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. *************************************************** The domain name news is supported by auDA *************************************************** Improving Internet Usability - A Framework For Domain Name Policy Evaluation by Josh Rowe http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=9552 Expressions of Interest in new gTLDs: ICANN seeks input and advice http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-11nov09-en.htm No rush to adopt domain names written in Chinese in China [IDG] http://www.pcworld.com/article/181802/.html Chinese-character domain names to benefit on-line community [Xinhua] http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-11/09/content_8935234.htm Canary Islands To Seek .IC ccTLD http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/11/09/canary-islands-to-seek-ic-cctld/ Domain Name Sales Increase by 15% http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=2535 SnapNames Gets Hit With Class Action Suit Over Shill Bidding http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/11/09/snapnames-gets-hit-with-class-action-suit-over-shill-bidding/ SnapNames faces class action lawsuit following false bidding http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/11/12/snapnames-faces-class-action-lawsuit-following-false-bidding/ ********************** RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** Improving Internet Usability - A Framework For Domain Name Policy Evaluation by Josh Rowe Abstract: A domain name is a unique alphanumeric designation that facilitates reference to sets of numbers which actually locate a particular computer on the Internet. Domain names are a fundamental part of the Internet's user interface. Improving the usability of the Internet depends upon effective domain name policy. This study is intended to contribute to improvement in Internet usability for the end users of domain names. Benefits of more usable domain names include: higher sales, customer satisfaction and productivity, and reduced support costs. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=9552 http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/11/09/domain-name-usability-josh-rowe/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/improving-internet-usability-a-framework-for-domain-name-policy-evaluation-by-josh-rowe.html ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Expressions of Interest in new gTLDs: ICANN seeks input and advice ICANN is soliciting information, advice and proposed models as it considers soliciting expressions of interest in new gTLDs. The public comment forum will be open until December 11, 2009 however, community members that wish to have their input considered by the Board during its December meeting, should submit comments no later than November 27, 2009. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-11nov09-en.htm Public Comment: CAC Proposed Amendments to the UDRP Supplemental Rules of the Czech Arbitration Court The Czech Arbitration Court (CAC), an Approved Provider for the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) is proposing to amend its Supplemental Rules to provide for an alternative page limit and processing fee for certain UDRP Complaints. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-11nov09-en.htm The Tempest in the TLD Teapot by John Levine At its recent meeting in Seoul ICANN announced with great fanfare that it's getting ever closer to adding lots of new TLDs. Despite all the hype, as I have argued before (also here on CircleID), new TLDs will make little difference. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20091108_the_tempest_in_the_tld_teapot/ ICANN Board to Consider ?Expressions of Interest? for New TLDs at December Meeting The ICANN Board has instructed ICANN staff to prepare a report about accepting pre-applications or ?expressions of interest? for new top level domain names. The board requested the staff to "?study the potential impact of a call for formal ?expressions of interest,? and provide a plan for Board consideration at ICANN?s next Board meeting, in December 2009. The plan should include possible options and a risk analysis relating to the proposed action." http://domainnamewire.com/2009/11/09/icann-board-to-consider-expressions-of-interest-for-new-tlds-at-december-meeting/ No rush to adopt domain names written in Chinese in China [IDG] A global Internet governing body last month approved new languages for use in domain names, but at least in China some Web sites have hesitated to rebrand into Chinese from their well-known names written in Latin characters. http://www.pcworld.com/article/181802/.html http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/325688/ http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/325688/ http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/325688/ Brand Owners, Representatives of WIPO and ICANN Discuss New gTLD Concerns Managing Intellectual Property, in association with Finnegan, has released an article based on a recently hosted discussion regarding ICANN's approved plans to open the domain name system to an unlimited number of generic top-level domains (gTLDs) and how the Implementation Recommendation Team's (IRT) recommendation will affect brand owners. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20091109_brand_owners_wipo_icann_discuss_new_gtld_concerns/ Expressions of Interest in new gTLDs working group is go A working group has been formed in response to the Seoul ICANN meeting Board resolution directing staff to "study the potential impact of a call for formal "expressions of interest," and provide a plan for Board consideration at ICANN's next Board meeting, in December 2009. The plan should include possible options and a risk analysis relating to the proposed action." http://stephanevangelder.com/archives/286-Expressions-of-Interest-in-new-gTLDs-working-group-is-go.html Beginning of Working Meeting of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev with Minister of Telecommunications and Mass Communications Igor Shchegolev MINISTER OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND MASS COMMUNICATIONS IGOR SHCHEGOLEV: I am ready to brief you on the implementation of your instruction regarding promotion of the Russian language in the Internet address system. http://www.isria.com/pages/9_November_2009_138.php Working meeting with Russian Minister of Telecommunications and Mass Communications Igor Shchegolev Mr Shchegolev said that there are plans to develop additional services such as .??-zone e-mail, thus making it possible for all Russian citizens to obtain their own e-mail address to receive replies to their correspondence with official bodies and other official information. http://www.isria.com/pages/9_November_2009_79.php Arabic domain names on track An official from ICANN has said that countries will not have to wait long to utilise a new opportunity allowing them to create domain names in their own languages. http://www.ethioplanet.com/vybes/2009/11/11/arabic-domain-names-on-track/ Non-Latin Domain Names Bring Costs, Opportunities Companies with an international presence have always needed increased linguistic and cultural knowledge to target foreign markets, but a recent decision by ICANN will alter how companies approach their web presence by making domain name extensions available in non-Latin characters. http://www.inc.com/news/articles/2009/11/icann.html Net turns truly Indian as .bharat goes online from 2010 Despite so much of content in Hindi, the Internet is still an alien face to me. Everytime I want to read the news on Rediff in Hindi, I struggle type the English letters," says Tribhuvan Das, a grocery shop owner in Kanpur who spends time reading the latest news on Google, Yahoo! and other websites during noon when not many customers visit his shop. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/infotech/internet/Net-turns-truly-Indian-as-bharat-goes-online-from-2010/articleshow/5221291.cms ICANN Seoul meeting briefing note highlights new gTLD delays and IDN fast track approval ICANN has published a briefing note for their latest meeting, the 36th international public meeting, held in Seoul, South Korea. There were 1,207 attendees from 111 countries that debated a wide range of issues such as generic Top Level Domains and internationalised domain names. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=9549 http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/11/09/icann-seoul-briefing-note/ Icann't Icann is launching a fast-track process for ?internationalised domain names?. Put simply, this will enable website domain names and extensions in characters in various languages that have non-Latin scripts. http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/icannt/375885/ Chinese-character domain names to benefit on-line community [Xinhua] The use of non-Latin characters from start to finish for Internet domain names could see a massive expansion of Internet use and commerce in China, experts predict. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-11/09/content_8935234.htm http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90881/6808040.html http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=419016&type=National http://www.china.org.cn/china/2009-11/09/content_18855337.htm English is no longer sole key to the Internet The recently completed 36th ICANN Seoul Annual Meeting in South Korea has approved Internationalized Domain Names(IDNs) with some non-Latin characters, such as Chinese, Korean or Arabic. This is a firm step toward the availability of IDNs on the Internet. http://opinion.globaltimes.cn/commentary/2009-11/483720.html ICANN Welcomes the World Last week the catchily-named organization ICANN announced that it had approved the use of Hindi, Mandarin, Hebrew, Korean, and twelve other languages -- that are not based on the Roman/Latin alphabet -- for use in domain names. It may not seem like much to most people in the USA or Europe, but in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa this news was was momentous. http://www.cmswatch.com/Trends/1731-ICAAN-Domain-names Middle East Intellectual Property: Introduction of Internationalised Domain Names [sub req'd] November 2009 should see the introduction of local language, or what are commonly known as internationalised domain names (IDNs). http://ca.linexlegal.com/index.php Top Level Domain Holdings welcomes ICANN?s move to allow web domains in non-Latin script Top Level Domain Holdings has welcomed the latest move by ICANN