report by the National Research Council says.
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/report-us-cyber-warfare-needs-oversight-debate-20090430-anjt.html
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/report-us-cyber-warfare-needs-oversight-debate-20090430-anjt.html

Panel Calls for National Dialog on Gov't Cyberattacks [IDG]
The U.S. needs to engage in a national dialog about its government's use of cyberattacks against other nations, and the government lacks a comprehensive policy about how and when it will engage in cyberwarfare, a new study said.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/164092/.html

US Lawmakers Seek to Tighten Cyber Regulation on Power Grids
Key lawmakers in the House and Senate are seeking to grant federal regulators new powers to protect the U.S. power grid in the face of an imminent or actual cyber attack on the nation's electric infrastructure.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/29/AR2009042902953.html

New US cybersecurity bill for electric grid readied
Amid growing concern over the vulnerability of the U.S. electric grid to cyberattacks, two lawmakers are preparing to introduce new legislation aimed at bolstering the industry's responsiveness to such threats.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9132288
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/042909-new-cybersecurity-bill-for-electric.html

Critics say bill to protect electric grid from cyberattacks lacks teeth
A bill expected to be introduced in the House and Senate this week would help protect the computers that control the country's power grid, but it does not go far enough, security experts said on Wednesday.
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090429_2476.php

us: Bill would toughen security requirements over current law
A bill introduced in the Senate on Tuesday would strengthen the requirements in a much maligned security law, asking agencies to actively monitor and fix security holes in computer systems and requiring the White House to provide tougher enforcement.
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090428_5942.php

US cyber-security 'embarrassing'
America's cyber-security has been described as "broken" by one industry expert and as "childlike" by another. The criticism comes as President Obama prepares to release the results of a review he had ordered.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8023793.stm

After cybersecurity review, Hathaway says White House should take lead
The federal official who led a 60-day review of the U.S. government's cybersecurity programs for President Barack Obama last week called for the White House to play a more direct role in coordinating national information security efforts.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=338289

Senator questions wisdom of White House control over cybersecurity
The ranking member of the U.S. Senate's Homeland Security Committee, Susan Collins (R-Maine), today raised questions about recent calls for a direct White House role in coordinating national cybersecurity affairs.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9132274

DNS Poisoning Attack Against Major Brazilian ISP
The broadband Internet service of NET Servi?os de Comunica??o (NET Communications Services), called NET V?rtua, was the target of unnamed attackers earlier this month. According to Brazilian media outlet Globo.com, NET's DNS cache has been poisoned to serve a banking trojan to Virtua costumers, as well as to hijack their online banking details.
http://news.softpedia.com/news/DNS-Poisoning-Attack-Against-Major-Brazilian-ISP-110226.shtml

Puerto Rico sites redirected in DNS attack
An attack on the main domain name system registrar in Puerto Rico led to the local Web sites of Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Coca-Cola, and other big companies being redirected for a few hours on Sunday to sites that were defaced, according to security firm Imperva.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10228436-83.html
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/security/0,39044215,62053613,00.htm

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 - DOMAIN DISPUTES
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Swine Flu Scam Sites May Evolve into Malware
Opportunistic people are registering domain names related to "swine flu." F-Secure has a list of them and a warning. They say that none of them are pushing malware yet. although based on history it's only a matter of time.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2345974,00.asp

Fifth Circuit Faults Trial Court for Failure to Consider Typosquatter's Fair Use Defense
Make that 23 federal circuit cyberlaw cases so far this year. In last week's post Federal Circuits Heading Toward Busiest Cyberlaw Year Yet, I overlooked Southern Co. v. Dauben Inc., a Fifth Circuit case interpreting the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, 15 U.S.C. ? 1125(d), and the duty of trial courts to carefully consider fair use and irreparable harm issues when ruling on a request for injunctive relief.
http://bnablog.bna.com/techlaw/2009/04/fifth-circuit-faults-trial-court-for-failure-to-consider-typosquatters-fair-use-defense.html

The next frontier of Internet legal battles
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, we have seen a number of well-known legal disputes: legality of peer-to-peer services such as Napster and Grokster, cybersquatting, laws (trying) to regulate porn, even "veejay" Adam Curry trying to use the MTV domain name.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10228015-38.html

