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 *************************************************** IP lobby files last-minute new gTLD demands http://domainincite.com/ip-lobby-files-last-minute-new-gtld-demands/ WIPO Domain Disputes Grow, But Disputes Proportionally Decline http://www.domainpulse.com/?p=7870 US Feds Indict Former Online Gambling Billionaire Calvin Ayre http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanvardi/2012/02/28/feds-indict-former-online-gambling-billionaire-calvin-ayre/ Canadian border doesn't stop pursuit of Bodog.com - Dot-coms subject to U.S. jurisdiction by Michael Geist http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Canadian+border+doesn+stop+pursuit+Bodog/6255323/story.html au: Melbourne chancers hold top creative directors to ransom in pursuit of job http://mumbrella.com.au/melbourne-chancers-hold-top-creative-directors-to-ransom-in-pursuit-of-job-77782 Measuring Worldwide Growth in IPv6 Deployments by Mirjam K?hne, Labs Community Builder at the RIPE NCC http://blog.icann.org/2012/03/measuring-worldwide-growth-in-ipv6-deployments/ nz: Government IPv6 event brings the house down! http://internetnz.net.nz/news/the-browser/2012/February-2012/Government-IPv6-event-brings-house-down nz: Security invaders ahead on IPv6 knowledge http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/security-invaders-ahead-on-ipv6-knowledge au: Telstra offers IPv6 to business customers http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/417435/telstra_offers_ipv6_business_customers/ ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Letter from Nii Quaynor et al. to the ICANN Board ICANN Activities in Africa http://www.icann.org/en/news/correspondence/quaynor-et-al-to-icann-board-01mar12-en.pdf RAA talks collapse: why did they fail and who's to blame? [subscription] The RAA talks were created in response to an unprecedented level of criticism over the organization's persistent failure to act. http://news.dot-nxt.com/2012/03/06/raa-talks-why-fail-who-to-blame ICANN suffers crucial talks collapse [subscription] ICANN has suffered an embarrassing and potentially dangerous collapse in its contract talks with domain name registrars. http://news.dot-nxt.com/2012/03/05/raa-talks-collapse ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** VeriSign promoting .net domain names VeriSign has owned the domain name GetYour.net for a while, but today is the first time I saw an online ad promoting the site. http://domainnamewire.com/2012/03/05/verisign-promoting-net-domain-names/ Russians flee from IDN during first junk drop Russia?s internationalized ccTLD, .??, lost 18% of its registered domains under management after its first launch anniversary, according to the registry. http://domainincite.com/russians-flee-from-idn-during-first-junk-drop/ Porn domain on Internet touches alarm buttons Within three months of the launch of the Internet "pornography" domain ".xxx," 10 cases have been launched against Web pirates registering sites on it using the names of reputable companies and people, insiders said on Monday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/03/05/oukin-uk-internet-domains-idUKTRE8241MX20120305 http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/03/05/internet-porn-domains-idINDEE8240IQ20120305 http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/porn-domain-on-internet-touches-alarm-buttons-20120306-1uf2r.html uk: Nominet launches Internet Awards 2012 Nominet, the not-for-profit organisation responsible for .uk internet infrastructure, today announces that entries for the Nominet Internet Awards 2012 have opened. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/releases/?contentId=9127 uk: Nominet announces Internet Awards 2012 We are pleased to announce that the Nominet Internet Awards 2012 are now open for entries. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=9123 uk: How technology-driven teamwork can fuel social change Public managers should embrace technology as a tool to drive change and collaboration: Nominet Trust funding has also been able to help Cockermouth Centre for the Third Age, on the edge of the Lake District, to develop a "virtual centre". Using an online platform, GPs can refer patients who are lonely, mildly depressed or have mobility issues to the volunteer-run centre which offers company, help with shopping, training on the internet and generally a shoulder to lean on. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/mar/06/technology-driven-teamwork-social-change ********************** - NEW TLDS ********************** FairWinds hard-sells defensive gTLD applications FairWinds Partners, the company behind the Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse, has gone from using CADNA to oppose ICANN?s new gTLD program in its entirety to name-dropping the organization in sales pitches encouraging companies to defensively apply for ?dozens? of new gTLDs. http://domainincite.com/fairwinds-hard-sells-defensive-gtld-applications/ IP lobby files last-minute new gTLD demands ICANN?s ongoing public comment period into the ?perceived? need for ?defensive? gTLD applications produced a raft of demands from the intellectual property community, not all of which relate to the subject matter at hand. http://domainincite.com/ip-lobby-files-last-minute-new-gtld-demands/ Registered Users For ICANN's New TLD Application System Climbs To 207 With three weeks to go to the day for applicants to register in ICANN's TLD Application System, ICANN has announced there were 207 registered users. