********************************************************** Sponsored by the Singapore Internet Research Centre Nanyang Technological University, Singapore http://www.ntu.edu.sg/sci/sirc/
********************************************************** Don't forget to check out my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for daily updates in between postings. *************************************************** us: Finding Political News Online, the Young Pass It On http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/us/politics/27voters.html Hulu Hoopla: Is Hulu the future of television? http://www.slate.com/id/2187501/ Wikipedia hits 10 million total articles http://www.news.com/8301-13772_3-9905726-52.html Mobile phones 'more dangerous than smoking' http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/mobile-phones-more-dangerous-than-smoking-802602.html Dave Stewart, Nokia envision brave new mobile world [Reuters] http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKN2929974520080330 Apple has biggest brand impact -survey http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKL2850164020080331 Cuba lifts mobile phone restrictions http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/28/cuba Joocing the Next Billion Internet Users http://businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/mar2008/gb20080325_844094.htm Where the Law Stands on Virtual Property http://www.law.com/jsp/legaltechnology/pubArticleLT.jsp?id=1206614810253 Apple settles "millions of colors" lawsuit http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/eric2_0/2008/03/apple-settles-m.html Jail time for Australian identity cheats http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23440509-16123,00.html IBM project seeks privacy controls for users http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/032808-ibm-privacy.html TorrentSpy's closure a win for MPAA; war far from over http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080328-torrentspys-closure-a-win-for-mpaa-war-far-from-over.html YouTube to reveal which videos are watched where http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3633744.ece Website withdraws Dutch MP's anti-Islam film after threats [AFP] http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/29/2202599.htm UK parents ignore government's internet warning http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article3646319.ece uk: Dr Tanya Byron warns digital-age children should be left to take risks http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article3645034.ece UK child internet safety plans under fire over game censors http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/mar/28/childprotection.internet Good old parenting will keep the online bogeymen at bay http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/28/internet.children uk: Facebook, Bebo, My Space face censorship orders http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3635685.ece The Byron report: key points http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/mar/27/digitalmedia.childprotection1 uk: Computer games to get cigarette-style health warnings http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3628894.ece China Law Could Impede Microsoft Deal for Yahoo http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/28/technology/28yahoo.html ********************** RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** Cybering, Online Grooming and Ageplay by Sylvia Kierkegaard [Computer Law & Security Report] Abstract: Recent advances in computer technology have been aiding sexual predators, stalkers, child pornographers, child traffickers, and others with the intent of exploiting children. Internet bulletin boards, chat rooms, private websites, and peer-to-peer networks are being used daily by paedophiles to meet unsuspecting children. Compounding the problem is the lack of direct governance by an international body, which will curb the illegal content and activity. Most countries already have laws protecting children, but what is needed is a concerted law enforcement and international legislation to combat child sex abuse. With the enactment of the Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, this may soon become a reality in Europe. This current article will discuss some of the recent legal developments concerning online child protection, including the new Convention. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1114282 ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** us: Finding Political News Online, the Young Pass It On Senator Barack Obama’s videotaped response to President Bush’s final State of the Union address — almost five minutes of Mr. Obama’s talking directly to the camera — elicited little attention from newspaper and television reporters in January. But on the medium it was made for, the Internet, the video caught fire. Quickly after it was posted on YouTube, it appeared on the video-sharing site’s most popular list and Google’s most blogged list. It has been viewed more than 1.3 million times, been linked by more than 500 blogs and distributed widely on social networking sites like Facebook. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/us/politics/27voters.html Broadening Broadband in the US - New York Times Editorial The big problem in providing Internet service to rural America is often called “the last mile” — the difficulty in reaching the smallest communities and farthest-flung houses and farms. In cities, that problem might be called “the last block” — the difficulty in reaching every neighborhood, no matter how poor. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/29/opinion/29sat4.html Hulu Hoopla: Is Hulu the future of television? For the past couple of years, TV and the Internet have existed in a pleasant state of harmony. If forced to watch live television (by breaking news, by sports), you could surf the Web during commercials and dull moments. The laptop-TV combo was ideal, enfolding you in a narcotic halo of constant information. http://www.slate.com/id/2187501/ Wikipedia hits 10 million total articles That's how many Wikipedia has now, if you count all the articles in the 250-plus languages the encyclopedia is available in. http://www.news.com/8301-13772_3-9905726-52.html http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/internet/0,39044908,62039537,00.htm ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Mobile phones 'more dangerous than smoking' Mobile phones could kill far more people than smoking or asbestos, a study by an award-winning cancer expert has concluded. He says people should avoid using them wherever possible and that governments and the mobile phone industry must take "immediate steps" to reduce exposure to their radiation. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/mobile-phones-more-dangerous-than-smoking-802602.html Dave Stewart, Nokia envision brave new mobile world [Reuters] At first glance, Nokia's Tero Ojanpera and Dave Stewart might seem like an odd pair. As executive vice president of entertainment and communities for Nokia, Ojanpera oversees all of the company's music, gaming, video, and social-networking initiatives, including the Nokia Music Store and Comes With Music. Stewart is a musician/producer best known as one half of the Eurythmics. In February, Stewart was named founding member of Nokia's new Artist Advisory Council, an initiative created to foster an artist-friendly environment within the company. http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKN2929974520080330 http://www.news.com/2100-1026_3-6236144.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/29/AR2008032902810.html Massive Computer Centers Worse than Air Traffic There's been a lot of hand-wringing lately about how much air traffic contributes to global warming. An even more damaging culprit, however, has recently been found: the Internet. Computer centers consume massive amounts of energy, and their use is growing astronomically. Creative solutions are being sought -- and found. http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,544053,00.html Apple has biggest brand impact -survey The Apple brand has the biggest impact on the world's consumers, while Microsoft (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) and the United States nation brand are those considered most in need of a remake, a survey showed on Monday. The poll by online magazine brandchannel.com asked its readers to identify the brands with the greatest impact on their lives, and say how they affected readers' behaviour and their view of the world. http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKL2850164020080331 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/30/AR2008033002134.html Cuba lifts mobile phone restrictions The Cuban president, Raúl Castro, today lifted restrictions on ownership of mobile phones. Castro's move was another indication that he is prepared to grant more freedom to the island's residents. The right to own mobile phones had been restricted to the employees of foreign firms or those holding key posts in the communist-run state. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/28/cuba Castro opens new era by lifting mobile phones ban Cubans are to be allowed mobile phones in the latest step by the new President, Raul Castro, to improve access to consumer goods. Cuba has the lowest rate of mobile use in Latin America, and the service had been restricted to foreigners or government officials and employees. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/castro-opens-new-era-by-lifting-mobile-phones-ban-802360.html Cuba Lifts Restrictions On Personal Cellphones Cuban President Raúl Castro lifted much-loathed restrictions on personal cellphone ownership Friday, a move that could increase the flow of political ideas and news to the isolated and information-starved island nation. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/28/AR2008032801242.html Cubans allowed to get cellphone service [AP] First microwaves, now cell phones. Is this the new Cuba? Raul Castro is revolutionizing his brother's island in small but significant ways — the latest in a decree Friday allowing ordinary Cubans to have cell phone service, a luxury previously reserved for the select few. The new president could be betting greater access to such modern gadgets will quell demand for deeper change. http://iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/28/news/CB-GEN-Cuba-Cellular-Phones.php Cuba ends restriction on cellular phones [Reuters] Cuba said on Friday it will allow all Cubans to buy and use mobile telephones for the first time in the latest step by new President Raul Castro to improve access to consumer goods. http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKN2815132920080328 ********************** DIGITAL DIVIDE ********************** Joocing the Next Billion Internet Users It's a conundrum that the best and brightest of the tech industry haven't yet solved: how to get computers to the "next billion" customers in developing countries. The highest-profile effort to date, called One Laptop Per Child, has run into a series of setbacks . Spearheaded by digital guru Nicholas Negroponte, the U.N.