Minnesota notifies telecoms to prohibit access between residents and gambling sites [news release]
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division (AGED) today announced that it has served written notice to 11 national and regional telephone and Internet service providers (ISPs) instructing them to prohibit access of all Minnesota-based computers to nearly 200 online gambling websites. Online gambling is illegal in all U.S. states.
http://www.dps.state.mn.us/comm/press/newPRSystem/viewPR.asp?PR_Num=879

Minnesota asks ISPs to block gambing sites [AP]
Minnesota officials are trying a novel tactic to block online gambling sites ? using a federal law that enables restrictions on phone calls used for wagering.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2009-04-29-minnesota-gambling_N.htm

Minnesota Orders Telcos and ISPs to Block State Residents From Gambling Sites
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division (AGED) today announced that it has instructed 11 national and regional telephone and Internet service providers (ISPs) to prohibit access by Minnesota-based computers to nearly 200 online gambling Web sites.
http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/650936

Minnesota Wants to Block Gambling Domain Names
The state of Minnesota as informed 11 internet service providers that they must block access to about 200 gambling web sites. Sound familiar? Kentucky also tried to block online gambling but by seizing domain names that belonged to the gambling sites instead of cutting off ISPs.
http://domainnamewire.com/2009/04/29/minnesota-wants-to-block-gambling-domain-names/

Why Minnesota?s Action Today May Not Work
According to a press release today, The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division (AGED) served written notice to 11 national and regional telephone and Internet service providers (ISPs) instructing them to prohibit access of all Minnesota-based computers to nearly 200 online gambling websites.
http://www.thedomains.com/2009/04/29/why-minnesotas-action-today-wont-work/

US gaming companies suing ?cybersquatters?
Attorneys representing gaming companies continue to go after alleged "cybersquatters,'' suing numerous companies they claim are using Internet sites to profit by infringing on the trademarks of well-known Las Vegas casinos.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/apr/29/gaming-companies-suing-cybersquatters/

Network Solutions Settles Class Action from Frontrunning Practice
Network Solutions has settled a class action lawsuit stemming from its controversial practice of reserving domain names queried on its web site.
http://domainnamewire.com/2009/04/29/network-solutions-settles-class-action-from-frontrunning-practice/

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 - MISCELLANEOUS
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Child Porn Websites Domains Concentrated in Ten Registries
A small number of registries and registrars are responsible for three-quarters of child porn websites says the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) in their annual report released this week.
http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=7989
http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/04/29/child-porn-websites-domains-concentrated-in-ten-registries/
http://www.domainnews.com/en/child-porn-websites-domains-concentrated-in-ten-registries.html

Afilias Joins MAAWG as First Domain Name Registry Member
Afilias have announced via the news release below that they have joined the Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group (MAAWG) as part of its ongoing domain name anti-abuse efforts. Afilias is the first domain name registry operator to become a member.
http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/04/29/afilias-joins-maawg-as-first-domain-name-registry-member/

BIND 10 starts development
The Internet Systems Consortium has announced that it has received enough support from sponsors to launch the BIND 10 project, to create a replacement name server for BIND 9. BIND 9 began its development in 1998 and is the most widely used DNS server software on the Internet. Among the sponsors are the UK's Nominet and Germany's DENIC.
http://www.heise.de/english/newsticker/news/136841

Tweetname Lets You Find And Purchase Domain Names Via Twitter. Oh, Pud.
Finding and registering an available domain name just became even easier. Now you can do it via Twitter thanks to Tweetname.
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/27/tweetname-lets-you-find-and-purchase-domain-names-via-twitter-oh-pud/

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 - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET
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Ad.com Sells for $1.4 Million
The domain name Ad.com sold at the TRAFFIC auction tonight for $1.4 Million. The winning bidder seen on the video feed and reported by people at the show was Divyank Turakhia of Directi.com. More details to come.
http://www.domainnamenews.com/miscellaneous/live-adcom-sells-14-million/5000

