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The domain name news is supported by auDA

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New gTLD Collision Occurrence Management Plan Frequently Asked Questions
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-03dec13-en.htm>

Launch of the Extended Process Similarity Review Panel in the IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-04dec13-en.htm>

auDA erweitert WHOIS-Angaben f?r .au
<http://www.domain-recht.de/internet-politik/datenschutz/cctlds-auda-erweitert-whois-angaben-fur-au-63581.html>

IPO warns about premium loopholes in new gTLD trademark protection
<http://domainincite.com/15238-ipo-warns-about-premium-loopholes-in-new-gtld-trademark-protection>

.KIWI Set To Be Fittest gTLD
<http://www.domainpulse.com/2013/12/03/kiwi-fittest-gtld/>

Why website accessibility makes business sense
<http://www.ausregistry.com.au/why-website-accessibility-makes-business-sense>

Another 706 Domains Selling Counterfeit Merchandise Seized By International Law Enforcement Agencies
<http://www.domainpulse.com/2013/12/03/706-domains-selling-counterfeit-merchandise-seized/>

The Internet Has Run Out of Four-Letter Dot-Com Names
<http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/12/04/four_letter_domain_names_zero_unclaimed_llll_dot_coms_left_on_the_internet.html>

Epic Fail: The Rise and Fall of Demand Media
<http://variety.com/2013/biz/news/epic-fail-the-rise-and-fall-of-demand-media-1200914646/>


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GOVERNANCE
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A Framework for Recent Internet Governance Discussions - From Montevideo Statement to 1net by John Curran
There have been many significant Internet Governance developments in the last several weeks, and so I'd like to take this moment to provide a framework in which to consider these recent events. For the last several years, the leadership of several recognized Internet organizations (ISOC, ICANN, IAB/IETF, IANA, the 5 Regional Internet Registries (RIRs), and W3C; sometimes referred to as the "Internet technical organizations") have met periodically to promote better coordination between these groups.
<http://www.circleid.com/posts/20131203_framework_for_recent_internet_governance_montevideo_to_1net/>

India for UN body to resolve internet governance issues
Multi-stakeholder or multi-lateral - two words encapsulating diametrically opposite views on internet governance stands at the heart of a raging debate across the globe. At the Working Group on Enhanced Cooperation (WGEC) meeting in Geneva last month, India suggested forming a multi-lateral UN body to co-ordinate on internet governance issues. And several activists feel that is not the right way forward.
<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-news/internet/India-for-UN-body-to-resolve-internet-governance-issues/articleshow/26878044.cms>

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DOMAIN NAMES
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 - ICANN
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New gTLD Collision Occurrence Management Plan Frequently Asked Questions
ICANN's mission and core values call for ICANN to preserve and enhance the operational stability, reliability, security, and global interoperability of the Internet's system of unique identifiers (names, IP numbers and protocol parameters). In pursuing these goals and following the direction of its Board of Directors as well as taking into consideration the advice of the Security and Stability Advisory Committee, ICANN commissioned a study on the potential security impacts of the applied-for new-gTLD strings.
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-03dec13-en.htm>

Launch of the Extended Process Similarity Review Panel in the IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process
On 27 June 2013 the ICANN Board approved an amendment to the Internationalized Domain Names (IDN) ccTLD Fast Track Process Final Implementation Plan.
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-04dec13-en.htm>

Bulk Transfer of Domain Names from Pacnames Ltd to Net-Chinese Co., Ltd.
ICANN has authorized the bulk transfer of gTLD domain names from Pacnames Ltd to Net-Chinese Co., Ltd. due to compliance actions taken by ICANN that resulted in the de-accreditation of Pacnames Ltd.
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-2-04dec13-en.htm>

Another Step Forward for the Middle East Strategy (MES) by Fahd Batayneh, Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator for the Middle East
The Middle East Strategy Working Group (MESWG) has been working hard the past couple of months in an effort to initiate the formation of a Task Force on Capacity Building Activities (TF-CBA). The task force is envisioned to understand the capacity needs of the region, and to coordinate the execution of programs and activities as recommended in the MES. Capacity building programs and activities targeted by the MESWG include the following broad topics:
<http://blog.icann.org/2013/12/another-step-forward-for-the-middle-east-strategy-mes/>