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=17148 http://www.domainpulse.com/?p=7867 New gTLD applicants up to 207 With the registration deadline less than four weeks away, ICANN has revealed that it has received 207 sign-ups for gTLD applications. http://domainincite.com/new-gtld-applicants-up-to-207/ Olympic gTLD showdown coming in Costa Rica While the ICANN public meeting in Dakar last October was notable for a heated clash between governments and the domain name industry, the Costa Rica meeting next week may be characterized by these two recent enemies uniting against a common enemy. http://domainincite.com/olympic-gtld-showdown-coming-in-costa-rica/ ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Obama to Simulate Cyber Attack on New York Power to Lobby U.S. Senators The Obama administration will simulate a cyber attack crippling New York City?s electric supply during a summer heat wave to drum up support for cybersecurity legislation. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-07/at-t-joins-comcast-favoring-incentives-over-cybersecurity-rules.html ISPs: No new cybersecurity regulations needed [IDG] The U.S. Congress should resist any temptations to pass new cybersecurity rules affecting broadband and mobile service providers, a group of Internet service providers told lawmakers Wednesday. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9224988/ISPs_No_new_cybersecurity_regulations_needed http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/417818/isps_no_new_cybersecurity_regulations_needed/ http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/251444/isps_no_new_cybersecurity_regulations_needed.html ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** WIPO Prepares for Launch of New gTLDs while Cybersquatting Cases Continued to Rise In 2011, trademark holders filed a record 2,764 cybersquatting cases covering 4,781 domain names with the WIPO Center under procedures based on the UDRP, an increase of 2.5% and 9.4% over the previous highest levels in 2010 and 2009, respectively. Meanwhile, with plans by ICANN for an expansion in the number of new gTLDs underway in 2012, the WIPO Center recently rolled out resources for pre-emptive measures to prevent the abusive use of trademarks as gTLDs. http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2012/article_0002.html WIPO Domain Disputes Grow, But Disputes Proportionally Decline In 2011, there was a record 2764 cybersquatting cases covering 4,781 domain names filed by trademark holders with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center under procedures based on the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy. This is an increase of 2.5 per cent and 9.4 per cent over the previous highest levels in 2010 and 2009, respectively. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=17149 http://www.domainpulse.com/?p=7870 http://www.domainnews.com/en/wipo-domain-disputes-grow-but-disputes-proportionally-decline.html WIPO releases 2011 cybersquatting stats WIPO handled more UDRP cases covering more domain names in 2011 than in any other year, but its numbers do not paint a very convincing picture of the cybersquatting landscape. http://domainincite.com/wipo-releases-2011-cybersquatting-stats/ Feds Indict Former Online Gambling Billionaire Calvin Ayre Federal prosecutors in Baltimore on Tuesday unsealed an indictment against Calvin Ayre, the former Canadian billionaire who founded Bodog, one of the world?s biggest online gambling firms. Ayre is accused of operating an illegal gambling business involving sports betting and conspiring to commit money laundering. http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanvardi/2012/02/28/feds-indict-former-online-gambling-billionaire-calvin-ayre/ Canadian border doesn't stop pursuit of Bodog.com - Dot-coms subject to U.S. jurisdiction by Michael Geist Imagine a scenario in which a country enacts a law that bans the sale of asbestos and includes the power to seize the assets of any company selling the product anywhere in the world. The country tests the law by obtaining a court order to seize key assets of a Canadian company, whose operations with hundreds of employees takes a major hit. The Canadian government is outraged, promising to support the company in its efforts to restore its operations. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Canadian+border+doesn+stop+pursuit+Bodog/6255323/story.html Uncle Sam: If It Ends in .Com, It?s .Seizable When U.S. authorities shuttered sports-wagering site Bodog.com last week, it raised eyebrows across the net because the domain name was registered with a Canadian company, ostensibly putting it beyond the reach of the U.S. government. Working around that, the feds went directly to VeriSign, a U.S.