The Lowdown on Associated Cities GeoDomain Expo
The first full day of business at the Associated Cities GeoDomain Expo in San Diego got underway Friday morning (April 24) at 9:15 when San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders welcomed visiting domain owners to this beautiful Southern California city. It is the first time in 5 years of attending domain conferences that I recall a local mayor showing up to greet attendees. Another sign that the world at large is starting to recognize the growing importance of geodomain websites in the Internet firmament.
http://dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2009/dailyposts/04-25-09.htm

The Lowdown on T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Silicon Valley conference opening
The T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Silicon Valley conference opened last night with a welcoming cocktail party at the Marriott in Santa Clara, California. Though the crowd is lighter than usual for a T.R.A.F.F.I.C. event, the caliber of people here (in terms of their ability to make deals and dispense potentially life changing advice) should assure that those who made the trip will get their money's worth. NameMedia drew a steady flow of traffic to their booth with a wine tasting event that actually started an hour before the official party got underway.
http://dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2009/dailyposts/04-28-09-2.htm

Livestream.com Top Weekly Seller for Sedo
Livestream.com was the big seller for Sedo in the week to April 20, selling for US$100,000, with the second biggest seller being jeddah.com, which sold for ?45,000 (US$59,200). Next biggest seller was levelup.com ($50,000).
http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/04/28/livestreamcom-top-weekly-seller-for-sedo/
http://www.domainnews.com/en/livestream.com-top-weekly-seller-for-sedo.html

Domain Monetizer Parked.com Picks Up WhyPark
Parked.com, a company that specializes in monetizing - you guessed it - parked domain names, has acquired WhyPark, a 3-year old startup based in Willoughby, OH that provides domain name owners with tools to attract traffic to the web addresses with simple websites as well as tools to manage their portfolio and buy and sell domains on a virtual marketplace. The terms of the acquisition remain undisclosed.
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/28/domain-monetizer-parkedcom-picks-up-whypark/

Parked.com purchases Whypark.com
The consolidation in the domain industry continues with Parked.com purchasing WhyPark.com without disclosing the details of the deal. WhyPark is a mass domain development service started by Craig Row brought on Alan Macomber in March of 2006 as an investor and Rod Underhill (co-founder of mp3.com) as an advisor. Stephen Douglas joined the company as the VP of Business Development in June 2008.
http://www.domainnamenews.com/news/parkedcom-purchases-whyparkcom/4933

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RESEARCH PAPERS
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OECD: Online Identity Theft
The growth of Internet and e-commerce has taken ID theft to new levels. Using widely available Internet tools, thieves trick unsuspecting computer users into providing personal data, which they then use for illicit purposes.
The potential for fraud is a major hurdle in the evolution and growth of online commerce. E-payment and e-banking services -- the focus of this book -- suffer substantially from public mistrust.
Given the growth of online ID theft, many OECD member countries have taken steps to ensure that consumers and Internet users are adequately protected. These steps encompass various measures: consumer and user-awareness campaigns, new legislative frameworks, private-public partnerships, and industry-led initiatives focused on technical responses.
http://www.oecd.org/document/44/0,3343,en_2649_34223_42420716_1_1_1_1,00.html

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INTERNET USE
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Google search engine drives online flu map [AFP]
Google.org is using flu-related internet search traffic in Mexico to create an online map that might provide clues to how influenza is spreading in that country.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/30/2556732.htm
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25407965-15306,00.html
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/google-mines-online-searches-to-map-flu-in-mexico-20090430-ank6.html
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/google-mines-online-searches-to-map-flu-in-mexico-20090430-ank6.html

Google puts flu tracker to work on swine flu
Using a new tracking tool, search engine giant Google said on Wednesday it saw a spike in searches for information about flu among people in Mexico last week even before news of the outbreak became widely known.
http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-39333920090430

us: Survey: 22 pct of Internet users ditch newspaper [AP]
Sure, plenty of readers are turning more to the Web for newspaper and magazine stories, but are they giving up on print altogether? In many cases, yes, according to a recent study by the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication. It found that 22 percent of Internet users have canceled a print subscription because they could get the same product online.
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/survey-22-pct-of-internet-users-ditch-newspaper-20090430-anp6.html
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/survey-22-pct-of-internet-users-ditch-newspaper-20090430-anp6.html

