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

***************************************************


New gTLDs: What to Expect in 2012
http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/announcements-and-media/announcement-23jan12-en

Letter from Kurt Pritz to the Honorable Greg Walden, U.S. House of Representatives
http://www.icann.org/en/correspondence/pritz-to-walden-20jan12-en.pdf

Ombudsman dealing with new gTLDs complaint
http://domainincite.com/ombudsman-dealing-with-new-gtlds-complaint/

Top-Level Domain Opportunity Awaits CMO Trailblazers by Adrian Kinderis, CEO, ARI Registry Services
http://www.cmo.com/web-sites/top-level-domain-opportunity-awaits-cmo-trailblazers

ICANN tells Congressmen to chillax
http://domainincite.com/icann-tells-congressmen-to-chillax/

115 Top level domain trademarks and their current status
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/01/25/115-top-level-domain-trademarks/

au: Hackers leave calling card on GG's site
http://www.zdnet.com.au/hackers-leave-calling-card-on-ggs-site-339330309.htm


**********************
 - ICANN
**********************
New gTLDs: What to Expect in 2012
Tremendous anticipation, planning, and work drove toward 12 January, 2012, the day ICANN began accepting applications for new gTLDs. Whether you've applied or not, your next question might be: "It's after 12 January. What happens next?"
http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/announcements-and-media/announcement-23jan12-en

Letter from Kurt Pritz to the Honorable Greg Walden, U.S. House of Representatives
Additional Questions from the December 14, 2011 Hearing Before the House Subcommittee on Communication and Technology, Committee on Energy and Commerce
http://www.icann.org/en/correspondence/pritz-to-walden-20jan12-en.pdf

Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy Part B Policy Development Process - Recommendation 9, Part 2 Concerning a New Provision to Lock and Unlock Domain Names
Purpose (Brief): Public notice is hereby provided of the proposed change to the Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy to address the locking and unlocking of domain names that is considered for adoption as well as an opportunity to comment on the adoption of the proposed policy change, prior to ICANN Board consideration.
http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-23jan12-en.htm

Ombudsman dealing with new gTLDs complaint
ICANN Ombudsman Chris LaHatte is investigating a complaint related to the new gTLDs program.
http://domainincite.com/ombudsman-dealing-with-new-gtlds-complaint/

Failing to Act on Accountability by R. Shawn Gunnarson
More than a year has passed since the first organizational review team delivered its final report on ICANN's accountability and transparency. Disappointingly, ICANN has done precious little to act on a key recommendation in that report. Its failure to act threatens to damage ICANN's credibility, just as it enters one of the most critical periods in its history.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/failing_to_act_on_accountability/

**********************
 - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS
**********************
uk: Multi-year registration update
An update on the roll-out of multi-year registrations for .uk domains names is available to help participating registrars plan ahead of the 1st May 2012 launch date.
http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=9001

uk: New experts for the Dispute Resolution Service
The panel responsible for considering disputes over .uk domain names is to welcome five new members.
http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=8961

Nominet Announces Single & Multi-Year Registration Details
Nominet has announced the rules and prices they charge to registrars for multi-year registrations, with the options for registrations from one to ten years, when the new rules come into place on 1 May 2012.
http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/01/24/nominet-announces-single-multi-year-registration-details/

One-year .co.uk domains will be more expensive
Single-year .co.uk domain name registrations will cost more per year than multi-year registrations, under plans outlined by .uk registry Nominet today.
http://domainincite.com/one-year-co-uk-domains-will-be-more-expensive/

**********************
 - NEW TLDS
**********************
Top-Level Domain Opportunity Awaits CMO Trailblazers by Adrian Kinderis, CEO, ARI Registry Services
Attention, CMOs! I?m about to present you with an opportunity for which many of your peers will look back on in five years and wish they had taken the initiative and acted on. It will require you to make tough decisions and take some calculated risks. However, to take advantage of this opportunity, you?re going to need to call on the bold and daring characteristics that encapsulate a CMO. The problem is, I fear many CMOs have lost touch with their inner trailblazer.
http://www.cmo.com/web-sites/top-level-domain-opportunity-awaits-cmo-trailblazers