-based internet backbone company that has the contract to manage the coveted .com and other ?generic? TLDs. http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/03/feds-seize-foreign-sites/ US Seizes Bodog.com In Chilling Threat to Registrants in Popular gTLDs The US government has continued seizing domain names from registrants around the world that it believes have infringed on US law, with latest seizure being that of bodog.com, registered to Canadian Calvin Ayre for online gambling. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=17150 http://www.domainpulse.com/?p=7875 http://www.domainnews.com/en/us-seizes-bodogcom-in-chilling-threat-to-registrants-in-popular-gtlds.html au: Melbourne chancers hold top creative directors to ransom in pursuit of job A Melbourne creative duo has held the domain names of the city?s top creative directors to ransom in return for a meeting with them. http://mumbrella.com.au/melbourne-chancers-hold-top-creative-directors-to-ransom-in-pursuit-of-job-77782 WIPO makes important and controversial decision on acronym domains A three person World Intellectual Property Organization panel has handed down a decision over CEAT.com, and it is sure to be controversial. http://domainnamewire.com/2012/03/05/acronym-domain-udrp/ ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** Measuring Worldwide Growth in IPv6 Deployments by Mirjam K?hne, Labs Community Builder at the RIPE NCC In early 2011, the RIPE NCC shared some graphs that showed the percentage of IPv6-enabled networks over time. More precisely, it showed the percentage of Autonomous Systems (ASes)1 that announced one or more IPv6 prefixes in the global routing table. The results for the five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) were described in the article Networks with IPv6 Over Time on RIPE Labs. http://blog.icann.org/2012/03/measuring-worldwide-growth-in-ipv6-deployments/ http://www.circleid.com/posts/20120305_networks_announcing_ipv6_one_year_later/ nz: Government IPv6 event brings the house down! Over 150 public-sector networking professionals massed in central Wellington in late February for the Practical IPv6 for Government conference. http://internetnz.net.nz/news/the-browser/2012/February-2012/Government-IPv6-event-brings-house-down nz: Security invaders ahead on IPv6 knowledge Hackers seeking to breach security are ahead of most would-be business implementers when it comes to figuring out the detail of IPv6 and are more motivated, a Wellington seminar has heard. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/security-invaders-ahead-on-ipv6-knowledge au: Telstra offers IPv6 to business customers Telstra has made Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) connectivity available to more of its business, enterprise and government customers. http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/417435/telstra_offers_ipv6_business_customers/ ********************** - WEBHOSTING ********************** Google Shares 7 Tips With Free Web Hosting Sites to Avoid Penalties Google is constantly on the lookout for spammy websites that don?t add ?sufficient value? to its users. For free web hosting services that don?t want to see all of their sites removed from Google?s index, Google has shared seven preventative tips. http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2157866/Google-Shares-7-Tips-With-Free-Web-Hosting-Sites-to-Avoid-Penalties ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Papers Put Faith in Paywalls: Digital Subscription Sales Are Slow, but Publishers Are Encouraged by Trends As more newspapers close the door on free access to their websites, some publishers are still waiting for paying customers to pour in. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203833004577251822631536422.html Feet of genius show we?re all connected to the Internet of Things and how a new era of unprecedented super-connectivity is changing our lives The London 2012 Olympic Games will be the most connected ever. Not only in terms of media coverage sent digitally across the world, but also the countless devices behind the scenes that we?d never think of as requiring an internet connection, such as the environmental controls adjusting heating and air conditioning. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/feet-of-genius-show-were-all-connected-to-the-internet-of-things-7537450.html How technology-driven teamwork can fuel social change: Public managers should embrace technology as a tool to drive change and collaboration The economist Joseph Schumpeter long ago argued that crises were seedbeds of innovation and entrepreneurship. In today's economic crisis, we certainly need all the innovation we can get, particularly in addressing big social challenges, such as rising youth unemployment and the care needs of an ageing population. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/mar/06/technology-driven-teamwork-social-change Web Sites Shine Light on Petty Bribery Worldwide The cost of claiming a legitimate income tax refund in Hyderabad, India? 