The Queen sends first official email to Commonwealth youngsters
The Queen, who shares video clips on YouTube and texts her grandchildren, has now sent her first official email to young people to celebrate 60 years of the Commonwealth.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/theroyalfamily/5230762/The-Queen-sends-first-official-email-to-Commonwealth-youngsters.html

Jakob Nielsen on the BBC's snappy web headlines
Usability expert Jakob Nielsen has been singing the praises of the BBC this morning, specifically for its headline writing skills.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2009/apr/27/bbc-research

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SOCIAL NETWORKING
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New users deserting Twitter [AFP]
More than 60 per cent of Twitter users have stopped using the micro-blogging service a month after joining, according to Nielsen Online research.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/29/2555673.htm
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2009/04/29/1240684502081.html
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/04/29/1240684502081.html
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25403554-15306,00.html

Twitter users don't stick around
More than 60 per cent of Twitter users stop using the micro-blogging service a month after joining, according to Nielsen Online research.
http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-39314020090429
http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2372601/Twitter-users-don-t-stick-around

Nielsen: Twitter's explosive growth can't be sustained
Will Twitter quitters kill the popular service? Data from audience tracking firm Nielsen Online suggests Twitter may not be attracting enough loyal users to sustain the service. But because of the large number of users that access the service from desktop clients or SMS, the data may not accurately reflect Twitter's true "audience retention rate."
http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2009/04/nielsen-report-twitters-explosive-growth-cant-sustain.ars

Beware the Twitter fakers: all that Twitters is not gold: enter the squatters
What do Kevin Rudd, Nicole Kidman, Coca-Cola and Nike all have in common? They are all victims of squatters of their Twitter identities, in what appears to be a growing phenomenon on the burgeoning social networking website.
http://business.smh.com.au/business/all-that-twitters-is-not-gold-enter-the-squatters-20090429-anet.html
http://business.theage.com.au/business/all-that-twitters-is-not-gold-enter-the-squatters-20090429-anet.html
http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2375578/Beware-the-Twitter-fakers

Roman Catholics told to Twitter prayers
The leader of Ireland?s four million Roman Catholics has urged social network users to start sending daily prayers by text, Twitter or e-mail.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6180743.ece

Qikker than Twitter by Stephen Balkam
Twitter is so ten minutes ago. Now there's Qik - an application that allows you to stream live video from your cell phone directly to the web or your Facebook account or to another phone. Don't have a video camera as part of your phone? No worries, the downloaded software turns your ordinary camera phone into a cam corder while simultaneously broadcasting whatever you're doing or looking at, to the world.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-balkam/qikker-than-twitter_b_191262.html

Phishers hit Facebook with scam messages [IDG]
Facebook users were hit today with a phishing attack that tried to steal names and passwords from users of the popular social network.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9132322
http://computerworld.com.au/article/301363/
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/164091/.html

E Pluribus Facebook by Jonathan Zittrain
The social networking giant recently published ?Governance Documents? which would give its users a vote ? potentially binding, albeit in unlikely circumstances ? in how it is run. Jonathan Zittrain notes this populous community?s move towards a form of citizenship. ... So Facebook draws from the public and public interest sphere, a simultaneously bold and modest step towards acknowledging that our new networked technologies deeply affect our lives in ways not always captured or best shaped by the typical template of consumer and seller. So I?ve become voter number 167,476 in the poll. (Yes, they say results will be audited by an outside firm.) I?m not expecting to add another passport to my drawer, but I?m heartened at the prospect that the amazing engine of private enterprise may find creative ways to tap into and reinforce our civic instincts. 
http://www.opendemocracy.net/article/e-pluribus-facebook

Facebook Opens Site To Developers Of Services
Facebook Inc. is expected to announce significant plans to open up core parts of its sites -- namely the information that appears in the stream of updates on users' homepages and profiles -- to third-party developers so that they can build new services on top of it, people familiar with the matter say.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124078628311057281.html

Facebook To Let Others Play In Its Stream
Seeing the explosion in growth of Twitter right now, it's pretty clear that the hot trend on the web is to have a service which acts as a central hub for information, and allows third party sites and services to built on top of it. For most of its life, Facebook has been almost the exact opposite, insisting that developers work from within its walls to keep much of the data ? and the users ? there. Tomorrow, it looks like Facebook may be knocking down its dam to let its streams of data flow more freely.
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/26/facebook-to-let-others-play-in-its-stream/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/26/AR2009042602363.html