Delegated Strings - .UNO and .MENU
Overview: ICANN's New gTLD Program will result in the expansion of available gTLDs, such as .COM, .NET or .ORG, from 22 to possibly 1,400 new names or "strings".
<http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/program-status/delegated-strings>

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 - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS
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auDA erweitert WHOIS-Angaben f?r .au
Die australische Domain-Verwaltung auDA (.au Domain Administration Limited) hat angek?ndigt, ihre WHOIS-Policy ?berarbeiten zu wollen.
<http://www.domain-recht.de/internet-politik/datenschutz/cctlds-auda-erweitert-whois-angaben-fur-au-63581.html>

SWITCH Cuts Wholesale Price Of .CH Domains
The wholesale price of .CH domains, the price charged to registrars, is being cut to CHF15.50 as of 1 February 2014.
<http://www.domainpulse.com/2013/12/03/switch-cuts-price-ch-domains/>
<http://www.domainnews.com/switch-cuts-price-of-ch.html>

ch: Domain name prices to fall
Continued steady growth in the number of domain names being registered means that SWITCH is in a position to cut the price of a domain name to CHF 15.50 with effect from 1 February 2014.
<http://www.switch.ch/about/news/2013/preissenkung2014.html>
<http://www.telecompaper.com/news/switch-to-cut-price-of-domain-name-to-chf-1550--983302>

.EU Available To Three More European Countries In January
.EU domain names will be available to three more European countries as of 8 January 2014, EURid has announced.
<http://www.domainpulse.com/2013/12/04/eu-three-european-countries/>

.eu names to be sold outside the EU
EURid is to expand sales of .eu domains to three countries outside the European Union from January 8.
<http://domainincite.com/15232-eu-names-to-be-sold-outside-the-eu>

.eu extends to EEA countries from 8 January 2014
Residents, companies and organisations based in the European Economic Area (EEA) countries of Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway will also be eligible to register domain names under the .eu TLD from 8 January 2014.
<http://www.eurid.eu/en/news/dec-2013/eu-extends-eea-countries-8-january-2014>

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 - NEW TLDS
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IPO warns about premium loopholes in new gTLD trademark protection
It seems like it?s been an age since we last heard the intellectual property lobby pushing for stronger rights protection mechanisms in new gTLDs, but they?re back just in time for the first launches.
<http://domainincite.com/15238-ipo-warns-about-premium-loopholes-in-new-gtld-trademark-protection>

ICANN: new domains are about consumer choice and helping SMEs
The imminent roll out of more than a thousand new TLDs has created a headache for small businesses seeking to protect their existing domains, as well as sparking a bidding war among the world?s tech giants for the most attractive TLDs.
<http://econsultancy.com/uk/blog/63942-icann-new-domains-are-about-consumer-choice-and-helping-smes>

What Cookies, Hummingbird & gTLDs Mean for Digital Marketers in 2014
As we come to the close of 2013, it's not difficult to see a digital transformation is underway in all facets of our digital world: social, mobile, data, search and domain names. The new gTLDs are launching and will start to have an impact in 2014. What's so interesting about the unique opportunities the gTLDs provide is that it is happening during this time of digital transformation.
<http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/2316852/what-cookies-hummingbird-gtlds-mean-for-digital-marketers-in-2014>

ARI Registry Services supports .menu to delegation
Move over .com, .net and .org ? the restaurant and food industry is set for the biggest digital evolution in its history with the global launch of the .menu TLD.
<http://ariservices.com/news-ARI_Supports_menu_to_delegation.php>

Are 10,000 registrations a realistic goal for niche new TLDs?
So far, most new TLD registries are pricing their domains at a big premium to .com. Will that limit registration numbers?
<http://domainnamewire.com/2013/12/04/are-10000-registrations-a-realistic-goal-for-niche-new-top-level-domains/>

New SA domains: what you need to know
The ZA Central Registry is set to begin accepting registrations under the new .africa, .joburg, .capetown and .durban TLDs in April. But what do companies and individuals need to know to secure their domains? And how much will it cost them. 
<http://www.techcentral.co.za/new-sa-domains-what-you-need-to-know/45418/>

Superstitious launch planned for Chinese gTLDs
TLD Registry plans to time its Chinese new gTLD launch dates to coincide with days considered lucky in Chinese astrology.
<http://domainincite.com/15235-superstitious-launch-planned-for-chinese-gtlds>

