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And see my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for regular updates in between postings. ********************************************************** Sponsored by the Singapore Internet Research Centre Nanyang Technological University, Singapore http://www.ntu.edu.sg/sci/sirc/ ********************************************************** Paedophiles use Skype ‘loophole’ to woo children http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article1752240.ece au: Porn filters free from July http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/soa/Porn-filters-free-from-July/0,130061744,339275813,00.htm Google in talks with Belgian papers over links to articles http://iht.com/articles/2007/05/03/business/google.php Google's Belgian broil cools (AP) http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/05/04/1177788351542.html us: Net fosters terror: report http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/05/03/1177788289491.html Starbucks is among the targets of the phishing scam http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article1728634.ece ITU Internet Report 2006: digital.life report http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/publications/digitalife/ 15% of Americans are “off the network”! http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/11893/1103/ Japanese find sleep, shelter in cyber cafes (Reuters) http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKT34112620070507 Study Finds Europeans Dominate Second Life http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,131578-c,games/article.html Microsoft and Yahoo enter talks to combat Google http://iht.com/articles/2007/05/04/business/msft.php But then: Microsoft-Yahoo talks no longer active http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/05/07/1178390184477.html *************** RESEARCH PAPERS *************** A Typology of American Information and Communication Technology Users Half of all American adults are only occasional users of modern information gadgetry, while 8% are avid participants in all that digital life has to offer http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/213/report_display.asp *********** CENSORSHIP *********** Media - Free or Afraid? The media is more diverse and free that at any time in the history of the world – if you are a blogger. It is under extreme, often violent, pressure – if you are a Russian journalist. That was the major faultline that emerged from a debate – “Is world press freedom in retreat?” – held in London to mark World Press Freedom Day (3 May). http://us.oneworld.net/article/view/148788/1/3319 us: Tighter restrictions on military blogs anger US soldiers US troops in Iraq have reacted angrily to Pentagon restrictions aimed at curbing internet postings from war zones. The Pentagon cited the risk of providing sensitive information to insurgents. Blogs and emails from troops in the field can often be extraordinarily vivid and indiscreet. One last weekend from a soldier in Iraq advised a trooper in the US who was about to deploy in Iraq on ways to watch for and detect explosive devices planted by insurgents. http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2072982,00.html http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-05-02-soldier-blogs_N.htm http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKN0233987620070503 Web revolution forces ‘censorship’ site U-turn Digg.com, one of the world’s most popular news websites, was forced to pull the plug after a massive revolt from its readers http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article1739123.ece In Web Uproar, Antipiracy Code Spreads Wildly Does encryption of media files unfairly limit consumer freedom? Sophisticated Internet users have banded together over the last two days to publish and widely distribute a secret code used by the technology and movie industries to prevent piracy of high-definition movies. The broader distribution of the code may not pose a serious threat to the studios, because it requires some technical expertise and specialized software to use it to defeat the copy protection on Blu-ray and HD DVD discs. But its relentless spread has already become a lesson in mob power on the Internet and the futility of censorship in the digital world. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/03/technology/03code.html ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ Paedophiles use Skype ‘loophole’ to woo children Internet chatrooms run by Skype have become a magnet for paedophiles and sexual predators who want to groom children as young as 10 for sex, an investigation has found. The software has become the preferred method for many paedophiles to find their victims. Other internet chat facilities have strengthened their child protection measures or closed down entirely because of concerns over internet “grooming”. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article1752240.ece au: Porn filters free from July Content filtering software -- from five vendors -- is set to become freely available from July as part of the government's program to combat offensive online content. http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/soa/Porn-filters-free-from-July/0,130061744,339275813,00.htm uk: Modern life 'has turned children into loners' Children are struggling to make friends at school because they spend too long playing computer games and listening to MP3 players, according to teachers. An increase in "solitary pastimes" has damaged children's social skills and fuelled feelings of loneliness among a generation of young people, they say. The findings, in a survey of primary teachers by Save The Children, come amid growing concerns that the toxic mix of modern life, including exposure to electronic entertainment, junk food and over-competitive schooling, is poisoning childhood. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/04/nkids04.xml Save the Children Study Shows Primary School Children’s Ability To Make Friends Deteriorating across Britain (news release) Childhood is often a time remembered by playground antics with friends, a knock about with a football, a game of hopscotch or a game of tag however recent research by Save the Children shows that many children’s experience of play and friendship in their early years is deteriorating. Save the Children conducted a study with primary school teachers across Britain; teachers who witness primary school children’s play and interaction with their peers on a daily basis. http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/scuk/jsp/resources/details.jsp?id=5005 us: States Ponder Laws to Keep Web Predators From Children Nearly every American teenager, it seems, has a Web page displaying his or her life details. And nearly every parent has nightmares that someone might visit those pages, easily discovering where the children live and what they like. http://nytimes.com/2007/05/06/nyregion/06myspace.html us: Internet safety forum preaches Web caution Most parents make it a point to watch a lot of firsts in their child's life. First steps, first words, first baseball game and others. But how many are around the first time their child encounters an Internet predator? http://www.ledger-dispatch.com/news/newsview.asp?c=213228 us: Duracell and NCMEC Unveil Free Children's Book with Updated Child Safety Lessons While sixty-two percent of parents and guardians are looking for new ways to teach their children how to stay safer1, experts indicate that, unfortunately, some of the child safety messaging currently available is outdated. In response to this, Duracell and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) today announced the availability of two free safety resources for families – a new children’s book entitled, The Great Tomato Adventure: A Story About Smart Safety Choices and Teachable Moments Guides for parents and guardians of older children. http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/NewsEventServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=3152 *************************************** CYBERCRIME, CYBERSECURITY AND PRIVACY *************************************** Google in talks with Belgian papers over links to articles Google and the French-language newspapers of Belgium said Thursday that they had begun discussions aimed at defusing a legal battle over what content Google could index. The newspapers complained that the search engine's "cached" links, which show material that may have been taken off the Web by the site owner, offered free access to archived material that the papers normally sell. http://iht.com/articles/2007/05/03/business/google.php http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05/03/google_resumes_linking_belgium_newspaper_sites/ Google's Belgian broil cools (AP) Belgian French-language newspapers were back on Google on Thursday after agreeing that the search engine can link to their websites, the first signs of a thaw in a bitter copyright dispute. But neither has so far settled on a key part of the dispute: the use of newspaper story links used on Google News. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/05/04/1177788351542.html http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BELGIUM_GOOGLE_VS_NEWSPAPERS us: Net fosters terror: report Extremist Islamic groups have come to value the internet so much for its ability to spread their message that some have said the keyboard is as important as a Kalashnikov rifle, a report for the US Congress says. The report, to be presented to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday, says terrorists have increased their use of the internet to make their activities faster, cheaper and more secure. Use of the internet for communications, propaganda and research has grown to include recruitment and training, says the report prepared by a panel of experts brought together by George Washington University's Homeland Security Policy Institute and the University of Virginia's Critical Incident Analysis Group. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/05/03/1177788289491.html Singapore to Focus on International Collaboration for its Cyber Defence (news release) The Singapore Government is already looking into a new five-year infocomm security roadmap (2008 - 2012) as it embarks on the final year of the current three-year Infocomm Security Masterplan (2005 - 2008). This was revealed by Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports and Second Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts at the annual Infocomm Security Seminar for public officers, organised by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the Ministry of Finance. http://www.ida.gov.sg/News%20and%20Events/20060530144831.aspx Singapore Gears Up for Cyber Security (news release) A major effort is under way to secure the infocomm environment that will help Singapore to realise its vision of a connected society where infocomm technology will enhance the quality of how we work, learn and play. The Government will spearhead a national effort to maintain a secure infocomm environment for the government, businesses and individuals, and defend Singapore's critical infrastructure from cyber attacks. This is in response to cyber threats such as hacking, virus attacks and cyber terrorism. http://www.ida.gov.sg/News%20and%20Events/20050712110643.aspx?getPagetype=20 Starbucks is among the targets of the phishing scam Computer users have been warned of the dangers of using wi-fi hotspots after it emerged that cyber-criminals are targeting the networks in café chains including Starbucks. Times Online has uncovered evidence that criminals are using a technique known as an 'evil twin attack', where victims think that they are logging on to the genuine network in a café but are in fact being diverted to a 'rogue' connection. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article1728634.ece nz: E-Commerce And The Code For Consumer Protection (reg req'd) Are you aware of your rights when buying or selling on the internet? Annabel Sheppard, an associate with the Christchurch Lawlink firm of Wynn Williams & Co, outlines some concerns and how the proposed Code for consumer protection will work. http://mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=47790 Defiant Web users expose a 'secret' entertainment industry cipher There is open revolt on the Web. Sophisticated Internet users have banded together over the last two days to publish and widely distribute a secret code used by the technology and movie industries to prevent piracy of high-definition movies. The broader distribution of the code may not pose a serious threat to the studios, because it requires some technical expertise and specialized software to use it to defeat the copy protection on Blu-ray and HD DVD discs. But its relentless spread has already become a lesson in mob power on the Internet and the futility of censorship in the digital world. http://iht.com/articles/2007/05/03/business/code.php au: Aussie girl stalked and threatened American Idol A Melbourne cyber stalker who harassed and blackmailed an American Idol star walked from court yesterday. Tanya Maree Quattrocchi, 21, of Oak Park, was released on a community-based order and ordered to serve 150 hours of community service after she was convicted of stalking and blackmail. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,21675067-401,00.html uk: Thousands lost in internet scam A number of people in Worcestershire have lost large amounts of money in Nigerian e-mail and internet scams over the last two months, police have said. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/hereford/worcs/6630329.stm Got a wireless network? It’s Time to Shore Up Security (FBI news release) Some words to the wise: if you have a wireless Internet or network connection, make sure you’ve got the best possible security measures in place. And don’t delay. Why? We’ve recently learned that the basic protection against intruders—Wireless Encryption Protocol, or WEP—is increasingly vulnerable to accomplished hackers. http://www.fbi.gov/page2/may07/wireless050407.htm ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** us: Obama camp in MySpace row with leading fan Barack Obama, one of the leading candidates for the Democratic party's 2008 presidential nomination, has ended up in the middle of a cyber-squabble after wresting control of a fan site from an enthusiastic backer. ... The Obama team initially worked with Mr Anthony, promoting the site and allowing him to use campaign material. But as it grew in popularity they became concerned about someone outside the campaign controlling content under Mr Obama's name and wrested control of the pages, on the social networking site MySpace, on Wednesday. The row has turned into a test case for internet campaigning and ownership of a name. Some web-users expressed disappointment that Mr Obama had behaved in what they saw as a heavy-handed manner, while others said he was entitled to control a site bearing his name. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections08/barackobama/story/0,,2072291,00.html us: Bills propose reporter's shield for bloggers Bloggers engaged in journalistic pursuits would be granted immunity from divulging confidential sources under a new bill pending in both chambers of Congress. http://news.com.com/2100-1028_3-6181531.html U.S. to keep Internet gambling ban (Reuters) The United States will maintain a ban on Internet gambling services despite an adverse World Trade Organization ruling, the U.S. Trade Representative's office said on Friday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKWAT00742720070506 ***************************** INTERNET & NEW TECHNOLOGY USE ***************************** ITU Internet Report 2006: digital.life report ITU Internet Report 2006: digital.life is the eighth in the series of "ITU Internet Reports" originally launched in 1997 by the International Telecom-munication Union. For previous titles in the series, such as "The Internet of Things" see the homepage of the ITU Internet Reports. Written by a team of analysts from ITU's Strategy & Policy Unit (SPU), this eight edition of the ITU Internet Reports, entitled "digital.life", focuses on consumers and looks at how human lives are being continuously shaped and re-shaped by advances in digital technologies. The report begins by examining the underlying technologies for new digital lifestyles, from network infrastructure to value creation at the edges. In studying how businesses are adapting to fast-paced digital innovation, the report looks at how they can derive value in an environment driven by convergence at multiple levels. Moreover, a great challenge lies in extending access to underserved areas of the world. In light of media convergence, a fresh approach to policy-making may be required, notably in areas such as content, competition policy, and spectrum management. And as our lives become increasingly mediated by digital technologies, digital identities (both abstract and practical) take on a new dimension. Concerns over privacy and data protection do not seem to be sufficiently addressed by today's online environments. In this context, the report examines the changing digital individual, and outlines the need for improving the design of identity management mechanisms for a healthy and secure digital world. http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/publications/digitalife/ 15% of Americans are “off the network”! A new report from Pew Internet & American Life Project has some disturbing statistics based on a survey of 4001 people on the state – or otherwise – of the connected union. http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/11893/1103/ Online TV viewing 'on the rise' in Europe Almost half of European broadband users are using their computers to watch television online, a survey claims. The ability to "take control" of their viewing was the motivation for many users said Motorola, which interviewed 2,500 people including the UK. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6617013.stm Japanese find sleep, shelter in cyber cafes (Reuters) Takeshi Yamashita does not look like a homeless person. From his carefully distressed jeans to his casual-cool navy striped T-shirt, he is every bit the trendy Tokyoite. Yet the 26-year-old has been sleeping in a reclining seat in an Internet cafe every night for the past month since he lost his steady office job and his apartment. It's cheaper than a hotel, offers access to the Internet and hundreds of Manga comic books, and even has a microwave and a shower where he can wash in the morning before heading off to one of his temporary jobs ranging from cleaning to basic office work. http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKT34112620070507 Study Finds Europeans Dominate Second Life Germans outnumber U.S. residents in popular virtual world, but U.S. growth rates are the highest, comScore reports. http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,131578-c,games/article.html Second Life Users Top 1.3 Million in March Participants of the virtual-world Web site rose by 46 percent from January to March this year. http://clickz.com/stats/sectors/demographics/article.php/3625769 comScore Finds that “Second Life” Has a Rapidly Growing and Global Base of Active Residents: Germans Represent a Substantial Proportion of Second Life Residents (news release) comScore released a comprehensive worldwide analysis of the active users of Second Life, the 3-D virtual world that is entirely built and owned by its “residents.” The study revealed that approximately 1.3 million people ran the official software and logged-in to Second Life in March 2007. This represents an increase of 46 percent in the number of active residents from January 2007. http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=1425 Snowflakes promise faster chips Chips could run faster and be more energy efficient thanks to a process from IBM that copies nature's creation of seashells and snowflakes. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6618919.stm *************** DIGITAL DIVIDE *************** tw: Digital divide in the over 50s widens The digital divide between the nation's males and females over 50 years of age has widened despite the government's efforts to narrow the gap, officials from the Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) said yesterday. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2007/05/07/2003359889 http://www.cna.com.tw/eng/cepread.php?id=200705060015 in: Wireless: For the rural poor, cellphones come calling Camel-drawn carts, tractors and brightly clad women carrying shallow bowls of fuel and food on their heads usually dominate traffic in this northern Indian village. But on Friday evening, Mundawar played host to a jarring new visitor: Nokia's traveling mobile phone van. Hundreds of spectators, most men and boys between the ages of 15 and 50, gathered outside or squeezed into the van, hoping to win free merchandise like a Nokia-branded hat. http://iht.com/articles/2007/05/06/business/wireless07.1-44394.php ************ FILE SHARING ************ YouTube facing UK football lawsuit The English Premier League is to sue YouTube for alleged copyright infringement. The football organisation said YouTube had "knowingly misappropriated" its intellectual property by encouraging footage to be viewed on its site. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6627135.stm ********************************* COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS ********************************* Microsoft and Yahoo enter talks to combat Google Microsoft and Yahoo are in talks about a joint venture or some other form of cooperation as both companies continue to try to combat Google's pre-eminence in Internet advertising, people briefed on the discussions said Friday. The discussions are part of an ongoing dialogue that the two companies have been holding for more than a year, but are still in preliminary stages, these people say. http://iht.com/articles/2007/05/04/business/msft.php Microsoft weighs $50bn tilt at Yahoo! Shares in Yahoo! jumped 18 per cent in pre-market trade in New York today on reports that Microsoft is once again weighing a bid for the embattled internet giant and has asked for formal talks to be renewed. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article1747293.ece Microhoo? Web giants 'in merger talks' (AP) Microsoft Corp is resuming its pursuit of search engine operator Yahoo Inc that could help it better compete with Web search leader Google Inc, published reports said on Friday. Yahoo shares surged more than 17 per cent in premarket trading. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/05/05/1177788416607.html But then: Microsoft-Yahoo talks no longer active Friday's dramatic bounce in Yahoo's stock on reports of a deal with Microsoft - later discredited - reflects the pressure facing the third- and second-largest internet companies as they struggle to gain market share from Google. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/05/07/1178390184477.html Online payments: A battle at the checkout PayPal dominates electronic payments, but Google's growing checkout service may prove a vigorous challenger http://economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9122582 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Check out http://auda.org.au/domain-news/ for the most recent edition of the domain news, including an RSS feed - already online! The domain name news is supported by auDA. For information on subscriptions to the domain name and/or general internet news please contact me. For archives of postings to the list, see http://lists.technewsreview.com.au/pipermail/technewsreview/. Also see http://technewsreview.com.au/ for recent updates. Sources include Quicklinks <http://qlinks.net/> and BNA Internet Law News <http://www.bna.com/ilaw/>. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2007 --------- David Goldstein address: 4/3 Abbott Street COOGEE NSW 2034 AUSTRALIA email: Goldstein_David @yahoo.com.au phone: +61 418 228 605 (mobile); +61 2 9665 5773 (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 Send instant messages to your online friends http://au.messenger.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ APPLe mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.apnic.net/mailman/listinfo/apple