ICANN tells Congressmen to chillax
ICANN senior vice president Kurt Pritz has replied in writing to great big list of questions posed by US Congressmen following the two hearings into new gTLDs last month.
http://domainincite.com/icann-tells-congressmen-to-chillax/

115 Top level domain trademarks and their current status
I?ve made plenty of commotion about companies filing for trademarks on future TLDs. It always seems that they?re successfully pulling a fast one on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/01/25/115-top-level-domain-trademarks/

USPTO wising up to new TLD frontrunning
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is finally catching on to a game I?ve reported about many times: trying to sneak through a trademark on a TLD.
http://domainnamewire.com/2012/01/23/uspto-wising-up-to-new-tld-frontrunning/

Sedari Signs With dot Moscow Bidders [news release]
Sedari has been engaged by the Foundation for Assistance for Internet Technologies and Infrastructure Development (FAITID), a not-for-profit Russian foundation which is preparing applications for the .MOSCOW and .MOCKBA (in Cyrillic) TLDs. The implementation of the new TLDs will make possible websites with addresses such as COMPANY.MOSCOW and for museums ?????.??????.
http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/01/25/sedari-signs-with-dot-moscow-bidders/

**********************
 - DNS SECURITY
**********************
Spam declines as malware rises: report
Global spam volumes continued to decline throughout 2011, but web-malware encounters appear to be growing steadily, according to new research from Cisco.
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/global-spam-declines-as-malware-encounters-pick-up-report/67858
http://www.zdnet.com.au/spam-declines-as-malware-rises-report-339330360.htm

Cisco 4Q11 Global Threat Report
The Cisco 4Q11 Global Threat Report has been released. The report covers the period from 1 October 2011 through 31 December 2011 and features data from across Cisco Security Intelligence Operations. This quarter?s contributors were Cisco Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), Cisco IronPort, Cisco Security Research and Operations (SR&O), and Cisco ScanSafe.
http://blogs.cisco.com/security/cisco-4q11-global-threat-report/

Ex-U.S. spy chief: may take crisis for new cyber law
U.S. intelligence agencies have unique capabilities that can help protect American companies from cyber espionage and attack, but it will probably take a crisis to change laws to allow that type of cooperation, a former spy chief said on Monday.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/01/23/usa-cyber-idINDEE80M0KX20120123

au: Hackers leave calling card on GG's site
The governor-general's website has been vulnerable to attack and defacement for at least the past 10 months, with two hackers leaving their calling cards on the site.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/hackers-leave-calling-card-on-ggs-site-339330309.htm

**********************
 - DOMAIN DISPUTES
**********************
vn: A lot of big real estate projects lost ?.com? domain names
Nearly 100 percent of the real estate projects of the famous groups in Vietnam have lost the ?.com? domain names coinciding with the names of the projects.
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/en/science-technology/17857/a-lot-of-big-real-estate-projects-lost---com--domain-names.html

**********************
 - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET
**********************
Newspapers.com Up For Sale
The domain name newspapers.com and associated website is up for sale with the owner hoping to receive up to $1 million for it.
http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/01/24/newspapers-com-up-for-sale/

Europe's Domaining 2012 Conference Announces Additions to the Show Speakers Line Up
The 2012 domain conference season gets underway next week with the DOMAINfest Global in Santa Monica, California. The conference staff has spent the past year laying the groundwork for DOMAINfest and successful show organizers know that's what it takes to pull off a successful event.
http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2012/dailyposts/20120124.htm

Sedo and .ME Registry partner to auction previously unreleased premium .me domain names
Sedo, the leading online domain marketplace and monetization provider, today announced an exclusive auction of premium .ME domain names.
https://sedo.com/presse/presse.php?tracked=&partnerid=&language=e&id=428