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES
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G.E.?s Breakthrough Can Put 100 DVDs on a Disc
General Electric says it has achieved a breakthrough in digital storage technology that will allow standard-size discs to hold the equivalent of 100 DVDs.
http://nytimes.com/2009/04/27/technology/business-computing/27disk.html

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CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION
************************************************
IWF reports global decrease in child sexual abuse websites [news release]
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) today published its Annual Report 2008 revealing a fall of nearly 10% in the number of international websites with child sexual abuse content. The report warns against complacency, pointing to the serious nature of the images which are often carried on commercial websites.
http://iwf.org.uk/media/news.258.htm

UK internet watchdog: Drop in child porn sites [AP]
The number of international websites showing sexual abuse of children has fallen by about 10 per cent, but the images on these sites are more violent, a British internet watchdog said.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10569299
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30460852/
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/internet-watchdog-drop-in-child-porn-sites-1675996.html

Child porn websites fall but more work needed
Websites displaying child pornography fell by almost 10 percent in 2008, but most of those images were still being peddled by commercial sites, an Internet watchdog said on Wednesday.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE53R82620090428
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSTRE53R84G20090428

Child Porn Websites Domains Concentrated in Ten Registries
A small number of registries and registrars are responsible for three-quarters of child porn websites says the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) in their annual report released this week.
http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=7989
http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/04/29/child-porn-websites-domains-concentrated-in-ten-registries/
http://www.domainnews.com/en/child-porn-websites-domains-concentrated-in-ten-registries.html

Child abuse images becoming more severe
Commercial websites hosting child abuse images are remaining difficult to trace and hosting more severe content, according to the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).
http://www.computeractive.co.uk/computeractive/news/2241395/child-abuse-images-becoming

us: NTIA Unveils Web Safety Working Group
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration unveiled its Online Safety and Technology Working Group on Tuesday -- a panel of experts dedicated to keeping children safe on the Internet.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/04/ntia-unveils-web-safety-workin.php

us: Program takes aim at cyberbullying
MySpace and Facebook, texting and e-mail can be great ways to keep in touch with friends, but they can also provide easy, anonymous ways for young people to hurt each other. The cloak of anonymity is what makes cyberbullying so attractive and so dangerous, Deborah Ruiz, program director for the Anti-Defamation League?s No Place for Hate program told a group at Midbar Kodesh Temple in Henderson recently.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/apr/27/program-takes-aim-cyberbullying/

McAfee Addresses the Need to Keep Families Protected Online [news release]
McAfee, Inc. announced that it has completed an internal beta for a new offering that will help families oversee their kids? and teens? online interests, while keeping them safe as they learn and explore the Internet. The McAfee product is named ?McAfee Family Protection? and will be available for sale later this quarter.
http://newsroom.mcafee.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=3510

McAfee launches service for cybercrime victims [IDG]
McAfee has launched a new Web site designed to help cybercrime victims recover from hacker attacks. The company bills its Cybercrime Response Unit as a kind of "online 911" where consumers and small-business owners can figure out whether they've been hacked, and to take the first steps to connect with law enforcement once they know a crime has been committed.
http://computerworld.com.au/article/301044/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/163994/.html
http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/301044/

us: Adults get lessons on how to prevent cyberbullying
Every Maryland Board of Education is required by law to come up with plans and policies on cyber bullying. However, Maryland lawmakers still heard cries from mothers about the impact it has on their children.
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1663349

au: Police to control child-sex passports
Pedophiles who travel abroad to molest children risk having their passports cancelled and being deported to Australia as part of an aggressive crackdown on child-sex tourism. The Australian Federal Police has broadened the fight against child-sex offenders by liaising with overseas forces to arrest suspected pedophiles before they assault children.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25390456-2702,00.html

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ONLINE TV & MUSIC
**********************
Second chance for French net bill
A controversial French bill which could disconnect people caught downloading music illegally three times returns to parliament on Wednesday for debate.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8024475.stm

French parliament debates Internet piracy again
French parliamentarians revived debate on a bill to crack down on Internet piracy at the behest of President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday after it had been the subject of an embarrassing defeat for the ruling party.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE53S7KW20090429

