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 *************************************************** Safety and Security Plan for ICANN Meetings http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-05oct10-en.htm Trademark holders think new TLD policies inadequate http://domainincite.com/trademark-holders-think-new-tld-policies-inadequate/ Libya takes hard line on .ly link shortening domains http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11484751 Moscow Joins Growing List of gTLD Applicants http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=12487 Playing with Firewalls: Companies are facing an increasing barrage of cyber attacks. Few have adequate defenses in place http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703453804575479632855718318.html Special report: The Pentagon's new cyber warriors http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69433120101005 Australia needs to lead cybersecurity collaboration http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/363420/australia_needs_lead_cybersecurity_collaboration/ Most infrastructure firms feel ready for cyberattacks http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-20018682-245.html Something?s Just Not Adding Up with the Kentucky Domain Name Case http://www.osga.com/artman/publish/article_8361.shtml IPv6 is the Only Path to Continued Internet Growth http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=12497 ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Public Comment: Feedback Requested on the Public Participation Committee Webinar Information The ICANN Participation and Engagement Staff, in conjunction with the work of the Board Public Participation Committee (PPC), provided two webinar briefing sessions on Monday 27 September at 15.00 and 24.00 UTC. Attendees heard about the key focus points regarding ICANN meeting elements that were derived from the recently closed Meetings of the Next Decade Survey, as well as from the ICANN Meeting Team's Post-Brussels survey. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-04oct10-en.htm Public Comment: FY 11 Update to Plan for Enhancing Internet Security, Stability & Resiliency ICANN is providing an update to the public comment period on the FY 11 SSR Plan, with the posting of translations in Arabic, French, Russian and Spanish (note ? the Chinese translation will be added early next week). Accordingly, the comment period is being extended to 3 November 2010 23:59 UTC. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-13sep10-en.htm Safety and Security Plan for ICANN Meetings As announced earlier within the updated Plan for Enhancing Internet Security, Stability & Resiliency, ICANN is posting the Safety and Security Plan for ICANN International Public Meetings. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-05oct10-en.htm Application Round Opens for San Francisco Fellowships ICANN is launching the 12th round of applications for the Fellowship program, to facilitate participation in ICANN's 40th International Public Meeting to be held San Francisco, California on 13-18 March 2011. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-05oct10-en.htm Bulk Transfer of 4Domains's Domains to Internet.bs ICANN has authorized a bulk transfer of 4Domains, Inc.'s gTLD domain names to Internet.bs Corp., due to a compliance action taken by ICANN that resulted in the de-accreditation of registrar 4Domains. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-06oct10-en.htm Letter from Josh Bourne, CADNA, to Peter Dungate Thrush GAC Comments on new GTLDs and DAGv4 http://icann.org/en/correspondence/bourne-to-dengate-thrush-30sep10-en.pdf Trademark holders think new TLD policies inadequate Less than one in ten trademark holders believes ICANN?s policies go far enough to protect their rights under new top-level domains, according to a recent survey. http://domainincite.com/trademark-holders-think-new-tld-policies-inadequate/ US and Russia face off over ICANN veto power The ruling body of the International Telecommunications Union this week kicked off a major policy-making meeting in Guadalajara, Mexico, and has already seen the US and Russia already taking opposing stances over the future of control of ICANN. http://domainincite.com/us-and-russia-face-off-over-icann-veto-power/ ICANN Dressing Up for New gTLD Party in San Francisco by Antony Van Couvering The ICANN Board met on September 24-25 2010 in Trondheim, Norway, to consider and act on the impediments still in the way of the new generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) program. They passed a number of resolutions that provide very clear indications of how things are going. The short version is that the news is good for new gTLDs. ICANN is nailing down the final outstanding issues and the timetable is clearer than ever. http://www.mindsandmachines.com/2010/10/icann-dressing-up-for-new-gtld-party-in-san-francisco/ 10 Years Since the Internet Was Changed Forever by Roland LaPlante On Saturday, you were probably enjoying a quiet morning, sipping your coffee as you consumed headlines about news from New York to New Delhi. The headlines related to Internet business were probably much different than what you would have seen 10 years ago. Then, there were just 20 million domain names in use, ten percent of what is now our domain universe. But ten years ago, many of us in the industry weren't enjoying an easy morning with our coffee; we were harried from a sleepless night of poring over hundreds of pages that would constitute the first new Top-Level Domain (TLD) bids submitted to ICANN, ever. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20101004_10_years_since_internet_changed_forever/ ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** DNSSEC fully operational for .be Through their registrar, all .BE registrants can attach DNSSEC key material to their .BE domain names, thereby completing the chain of trust all the way up to the root zone. http://www.dns.be/en/home.php?n=454 .BIZ Follows .ORG And Increases Registry Fee The registry for .BIZ domain names has advised ICANN that it will be increasing the registry fee to US$7.30 from the current $6.85, an increase of 6.6 per cent, as of 1 April, 2011. http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/10/04/biz-follows-org-and-increases-registry-fee/ 199,379 Domains Released in Brazil Last Saturday, 2 October, NIC Brasil, the registry for .BR (Brazil) domain names, released 199,379 domain names that were not renewed by their owners. http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/10/06/199379-un-renewed-domains-released-in-brazil/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/brazil-releases-199379-un-renewed-domains.html Libya takes hard line on .ly link shortening domains The Libyan government has removed an adult-friendly link-shortening service from the web, saying that it fell foul of local laws. It could have an impact on similar services registered in Libya. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11484751 Libya Revoking .ly Domains That Don?t Adhere To Sharia Law Until last month, blogger and consultant Ben Metcalfe had been operating a web site, vb.ly, with writer and sex educator Violet Blue. Then, he explains in this post: http://blogs.forbes.com/davidewalt/2010/10/06/libya-revoking-ly-domains-that-dont-adhere-to-sharia-law/ Libyan authorities seize Vb.ly domain A URL-shortening service with the domain suffix .ly has been taken offline without warning after the Libyan registrar deemed that it did not comply with that country's morality and laws. http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/security/2010/10/06/libyan-authorities-seize-vbly-domain-40090431/ Libyan legal issue takes down URL shortener What was once "the Internet's first and only sex-positive URL shortener" is no more, thanks to a conflict with Libyan law. The Vb.ly service combined the initials of blogger and sex columnist Violet Blue and the .ly country-specific Internet domain associated with Libya. The combination didn't work out, an outcome with potential implications for bit.ly, those use it, and address-shortening services in general. http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20018772-264.html dotMobi to sell 5,000 premium .mobi domains Afilias-owned dotMobi is taking another crack at selling off over 5,000 ?premium? .mobi domain names that it has had reserved since its launch in 2006. http://domainincite.com/dotmobi-to-sell-5000-premium-mobi-domains/ Moscow Joins Growing List of gTLD Applicants The Russian capital of Moscow has joined the growing list of likely applicants for a new gTLD when ICANN begins taking applications, most likely sometime in 2011. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=12487 http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/10/06/moscow-joins-growing-list-of-gtld-applicants/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/moscow-joins-growing-list-of-gtld-applicants.html .RU Reaches 3 Million Registrations Mark There are now more than three million active .RU domain names, according to statistics on the Coordination Center for TLD .RU, the .RU registry website. http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/10/04/ru-reaches-3-million-registrations-mark/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/ru-passes-3-million-registrations-mark.html tolkutbildning.se is one millionth .se domain The number of .se domains has now reached an historic level, with the number of active domains now totaling one million. Bj?rn Eriksen registered the first .se domain, enea.se, in 1986 and the one millionth is tolkutbildning.se, which was registered via .SE?s registrar, City Network Hosting AB. http://www.iis.se/en/pressmeddelanden/tolkutbildning-se-blev-den-miljonte-se-domanen Telnic wants to sell numeric domain names Telnic, the .tel registry, wants ICANN to allow it to start taking registrations of purely numeric domain names. http://domainincite.com/telnic-wants-to-sell-numeric-domain-names/ ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Playing with Firewalls: Companies are facing an increasing barrage of cyber attacks. Few have adequate defenses in place Few senior business executives would need to have taken one of the Millennium Trilogy of bestselling novels by Stieg Larsson with them on holiday this summer to become fully aware of the threat of cyber crime. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703453804575479632855718318.html Special report: The Pentagon's new cyber warriors Guarding water wells and granaries from enemy raids is as old as war itself. In the Middle Ages, vital resources were hoarded behind castle walls, protected by moats, drawbridges and knights with double-edged swords. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69433120101005 http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE69435S20101005 http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-51961020101005 Australia needs to lead cybersecurity collaboration Australia and neighbouring countries such as Singapore need to lead the push for global cybersecurity compliance between governments, large enterprises and telcos, the former deputy director and chief information officer of the US National Security Agency (NSA), Dr Prescott Winter, has warned. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/363420/australia_needs_lead_cybersecurity_collaboration/ Most infrastructure firms feel ready for cyberattacks Nearly half of those who work in critical infrastructure systems worldwide expect their company to be targeted by a computer attack over the next year, a new survey has found. http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-20018682-245.html 'Political' cyberattacks hit half of large companies When asked if their enterprises had been hit by "politically minded attacks" that could include terrorist or state-sponsored cyberattacks aimed at stealing sensitive inform or bringing down the network, half of the IT managers at 1,580 enterprises worldwide answered they thought that had happened to them. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/100510-political-cyberattacks.html US cyber czar asks public to stop, think and connect Howard Schmidt, the federal cybersecurity czar, announced on Monday a publicity campaign that will instruct Americans to take responsibility for their own online safety. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20101004_4315.php Mass Injection Attack Targets Large UK Domain Registrar A new mass injection attack infected a significant number of websites hosted at 123-reg.co.uk, one of the largest domain providers in UK, with code directing visitors to scareware. http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mass-Injection-Attack-Targets-Large-UK-Domain-Registrar-159388.shtml ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Something?s Just Not Adding Up with the Kentucky Domain Name Case One of the strangest stories I?ve covered over the last several years has been the attempt by the state of Kentucky to seize 141 domain names belonging to internet gambling companies. The state was clearly upset that offshore sites were taking revenue from their casinos and racetracks and they really had no way of stopping their citizens from betting with those sites. http://www.osga.com/artman/publish/article_8361.shtml Indian BJP opposition claims website is under attack [IDG] India's political battlefield has moved online, with the main opposition party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming on Monday that its main website at bjp.org may be under attack. Party spokeswoman Nirmala Sitharaman said "a lot has been going wrong" on the party's main website ever since she publicly alleged on Sunday that the ruling Indian National Congress may be using another domain name, bjp.com, to redirect Internet users to the official website of the Congress party. http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/public-sector/3242227/indian-bjp-opposition-claims-website-is-under-attack/ http://www.itworld.com/internet/122800/indian-opposition-party-says-its-web-site-under-attack http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/100410-indian-opposition-party-says-its.html http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/206851/.html Indian Opposition Party Claims Its Website is Under Attack From information received, it would appear as if India?s political battlefield has moved online. India?s main opposition party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is now claiming that its main website at bjp.org may be under attack. http://www.techweek.org/7781indian-opposition-party-claims-its-website-is-under-attack.html Government ?cybersquatting? case rattles India Cybersquatting mischief is making headlines in India today, after the nation?s main opposition party accused the government of directing a confusingly similar domain name to its own site. http://domainincite.com/government-cybersquatting-case-rattles-india/ Microsoft cracks down on alleged Bing cybersquatters Following a growth in the number of Web addresses that include the word "Bing," Microsoft has filed three lawsuits in the past two weeks that claim their targets infringed on the Bing trademark through cybersquatting. http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/223696.asp ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** IPv6 is the Only Path to Continued Internet Growth With 94.5% of IPv4 addresses already allocated and the remaining 5.5% expected to be allocated by mid-2011, a panel of industry experts, including John Curran, president and CEO of ARIN, explained that IPv6 is the only path to continued Internet growth at a recent NTIA IPv6 workshop. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=12497 http://www.domainpulse.com/2010/10/06/ipv6-is-the-only-path-to-continued-internet-growth/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/ipv6-is-the-only-path-to-continued-internet-growth.html NAT won?t save you from the need to switch to IPv6 Once upon a time, anyone could get a static Internet Protocol (IP) Class C /24 address. That meant you got 256 addresses, well actually since .0 and .255 are set aside, and one address was assigned to your gateway you actually had 253 addresses. But that was more than enough for most small businesses. That was then. This is now. http://www.zdnet.com/blog/networking/nat-won-8217t-save-you-from-the-need-to-switch-to-ipv6/206 ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** FDA to get domain name takedown role? The US Food and Drug Administration may in future take a stronger role in having domain names associated with rogue internet pharmacies shut down. http://domainincite.com/fda-to-get-domain-name-takedown-role/ ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Three Special Conferences Over the Next 16 Days Will Bring Domainers Together in the U.S., Europe and Aboard an International Cruise Ship Another big burst of domain conference activity gets underway tomorrow when the doors open at DOMAINfest Europe in Prague, Czech Republic. That show, featuring an opening presentation from Oversee.net President and CEO Jeff Kupietzky, will run through Thursday at the InterContinental Hotel in Prague. http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2010/dailyposts/20101004.htm Collateral Damage of Identity Theft in the Domain Space I?ve been working with Mike Berkens this weekend on a breaking story that has some scary ramifications for the domain industry. Mike just published the scary part of the story on his site. To sum it up, Chris Hartnett, a well known domain investor has been the victim of identity theft. The thief has used Chris? name to conduct fraudulent business including bidding and purchasing names on NameJet as well as stealing domain names and putting them up for sale, posing as Hartnett. http://www.domainnamenews.com/legal-issues/domain-identity-theft/8178 ALERT: Identity Theft Hits NameJet & Dr. Chris Hartnett & It Can Happen To You This is some pretty scary stuff. REALLY SCARY stuff and its happening to domainers. Identity theft, impersonation, and if one victim is correct, there is a thief among us, someone with a lot of knowledge about the domain industry, how the business works, who the players are. http://www.thedomains.com/2010/10/04/alert-identity-theft-hits-namejet-dr-chris-hartnett-it-can-happen-to-you/#respond DOMAINfest Announces Shows in Barcelona, Las Vegas This morning at the DOMAINfest show in Prague, Oversee.net General Manager Peter Celeste announced locations for the franchise?s shows in 2010. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/10/06/domainfest-announces-shows-in-barcelona-las-vegas/ DOMAINfest Kicks Off in Prague with New Faces I get a lot of bang for my buck at domain name conference through the connections I make. But often times I have to search out new faces at the conferences ? it?s the same people each time. http://domainnamewire.com/2010/10/05/domainfest-kicks-off-in-prague-with-new-faces/ ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Increasingly violent porn 'hijacking' our sexuality Boston sociology professor Gail Dines warns that pornography is more violent and available than it used to be, and that it is corrupting the sexuality of even those who do not watch it. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/06/3031331.htm UK's Internet advertising spend up 10 percent - IAB Spending on internet advertising in Britain grew 10 percent during the first half, due to a boom in ads around online video and social media sites, lifting the medium to a record market share of 24.3 percent. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE6934PP20101004 ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** One Goal: 10 Quadrillion Calculations As Fujitsu, Japan Aim at Supercomputer Lead Japan has begun installation of a new supercomputer that aims to be the first machine that can make 10,000 trillion calculations per second. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704029304575525463311543150.html ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ Britain's online child protection chief quits in protest at merger proposals The head of Britain's online child protection agency has quit over government plans which would curtail the body's independence. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/online-child-protection-chief-quits-in-protest-at-merger-proposals-2097769.html Head of online child protection quits The former policeman in charge of combating online child abuse resigned yesterday after a dispute with the home secretary over moves to subsume the agency he led into a new National Crime Agency. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/oct/04/chief-online-child-protection-quits Online child protection chief Jim Gamble resigns The chief executive of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop) has resigned in a row over its future, the BBC has learned. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11472033 Children's online protection centre staff quit in clash with ministers The crisis over the future of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop) deepened today, after it emerged that two more senior managers and a group of specialist internet investigators have quit in protest at government plans which they fear will undermine child safety. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/oct/05/children-online-agency-future-doubt uk: Advertisers given checklist for protecting children's online privacy Companies which advertise to children can quickly find out if their campaigns break the law with the launch of a website which claims to draw together all UK laws and regulations on advertising to children. http://out-law.com/page-11420 Sex, Porn and Teenagers "Shag bands" are thin coloured rubber bracelets, indicating how far the wearer will go sexually if the band is broken. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00v1nkx uk: Sex, Porn and Teenagers ? review From its no nonsense title onwards, Sex, Porn and Teenagers (Radio 4) was a clear-headed look at the issues. It was presented by Miranda Sawyer, radio critic of the Observer, and was a likably non-sensational survey. http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2010/oct/05/sex-porn-teenagers-review Advertisers given checklist for protecting children's online privacy Companies which advertise to children can quickly find out if their campaigns break the law with the launch of a website which claims to draw together all UK laws and regulations on advertising to children. http://out-law.com/page-11420 Study: Why Child Abuse Investigations Don't Help Kids Child welfare agencies have a thankless task: investigate reports of child maltreatment and determine, first, whether they are true or false, then whether more damage will be done by a) leaving children in a potentially harmful environment, or b) ripping them away from the only parents they know and placing them in a new family that may or may not be better. http://healthland.time.com/2010/10/04/study-why-child-abuse-investigations-dont-help-kids/ In a wired world, children unable to escape cyberbullying Jason, 13, knows he is an easy target for bullies at his middle school in Long Island, New York. His diminutive stature hinders him from retaliating against the taller, heavier boys who tease him. He prefers to wear skinny jeans and black zip-up hoodies, fashion choices that induce comments like "emo" or "gay" from classmates. He has an affinity for comic books and Xbox games such as "Halo" and "Call of Duty," and for pursuing these hobbies, other kids call him a loser. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/10/04/youth.cyberbullying.abuse/ After student's death, a weeklong look into bullying Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi was 18 when he jumped off the George Washington Bridge to his death. He committed suicide after his roommate and another college classmate allegedly placed a camera in his dorm room and streamed his sexual encounter online. A mobile status update September 22 on a Facebook page purportedly belonging to Clementi revealed his plan: "jumping off the gw bridge sorry." http://edition.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/10/04/bullying.special.explainer/ Tyler Clementi: A Call to Act on Cyberbullying The recent suicide of Tyler Clementi, which raised the visibility of cyberbullying and digital ethics, is serving as a call to action to end something much deeper than that: cruelty, homophobia, and a distorted sense of entitlement to disclose information about others. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/10/05/scitech/pcanswer/main6928012.shtml au: It's still safe to bypass the filter The Federal Government has denied reports it will criminalise attempts to circumvent its proposed internet content filter. http://www.zdnet.com.au/it-s-still-safe-to-bypass-the-filter-339306431.htm au: Conroy to receive secret filter forum report The Greens have dug up a handful of further details about Labor?s controversial mandatory filter project through the questions on notice procedure, including the fact that Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, will shortly receive a report on a confidential online forum held by his department on the topic in April this year. http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/363182/conroy_receive_secret_filter_forum_report/ http://www.itwire.com/it-industry-news/strategy/42255-conroy-to-receive-secret-filter-forum-report http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/363208/conroy_receive_secret_filter_forum_report/ http://www.techworld.com.au/article/363208/conroy_receive_secret_filter_forum_report http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/363189/conroy_receive_secret_filter_forum_report/ http://www.goodgearguide.com.au/article/363189/conroy_receive_secret_filter_forum_report/ http://delimiter.com.au/2010/10/05/conroy-to-receive-secret-filter-forum-report/ A-G: Filter won't drive users to encryption The Attorney-General's Department does not expect to see a rise in the number of users encrypting internet traffic streams to avoid detection by ISP-level filters, according to written responses to questions posed by The Greens. http://www.itnews.com.au/News/234272,a-g-filter-wont-drive-users-to-encryption.aspx http://www.securecomputing.net.au/News/234272,a-g-filter-wont-drive-users-to-encryption.aspx http://www.securecomputing.net.au/News/234272,ag-filter-wont-drive-users-to-encryption.aspx ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** Google TV Announces Its Programming Partners, but the Top Networks Are Absent Google announced on Monday its first content partners for Google TV, its effort to marry two mediums ? the Internet and television. But the announcement underscored the difficulties companies face as they try to work their way into the living room. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/technology/05google.html Google TV Signs Up Media, Web Firms Google Inc. on Monday unveiled several new partnerships with media and Web companies, including NBC Universal Inc. and Amazon Inc., to provide content for Google TV, a service designed to expand the Internet giant's franchise into the living room. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704631504575532040437065102.html BT seeks moratorium on internet piracy cases BT is seeking a moratorium on legal applications to obtain details of its customers who are alleged to have illegally shared files online. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11467347 French take to barricades over Internet piracy law [AFP] French Internet users are taking a centuries-old tradition into the cyber age and erecting barricades against a new law aimed at clamping down on film and music piracy through illegal file sharing. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/french-take-to-barricades-over-internet-piracy-law-20101005-165tt.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/french-take-to-barricades-over-internet-piracy-law-20101005-165tt.html ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Cut Phone Radiation For frequent cellphone users, there are a number of products designed to cut exposure to cellphone radiation. Scientists say some gadgets don't work, but others may be a reasonable precaution. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704631504575532080633165038.html New generation mobile phones will ruin cable TV signals The next generation of mobile phones are set to disrupt households' cable television ? and possibly their neighbours' sets as well. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/new-generation-mobile-phones-will-ruin-cable-tv-signals-2096949.html 'Almost one third' of Australians have used their mobile on toilet: Telstra [AAP] In front of the telly, in bed, even on the loo ... mobile phones with internet connections are a constant buddy for generations of Australians. http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/mobiles/almost-one-third-have-used-their-mobile-on-toilet-telstra-20101005-164vf.html http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/mobiles/almost-one-third-have-used-their-mobile-on-toilet-telstra-20101005-164vf.html http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/363197/smartphones_becoming_constant_buddies/ New study confirms Aussies are smartphone fanatics [news release] The nation?s obsession with mobile internet-connected ?smartphones? like the Apple? iPhone? and