**********************
REPORTS & RESEARCH PAPERS
**********************
A Research Agenda Acknowledging the Persistence of Passwords by Cormac Herley & Paul C. van Oorschot
Abstract: Despite countless attempts and near-universal desire to replace them, passwords are more widely used and firmly entrenched than ever. Our exploration of this leads us to argue that no silver bullet will meet all requirements, and not only will passwords be with us for some time, but in many instances they are the solution which best fits the scenario of use.
http://research.microsoft.com/pubs/154077/Persistence-authorcopy.pdf

A Fresh Perspective on Internet Security by Douglas Gantenbein
People don?t do enough to protect themselves on the Internet. They don?t use good passwords. They?re poor at recognizing the URL of ?phishing? sites. They ignore certificate errors.
http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/news/features/herley-122011.aspx

**********************
INTERNET USE
**********************
Google replaces the brain
The internet is becoming our main source of memory - instead of our own brains, a study has found. Our minds are adapting so that we are experts at knowing where to find information - even though we don't remember what it is.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/technology/google-replaces-the-brain/story-fn5h1vlf-1226253985062
http://www.news.com.au/technology/google-replaces-the-brain/story-e6frfrnr-1226253985062

Google looks to speed up the Internet
Google technicians want an overhaul of the Web's TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) transport layer and are suggesting ways to reduce latency and make the Web faster.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/google-looks-to-speed-up-the-internet
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/413263/google_looks_speed_up_internet/

Facebook, Myspace and Twitter chide Google with 'Don't be evil' add-on
Facebook, Twitter and MySpace engineers have devised a software add-on for browsers which negates the effect of Google's alteration of its search results to favour its own Google+ social network ? with a piece of code they call "Don't be evil".
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jan/24/facebook-twitter-myspace-google-add-on

Pope Benedict XVI says internet 'bombards' people with informations [AFP]
The Pope wants the cyber world to quieten down a little so that people retain time for spiritual reflection.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/pope-benedict-xvi-says-internet-bombards-people-with-informations/story-e6frgakx-1226253030471

What if solar storms knocked out the Internet?
The likelihood is remote, but there's a chance that a solar flare like the one that disrupted the Earth's electromagnetic field Tuesday could be responsible for the temporary demise of the Internet -- or at least your ability to access it.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2012/01/what-if-the-solar-storm-knocked-out-our-internet.html

**********************
SOCIAL NETWORKING
**********************
In a Switch, Google Plus Now Allows Pseudonyms
Should people be allowed to use pseudonyms online? It is a topic of much debate, with Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus each giving different answers. On Monday, Google will change the policy on its social network to permit nicknames and pseudonyms.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/23/in-a-switch-google-plus-now-allows-pseudonyms/

Deloitte says Facebook is worth ?12.7bn to EU economy
A new study from Deloitte estimates that Facebook?s economic impact is worth ?12.7bn to the EU and Switzerland, supporting over 232,000 jobs.
http://econsultancy.com/uk/blog/8787-deloitte-says-facebook-is-worth-12-7bn-to-eu-economy

Facebook 'adds ?2bn to UK economy' and supports 35,200 jobs
Facebook estimates that it benefits the UK to the tune of more than ?2bn a year, including the development of an almost ?500m "app economy" that has sprung up around the world's most popular social networking website.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jan/24/facebooks-adds-2bn-to-uk-economy

*********************************
CHILD PROTECTION & ONLINE SAFETY
*********************************
uk: Teachers warned over befriending pupils on Facebook
More than one in 10 school teachers accused of misconduct last year had used social networking sites and email to forge inappropriate relationships with their pupils, an analysis of disciplinary cases has found.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/jan/23/teacher-misconduct-cases-facebook

nz: Stronger powers to catch online paedophiles
A new law is set to make it easier for police to catch and expose online paedophiles grooming underage children for sex.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/stronger-powers-catch-online-paedophiles-4699087

nz: Police investigate men in online sex grooming sting
Police will investigate men who made sexually explicit comments to a fictitious 14-year-old in an online chatroom.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/police-investigate-men-in-online-sex-grooming-sting-4699087