French Internet piracy bill back in parliament
French lawmakers were on Wednesday to examine a new version of a contested bill that would cut off illegal downloaders from the Internet, in a tough new precedent for efforts to fight film and music piracy.
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/french-internet-piracy-bill-back-in-parliament-20090429-anhz.html
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/french-internet-piracy-bill-back-in-parliament-20090429-anhz.html

Q&A: Swedish anti-piracy ruling will have huge impact: Attorney [Billboard]
"It's been a busy week," deadpanned Jo Oliver, several days after a Swedish court sentenced four men behind the notorious BitTorrent tracker site the Pirate Bay to a year in jail each, after they were found guilty of assisting in making copyrighted material available.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/musicNews/idUKTRE53O0S120090425
http://billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i55fbb4c9063b301de3ab8b2f1f04995c

Taiwan Passes Three-Strikes Piracy Law
Taiwan's legislature has passed an amendment to the island's copyright act aimed at discouraging digital copyright infringement over peer-to-peer networks and increasing the responsibility of ISPs.
http://billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3ib20649ac4d6059c2ff7b95023c51cbe6

Pirate Bay: industry lawyers' websites attacked
Lawyers who helped prosecute The Pirate Bay have become the latest targets in an internet backlash over the decision to jail the site's founders.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/apr/27/pirate-bay-law-firms-attack

UK IP minister rules out 'three strikes' disconnection law
The Government minister responsible for intellectual property has ruled out a 'three strikes' law denying internet access to illegal file sharers. David Lammy said cutting off users was not "the right road" for UK law makers.
http://out-law.com/page-9977

Antipiracy law fallout: Swedish ISP won't store IP addresses of users [IDG]
Tele2 AB, one of the largest Internet service providers in Sweden, said today that it has decided to stop storing the IP addresses of customers in the wake of the Swedish government's implementation of a law designed to make it easier for copyright holders to go after suspected illegal file-sharers.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9132324
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/8F884B2D6292BA02CC2575A70071EA52
http://www.pcworld.com/article/164056/.html

Swedish Internet firm to delete user data
Swedish telecom supplier Tele2 said Monday it will delete information allowing their customers to be identified, a move police argue could make the hunt for Internet pirates "impossible."
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/swedish-internet-firm-to-delete-user-data-20090428-akt6.html
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/swedish-internet-firm-to-delete-user-data-20090428-akt6.html

Swedish ISPs vow to erase users' traffic data
Having apparently been scared off illegal file sharing in large numbers by a new Swedish law that went into effect April 1, pirates in that country now have a new safe harbor to escape law enforcement.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10229618-93.html
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/internet/0,39044908,62053646,00.htm

Second Swedish ISP decides to nuke IP address logs
Tele2 has decided to skirt a new Swedish law that allows the courts to force ISPs to turn over user data. How? By not keeping user data at all. This is the second Swedish ISP to do so in recent weeks, though they might not be able to keep it up for long.
http://arstechnica.com/telecom/news/2009/04/second-swedish-ip-decides-to-nuke-ip-address-logs.ars

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MOBILE/WIRELESS
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CSIRO developing 100Mbit wireless broadband
Wireless technology currently in development by the CSIRO may be the key to bringing a cost effective National Broadband Network to regional and rural Australia, according to the national science organisation.
http://cio.com.au/article/300793/
http://computerworld.com.au/article/300793/

In China, Knockoff Cellphones Are a Hit
The phone?s sleek lines and touch-screen keyboard are unmistakably familiar. So is the logo on the back. But a sales clerk at a sprawling electronic goods market in this Chinese coastal city admits what is clear upon closer inspection: this is not the Apple iPhone; this is the Hi-Phone.
http://nytimes.com/2009/04/28/technology/28cell.html

Japan, China may jointly develop mobile network [AFP]
The leaders of Japan and China may this week discuss jointly developing a next-generation mobile telephone network for the Chinese market, a government official said Tuesday.
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/japan-china-may-jointly-develop-mobile-network-20090428-alu8.html
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/japan-china-may-jointly-develop-mobile-network-20090428-alu8.html