to authorise the creation of new TLDs, or web addresses, in non-Latin scripts. http://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/9998/top-level-domain-holdings-welcomes-icanns-move-to-allow-web-domains-in-non-latin-script--9998.html Trade in internet names expected to rise in UAE Over the last two years, the emirate has seen the launch of a bewildering number of new property developments. But web designer Richard Jones kept track of them all. http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093281893 ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** ae: Trade in Internet Names Expected to Rise in UAE Over the last two years, the emirate has seen the launch of a bewildering number of new property developments. But web designer Richard Jones kept track of them all. http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZAWYA20091110043310/Trade in Internet Names Expected to Rise in UAE Minnesota company wants all derivatives of .ARTIST Seo registry, a Minnesota-based company, is planning to apply for a .ARTIST gTLD. And in order to be as comprehensive as possible in its coverage of the chosen subject matter, the company is using a different approach to its application than what has been seen so far on new gTLD initiatives. http://stephanevangelder.com/archives/287-Minnesota-company-wants-all-derivatives-of-.ARTIST.html Canary Islands To Seek .IC ccTLD The Canary Islands government is discussing whether to seek approval to operate the .IC country code reports ABC.es. http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/11/09/canary-islands-to-seek-ic-cctld/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/ic-cctld-sought-by-canary-islands.html ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Cyber War: Sabotaging the System Nothing has ever changed the world as quickly as the Internet has. Less than a decade ago, "60 Minutes" went to the Pentagon to do a story on something called information warfare, or cyber war as some people called it. It involved using computers and the Internet as weapons. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/06/60minutes/main5555565.shtml US 'not prepared' for power grid hack [AFP] Massive power outages in Brazil in 2005 and 2007 that impacted millions were caused by cyber hackers attacking control systems, the US television network CBS says. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/us-not-prepared-for-power-grid-hack-20091109-i50g.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/us-not-prepared-for-power-grid-hack-20091109-i50g.html War beneath the web Hacking websites used to be a way to show off. Now, as Charles Arthur reports in our series about online security, it's a lucrative crime ? committed on an industrial scale http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/nov/11/web-security-hacking How a Botnet Gets Its Name [CIO] There is a new kid in town in the world of botnets - isn't there always? A heavyweight spamming botnet known as Festi has only been tracked by researchers with Message Labs Intelligence since August, but is already responsible for approximately 5 percent of all global spam (around 2.5 billion spam emails per day), according to Paul Wood, senior analyst with Messagelabs, which keeps tabs on spam and botnet activity. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/111009-how-a-botnet-gets-its.html Seven keyholders for the DNS root zone Preparations for securing the domain name system root zone using the DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC ) protocol are entering a key phase. At the 76th meeting of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) in Hiroshima, the design team from VeriSign, the internet administration authority ICANN and the US NTIA presented the strict security conditions under which the various keys required will be generated, held and renewed. IETF developers expressed concern about the lack of channels for both explaining the DNSSEC rollout, scheduled to commence in January, to ISPs and for collecting reports of anything untoward from the ISPs. http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/Seven-keyholders-for-the-DNS-root-zone-857180.html Cyber War Threat Cyber-WarToday?s Washington Post shows how aggressive the Chinese have been in probing US systems and interests. There have been reports in the past that the Chinese have trained North Koreans in advanced hacking techniques. South Korea and the US experienced DDoS attacks last summer that originated in North Korea. There have also been numerous reports about repeated hacks and probes into US government networks with many of them being successful in extracting sensitive information. http://www.mailprotector.net/blog/2009/11/email-security/cyber-war-threat/915 ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Glenn Beck loses domain dispute, still ends up with domain Talk show host Glenn Beck has failed in his attempt to take over a parody domain name suggesting that he may have raped and murdered a young girl in 1990?but after the loss, the domain name owner hands it over anyway. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/11/glenn-beck-loses-domain-dispute-still-ends-up-with-domain.ars Cyber Squatters Discourage GM, Hyundai and VW Cyber squatting still runs rampant online, but it no longer simply pertains to domain names. Entities are swooping in and registering automakers' names on Twitter before their communication departments have a chance to do so. http://rumors.automobilemag.com/6604614/news/cyber-squatters-discourage-gm-hyundai-and-vw/index.html ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Sedo two-letter domain auction closes today With the auction of two-letter domain names closing at midday US Eastern Time (17.00 British Summer Time) bids for three of the domains have reached the six-figure mark, although none have reached the reserve. http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/11/12/sedo-two-letter-domain-auction-closes-today/ Domain Name Sales Increase by 15% Sedo today announces findings from its latest Quarterly Domain Market Study, highlighting the continued growth of the online property market. The last quarter has witnessed a 5.5 per cent increase on the number of domains changing hands on the Sedo marketplace, compared to Q2 2009 with a total of 9,928 domains changing hands for more than ?14 million. http://www.sedo.com/links/showhtml.php3?Id=2535 SnapNames Gets Hit With Class Action Suit Over Shill Bidding Some things in life are a certainty. Death. Taxes. Lawsuits. An example: If you steal from your customers for half a decade and then force them to sign a no-lawsuit agreement before you give them their money back, you?re going to get sued. http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/11/09/snapnames-gets-hit-with-class-action-suit-over-shill-bidding/ Domain auction site faces shill bidding lawsuit [IDG] A Miami lawyer has filed a class-action lawsuit against domain name auction site SnapNames.com, after the company announced that a former employee was bidding against potential customers in domain name auctions. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/325542/ http://www.macworld.com/article/143728/2009/11/domainauctions.html http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/325542/ http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/325542/ http://www.infoworld.com/t/internet/domain-auction-site-faces-shill-bidding-lawsuit-524 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/11/09/urnidgns002570F3005978D88525766900509678.DTL SnapNames faces class action lawsuit following false bidding SnapNames is facing a class action lawsuit, following the recent discovery that an executive employed by the company had set up an account on the SnapNames system under a false name and, under this name, bid in SnapNames auctions. They have found the former executive bid on around five per cent of auctions. http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/11/12/snapnames-faces-class-action-lawsuit-following-false-bidding/ Are You Really The Master of Your Own Domain? Class Action Lawsuit Says No. ... The class action is the first nationwide to allege that a domain name provider used a shill bidder to manipulate auctions. So it turns out, that we are not the masters of our own domains after all because in many instances the bids were tampered with. http://www.internationalbusinesslawadvisor.com/2009/11/articles/international-litigation/are-you-really-the-master-of-your-own-domain-class-action-lawsuit-says-no/ ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Murdoch hints he will sue BBC and Google Rupert Murdoch indicated on Monday that News Corporation would sue the BBC over breach of copyright for ?stealing? material from his newspapers round the world. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ab874200-cd28-11de-a748-00144feabdc0.html Rupert Murdoch's threat unlikely to worry Google The threat to exclude Google from News International websites won't have caused much lost sleep over in the search engine's headquarters in Mountain View in California. Sergey Brin and Larry Page have declared before that if news organisations don't like Google indexing their content, then it only takes two lines of computer code added to a file called "robots.txt", which every website uses to tell search engines where, or not, to wander. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/nov/09/rupert-murdoch-google Google: Rupert Murdoch can block us if he wants to Google has clarified that it will not index publishers against their wishes, in response to Rupert Murdoch's threat to block the search engine from his newspapers? websites. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/6532657/Google-Rupert-Murdoch-can-block-us-if-he-wants-to.html Murdoch threatens to block Google searches entirely Rupert Murdoch says he will remove stories from Google's search index as a way to encourage people to pay for content online. In an interview with Sky News Australia, the mogul said that newspapers in his media empire - including the Sun, the Times and the Wall Street Journal - would consider blocking Google entirely once they had enacted plans to charge people for reading their stories on the web. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/nov/09/murdoch-google Google may lose WSJ, other News Corp. sites Rupert Murdoch, the media tycoon who has long accused Google of ripping off content from his newspapers, said this weekend that his sites may soon disappear from the search engine's listings. ... On Monday morning, Google responded to Murdoch's quotes in a report by the British publication The Telegraph. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-10393209-261.html News Corp. Considers a Google Ban News Corp. Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch set the Internet abuzz Monday after an interview appeared online in which he said the company is considering blocking Google from being able to search its Web sites. http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/11/09/news-corp-considers-a-google-ban/ ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Twitter, Internet undermine Canada election rules Twitter 1, Elections Canada 0. In this era of smartphones and the Internet, the federal elections agency is struggling to enforce a rule that bans the general broadcasting of voting results until all the polls have closed. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE5A94ZG20091110 au: Facebook fury: university 'failed' on harassment A ''PRO-RAPE'' site on Facebook may have been set up to encourage a college football team to be competitive on the field, but it still demonstrates a lack of respect for the crime of rape, the NSW Opposition says. http://www.theage.com.au/national/facebook-fury-university-failed-on-harassment-20091109-i5da.html 'Ingrained misogyny' behind rape webpage One of Sydney University's oldest colleges is on the defensive over reports that past and present residents set up a pro-rape website on Facebook. The page - created by students who were mostly from the all-male St Paul's College - has been shut down. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/09/2737370.htm Australian students 'pro-rape' Facebook scandal [AFP] Members of an elite Australian college linked to Sydney University provoked outrage Tuesday after it was revealed they had set up a "pro-rape" group on social networking site Facebook. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/australian-students-prorape-facebook-scandal-20091110-i7a7.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/australian-students-prorape-facebook-scandal-20091110-i7a7.html ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ UK pupils get cyber bullying lessons Hundreds of primary school children in Cumbria are to be given an insight into cyber bullying. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cumbria/8350927.stm uk: Cyber stalker waged hate campaign on teenager and her family A stalker who used social networking sites to terrorise a teenager student by bombarding her with threatening messages for nearly two years has been given a lifelong lifetimerestraining order. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6910282.ece uk: Police take cyber bullying campaign in to west Cumbrian schools A police campaign has been launched to raise awareness of cyber bullying in west Cumbrian schools. Community officers are holding workshops and assemblies in primary schools for the next three weeks, where they will look at bullying via text messages, email and on social networking websites. http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/police_take_cyber_bullying_campaign_in_to_west_cumbrian_schools_1_634401?referrerPath=home au: Regional kids to learn of cyber bullying threat The South Australian Government is spending $100,000 to combat cyber bullying and e-crime. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/10/2738420.htm Internet Virus Frames Users For Child Porn Of all the sinister things that Internet viruses do, this might be the worst: They can make you an unsuspecting collector of child pornography. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/09/internet-virus-frames-use_n_350426.html Child porn virus 'an old story,' police say When a report surfaced earlier this week of a virus capable of implanting child pornography on the computers of unsuspecting people, it wasn't news to Capt. Rhett McQuiston. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705343760/Child-porn-virus-an-old-story-police-say.html A child porn-planting virus: Threat or bad defense? Being accused of possessing child pornography could ruin people's reputation, confront them with overwhelming legal bills and, if convicted, deprive them of their freedom for years while in prison and perhaps for life, if they're required to register as sex offenders. http://news.cnet.com/8301-19518_3-10394352-238.html nz: Kids win US trip TEACHING kids about safety has scored a group of cyber savvy youngsters a trip to the United States. ?CCC?, a group of students from Mission Heights Primary and Junior College in Flat Bush, has won the junior division of the Community Problem Solving Competition. ... Students worked alongside internet safety company NetSafe and Hector?s World, an online programme that teaches kids about cyber bullying and safety on the internet. http://www.times.co.nz/cms/news/2009/11/kids_win_us_trip.php my: Question of Internet ?filtering? still unresolved In early August this year, the Malaysian public was alerted to the Government?s plan to introduce an Internet pornography filter similar to the ?Green Dam? filter software in China. http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?file=/2009/11/12/columnists/putiklada/5087538 INHOPE celebrated its 10th anniversary [news release] INHOPE was founded in 1999 with 8 Member hotlines in Europe. The main objective of the network is to fight against illegal content online, and especially against child sexual abuse images. Today, INHOPE has 35 Members all over the world. http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/newsroom/cf/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=5380 Brutal video game prepares to make a killing A new video game that gives players the option to kill civilians in a terrorist attack is poised to become the single most lucrative release in the history of entertainment when it goes on sale on Tuesday. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/gadgets_and_gaming/article6906968.ece ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** au: Copier case cited as iiNet fight rages Lawyers representing a group of entertainment companies suing iiNet for copyright infringement have relied heavily on a 34-year-old High Court decision concerning the use of photocopiers in universities to support the Federal Court bid against the Perth internet provider. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/copier-case-cited-as-iinet-fight-rages/story-e6frgakx-1225795984368 AFACT vs iiNet: AFACT alleges iiNet argument "deficient" iiNet is asking the court to find the company?s own terms and conditions to be unenforceable and unreasonable, AFACT has today alleged in court. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/325670/ ********************** SPAM ********************** Campaign fizzer: Vodafone cops $110K fine for Coke SMS ad Vodafone Hutchison Australia has agreed to make a $110,000 payment to the media regulator after it sent out 100,000 text messages as part of a marketing campaign for Coca-Cola that might have breached anti-spam laws. http://www.theage.com.au/technology/biz-tech/campaign-fizzer-vodafone-cops-110k-fine-for-coke-sms-ad-20091110-i6vv.html http://www.watoday.com.au/technology/biz-tech/campaign-fizzer-vodafone-cops-110k-fine-for-coke-sms-ad-20091110-i6vv.html http://www.smh.com.au/technology/biz-tech/campaign-fizzer-vodafone-cops-110k-fine-for-coke-sms-ad-20091110-i6vv.html http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/technology/biz-tech/campaign-fizzer-vodafone-cops-110k-fine-for-coke-sms-ad-20091110-i6vv.html ACMA accepts undertakings after Spam Act investigation into Coca-Cola SMS marketing [news release] The Australian Communications and Media Authority has accepted enforceable undertakings from three companies?Vodafone Hutchison Australia Pty Limited (VHA), New Dialogue Pty Ltd (New Dialogue), Big Mobile Pty Ltd (Big Mobile)?and issued a formal warning to Coca-Cola South Pacific Pty Ltd (CCSP) after investigating alleged breaches of the Spam Act 2003 arising from a marketing campaign that promoted certain Coca-Cola products through SMS. http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311949 ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** War beneath the web Hacking websites used to be a way to show off. Now, as Charles Arthur reports in our series about online security, it's a lucrative crime ? committed on an industrial scale http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/nov/11/web-security-hacking Cyber War: Sabotaging the System Nothing has ever changed the world as quickly as the Internet has. Less than a decade ago, "60 Minutes" went to the Pentagon to do a story on something called information warfare, or cyber war as some people called it. It involved using computers and the Internet as weapons. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/06/60minutes/main5555565.shtml US 'not prepared' for power grid hack [AFP] Massive power outages in Brazil in 2005 and 2007 that impacted millions were caused by cyber hackers attacking control systems, the US television network CBS says. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/us-not-prepared-for-power-grid-hack-20091109-i50g.html http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/us-not-prepared-for-power-grid-hack-20091109-i50g.html War beneath the web Hacking websites used to be a way to show off. Now, as Charles Arthur reports in our series about online security, it's a lucrative crime ? committed on an industrial scale http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/nov/11/web-security-hacking How a Botnet Gets Its Name [CIO] There is a new kid in town in the world of botnets - isn't there always? A heavyweight spamming botnet known as Festi has only been tracked by researchers with Message Labs Intelligence since August, but is already responsible for approximately 5 percent of all global spam (around 2.5 billion spam emails per day), according to Paul Wood, senior analyst with Messagelabs, which keeps tabs on spam and botnet activity. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/111009-how-a-botnet-gets-its.html Spam and phishing soar to new heights Around 90 per cent of all email messages are either spam or phishing mails, according to Symantec's latest State of Spam and Phishing reports released today. http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2252774/symantec-finds-dramatic-spam http://uk.news.yahoo.com/16/20091109/ttc-spam-and-phishing-soar-to-new-height-6315470.html http://www.itnews.com.au/News/160198,spam-and-phishing-soar-to-new-heights.aspx http://www.symantec.com/business/theme.jsp?themeid=state_of_spam Nastygram: MySpace Phish Plants Spy Software A new spam campaign targeting MySpace.com users once again illustrates the blended threat from junk e-mail attacks, experts warn. This latest run tries to lure recipients into giving up their MySpace credentials, and then attempts to trick victims into installing password-stealing malicious software. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/11/nastygram_myspace_phish_plants.html au: Porn star fake identity used to get nude nurse pics - court A RADIOGRAPHER created an internet identity using photos of a female porn star to trick a nurse into sending him raunchy photos of herself, a court has been told. http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,20797,26337992-3102,00.html ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Consent will be required for cookies in Europe EDITORIAL: A law that demands consent to internet cookies has been approved and will be in force across the EU within 18 months. It is so breathtakingly stupid that the normally law-abiding business may be tempted to bend the rules to breaking point. http://out-law.com/page-10510 ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Cuban crackdown part of worldwide attack on internet dissidents Freedom of speech campaigners are railing against the repression of bloggers around the world, following claims by a prominent Cuban dissident that she was beaten up for her online activities. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/nov/09/blogging-freedom-of-speech Yoani S?nchez Beating Rattles Cuban Bloggers Yoani S?nchez, Cuba's most prominent dissident blogger, was walking along a Havana street last Friday along with two other bloggers and a friend when two men she says were Cuban agents in civilian clothes forced her inside an unmarked black car and beat her, telling her to stop criticizing the government. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125790719186842977.html Court in Azerbaijan jails opposition bloggers A court in Azerbaijan sentenced two opposition bloggers to jail terms on Wednesday in a case that has stirred international concern over freedom of expression in the oil-producing Caspian Sea state. http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-43867820091111 ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** uk: 'Big Brother' database cancelled by ministers Plans to store information about every phone call, email and internet visit in the United Kingdom have in effect been abandoned by the Government. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/big-brother-database-cancelled-by-ministers-1817708.html Legislation to access public's texts and emails put on hold Plans for a ?2bn Home Office surveillance project to track details of everyone's email, mobile phone, text and internet use have been put on hold after a consultation raised concerns over its technical feasibility, costs and privacy safeguards. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/nov/09/home-office-plan-data-storage UK surveillance plan to go ahead The Home Office says it will push ahead with plans to ask communications firms to monitor all internet use. Ministers confirmed their intention despite concerns and opposition from some in the industry. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8350660.stm State to 'spy' on every phone call, email and web search Every phone call, text message, email and website visit made by private citizens is to be stored for a year and will be available for monitoring by government bodies. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/6534319/State-to-spy-on-every-phone-call-email-and-web-search.html UK to push for law to retain all communications data [IDG] The U.K. government said Monday it plans to push for a law requiring service providers such as ISPs to retain data about instant messages, e-mail and other electronic communications. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/325541/ http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/325541/ ASA's remit to extend to website content An industry rule-book for marketing communications in the UK is being amended to cover website content for the first time. Statements on websites could face sanctions from an industry body as soon as next summer even if they don't break any laws. http://out-law.com/page-10511 Streamlined US Broadband Grant Process Promised The Obama administration said Tuesday it will streamline the application process for $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus grants in response to criticism from applicants and lawmakers that the program isn't getting money out quickly enough. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703808904574527873110557350.html Groups Say IP Is Favored In Proposed Treaty Two consumer watchdog groups are raising new concerns with a draft anti-counterfeiting treaty. In a letter sent Monday to key members of Congress, Public Knowledge and Knowledge Ecology International complained that the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), being negotiated by the United States and several other countries, includes provisions from prior agreements that are more favorable to intellectual property owners, while leaving out provisions that favor consumers. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/groups-say-ip-is-favored-in-pr.php au: Three strikes copyright talks spark fear online The Australian Government is sparking fear and loathing online as it negotiates a global treaty on copyright which could see internet users disconnected after three illegal download complaints. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/10/2738733.htm The ACTA Internet provisions: DMCA goes worldwide That warm flood of outrage through the veins is addicting?but it also runs the danger of being addictive, and of being too easy. As the news broke this week about the "Internet provisions" in the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), it didn't take long for the outrage to emerge. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/11/the-acta-internet-provisions-dmca-goes-worldwide.ars Leaked ACTA Internet Provisions: Three Strikes and a Global DMCA Negotiations on the highly controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement start in a few hours in Seoul, South Korea. This week's closed negotiations will focus on "enforcement in the digital environment." Negotiators will be discussing the Internet provisions drafted by the US government. No text has been officially released but as Professor Michael Geist and IDG are reporting, leaks have surfaced. The leaks confirm everything that we feared about the secret ACTA negotiations. The Internet provisions have nothing to do with addressing counterfeit products, but are all about imposing a set of copyright industry demands on the global Internet, including obligations on ISPs to adopt Three Strikes Internet disconnection policies, and a global expansion of DMCA-style TPM laws. http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/11/leaked-acta-internet-provisions-three-strikes-and- ACTA morphs into an international copyright treaty: InternetNZ's cyberlaw researcher fellow calls it right on secret copyright talks Jonathon Penney, a senior research fellow in cyberlaw at InternetNZ, was remarkably prescient when speaking at the Copyright Future conference in Wellington recently. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/9D00790AC8E633E7CC257669006B5CC2 New Zealand ISP says No! to 3 strikes scheme ?Big music and movie interests, and other content producers, are conducting a global campaign to put their interests ahead of citizens rights to use the internet and to not be subject to unreasonable and arbitrary penalties that do nothing for public interest.? The words belong to Jordan Carter, deputy executive director of Internet New Zealand. http://www.p2pnet.net/story/30836 ACTA talks ? the ?highest level of secrecy? Last week Canadian officials travelled to Seoul for the latest round of closed-door negotiations on an international treaty called the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). While battling commercial counterfeiting would seem like a good idea, the ACTA process has been marked by unprecedented secrecy as well as leaks revealing that the treaty is really about copyright rather than counterfeiting. http://www.p2pnet.net/story/30994 ISPs focus of piracy talks The internet industry has warned that a secretive trade agreement currently being negotiated could lead to new criminal charges as part of a global effort to protect copyright and thwart piracy. http://www.theage.com.au/national/isps-focus-of-piracy-talks-20091109-i5du.html http://www.smh.com.au/national/fears-copyright-trade-agreement-could-criminalise-the-internet-20091109-i5gk.html http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/fears-copyright-trade-agreement-could-criminalise-the-internet-20091109-i5gk.html Copyright laws must fit online evolution People around the world want to connect and interact with content online. We expect to be able to sit at our computer, or walk along with our mobile phone, and have content at our fingertips. The internet enables just that, and in doing so has shifted community expectations about access to content. http://www.theage.com.au/business/copyright-laws-must-fit-online-evolution-20091109-i5hl.html ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* In Google Book Case, a Request for More Time The parties to the Google book settlement, which would legalize the creation of a vast library of digital books, have asked the judge overseeing a revision of the agreement for an extension to this Friday, Nov. 13. http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/in-google-book-case-a-request-for-more-time/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2009 --------- David Goldstein email: goldstein_david§yahoo.com.au web: http://davidgoldstein.tel/ http://goldsteinreport.com/ phone: +61 418 228 605 - mobile; +61 2 9665 5773 - office/home "Every time you use fossil fuels, you're adding to the problem. Every time you forgo fossil fuels, you're being part of the solution" - Dr Tim Flannery __________________________________________________________________________________ Win 1 of 4 Sony home entertainment packs thanks to Yahoo!7. Enter now: http://au.docs.yahoo.com/homepageset/Received on Wed Nov 11 2009 - 23:31:59 UTC
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