Let?s Learn IDNs ? .??? (Chinese Website)
Today, the belated first in an irregular series of articles devoted to making new IDN gTLDs more recognizable to the majority of DI readers who use the Latin alphabet in their native tongue.
<http://domainincite.com/15028-lets-learn-idns-???-chinese-website>

Two more new gTLDs delegated
The new gTLDs .menu and .uno have gone live on the internet.
<http://domainincite.com/15216-two-more-new-gtlds-delegated>

ICANN Delegates Another Two gTLDs Taking Total To 34
ICANN delegated another two gTLD strings, taking the total to 34 the organisation has added to the internet?s Root Zone as of 30 November. The strings delegated were .menu and .uno, which followed the addition of ??? (xn--q9jyb4c - Japanese for "everyone") on 23 November.
<http://www.domainpulse.com/2013/12/03/icann-delegates-two-gtlds/>
<http://www.domainnews.com/icann-delegates-two-gtlds.html>

Game Changing Internet Innovator Partners with Tri NZ
Triathlon New Zealand launched the new summer national Tri Series at a function in Auckland today, unveiling a new 5 year naming rights partner that is not only new to the sport of triathlon, but new to the global marketplace and one that is set to revolutionise the way New Zealanders view and use the internet.
<http://www.dot-kiwi.com/pages/news/game-changing-internet-innovator-partners-with-tri-nz>

.KIWI Set To Be Fittest gTLD
.KIWI is setting out to be higher, faster and stronger than all other gTLDs with the gTLD operator, Dot Kiwi, announcing it is to sponsor the New Zealand Triathlon Series. The series will be called the .kiwi Tri Series and there will be six events throughout New Zealand during summer.
<http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=21474>
<http://www.domainpulse.com/2013/12/03/kiwi-fittest-gtld/>
<http://www.domainnews.com/kiwi-set-to-be-fittest-gtld.html>

Triathlon: Dot Kiwi joins Tri NZ to promote sport online
Dot Kiwi Limited CEO Tim Johnson experienced a minor technical faux pas during a presentation in Auckland yesterday announcing the company's alignment with Triathlon New Zealand.
<http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11165880>

Most sought-after dot kiwi domains go up for sale
The premium names for new internet domain name choice .kiwi have been released this morning.
<http://tvnz.co.nz/technology-news/most-sought-after-dot-kiwi-domains-go-up-sale-5744477>

Real estate hottest property in .kiwi domain addresses
An alternative internet domain name choice - .kiwi - for websites and email addresses will soon be available for New Zealanders and their businesses.
<http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9467555/Real-estate-hottest-property-in-kiwi-domain-addresses>

Triathlon NZ gets new partner [NZ Newswire]
Triathlon New Zealand has announced a new naming rights partner in Dot Kiwi Ltd.
<http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/20109089/triathlon-nz-gets-new-partner/>

Dot kiwi enters internet domain names
The internet is undergoing what is being described as its biggest change in more than a decade.
<http://www.3news.co.nz/Dot-kiwi-enters-internet-domain-names/tabid/412/articleID/323671/Default.aspx>

.KIWI Borrows Page From .TV Game Plan - Fixed Prices Announced for "Premium" Names
Now that the new gTLDs have started rolling out, we are seeing a lot of different pricing strategies. For their so-called "premium" domains most new gTLDs registries favor an auction model that will award domains expected to draw the most interest to the highest bidders.
<http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2013/dailyposts/20131202.htm>

DotKiwi puts $7 million of premium names on sale
DotKiwi has put NZD 8.5 milion ($7 million) of ?premium? domain names on the market in advance of the delegation of .kiwi, which it expects to happen this week.
<http://domainincite.com/15228-dotkiwi-puts-7-million-of-premium-names-on-sale>

It's "no" to .polo
We?ve written about the new gTLDs on more than one occasion. This refers, of course, to the process whereby companies and organisations can register names ? generic words, geographical names, brand names - as TLDs. So, in the same way that there?s long been .com, .net and .info, you can now have .bank, .google and .capetown. Some 1900 applications have already been filed.
<http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=efdc0d5e-11bd-4606-a375-42736f09cd8a>

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 - DNS SECURITY
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Cyber war tech exports to be regulated like arms
Deal imminent on surveillance and hacking software
<http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2903d504-5c18-11e3-931e-00144feabdc0.html>