nz: Parents urged to talk to kids after sex grooming sting
New Zealand's internet watchdog is telling parents to warn their children about online dangers after TV ONE's Close Up tracked down men preying on a fictitious 14-year-old girl for sex.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/parents-urged-talk-kids-after-sex-grooming-sting-4698908

nz: Online sting exposes sex predators [AAP]
A journalist posing as a 14-year-old Auckland girl on the internet attracted a "swarm" of men, some with sexually explicit suggestions and arranging to meet her for sex.
http://news.msn.co.nz/nationalnews/8407759/men-swarm-to-akld-teen-in-online-sting

nz: Close Up: Monday, January 23
Tonight on Close Up watch an investigation into men trying to hook up with young girls for sex. ... Joining Close Up to discuss what can be done to protect young girls is Martin Cocker, the executive director of Netsafe, New Zealand's internet watchdog.
http://tvnz.co.nz/close-up/monday-january-23-4698614

**********************
ONLINE TV & MUSIC
**********************
Megaupload's Ripple Effect
When the U.S. Department of Justice shut down online file-storage company Megaupload Ltd. in one of the largest criminal copyright cases ever, it also cut off legitimate customers like Suzanne Barbieri.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203806504577181201072864644.html

YouTube hits 4 billion daily video views
YouTube, Google Inc's video website, is streaming 4 billion online videos every day, a 25 percent increase in the past eight months, according to the company.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/01/23/uk-google-youtube-idUKTRE80M19R20120123

60 hours of video per minute uploaded to YouTube [AFP]
YouTube says that 60 hours of video are being uploaded every minute to the video-sharing site and it is attracting more than four billion views a day.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10780774

One in four web users 'are music pirates'
One in four internet users are illegally accessing music through unauthorised sites every month, according to a new report.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/9032371/One-in-four-web-users-are-music-pirates.html

The endless, futile war on digital dealing by Alan Kohler
I had fascinating conversations yesterday with two people who are building great businesses by selling what you might call voluntary compliance.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-25/kohler-digital-dealing/3792192

**********************
MOBILE/WIRELESS
**********************
Battle of the smartphones
Apple's on a roll and BlackBerry's maker is feeling the squeeze. But who else is fighting for control of the mobile internet? Is it game over or too close to call?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jan/24/battle-of-the-smartphones

Bowing to Critics and Market Forces, RIM?s Co-Chiefs Step Aside
Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis, who made the BlackBerry a leading business tool but then presided over its precipitous decline, said they would step down on Monday as co-chairmen and co-chief executives of Research in Motion.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/23/technology/rims-jim-balsillie-and-mike-lazaridis-step-aside.html

BlackBerry maker's CEOs step down as pressure mounts
BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) has said its co-chief executives, Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, have bowed to investor pressure and resigned.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jan/23/blackberry-ceos-resign-rim

BlackBerry creators pay price for failing to keep up with Apple
It is the addictive email phone that became a must-have for high flying executives. But service outages and failure to keep up with the iPhone mean the BlackBerry's popularity is waning, and its creators have paid the price.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jan/23/blackberry-creators-pay-price-apple

Telstra now up to speed with 4G mobile phone network
Australia's only fourth-generation mobile phone network opens for business for calls today.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/telecommunications/telstra-now-up-to-speed-with-4g-mobile-phone-network/story-fn4iyzsr-1226251672891

Apple loses appeal over Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Dutch court
A Dutch appeals court has rejected Apple's claim that Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 infringes its design rights.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16704461

Take that, Apple. Dutch court cool with Samsung Tab design
Apple suffered another legal setback after a Dutch court sided with Samsung Electronics, ruling that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 does not infringe upon the iPad's design.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57364592-94/take-that-apple-dutch-court-cool-with-samsung-tab-design/

Android and Windows Phone creep up on Apple iOS
The future is looking less than rosy for Apple's iOS mobile platform, if new research reports by analyst houses Ovum and IHS iSuppli are to be believed.
http://news.techworld.com/mobile-wireless/3331895/android-windows-phone-creep-up-on-apple-ios/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/248658/android_windows_phone_creep_up_on_ios.html