the HTC Desire has reached new heights, with Australians admitting to using their devices in bed, on the loo and, alarmingly, when behind the wheel according to Telstra research released today. http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/media-centre/announcements/new-study-confirms-aussies-are-smartphone-fanatics.xml Android Most Popular Smartphone Operating System in U.S. Among New Users New data from The Nielsen Company shows that Google's Android mobile operating system is now the most popular OS among those who bought a new smartphone in the U.S. during the last six months, with a 32% share of recent acquirers. http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/android_most_popular_smartphone_operating_system_in_us_among_new_users.php http://www.nytimes.com/external/readwriteweb/2010/10/05/05readwriteweb-android-most-popular-smartphone-operating-s-59372.html Android most popular in recent sales, but third in overall share Android is the most popular mobile operating system among consumers who bought a smartphone in the past six months, according to new research from Nielsen. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/100510-android-sales.html http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/363336/android_most_popular_recent_sales_third_overall_share/ http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9189560/Android_most_popular_in_recent_sales_but_third_in_overall_share Android Most Popular Operating System in U.S. Among Recent Smartphone Buyers [news release] According to August data from The Nielsen Company, Android is now the most popular operating system among people who bought a smartphone in the past six months, while Blackberry RIM and Apple iOS are in a statistical dead heat for second place among recent acquirers. http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/android-most-popular-operating-system-in-u-s-among-recent-smartphone-buyers/ UAE BlackBerry users eye alternatives as ban deadline looms [AFP] With a week to go before a United Arab Emirates ban on key BlackBerry services is due come into effect, many users of the smartphone here are eyeing alternatives but still hoping for a reprieve. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/uae-blackberry-users-eye-alternatives-as-ban-deadline-looms-2097767.html Limited 3G Bandwidth is Good for Mobile Apps It's been about four months since AT&T announced tiered pricing for iPhone and other smartphone users' 3G data service, ending the unlimited bandwidth option. The universe has not folded back onto itself, despite the hue and cry from application developers fearful that their apps -- mainly games and video players -- would lose customers after eating up the 200MB or 2GB they paid for each month. http://infoworld.com/d/mobilize/limited-3g-bandwidth-good-mobile-apps-676 http://www.pcworld.com/article/206975/.html Skype for Android app now available for download [IDG] Android smartphone owners can now download a free Skype client from the Android Market that will let them make voice calls over mobile data or Wi-Fi connections -- except in the U.S., where it will work over Wi-Fi only. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9189465/Skype_for_Android_app_now_available_for_download http://www.pcworld.com/article/206954/.html ********************** SPAM ********************** Facebook Spammer Tries to Cash in on $873 Million Fine [IDG] Facebook calls him a spammer and a U.S. court has fined him US$873 million. But Montreal's Adam Guerbuez doesn't seem to care; he calls himself the US$873 million man and says he won't pay a cent. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/207046/.html Is your private phone number on Facebook? Probably. And so are your friends' If you have a friend on Facebook who has used the iPhone app version to access the site, then it's very possible that your private phone numbers - and those of lots of your and their friends - are on the site. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2010/oct/06/facebook-privacy-phone-numbers-upload Fake spam Apple iTunes Store emails lead to dodgy sites Online security specialists PandaLabs has warned of a spam scam involving genuine looking Apple iTunes Store receipts. http://www.macworld.co.uk/ipod-itunes/news/index.cfm?newsid=3242549 http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/100610-fake-spam-apple-itunes-store.html Facebook Hit by New iPhone Spam Attack Facebook users are being warned about a new spam scam that tries to tempt users into visiting a website with the promise of a free Apple iPhone. http://news.techworld.com/security/3242442/facebook-hit-by-new-iphone-spam-attack/ http://www.pcworld.com/article/206986/.html ********************** DIGITAL DIVIDE ********************** Tablet PC for developing nations The One Laptop Per Child organisation has been given a $5.6m (?3.5m) grant to develop a tablet version of its educational computer. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11475335 ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Playing with Firewalls: Companies are facing an increasing barrage of cyber attacks. Few have adequate defenses in place Few senior business executives would need to have taken one of the Millennium Trilogy of bestselling novels by Stieg Larsson with them on holiday this summer to become fully aware of the threat of cyber crime. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703453804575479632855718318.html Special report: The Pentagon's new cyber warriors Guarding water wells and granaries from enemy raids is as old as war itself. In the Middle Ages, vital resources were hoarded behind castle walls, protected by moats, drawbridges and knights with double-edged swords. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69433120101005 http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE69435S20101005 http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-51961020101005 Australia needs to lead cybersecurity collaboration Australia and neighbouring countries such as Singapore need to lead the push for global cybersecurity compliance between governments, large enterprises and telcos, the former deputy director and chief information officer of the US National Security Agency (NSA), Dr Prescott Winter, has warned. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/363420/australia_needs_lead_cybersecurity_collaboration/ Most infrastructure firms feel ready for cyberattacks Nearly half of those who work in critical infrastructure systems worldwide expect their company to be targeted by a computer attack over the next year, a new survey has found. http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-20018682-245.html 'Political' cyberattacks hit half of large companies When asked if their enterprises had been hit by "politically minded attacks" that could include terrorist or state-sponsored cyberattacks aimed at stealing sensitive inform or bringing down the network, half of the IT managers at 1,580 enterprises worldwide answered they thought that had happened to them. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/100510-political-cyberattacks.html US cyber czar asks public to stop, think and connect Howard Schmidt, the federal cybersecurity czar, announced on Monday a publicity campaign that will instruct Americans to take responsibility for their own online safety. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20101004_4315.php Sick PCs should be banned from the net says Microsoft Virus-infected computers that pose a risk to other PCs should be blocked from the net, a senior researcher at software giant Microsoft suggests. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11483008 NZ online name suppression laws to be tightened A notice-and-take-down provision for internet hosts and ISPs that facilitate breach of Court name-suppression orders is part of planned changes to the law governing suppression of name and other details of defendants, victims and witnesses. The planned changes were announced by Justice Minister Simon Power today. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/online-name-suppression-laws-to-be-tightened http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=7EF1F492-1A64-6A71-CE9DE618EAA9868F Britain's judges are resigned to jurors researching their trials online Judges are "giving up" trying to stop juries using Google, Facebook and Twitter to access potentially false and prejudicial information about defendants, Sir Ken Macdonald, the former director of public prosecutions, has warned. http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2010/oct/04/judges-resigned-jurors-online-research au: Footy fans fleeced in online ticket scam Police in Sydney are investigating what appears to be an internet scam targeting people who wanted to go to last weekend's NRL Grand Final. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/05/3029942.htm au: Online ticket scam investigation widens NSW POLICE have expanded their investigation into an online NRL grand final ticket scam that left fans angry and out of pocket. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/online-nrl-grand-final-ticket-scam-investigation-widens/story-e6frg7mf-1225934588595 uk: Man jailed over PC password A teenager who refused to tell police his computer password was jailed for four months. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/man-jailed-over-pc-password-2098817.html uk: Teenager jailed for keeping computer password secret A teenager has been jailed for four months for refusing to give police the password to his computer. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/oct/05/password-computer-teenager UK firm launches army of laptop snoopers [Reuters] Anyone who owns a laptop computer can now fight crime from the safety of their home and win cash prizes for catching thieves red-handed, under a new British monitoring scheme that went live this week. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/06/3030428.htm Online Banking Fraud Figure Falls in the UK Online banking losses fell in the UK for the first six months of the year, but officials warned the situation is volatile and could change. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/207040/.html ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Inside the cookie monster - trading your online data for profits Sandwiched between a bakery and a health food supermarket in the heart of Cupertino, California, is the headquarters of a new kind of stock exchange - one that trades data, your data. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/inside-the-cookie-monster--trading-your-online-data-for-profits-20101004-164ee.html US Supreme Court debates privacy rights and government's role as employer The Supreme Court seemed disinclined on Tuesday to impose strict limits on how the federal government can investigate the backgrounds of contractors seeking work, but the justices were more split over what a constitutional right to privacy protects. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/05/AR2010100505356.html IAB Europe condemns ?re-spawning? as an illegal marketing practice [news release] IAB Europe is a trade group representing the online advertising industry across Europe. The vast majority of Online-Adverts in the EU are served by IAB Companies that innovate and develop new products daily, allowing businesses to reach clients and consumers in a more meaningful and efficient way. Many of our companies provide users with tools to manage their privacy preferences and choices for how certain online advertisements are selected, and these tools rely on the storing of cookies and similar local data. http://www.iabeurope.eu/news/iab-europe-condemns-?re-spawning?