Cyber incident response plans should include access to network of 'clean-up' specialists, says expert
A comprehensive cyber incident response plan will include the ability to access "a network of experts" to help address the variety of issues businesses could encounter following a breach of their IT infrastructure security, an expert has said.
<http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2013/december/cyber-incident-response-plans-should-include-access-to-network-of-clean-up-specialists-says-expert/>

Akamai Acquires DDoS Security Provider Prolexic
Akamai Technologies announced on Monday that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Prolexic, a DDoS security provider.
<http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/akamai-acquires-ddos-security-provider-prolexic>

Korea Expert: Cyberconflict Likely to Escalate [IDG]
North Korea is likely to escalate its cyberattacks on South Korea in the coming years in an effort to convince its southern neighbor to back off demands to limit its nuclear program, a Korea expert predicted.
<http://www.cio.com/article/744099/Korea_Expert_Cyberconflict_Likely_to_Escalate>

David Cameron in China: Britain expected to enter talks over cyber spying
Britain is expected to enter talks with China over the controversial issue of cyber spying after David Cameron raised the issue during his trade mission to the region.
<http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/david-cameron-in-china-britain-expected-to-enter-talks-over-cyber-spying-8981359.html>

au: Vic Govt abjectly fails IT security tests
An audit of the Victorian Government?s IT security defences and ability to respond to major cyber-attacks has found it woefully unprepared, with its IT systems suffering over 100 ?serious breaches? and the state unprepared for any serious online attack.
<http://delimiter.com.au/2013/12/02/vic-govt-abjectly-fails-security-tests/>

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 - DOMAIN DISPUTES
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ALMC.com Saved In UDRP Decided By Asian Domain Name Dispute Resolution Center Finding Domain Is Generic
The Asian Domain Name Dispute Resolution Center, in a one member UDRP decision rejected the attempt of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council to grab the generic domain name ALMC.com
<http://www.thedomains.com/2013/12/03/almc-com-saved-in-udrp-decided-by-asian-domain-name-dispute-resolution-center-finding-domain-is-generic/>

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 - IPv4/IPv6
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Comcast Claims IPv6 Crown
Comcast celebrated Thanksgiving Day weekend by staking a claim to the world's largest native deployment of IPv6.
<http://www.lightreading.com/cable-video/cable-modem-cmts/comcast-claims-ipv6-crown/d/d-id/706813>

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 - MISCELLANEOUS
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Why website accessibility makes business sense
With 18% of the Australian population living with some form of a disability, eliminating barriers to website accessibility remains a challenge. In this blog, AusRegistry?s Maggie Whitnall explores this important topic with the support of Gunela Astbrink from the Internet Society of Australia.
<http://www.ausregistry.com.au/why-website-accessibility-makes-business-sense>

us: Customs Officials Seize Hundreds of Domain Names in Cyber Monday Counterfeit Crackdown
U.S. customs officials on Monday announced the seizure of more than 700 domain names of websites selling counterfeit goods, in the fourth year that federal officials have capitalized on the attention from online retailers? Cyber Monday to point to rampant piracy.
<http://variety.com/2013/biz/news/domain-names-seized-in-customs-officials-cyber-monday-crackdown-1200909747/>

Another 706 Domains Selling Counterfeit Merchandise Seized By International Law Enforcement Agencies
Another 706 domain names selling counterfeit merchandise was seized in an operation with eleven international law enforcement bodies, led by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
<http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=21475>
<http://www.domainpulse.com/2013/12/03/706-domains-selling-counterfeit-merchandise-seized/>
<http://www.domainnews.com/706-domains-selling-counterfeit-merchandise-seized.html>

ICE, international law enforcement agencies seize 706 domain names selling counterfeit merchandise [news release]
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) teamed with 10 foreign law enforcement agencies to seize hundreds of domain names that were illegally selling counterfeit merchandise online to unsuspecting consumers.
<http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1312/131202washingtondc.htm>

The takeaways from ICE?s Cyber Monday online counterfeiting swoop [registration]
With Cyber Monday marking the start of December?s shopping frenzy, law enforcement and brand owners have both moved to highlight their successes against online counterfeiting sites. This is the fourth year in which the US IPR Center has targeted such websites on Cyber Monday, and the results of the campaign make for interesting reading in light of OHIM?s recent study on consumer perception of IP.
<http://www.worldtrademarkreview.com/daily/detail.aspx?g=7c14e25b-f51a-4c28-b868-e00cd7942638>