The Fog of Cellphone Wars
All the chatter about Verizon?s talks with Apple and with Microsoft seem to be off topic for what is the important development over the next year in the cellphone industry.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/the-fog-of-cellphone-wars/

Apple iPhone Owners Favor Personal Uses, Not Business
... A new report from Compete surveying the behavior of 600 smartphone users found that 73 percent of iPhone owners used their mobile devices primarily for personal reasons, like entertainment. By comparison, 59 percent of owners with other types of smartphones ? from manufacturers like HTC, Research in Motion and Nokia ? primarily used their devices for business and work-related needs.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/apple-iphone-owners-dont-use-it-for-work/

Microsoft and Verizon Plot an iPhone Rival
Microsoft Corp. and Verizon Wireless are in talks to launch a touch-screen multimedia cellphone on the carrier's network early next year, in an ambitious effort to challenge Apple Inc.'s iPhone, according to people familiar with the matter.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124093915558664239.html

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SPAM
**********************
Cybercriminals exploit swine flu fears with spam emails
Spammers and cybercriminals are looking to exploit fears over swine flu to peddle counterfeit drugs and steal credit card details, internet security firms have warned.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article6187942.ece

Cybercrooks exploit swine flu hysteria
Cybercriminals are exploiting the worldwide hysteria over swine flu to peddle fake drugs and steal credit card details, security experts warn.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/04/30/1240982319722.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2009/04/30/1240982319722.html

BBB Representative Warns Against Swine Flu Scams
The swine flu may not just hurt health, it could empty wallets. Criminals are trying to cash in on fears of the flu by using scams.
http://www.wpbf.com/health/19328513/detail.html

Cyber swine tap global flu hysteria with spam blitz
Crooks have been quick to latch on to global swine flu hysteria as a way to turn a quick profit.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10569427

BBB Warns Against Swine Flu Scams: Scammers are creating their own epidemic of spam e-mails [news release]
Relying on reports from online security experts, Better Business Bureau is warning consumers to be on the lookout for fraudulent e-mails and Web sites trying to take advantage of the current swine flu outbreak.
http://www.bbb.org/us/article/10186

Swine flu causes spam fever
Just days after news surfaced of a swine flu outbreak in Mexico, spammers are exploiting the news to advertise online pharmacies.
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2241236/swine-flu-causes-spam-fever

Spammers use swine flu panic to peddle products
Security experts are warning today that computer viruses may be the next part of the swine flu outbreak. Spammers, it seems, have taken advantage of the worldwide panic over the disease to send out e-mails mentioning swine flu to try to trick people into opening them, according to McAfee Avert Labs.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/04/swinefluspam.html

Internet flooded with swine flu spam
Exploiting worries over the swine flu outbreak, spammers flooded the Internet on Monday with millions of e-mails peddling counterfeit drugs as remedies and seeking to steal credit card data, a security firm said.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE53Q5ZE20090427

Conficker Adds New Weapon: Spam [AP]
The giant Conficker computer worm, once feared as an out-of-control Internet doomsday machine, seems to have settled ? for now ? on trying to make money in very predictable ways.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10569242
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/04/28/1240684448622.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2009/04/28/1240684448622.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Technology/wireStory?id=7443868
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30453812/
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/27/financial/f173614D47.DTL

Spam levels continue to surge
The level of spam flooding inboxes is at its highest level in more than a year, according to researchers. The latest monthly report from security firm MessageLabs lists spam loads at 85 per cent, an increase of more than 9 per cent from last month.
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2241428/spam-levels-continue-surge

Cyber swine tap global flu hysteria with spam blitz
Crooks have been quick to latch on to global swine flu hysteria as a way to turn a quick profit. Security company Symantec said in a blog post yesterday the outbreak had "spawned a spamming frenzy, like sharks smelling blood in the water".
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10569427

Symantec Announces April 2009 MessageLabs Intelligence Report [news release]
Symantec Corp. announced the publication of its April 2009 MessageLabs Intelligence Report. The analysis highlights that spam has increased almost ten percent in one month, reaching heights of 85.3 percent, levels not experienced since September 2007. Also in April, the high profile G20 summit was the subject for a rise in targeted malware attacks. In addition, the number of malicious websites intercepted per day continued to increase significantly, taking the average number of intercepted each day to 3,561.
http://www.messagelabs.co.uk/resources/press/28950