Nokia celebrates 1.5bn phones running on S40
Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia says it has shipped the 1.5 billionth phone running its S40 operating system.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16712308

Smartphones users 50% more likely to own tablet, Google study finds
Multi-country study shows rapid rise in smartphone ownership, with UK leading pack of five biggest developed countries, and PCs retaining popularity - but tablets a growing hit
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jan/25/smartphone-tablet-users-google-study

**********************
SPAM
**********************
ca: Anti-Spam law: Staying out of 'The Freezer' with your e-mail campaigns
There are no firm dates yet, but authorities intend to implement Canada's anti-spam law sometime this year.
http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/en/home/News.asp?id=65688
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/012512-how-to-deal-with-canadas-255310.html

**********************
ONLINE CRIME & LEGAL
**********************
Storage sites unnerved by Megaupload action
The arrest of Megaupload's founders has led to other file storage sites taking action in an apparent attempt to protect themselves from legal action.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16679174

Megaupload case raises question of provider knowledge
How much knowledge does a platform provider need to have of the files being traded on their system before they can be considered culpable?
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/megaupload-case-raises-question-of-provider-knowledge
http://www.itworld.com/243447/megaupload-case-raises-question-provider-knowledge
http://www.pcworld.com/article/248553/whos_responsible_for_uploads_the_megaupload_question.html

InternetNZ impressed by Megaupload's legitimate plans
Online file-storage service Megaupload.com was working on a legitimate music download service as recently as December that impressed the chief executive of New Zealand internet society InternetNZ.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/6316487/InternetNZ-impressed-by-Megauploads-legitimate-plans
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/megaupload-had-legitimate-downloading-plans-internetnz-4702587

Microsoft names ex-antivirus employee as botnet 'suspect'
Microsoft said it suspects a former employee of an antivirus software firm was behind the Kelihos botnet attacks.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16700192

Microsoft identifies suspected Kelihos botnet author
Four months after taking down the Kelihos botnet, Microsoft today identified the man it believes was behind the massive infection designed to deliver spam and steal data.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57364430-83/microsoft-identifies-suspected-kelihos-botnet-author/

Con Artist Starred in Sting That Cost Google Millions
Wearing leg irons and guarded by federal agents, David Whitaker posed as an agent for online drug dealers in dozens of recorded phone calls and email exchanges with Google sales executives, spending $200,000 in government money for ads selling narcotics, steroids and other controlled substances.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204624204577176964003660658.html
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/how-a-conman-showed-up-googles-ad-scam/story-e6frg6n6-1226254002249

**********************
SECURITY
**********************
Spam declines as malware rises: report
Global spam volumes continued to decline throughout 2011, but web-malware encounters appear to be growing steadily, according to new research from Cisco.
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/global-spam-declines-as-malware-encounters-pick-up-report/67858
http://www.zdnet.com.au/spam-declines-as-malware-rises-report-339330360.htm

Cisco 4Q11 Global Threat Report
The Cisco 4Q11 Global Threat Report has been released. The report covers the period from 1 October 2011 through 31 December 2011 and features data from across Cisco Security Intelligence Operations. This quarter?s contributors were Cisco Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), Cisco IronPort, Cisco Security Research and Operations (SR&O), and Cisco ScanSafe.
http://blogs.cisco.com/security/cisco-4q11-global-threat-report/

Ex-U.S. spy chief: may take crisis for new cyber law
U.S. intelligence agencies have unique capabilities that can help protect American companies from cyber espionage and attack, but it will probably take a crisis to change laws to allow that type of cooperation, a former spy chief said on Monday.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/01/23/usa-cyber-idINDEE80M0KX20120123

au: Hackers leave calling card on GG's site
The governor-general's website has been vulnerable to attack and defacement for at least the past 10 months, with two hackers leaving their calling cards on the site.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/hackers-leave-calling-card-on-ggs-site-339330309.htm