The Internet Has Run Out of Four-Letter Dot-Com Names
None. Zero. Nada. That?s how many four-letter dot-com domain names are left unregistered on the Internet, according to new research by WhoAPI.com, a Croatian startup that analyzes domain data.
<http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/12/04/four_letter_domain_names_zero_unclaimed_llll_dot_coms_left_on_the_internet.html>

Epic Fail: The Rise and Fall of Demand Media
Just look at Demand Media, the Santa Monica, Calif.-based firm some thought would revolutionize content production. Not long after the company went public in January 2011, its market capitalization soared to more than $2 billion, sending the then-5-year-old firm?s value briefly past that of the New York Times Co.
<http://variety.com/2013/biz/news/epic-fail-the-rise-and-fall-of-demand-media-1200914646/>

Has Google made domain migration tougher?
Changing domains has never been something to be taken lightly but in the past year, Google appears to have made it tougher for brands to carry out a legitimate re-brand, or domain change for other reasons, without suffering catastrophic SEO losses. We?ve been talking to a number of businesses that have changed domains and lost huge amounts of SEO visibility, even after doing some of the things that are usually recommended during a migration.
<http://www.branded3.com/blogs/google-made-domain-migration-tougher/>

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 - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET
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Kim Dot Com?s Mega.co.nz Is Buyer of Mega.co Sold For $60K
Just over two weeks ago we reported that the domain name Mega.co was sold for $60,000 to JustCloud.com.
<http://www.thedomains.com/2013/12/02/kim-dot-coms-mega-co-nz-is-buyer-of-mega-co-sold-for-60k/>

Tickets for Domaining Spain 2014 Now Available & We Have a Half-Price Ticket Code For You
The Domaining Spain conference will be returning to beautiful Valencia, Spain next spring when show founder Dietmar Stefitz will stage his 6th event in the popular series. The 2014 show will run May 8-10 with the centrally located Hotel Sorolla Palace, once again hosting the conference.
<http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2013/dailyposts/20131203.htm>

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INTERNET USE
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China has more internet users than any other country
China has more internet users than nearly all other countries have people. (The lone exception is India.) According to the latest semiannual report from the official China Internet Network Information Center, 590.56 million people in China were using the internet at mid-2013, an increase of nearly 53 million (or 9.85%) from a year earlier.
<http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/12/02/china-has-more-internet-users-than-any-other-country/>

Beyonce ousts Kim Kardashian as 2013's most-searched person on Bing
Singer Beyonce was named the most-searched person in 2013 on Bing, the online search engine said on Monday, edging out 2012's list-topper reality television star Kim Kardashian, who came in second.
<http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/12/02/uk-beyonce-bing-idUKBRE9B103H20131202>

What we searched for in 2013
Thanksgiving is now in the rearview mirror, which means that it?s just about time to get nostalgic for 2013. Every year, most search engines release lists of what users most frequently looked for in the past months.
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/what-we-searched-for-in-2013/2013/12/02/9a2554e8-5b6d-11e3-a49b-90a0e156254b_story.html>

Cyber Monday was the biggest online spending day in history
Americans spent $1.75 billion on Monday, an 18 percent jump over Cyber Monday 2012. Did the jump come at the expense of Black Friday sales?
<http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57614427-93/cyber-monday-was-the-biggest-online-spending-day-in-history/>

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SOCIAL MEDIA
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Facebook dominates mobile apps, survey says
Almost half of mobile phone users polled by CIRP singled out Facebook as one of their three most used apps.
<http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57614521-93/facebook-dominates-mobile-apps-survey-says/>

What's the Real Value of Twitter for Brands?
For brands, the key objective on all social platforms remains consumer engagement. Because content-focused social promotions are a perfect means for fuelling engagement -- and Twitter is an unmatched platform for broadcasting content -- the opportunities for delivering promotions on this platform are enticing.
<http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/2309880/what-s-the-real-value-of-twitter-for-brands>

As Twitter Grows Up, Its Users Don?t
Facebook has a teen problem. Or maybe not. Depends on whom you ask. How about Twitter?
<http://allthingsd.com/20131202/as-twitter-grows-up-its-users-dont/>