US responsible for 15% of global spam
The US continues to be the country responsible for most of the global spam, contributing 15 percent of the overall total says Sophos.
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=115122

Spam shame continues for USA as UK exits dirty dozen, Sophos reports Brazil sees biggest increase, taking second place in the 'Dirty Dozen' of spam relaying countries [news release]
IT security and control firm Sophos has published its latest report into the top twelve spam relaying countries, covering the first quarter of 2009. The United States of America continues its reign as the king of spam, relaying more than 15 percent of global spam messages. Conversely, the United Kingdom has disappeared from the 'Dirty Dozen' for the first time in two years, polling 14th overall, and relaying 2.1 percent of the world's spam.
http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/news/articles/2009/04/dirtydozen.html

Spam From Hijacked Webmail Accounts
A family member called last night, upset and embarrassed that his yahoo.com account was used to blast out spam to all of his contacts. A quick examination of the message headers indicated the spam was indeed sent through his yahoo.com account, and that someone had hijacked his Webmail account password.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/04/spam_sent_through_hijacked_web.html

Four Indicted in Giant US College Spam Operation [IDG]
A federal grand jury in Missouri has indicted two brothers and two other people on charges related to an alleged e-mail spamming case that targeted more than 2,000 U.S. colleges and sold more than US$4.1 million worth of products to students, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/164098/.html

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ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL
**************************
US Justice Dept. Opens Antitrust Inquiry Into Google Books Deal
The Justice Department has begun an inquiry into the antitrust implications of Google?s settlement with authors and publishers over its Google Book Search service, two people briefed on the matter said Tuesday.
http://nytimes.com/2009/04/29/technology/internet/29google.html

Google faces antitrust investigation over $125m book deal
Google is facing fresh accusations of anti-competitive behaviour, following reports that the US Justice Department is investigating the internet giant over its dealings with the book industry.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/apr/29/google-books-antitrust

German Authors Outraged at Google Book Search
Google wants to make millions of books accessible online. But a group of German authors are enraged at not having been asked for permission to use their books -- and at the mere $60 they might get for each one. Now German politicians are also voicing their dismay and pledging to protect author rights.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,621385,00.html

Judge issues extension in Google Book Search settlement
A federal judge has granted authors worldwide four more months to decide whether to participate in a settlement involving Google's online Book Search service.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10229372-93.html

Google book settlement delayed, DoJ has antitrust concerns
Late last year, Google announced that it had reached a settlement with several major publishers that would end their copyright lawsuit against the Google Books service. The settlement would put in place an agreement between Google and existing copyright holders, and give the search giant rights to out-of-print and orphaned works?those for which the copyright holder cannot be identified. Despite the complexity of the settlement, it was on a fast track to approval, with a final thumbs-up scheduled for May. Now, it looks like a delay in the decision is inevitable as opposition to it seems to be rising and the Department of Justice looking into the antitrust implications of the deal.
http://arstechnica.com/media/news/2009/04/googles-book-settlement-delayed-as-resistance-appears.ars

McAfee launches free online cyber crime help center
Is your computer acting funny? Are you worried that you may have visited a malicious Web site or opened an e-mail attachment with malware? Instead of worrying about it you can now go to a new Web site McAfee is launching on Tuesday that is designed to help computer users figure out if they have legitimate reason to be concerned.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10228520-83.html
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/security/0,39044215,62053624,00.htm

McAfee, Inc. Introduces First Online Center to Assist Victims of Cybercrime [news release]
Consumers in the United States have lost close to $8.5 billion over the last two years to cybercrime, according to Consumer Reports. In response, McAfee Inc. (NYSE:MFE) today launched the Cybercrime Response Unit, the first online center to aid the diagnosis of cybercrime and help an individual recover from the crime.
http://newsroom.mcafee.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=3511

EC's Reding urges preventive action against cyberattacks [IDG]
Europe needs a "Mister cyber security" to take control in the event of an attack on Internet infrastructure, Europe's telecommunications commissioner, Viviane Reding said Monday.
http://computerworld.com.au/article/300856/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/163888/.html
http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/300856/