**********************
PRIVACY
**********************
Google to Update Privacy Policy to Cover Wider Data Use
Google said Tuesday that it would revise its privacy policies and terms of service, to make them shorter and more readable and to change the way Google can use information that users provide.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/24/google-to-update-its-privacy-policies-and-terms-of-service/

Google user data to be merged across all sites under contentious plan
Google is under fire for plans to collect data on individual users across all of its websites and merge the information into a single profile that can be used to alter the person's search results and target them with advertising and services.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jan/25/google-merge-user-data-privacy

Backlash over Google move to change privacy settings
Critics have hit out at Google's decision to merge personal data from YouTube, Gmail, search, social network Google+ and dozens of other services.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16720406

Google: Updating our privacy policies and terms of service
In just over a month we will make some changes to our privacy policies and Google Terms of Service. This stuff matters, so we wanted to explain what?s changing, why and what these changes mean for users.
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/updating-our-privacy-policies-and-terms.html

FAQ: Google?s new privacy policy
Google announced Tuesday that it will integrate users? information across Gmail, YouTube, search and 57 other Google services.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/faq-googles-new-privacy-policy/2012/01/24/gIQArw8GOQ_story.html

Google to unify privacy policy across products
Google Inc plans to unify its privacy policy and terms of service across its online offerings, including its flagship search, Gmail and Google+ products, to make them easier to use, but the move could attract greater scrutiny from anti-trust regulators.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/01/24/oukin-uk-google-idUKTRE80N2KU20120124
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/01/25/google-idINDEE80N0M720120125

Google overhauls privacy, user data sharing [AFP]
Google is revising its privacy policies and changing how it collects and uses data from users of its services to provide more personalised search results and advertisements.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10781028

Google?s Privacy Policy Changes to Be Assessed in Probe by Irish Agency
Google Inc., owner of the world?s most-popular search engine, may have changes to its privacy policy assessed by the Irish and French data-protection agencies.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-25/irish-data-protection-agency-assessing-google-privacy-policy.html

**************************
GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
**************************
EU proposes 'right to be forgotten' by internet firms
A new law promising internet users the "right to be forgotten" will be proposed by the European Commission on Wednesday.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16677370

EU data protection law proposals include large fines
Firms face being fined up to 2% of their global annual turnover if they breach proposed EU data laws.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16722229

Europe Weighs Tough Law on Online Privacy
Europe is considering a sweeping new law that would force Internet companies like Amazon.com and Facebook to obtain explicit consent from consumers about the use of their personal data, delete that data forever at the consumer?s request and face fines for failing to comply.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/24/technology/europe-weighs-a-tough-law-on-online-privacy-and-user-data.html

New Digital Freedom Showdown As European Leaders Push Tough Internet Privacy Laws [Les Echos]
The European Commission will unveil an arsenal of legislative measures aimed at harmonizing the E.U. countries? various approaches to digital privacy protection. Among the new laws is a ?right to forget? clause, guaranteeing people an ?out? from services like Facebook.
http://worldcrunch.com/new-digital-freedom-showdown-european-leaders-push-tough-internet-privacy-laws/4555

U.S. Firms Wary of EU's Proposed Privacy Changes
Some U.S. tech industry officials said Wednesday that they worry that the European Commission's proposed changes to its privacy rules could be costly for them to comply with and may hamper innovation.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2012/01/us-firms-wary-of-eus-proposed.php

Pan-EU consistency in data protection reform welcome, but burden on business a problem, says expert
OPINION: Reforms of data protection law announced today by the European Commission will bring businesses certainty with one hand while handing them a major headache with the other.
http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2012/january-/pan-eu-consistency-in-data-protection-reform-welcome-but-burden-on-business-a-problem-says-expert/

Europe's Proposed New Data Laws Called a Burden on Business [IDG]
Europe's proposed new laws on data protection are burdensome and expensive, but may give companies incentive to put more measures in place to secure data, according to representatives of business interests.
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/248723/europes_proposed_new_data_laws_called_a_burden_on_business.html

Hackers attack Irish govt over new web law
Hackers attacked the websites of Ireland's departments of finance and justice on Wednesday in a protest against government plans to block websites that violate copyright laws.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/01/25/ireland-web-attack-idINDEE80O0EO20120125