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES
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Google Puts Money on Robots, Using the Man Behind Android
If Amazon can imagine delivering books by drones, is it too much to think that Google might be planning to one day have one of the robots hop off an automated Google Car and race to your doorstep to deliver a package?
<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/04/technology/google-puts-money-on-robots-using-the-man-behind-android.html>

USB Type-C cable plugs to be reversible
USB cable developers have announced that a forthcoming version of the connector's plug is to be reversible.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25222101>

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MOBILE/WIRELESS
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Seattle Restaurant Boots Google Glass-Wearing Patron
Well, it happened. Someone wore Google Glass into a restaurant and that restaurant ended up ejecting the patron over his headgear.
<http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2427804,00.asp>

Seattle Bar Bans Google Glass. Who's Next?
Unfortunately for Google's Sergey Brin, it appears he's been banned from his first bar ? the first as a result of his glasses, that is. Thanks to the Google Glass device he's been sporting as of late, the Android-powered augmented reality device that, among other features, allows wearers to take pictures of what they're looking at merely by talking to their "stunna shades," Brin will be persona non grata at Seattle's 5 Point Caf?.
<http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2416421,00.asp>

The places where Google Glass is banned
Google Glass has been hailed as the future of wearable technology and a possible replacement for the mobile phone, but even before its launch it has run into trouble
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/10494231/The-places-where-Google-Glass-is-banned.html>

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ONLINE CRIME & LEGAL
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Pony Botnet Controller Holds 2 Million Stolen?and Weak?Credentials
So what?s worse: Finding two million passwords harvested by a botnet, or learning that most of the stolen passwords are terribly weak?
<http://threatpost.com/pony-botnet-controller-holds-2-million-stolen-and-weak-credentials/103096>

Online drugs marketplace shut down after ?3.5m bitcoin hack
Sheep Marketplace, a darknet shopping site, has shut down following a catastrophic theft of 5,400 bitcoins, currently valued at over ?3.5m.
<http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/dec/03/online-drugs-marketplace-shut-down-bitcoin-hack-sheep>

us: Black Friday to Cyber Monday: Keeping Hackers From Having Their Day
Stores across the country were a mad house when Black Friday arrived, with throngs of shoppers showing up to take advantage of seasonal sales. Online, the customer rush is similar, though the security challenge businesses face takes on a different form.
<http://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/black-friday-to-cyber-monday-keeping-hac/240164418>

Businesses Suffer An Average Of 9 Targeted Attacks Per Year
Advanced persistent threat (APT)-style attacks may be even more pervasive than thought: organizations have suffered on average of nine such targeted attacks in the past 12 months, a new study finds.
<http://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/businesses-suffer-an-average-of-9-target/240164400>

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PRIVACY & SURVEILLANCE
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NSA gathering 5bn cell phone records daily, Snowden documents show
The National Security Agency is reportedly collecting almost 5 billion cell phone records a day under a program that monitors and analyses highly personal data about the precise whereabouts of individuals, wherever they travel in the world.
<http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/04/nsa-storing-cell-phone-records-daily-snowden>

It's outrageous to accuse the Guardian of aiding terrorism by publishing Snowden's revelations
The Guardian's editor, Alan Rusbridger, is due to appear before the House of Commons home affairs select committee on Tuesday to answer questions about his newspaper's publication of intelligence files leaked by Edward Snowden. Unlike the directors of MI5, MI6 and GCHQ, who gave evidence recently before the intelligence and security committee, Rusbridger will not be provided with a list of questions in advance.
<http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/02/guardian-terrorism-snowden-alan-rusbridger-free-press>

Guardian will not be intimidated over NSA leaks, Alan Rusbridger tells MPs
The Guardian has come under concerted pressure and intimidation designed to stop it from publishing stories of huge public interest that have revealed the "staggering" scale of Britain's and America's secret surveillance programmes, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper has said.
<http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/03/guardian-not-intimidated-nsa-leaks-alan-rusbridger-surveillance>

Tim Berners-Lee: Spies' cracking of encryption undermines the web
Tim Berners-Lee is known as the gentle genius with the mild touch, a man who is strikingly modest despite having created one of the epochal inventions of the modern age, the world wide web. But get him on the subject of what the National Security Agency and its British equivalent, GCHQ, have been doing to crack encryption used by hundreds of millions of people to protect their personal data online, and his face hardens, his eyes squint and he fumes.
<http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/dec/03/tim-berners-lee-spies-cracking-encryption-web-snowden>