-as-an-illegal-marketing-practice.aspx ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** In Sign of Discord, Iran Blocks Web Sites of Some Clerics The web sites of two senior clerics have been blocked by government censors, a possible sign of a hardening political divide at the highest level of Iran?s religious establishment. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/world/middleeast/05iran.html Syria accuses teenage blogger of spying for a foreign power Syria has accused a young woman blogger of spying for a foreign power after human rights watchdogs raised her case as an example of unjustified restrictions on freedom of expression. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/04/syrian-blogger-spy-jail ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** Telecom firms' donations to minority groups criticized as FCC considers net neutrality rules =Key minority organizations are backing the carriers' efforts to thwart net neutrality proposals. Critics say the millions of dollars and in-kind help the firms pour into the groups is a factor. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-net-neutrality-minorities-20101005,0,485358.story US Administration Cracking Down On Internet Piracy Curbing Internet piracy is a big priority for the administration, U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator Victoria Espinel said on Tuesday. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/10/administration-cracking-down-o.php ITIF Releases Guide To Digital Politics The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation released a new report on Tuesday delineating the landscape of American digital politics. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/10/itif-releases-guide-to-digital.php Anti-counterfeit pact text shows deal is near - source Countries negotiating a treaty to fight global trade in pirated goods released the text of a 99-percent complete draft of the pact on Wednesday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE6954EA20101006 http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-51999220101006 ACTA anti-piracy negotiations conclude The Japanese Government has confirmed that the 11th and final round of the negotiations for the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) have been concluded. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/363254/acta_anti-piracy_negotiations_conclude/ EU releases text of secretive ACTA copyright treaty The final version of the international Anti-counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) leaves the door open for countries to introduce the so-called three-strikes rule, which would see Internet users cut off if they download copyrighted material. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/100610-eu-releases-text-of-secretive.html ACTA text shows US caved in on Internet provisions Talk about a cave-in. The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) has been three years in the making, and at one point included language advocating "three strikes" regimes, ordering ISPs to develop anti-piracy plans, promoting tough DRM anticircumvention language, setting up a "takedown" notification system, and "secondary liability" for device makers. Europeans were demanding protection for their geographic marks (Champagne, etc). Other countries wanted patents in the mix. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/10/near-final-acta-text-arrives-big-failure-for-us.ars ACTA Talks Wrap Up, Latest Text Released After three years and 10 rounds of talks, the United States and several other countries appear to have wrapped up formal talks over a proposed trade agreement aimed at increasing international cooperation in the fight to curb piracy and counterfeiting. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/10/acta-talks-wrap-up-latest-text.php EU releases text of secretive ACTA copyright treaty [IDG] The final version of the international Anti-counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) leaves the door open for countries to introduce the so-called three-strikes rule, which would see Internet users cut off if they download copyrighted material. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9189681/EU_releases_text_of_secretive_ACTA_copyright_treaty Commerce Seeks Comment On Online IP Issues The Commerce Department said Tuesday that it is seeking comment on ways to protect copyrighted works on the Internet while still fostering technological innovation. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2010/10/commerce-seeks-comment-on-onli.php ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* S'pore opens fund to inject startup experience National Research Foundation (NFR) has unveiled plans to set aside S$50 million (US$38.1 million) in efforts to attract experienced entrepreneur managers into the country to boost the local startup scene. http://www.zdnetasia.com/s-pore-opens-fund-to-inject-startup-experience-62203444.htm ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** Samsung WiMAX 2 test hits 330Mbps Yes, it's only a demonstration. Even so, Samsung's trial of WiMAX 2 technology that touched speeds of 330Mbps is still impressive. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/100410-samsung-wimax.html http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9189358/Samsung_WiMAX_2_test_hits_330Mbps ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR ONLINE CHILD PROTECTION ********************************** Deputy headteacher jailed in England for seven years for encouraging child rape A former deputy headteacher who encouraged a man to rape a three-year-old child as he watched the attack on a webcam was jailed for seven years today. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/oct/04/deputy-head-encouraged-child-rape +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2010 --------- 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 FlanneryReceived on Wed Oct 06 2010 - 13:37:57 UTC
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