**********************
MISCELLANEOUS
**********************
Apple's mind-bogglingly greedy and evil license agreement
Summary: Over the years, I have read hundreds of license agreements, looking for little gotchas and clear descriptions of rights. But I have never, ever seen a legal document like the one Apple has attached to its new iBooks Author program.
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/apples-mind-bogglingly-greedy-and-evil-license-agreement/4360

Survey: S'pore execs tweak IT policies to attract talent
Compared to their counterparts across the globe, a higher percentage of executives here have changed their corporate policies governing the use of personal devices in the workplace as a way to attract young talent.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/survey-spore-execs-tweak-it-policies-to-attract-talent-62303598.htm

**********************
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
**********************
London 2012: Olympics to create 'record' wireless spectrum demand
The London Olympic and Paralympic Games are likely to require up to 20,000 separate wireless frequency assignments, according to the communications regulator Ofcom.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16686471

Ofcom prepares for record spectrum demand at London 2012 Games [news release]
Demand from wireless technologies that will help ensure the smooth running of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will more than double within London during the seven week event, according to analysis by Ofcom.
http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2012/01/23/ofcom-prepares-for-record-spectrum-demand-at-london-2012-games/

nz: New Telecom strategy may take year - analyst
Telecom may take the best part of a year to chart a new direction after its structural separation in November, according to the industry's newest forecaster, IDC Research analyst Glen Saunders.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/6301839/New-Telecom-strategy-may-take-year-analyst

nz: IDC appoints telco analyst from Telecom
IDC has appointed Glen Saunders as its senior telecommunications analyst in New Zealand following the departure of Rosalie Nelson and Rosemary Spragg to Chorus.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/idc-appoints-telco-analyst-from-telecom

nz: Carriers draft new rules
The Telecommunications Carriers Forum will start the year with a new rulebook which includes governance of the CEO Forum that arose from the ashes of the Telecommunications Industry Group (TIG).
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/carriers-draft-new-rules

us: LTE Spectrum: How Much Do the Big Carriers Have?
The top U.S. carriers over the past year have stepped up their efforts to grab more spectrum for 4G wireless data services needed to accommodate a seemingly insatiable and exploding population of iPhone, iPad and other mobile device users.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/012312-lte-spectrum-255122.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/248561/lte_spectrum_how_much_do_the_big_carriers_have.html

Telcos look to share the load
Telcos are looking to reduce capital expenditure on new networks by sharing mobile towers and infrastructure, while governments have stepped in to update fixed networks in need of upgrading.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/telcos-look-to-share-the-load-20120124-1qfvo.html

Corporate row cuts off 1.7 million Indian mobile phone users
Some 1.7 million phone subscribers with India's Etisalat DB have been cut off following a dispute between the telecoms operator and Reliance Communications.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/01/24/oukin-uk-reliancecomm-etisalat-idUKTRE80N14D20120124

us: Walden Bullish on Spectrum Legislation's Prospects
The chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee said Wednesday he is confident that House and Senate negotiators will include his version of spectrum legislation in a payroll tax package given that it would generate more cash to pay down the deficit than the Senate Commerce Committee's version.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2012/01/walden-bullish-on-spectrum-leg.php

**********************************
ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR ONLINE CHILD PROTECTION
**********************************
au: Sex crime may need Facebook ban: judge
A JUDGE has suggested a teenager be banned from using Facebook after he and a mate became ''friends'' on the social networking site with a girl, 14, against whom they later committed multiple sex offences.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/sex-crime-may-need-facebook-ban-judge-20120125-1qhur.html

nz: Child porn offender wants name suppression
A prominent Waikato businessman caught sharing child porn with an undercover investigator in an online chatroom is now fighting to keep his identity secret.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10781234

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

(c) David Goldstein 2012


------
David Goldstein

 email: david at goldsteinreport.com

 web:   http://goldsteinreport.com/
         http://davidgoldstein.tel/
 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