Revealed: Australian spy agency offered to share data about ordinary citizens
Australia's surveillance agency offered to share information collected about ordinary Australian citizens with its major intelligence partners, according to a secret 2008 document leaked by the US whistleblower Edward Snowden.
<http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/02/revealed-australian-spy-agency-offered-to-share-data-about-ordinary-citizens>

Opinion: End the N.S.A. Dragnet, Now
The framers of the Constitution declared that government officials had no power to seize the records of individual Americans without evidence of wrongdoing, and they embedded this principle in the Fourth Amendment. The bulk collection of Americans? telephone records ? so-called metadata ? by the National Security Agency is, in our view, a clear case of a general warrant that violates the spirit of the framers? intentions. This intrusive program was authorized under a secret legal process by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, so for years American citizens did not have the knowledge needed to challenge the infringement of their privacy rights.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/26/opinion/end-the-nsa-dragnet-now.html>

us: Most Say Monitoring Allied Leaders? Calls Is Unacceptable
Is Monitoring Allied Leaders? Phones Acceptable?In the wake of reports that the National Security Agency (NSA) has been listening to phone calls of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other heads of state, a 56% majority of Americans say it is unacceptable for the U.S. to monitor the phones of allied leaders, while 36% say the practice is acceptable.
<http://www.people-press.org/2013/11/04/most-say-monitoring-allied-leaders-calls-is-unacceptable/>

How the Snowden leak is changing the tech landscape
Revelations about the extent of the surveillance programmes undertaken by the NSA and GCHQ ? as well as their efforts to undermine online security and encryption ? have provoked fierce reaction around the world, sparking technical innovations, legal challenges, and moves towards political reform.
<http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/02/snowden-leak-tech-privacy-nsa-gchq-surveillance>

Microsoft: 'We Don't Provide Governments with Direct, Unfettered Access to Your Data'
A Microsoft today pushed back once again against the idea that it's giving the National Security Agency (NSA) carte blanche access to its cloud-based services, an allegation that's cropped up in media reports since the revelations from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden began last June.
<http://www.networkworld.com/news/2013/120413-cloud-security-microsoft-276591.html>
<http://www.cio.com/article/744181/Microsoft_We_Don_t_Provide_Governments_with_Direct_Unfettered_Access_to_Your_Data_>

Australia's surveillance has 'achieved too much' to stop, says David Johnston
Australia's defence minister, David Johnston, says the ?5-Eyes? intelligence partners have achieved far too much with their co-operative surveillance programs to take a backward step now.
<http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/03/australias-surveillance-achieved-too-much-to-stop-david-johnston>

Privacy International files complaint against Australian Signals Directorate
The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) has received a formal complaint from UK-based privacy group Privacy International following allegations that the ASD offered to share information about Australian citizens with international counterparts.
<http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/533401/privacy_international_files_complaint_against_australian_signals_directorate/>

us: FTC Seeks New Privacy Authority
The Federal Trade Commission is about to turn 100, and agency leaders have some gift suggestions for Congress?new privacy legislation plus a statutory change that would position the FTC as the net neutrality cop.
<http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNLJ.jsp?id=1202630449008>

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GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
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us: As Online Ads Look More Like News Articles, F.T.C. Warns Against Deception
What happens when advertising stops being obvious? The Federal Trade Commission, charged with protecting consumers and guarding against deceptive advertising practices, acknowledges it does not know.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/05/business/ftc-says-sponsored-online-ads-can-be-misleading.html>

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TELECOMMUNICATIONS
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au: NBN Co can't guarantee Libs' 50Mbps speed promise: report
The unpredictable performance of VDSL2 technology over Telstra's copper network means that NBN Co would be unable to guarantee customers the 50Mbps speeds promised by the new government, a leaked NBN Co report has warned.
<http://www.zdnet.com/nbn-co-cant-guarantee-libs-50mbps-speed-promise-report-7000023901/>

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David Goldstein

 email: david at goldsteinreport.com

 web:   http://goldsteinreport.com/ / http://davidgoldstein.tel/
 phone: +61 418 228 605 - mobile; +61 2 9663 3430 - 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