10,000 rupees. ... Such is the price of what Swati Ramanathan calls ?retail corruption,? the sort of nickel-and-dime bribery, as opposed to large-scale graft, that infects everyday life in so many parts of the world. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/07/business/web-sites-shine-light-on-petty-bribery-worldwide.html ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Now Facebook squares up for Google fight Facebook is working on a revolutionary online advertising plan that executives believe could allow the social networking phenomenon to take on Google. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/now-facebook-squares-up-for-google-fight-7503182.html Lady Gaga hits 20 million Twitter followers Lady Gaga has become the first Twitter user to reach 20 million followers. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17257422 ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** As New iPad Debut Nears, Some See Decline of PCs The chief executive of Apple, Timothy D. Cook, has a prediction: the day will come when tablet devices like the Apple iPad outsell traditional personal computers. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/06/technology/as-new-ipad-debut-nears-some-see-decline-of-pcs.html ********************************* CHILD PROTECTION & ONLINE SAFETY ********************************* nz: Law Commission looks to crack down on cyber-bullies The Law Commission wants to review the laws around cyber-bullying. Here it sets out its options and asks for your views. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10790233 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10790233 Lady Gaga can teach us about bullying I was invited to the launch of Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation (BTWF) last week. The queen of provocative performance's new project aims to help young people be brave and to "foster a more accepting society, where differences are embraced and individuality is celebrated". http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/mar/06/lady-gaga-foundation-btwf-bullying Austrian digital natives in dialogue with policy makers Following this year?s Safer Internet Day (SID) slogan ?Discover the digital world together? safely!?, the Austrian Safer Internet Centre (SIC) organised a high profile event under the title of ?Saferinternet.at goes to Parliament!?. http://www.saferinternet.org/web/guest/blog?p_p_id=homeBlog_WAR_insafeportlet&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-1&p_p_col_count=1&_homeBlog_WAR_insafeportlet_action=detail&_homeBlog_WAR_insafeportlet_articleId=333264 Germany calls for more responsibility on the internet Safer Internet Day 2012 in Germany followed the decentralised concept that has been implemented for several years now: all partners, institutions, schools, libraries, foundations, companies and others are called on to participate in Safer Internet Day with events and projects of their own. http://www.saferinternet.org/web/guest/blog?p_p_id=homeBlog_WAR_insafeportlet&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-1&p_p_col_count=1&_homeBlog_WAR_insafeportlet_action=detail&_homeBlog_WAR_insafeportlet_articleId=333382 au: Labor's web filter conundrum IT's annoying when politicking cripples good government execution at any time but when it starts to give society's most vile predators a helping hand someone has to throw on the brakes. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/opinion/labors-web-filter-conundrum/story-e6frgb0o-1226292472832 us: Barton, Markey Get Big-Name Support for Kids Privacy Bill Reps. Joe Barton, R-Texas, and Ed Markey, D-Mass., got some help from Hollywood on Wednesday for their effort to get action on their legislation that would give children and their parents more control over the data they provide online. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2012/03/barton-markey-get-bigname-supp.php ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** BT and TalkTalk lose file-sharing appeal BT and TalkTalk have lost an appeal over controversial measures to tackle copyright infringement online. The ISPs had argued the UK's Digital Economy Act was incompatible with EU law. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17270817 Broadband costs set to soar as BT and TalkTalk lose copyright bid Web users face the prospect of higher broadband costs after BT and Talk Talk lost an appeal against legislation designed to tackle online piracy. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/broadband-costs-set-to-soar-as-bt-and-talktalk-lose-copyright-bid-7541515.html BT and TalkTalk lose challenge against Digital Economy Act The government has been given the green light to implement the Digital Economy Act after the final legal challenge by two ISPs was thrown out at the court of appeal. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/mar/06/internet-provider-lose-challenge-digital-economy-act Digital Economy Act not in breach of EU laws, Court of Appeal rules A controversial law that forces ISPs to help combat illegal file-sharing is lawful, the Court of Appeal has ruled. http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2012/march/digital-economy-act-not-in-breach-of-eu-laws-court-of-appeal-rules/ UK moves towards "three strikes" Internet policy British Web users face having their Internet connections throttled or suspended if they are found to have downloaded music or movies illegally after ISPs BT and TalkTalk lost a court appeal on Tuesday. http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/03/06/internet-piracy-britain-idINDEE8250F020120306 http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/03/06/uk-internet-piracy-britain-idUKTRE82513120120306 ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Opinion: Text a Little Less and Think a Little More Or Why Texting Might Be Bad For You ... Heavy texting has been linked to sleep deprivation among the young, evidently because they somehow feel compelled to respond, even in the middle of the night. Researchers have found correlations between texting and everything from illiteracy to overeating. A 2006 study by James E. Katz of Rutgers University, perhaps the leading academic expert on mobile-phone use, has found that young people have trouble giving up their phones, even for a short time. Most were unable to make it through a two-day experiment designed to discover what they would do without their phones. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-02/text-a-little-less-and-think-a-little-more-stephen-l-carter.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/why-texting-might-be-bad-for-you/2012/03/01/gIQABgNbmR_story.html Mobile phone withdrawal symptoms on the rise Some people fear spiders, for others it's heights, but in the increasingly always on, internet connected world we live in, a new phobia has emerged: 'nomophobia' -- the fear of being without your mobile phone. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/telecommunications/no-mobile-phone-phobia-on-the-rise/story-fn4iyzsr-1226290754991 Data dilemma for mobile operators Telecommunications companies must find new ways to charge for access to their networks or risk becoming an irrelevant commodity in a services market being reshaped by smartphones and tablets, senior industry executives have warned. http://www.afr.com/p/technology/data_dilemma_for_mobile_operators_wdwgGuNRFq9bdGGMikv4QM Digital Agenda: Commission insists Spain must not delay cheaper mobile rates [news release] The European Commission has suspended plans of the Spanish telecoms regulator (CMT) to postpone by a year the introduction of cheaper mobile termination rates (MTRs), the rates mobile networks charge other networks for delivering voice calls. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/12/217 ********************** ONLINE CRIME & LEGAL ********************** Search engines and online news aggregators could have to pay to use snippets from newspapers in Germany Online news aggregators and search engines in Germany could be required to pay newspaper publishers a licence fee in order to use snippets of content produced by those publishers. http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2012/march/search-engines-and-online-news-aggregators-could-have-to-pay-to-use-snippets-from-newspapers-in-germany/ uk: Google not a 'publisher' of Blogger postings, High Court rules Google was not responsible for allegedly defamatory comments posted on its blogging platform because it could not be said to be a publisher of the information, the High Court has ruled. http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2012/march/google-not-a-publisher-of-blogger-postings-high-court-rules/ uk: ISPs could act as 'liaison' in online defamation disputes, Government announces Internet service providers (ISPs) and other "online intermediaries" could be forced to act as go-betweens in defamation disputes on the internet in a bid to resolve cases before they reach court, the Government has said. http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2012/march/isps-could-act-as-liaison-in-online-defamation-disputes-government-announces/ Kiwi takes on Google in defamation claim A man's fight to have a defamatory post removed from an international website has been heard in the High Court in Auckland this morning. The man's case is a first according to his lawyer, Matthew McClelland, who said "the liability of an ISP is still at large in New Zealand". http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/6525330/Kiwi-takes-on-Google-in-defamation-claim http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/kiwi-takes-on-google-in-defamation-claim-20120305-1ucc4.html http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/kiwi-takes-on-google-in-defamation-claim-20120305-1ucc4.html U.S. Swoops Down on Alleged Computer Hackers U.S. authorities unveiled criminal charges on Tuesday against six people in the U.S. and overseas that they described as important members of a computer hacking group that carried out a series of high-profile online attacks in recent years and stole confidential information from major companies. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203458604577265223832334802.html LulzSec leader Sabu was working for us, says FBI The FBI claims to have struck a major blow against internet hacking after arresting or charging five key members of the LulzSec hacking group and revealing that the head of the group, who went by the nickname "Sabu", has been working for it since the middle of 2011. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/mar/06/lulzsec-sabu-working-for-us-fbi Know your Anonymous from your LulzSec The history behind each group of hacktivists, the organisations they target, and what the future holds for them http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/mar/07/anonymous-lulzsec-hacktivists-hackers 'Lulzsec hackers' arrested in international swoop Seven alleged hackers based in the US, UK and Republic of Ireland have been charged with crimes related to computer attacks said to have affected "over one million victims". http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17270822 Hackers attack Panda Labs site after Anonymous arrests Hackers identifying themselves with Antisec have attacked the website of Panda Labs' anti-malware products. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17286690 Anonymous takes down security firm's website, vows to fight on after arrests Hackers claiming to belong to the Anonymous hacking collective early Wednesday defaced Panda Security's PandaLabs website in apparent response to the arrests of five hackers Tuesday in the U.K. and the U.S. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9224958/Anonymous_takes_down_security_firm_s_website_vows_to_fight_on_after_arrests LulzSec Leader Turns Informant As Feds Arrest Key Members Of Hacking Group Remember back last summer when LulzSec leader "Sabu" suddenly dropped off the grid after the arrest of several members of the Anonymous splinter group? Speculation at the time centered around whether he, too, had been swept up in the arrests. Turns out he indeed was nabbed by the feds, ultimately pleading guilty to hacking charges in August of 2011 and serving as an informant on his fellow LulzSec members, according to information released today by the FBI. http://www.darkreading.com/database-security/167901020/security/attacks-breaches/232602124/lulzsec-leader-turns-informant-as-feds-arrest-key-members-of-hacking-group.html LulzSec Hacking Suspects Are Arrested An outspoken member of a loosely knit group of hackers that calls itself Lulz Security pleaded guilty to breaking into the computer systems of several prominent American companies, according to federal court papers unsealed Tuesday in New York. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/07/technology/lulzsec-hacking-suspects-are-arrested.html Malware and Spam Volume Down, Complexity on the Rise: Symantec The level of technical innovation and social engineering, as well as the targeting of business executives, are some of the new security trends that Symantec is warning people to be vigilant against. http://www.pcworld.com/article/251356/malware_and_spam_volume_down_complexity_on_the_rise_symantec.html Symantec Report Finds New Wave of Cyber-attacks Impersonating Business Mediation and Arbitration Service and Volume of Spam Increases Around Valentine?s Day [news release] Symantec Corp. announced the findings of its February Symantec Intelligence Report, which shows a new wave of cyber-attacks designed to impersonate a well-known business mediation and arbitration service in North America. http://www.symantec.com/about/news/release/article.jsp?prid=20120229_01 Most UK frauds now involve the internet More than half of all frauds in the UK are now carried out through or initiated on the internet, the fraud protection service CIFAS has revealed. http://www.zdnet.co.uk/blogs/communication-breakdown-10000030/most-uk-frauds-now-involve-the-internet-10025565/ ********************** SECURITY ********************** Obama to Simulate Cyber Attack on New York Power to Lobby U.S. Senators The Obama administration will simulate a cyber attack crippling New York City?s electric supply during a summer heat wave to drum up support for cybersecurity legislation. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-07/at-t-joins-comcast-favoring-incentives-over-cybersecurity-rules.html ISPs: No new cybersecurity regulations needed [IDG] The U.S. Congress should resist any temptations to pass new cybersecurity rules affecting broadband and mobile service providers, a group of Internet service providers told lawmakers Wednesday. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9224988/ISPs_No_new_cybersecurity_regulations_needed http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/417818/isps_no_new_cybersecurity_regulations_needed/ http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/251444/isps_no_new_cybersecurity_regulations_needed.html ********************** PRIVACY ********************** As Google acts, the question is: have we lost our privacy to the internet? Google unveiled its new policy on protecting personal information, to a chorus of disapproval last week. As alarm grows over how much data we are handing over to large companies that mine it for profit, Joss Wright and Tom Chatfield lock horns over how worried we should be http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/mar/03/internet-privacy Privacy not in Eric Schmidt's vision of the future [IDG] Google Chairman Eric Schmidt painted a messianic picture of the technological future Monday, involving holographic telepresence, self-driving cars, automatic translation and the widespread deployment of 1Gbps Internet access over optical fiber, bringing transnational peace and communication to all. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/251283/privacy_not_in_eric_schmidts_vision_of_the_future.html http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9224884/Privacy_not_in_Eric_Schmidt_39_s_vision_of_the_future http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/030512-privacy-not-in-eric-schmidts-256944.html Facebook Loses German Privacy Lawsuit Over Friend Finder, Personal Data [IDG] A German regional court judge has ruled that Facebook's use of user content and its Friend Finder feature violate privacy laws, and that it must change its terms of service. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/251430/facebook_loses_german_privacy_lawsuit_over_friend_finder_personal_data.html us: Online privacy must be cooperative, official says The Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights, unveiled in February, was formulated as a voluntary document largely because the Internet is developing faster than the government's ability to regulate it, a White House official said Wednesday. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20120307_3355.php ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Yahoo dropped from objectionable content lawsuits in India [IDG] Civil and criminal claims that Yahoo hosted objectionable content were dropped in India, after it was found that there was no such content on its websites, according to people close to the situation. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/417451/yahoo_dropped_from_objectionable_content_lawsuits_india/ HC quashes criminal proceedings against Yahoo India [PTI] The Delhi High Court today quashed criminal proceedings against Yahoo India, which was summoned along with 20 other websites to face trial for allegedly hosting objectionable content on their web pages. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-02/internet/31116222_1_summons-quashes-criminal-proceedings India courts dismiss Yahoo, Microsoft lawsuits Two Indian courts have struck Yahoo and Microsoft off a list of 22 Web companies that were hit with a lawsuit for hosting objectionable content on their Web sites, according to local reports. http://www.zdnetasia.com/india-courts-dismiss-yahoo-microsoft-lawsuits-62304084.htm ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** ch: Company information on websites soon to become mandatory Introduction: In the course of the revision of the Federal Act Against Unfair Competition, the new Article 3, Paragraph 1, litera s will introduce various transparency requirements. In particular, the new provision specifies that company information must be included on websites by every e-commerce provider that is active in Switzerland. However, according to Article 3, Paragraph 2 of the act, the transparency requirements do not apply to contracts concluded by telephone, exclusively by email or by comparable personal communication. Previously, corresponding regulations already existed in the EU E-commerce Directive (2000/31/EC); this has now gone one step further towards safeguarding consumer protection with the recently adopted EU Consumers Rights Directive (IP/08/1474) in the case of distance selling. http://www.internationallawoffice.com/newsletters/detail.aspx?g=95c6fa56-80bc-482e-9c9b-d762c6e08f14 India mulls Web monitoring agency creation India's government is considering setting up a national agency to monitor Internet traffic as well as assess cybersecurity threats on a real-time basis. http://www.zdnetasia.com/india-mulls-web-monitoring-agency-creation-62304089.htm ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** Telstra agreement boosts NBN rollout: Conroy Federal Communications Minister Stephen Conroy says the full-scale rollout of the high-speed national broadband network (NBN) can now begin following the completion of agreements between Telstra, the builder and the government. http://www.afr.com/p/business/companies/telstra_agreement_boosts_nbn_rollout_0UWUTtGCGV3M8qq7JpoZqL Optus readies itself for online battle with structural changes SingTel - owner of Australia's No 2 telecommunications company, Optus - will restructure its business to challenge online marketing behemoths Google and Facebook for a share of the lucrative digital advertising market. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/optus-readies-itself-for-online-battle-with-structural-changes/story-fn91v9q3-1226289873832 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2012 --------- David Goldstein email: goldstein_david at 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 Mar 07 2012 - 23:46:41 UTC
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