-supported program envisions equipping millions of children in Africa, Asia, and Latin America with innovative $100 laptops. But demand for the devices has been lower than expected, in part because they still cost nearly twice their intended price. http://businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/mar2008/gb20080325_844094.htm ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Where the Law Stands on Virtual Property The filing of a complaint by a Pennsylvania lawyer against the operators of an online virtual world, and last year's decision by a Pennsylvania federal district court in that case, Bragg v. Linden Research Inc., has generated a great deal of interest in the media and among lawyers, as well as in the virtual world community. http://www.law.com/jsp/legaltechnology/pubArticleLT.jsp?id=1206614810253 French court fines user-generated website for privacy breach [AFP] A Paris court ruled on Thursday that a user-generated website had violated a film star's privacy by hosting a link to a report about him, in a potentially landmark ruling for the French Internet. The court ruled that fuzz.fr made an "editorial" decision to link to a story on a gossip news site about French actor Olivier Martinez and his relationship with singer Kylie Minogue -- and was therefore responsible for its content. http://news.smh.com.au/french-court-fines-usergenerated-website-for-privacy-breach/20080328-220t.html http://news.theage.com.au/french-court-fines-usergenerated-website-for-privacy-breach/20080328-220t.html Putin defies Convention on Cybercrime Russia does not intend to sign the European Convention on Cyber Crime. The RF President Vladimir Putin held to acknowledge invalid the ordinance ‘On signing the Convention on Cyber Crime’ of November 15th, 2005, the N & I Agency RIA Novosty reports. In accordance with the given ordinance Russia is to decide independently whether to join the Convention, provided the provisions of Item ‘b’ Article 32, which ‘might damage the sovereignty and security of member countries and their citizens’ rights’, might be revised. The given item reads ‘Party may, without the authorisation of another Party access or receive, through a computer system in its territory, stored computer data located in another Party, if the Party obtains the lawful and voluntary consent of the person who has the lawful authority to disclose the data to the Party through that computer system’. http://eng.cnews.ru/news/top/indexEn.shtml?2008/03/27/293913 Apple settles "millions of colors" lawsuit Apple Inc. has settled out of court a 10-month-old lawsuit over its displays. Terms were not disclosed, and Apple, based in Cupertino, Calif., did not immediately return an e-mail seeking comment. Two California professional photographers filed a class-action suit last May, saying they were duped into buying MacBook Pro notebooks by Apple's claim that the MacBook and MacBook Pro could display millions of colors. http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/eric2_0/2008/03/apple-settles-m.html Apple settles the amazing multicolor lawsuit The heated debate over whether Apple is tricking you into believing you can see millions of colors on your Mac has come to a quiet conclusion. http://www.news.com/8301-13579_3-9903602-37.html Jail time for Australian identity cheats Proposed new offences for identity crimes are needed to fill "gaps" in existing federal and state laws and should carry jail terms of up to five years, the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General meeting in Adelaide has been told. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23440509-16123,00.html ************************** PRIVACY ************************** IBM project seeks privacy controls for users A three-year project to infuse privacy controls into identity technologies and emerging social networking communities is being undertaken by IBM Research with funding help from the European Union. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/032808-ibm-privacy.html http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/03/28/IBM-project-seeks-privacy-controls-for-users_1.html uk: We are not Big Brother, says online ad tracker Phorm The boss of Phorm defended the embattled online advertising technology developer yesterday, offering to open the company up to outside scrutiny by a panel of independent web experts after the firm was blasted by privacy campaigners. The challenge followed a 5% drop in Phorm shares as the Guardian declared it would not be signing up to the firm's advertising platform because of worries over the information the company had on internet users. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/mar/27/advertising.digitalmedia Internet book piracy will drive authors to stop writing Book piracy on the internet will ultimately drive authors to stop writing unless radical methods are devised to compensate them for lost sales. This is the bleak forecast of the Society of Authors, which represents more than 8,500 professional writers in the UK and believes that the havoc caused to the music business by illegal downloading is beginning to envelop the book trade. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article3648813.ece Online raiders stole my book - Ben Macintyre: Commentary For many writers, digital books are the scariest things to hit publishing since Stephen King. They have created an atmosphere of uncertainty in the industry, with some hailing a new golden age of writing and reading, while others predict the death of the book. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/ben_macintyre/article3648814.ece ********************** FILE SHARING ********************** TorrentSpy's closure a win for MPAA; war far from over TorrentSpy has joined the choir invisible, as the site announced that it has decided of its own accord to shut down. Not so fast, says the MPAA, which says the erstwhile tracker site had no choice. Either way, the P2P wars are far from over. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080328-torrentspys-closure-a-win-for-mpaa-war-far-from-over.html YouTube to reveal which videos are watched where YouTube is to begin using the vast pools of information it collects about its users to provide video creators with feedback about how their content is being viewed. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3633744.ece UK video-site traffic triples in a year UK traffic to online video websites has roughly tripled in the last year, according to the internet monitor Hitwise. In a blog posting this week, the organisation revealed that UK visits to the top 25 online video sites had increased by 178 percent between February 2007 and February 2008. However, the analyst that carried out this research, Robin Goad, suggested that this figure is an underestimate and the total is actually closer to 200 percent. http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/0,1000000085,39374397,00.htm New German Data Law Could Benefit Music Pirates Germany's music industry fears that a new telephone data law could become a carte blanche for Internet users, who download tunes illegally. Until now, they've traced music pirates with the help of phone records. http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3220471,00.html jp: Winny copyright infringers 'should be identified' An advisory panel to the National Police Agency that is looking into ways to prevent cybercrime released Thursday a report on copyright violation issues concerning the person-to-person file sharing software Winny, proposing that Internet service providers should be required to disclose the identity of customers who have used the software to illegally exchange copyrighted movies and music. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080328TDY02308.htm ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Website withdraws Dutch MP's anti-Islam film after threats [AFP] Internet site Liveleak.com says it has withdrawn anti-Islam film Fitna by far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders following threats to its staff. "Following threats to our staff of a very serious nature, and some ill-informed reports from certain corners of the British media that could directly lead to the harm of some of our staff, Liveleak.com has been left with no other choice but to remove Fitna from our servers," the UK-based site said in an online statement. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/29/2202599.htm Anti-Islamic Film Taken Offline Following Threats LiveLeak.com said it removed the film Fitna from its servers after serious threats to its employees. Fitna, an anti-Islamic film made by Dutch politician Geert Wilders that equates Islam with violence, debuted on Thursday at Web site LiveLeak.com, only to be taken down a day later following threats to LiveLeak's staff. http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207000505 Dutch Film Against Islam Is Released on Internet The anti-Islam Dutch politician Geert Wilders on Thursday released on the Internet his highly charged and much-anticipated anti-Koran film, which matches graphic images of terrorist attacks and death threats against Jews by Muslim extremists with verses of the Muslim holy book. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/28/world/europe/28dutch.html Britain drawn into controversy over anti-Islam video by Geert Wilders Britain was dragged into the controversy over an anti-Islam film made by a far-Right Dutch MP after Iran condemned its appearance on a UK-based video-sharing website today. “This heinous measure by a Dutch lawmaker and a British establishment... is indicative of the continuation of the evilness and deep vengeance such Western nationals have against Islam and Muslims,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article3640828.ece Dutch fear anger as anti-Koran film hits Web [Reuters] The Netherlands government tried to defuse Muslim anger after the release of a film by a Dutch lawmaker that accuses the Koran of inciting violence and shows an image of the Prophet Mohammad primed to explode. http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKL268605320080328 Dutch await reaction after MP releases film on Qur'an Dutch MP Geert Wilders released a film critical of Islam yesterday, setting verses of the Qur'an against images of terror attacks. The 15-minute film, entitled Fitna - strife or division - was posted on the internet, and shortly afterwards segments were rebroadcast by TV channels. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/28/netherlands.islam Dutch MP Geert Wilders posts explosive anti-Islam film on web A far-right Dutch MP released a provocative film about the Koran on a British website last night, a move that is likely to provoke violent repercussions from angry Muslims around the world. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article3636049.ece The Fitna farce - Comment by Ali Eteraz I just watched Dutch right-winger Geert Wilders' film, Fitna, The Movie. He had promised it would be too shocking, too frightening, too disturbing - and much of the world was holding its breath in a morbid, anxious wait for its release. The media feared rabid violence by those Muslims. My initial reaction is a yawn. I blame production. The soundtrack is Tchaikovsky's mellow classical piece called "Arab Dance". Quick tip to future demagogues: when trying to incite riots, try not to use musical pieces that are based on Georgian lullabies. Quick tip to future Islamophobes: when trying to demonise Islam, try not to use elements of western culture that are inspired by Arabs and Muslims as that reveals that Muslims have contributed positively to the world. http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/ali_eteraz/2008/03/the_fitna_farce.html Dutch MP's anti-Islam film gets barbs, cheers on YouTube [AFP] Snippets of an Islam-bashing film by Dutch far-right MP Geert Wilders were causing a stir Thursday on YouTube, where they triggered cheers and barbs among thousands of viewers. http://news.theage.com.au/dutch-mps-antiislam-film-gets-barbs-cheers-on-youtube/20080328-224p.html http://news.smh.com.au/dutch-mps-antiislam-film-gets-barbs-cheers-on-youtube/20080328-224p.html Malaysian blogger hit with libel verdict [AFP] A Malaysian court has ordered a top blogger and editors of an opposition newspaper to pay 2.2 million US dollars in damages over libel claims by a university head, reports said Thursday. University Utara Malaysia and its vice-chancellor Nordin Kardi filed a lawsuit against Raja Petra Kamaruddin and the opposition party Keadilan's newspaper, which also published the item, over a piece that alleged Nordin had plagiarised an article. http://news.smh.com.au/malaysian-blogger-hit-with-libel-verdict/20080327-21wa.html http://news.theage.com.au/malaysian-blogger-hit-with-libel-verdict/20080327-21wa.html YouTube Removes Videos Banned in Turkey [AP] YouTube has removed several video clips that had prompted Turkish authorities to block access to the video-sharing Web site, a move the company believes will lead to a restoration of access soon. http://news.theage.com.au/youtube-removes-videos-banned-in-turkey/20080328-220i.html http://news.smh.com.au/youtube-removes-videos-banned-in-turkey/20080328-220i.html Royal pardon for Internet user, condemned to three years of jail for creating spoof Facebook profile for prince Fouad Mourtada (JPEG) Reporters Without Borders welcomes Fouad Mourtada’s release after receiving a royal pardon yesterday for Aid Mawlid Nabaoui, the holiday marking the birth of the Prophet Mohammed. http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=25900 ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ UK parents ignore government's internet warning Parents are letting their children wander around cyberspace with no protection or supervision, according to a study published this week. Despite government warnings that children going online can be vulnerable to bullying, paedophiles or images of sex and violence, two-thirds of families have no parental controls on home computers, according to the website Mumsnet. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article3646319.ece uk: Dr Tanya Byron warns digital-age children should be left to take risks Asked by Gordon Brown to investigate the new dangers to children being brought up in the digital age, Tanya Byron last week produced a 224-page report. The child psychologist’s recommendations included a cinema-style system of classification for video games and a thorough public education campaign. However, she warns that protecting children against all risks stunts their development and an important part of growing up is learning to assess and deal with danger http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article3645034.ece UK child internet safety plans under fire over game censors The government yesterday backed an ambitious blueprint by the TV psychologist Dr Tanya Byron to improve child safety online, but immediately faced a backlash over plans to introduce cinema-style ratings for video games. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/mar/28/childprotection.internet Good old parenting will keep the online bogeymen at bay The day after Barack Obama won in Iowa, I tried to engage my nine-year-old daughters in a conversation about what had the feel of a historic moment. "Oh yeah," one replied. "I've seen him on Presidential Paintball." I looked bemused, and she promptly Googled up a game in which players could adopt the persona of White House hopefuls, blasting away at each other with green goo. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/28/internet.children The Byron review - Internet angst: Guardian Leader Leo XIII, on the whole a reforming pope, never quite came to terms with the bible in the vernacular. It offered, he felt, a subversive opportunity for people to make their own judgments. There is a little of the pope about the child psychologist Dr Tanya Byron, who yesterday proposed a national strategy for internet safety. Like the pope, who assumed sin, Dr Byron's day job with dysfunctional families risks distorting her perception of the problem she is tackling. It is possible for paedophiles to groom children through chatrooms, but it is not likely. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/28/internet.children1 uk: Plaudits and concern over Byron The games industry has welcomed the recommendations of the Byron Review but concerns have been raised that ratings still need to be future proofed. Dr Tanya Byron has recommended that the role of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) be expanded. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7317015.stm uk: Facebook, Bebo, My Space face censorship orders Social networking sites will be required to remove material unsuitable for children, such as nude or violent images and comments, within 24 hours of receiving a complaint, under a tough new code for internet safety. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3635685.ece Byron Report targets Google, YouTube in internet safety shake-up The home page of Google and every other search engine used in the UK would be obliged to display links to information on how to search the internet safely under new proposals backed by the Government. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3632862.ece Minister backs Byron's web safety push The education minister, Ed Balls, today committed the government to fully implementing the recommendations of Dr Tanya Bryon's report on child internet safety, including the setting up of a council to oversee industry self-regulation of content. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/mar/27/digitalmedia.childprotection2 The Byron report: key points Key points from the executive summary http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/mar/27/digitalmedia.childprotection1 uk: Computer games to get cigarette-style health warnings Video games will be forced to carry cigarette-style health warnings under proposals to protect children from unsuitable digital material. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3628894.ece Family 'digital divide' putting children at risk Grandparents as well as parents should take part in a national internet safety campaign to ensure children in their care cannot access unsuitable material online, a Government-backed review has concluded. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/28/ncomputer128.xml UK Government to create child internet safety council The Government has said that it will establish a Council for Child Internet Safety and start to apply to computer games the age restrictions used to classify films. http://out-law.com/page-8987 au: Ministers fail to agree on game rating change The issue of whether to create an R18+ classification for video games will be put to public consultation following a meeting of censorship ministers today. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/03/28/1206207383592.html http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/03/28/1206207383592.html au: Book twist in child pornography case Child pornography novels can be freely bought in Australia, and carry no warning about their illicit content - or the danger faced by people who buy them. Several of the books were found at the home of Carl Laurence Adams, 30, of Box Hill, one of seven Victorians nabbed in a global child porn sting. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23443147-2862,00.html Finnish Internet Awareness (FiA) project initiates moderator training The first pilot training programme for content providers and moderators of social networking sites targeted at children and youth was organised in Finland in February, and the experiences drawn from it were encouraging. http://www.saferinternet.org/ww/en/pub/insafe/news/articles/0308/moderator_training_finland.htm Greek study shows kids afraid to report porn Nine out of ten Greek parents do not know how to protect their children from online child pornography, according to research conducted by the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children. http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?id=14877&t=Greek+study+shows+kids+afraid+to+report+porn ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** Newspapers in Slovakia protest media legislation [Reuters] Slovakia's leading newspapers published identical protests on otherwise blank front pages Thursday to condemn legislation that they said would undermine press freedom. The six main dailies left their front pages empty except for a list of "seven sins" in the legislation, which would require them to print responses by people or institutions to any news article even if the published information were true. http://iht.com/articles/2008/03/27/business/smedia.php Indonesian ministry Web site hacked over porn ban [Reuters] Hackers have defaced the Web site of Indonesia's information ministry in response to a government move to restrict access to pornographic material on the Internet, an official said on Friday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKJAK24257120080328 ********************************* COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS ********************************* China Law Could Impede Microsoft Deal for Yahoo Microsoft’s hostile-takeover attempt against Yahoo may encounter an unexpected hurdle in August after a Chinese antimonopoly law takes effect that will extend the nation’s economic influence far beyond its borders. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/28/technology/28yahoo.html http://iht.com/articles/2008/03/28/technology/yahoo.php ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** nz: Industry welcomes Telecom separation plan [NZPA] A finalised plan to split Telecom into at least three separate divisions will ensure better and cheaper internet and phone services for most consumers, industry groups say. http://stuff.co.nz/4458622a13.html nz: Telecom split will bring 'better broadband' The separation of Telecom into at least three separate divisions will mean faster cheaper broadband and phone services for most consumers, Communications Minister David Cunliffe says. Mr Cunliffe today announced he had approved Telecom's plan for a three-way split in its operations. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10501042 nz: Separation day and what it means Today is March 31, the day Telecom and the Government have for months had in mind as the day the operational separation of Telecom's into three divisions becomes official. Pushing the time limit to its maximum, the Government has just today rubber-stamped Telecom's revised strategy for separation after previously knocking back a proposal based on the criticism of parties like InternetNZ. http://blogs.nzherald.co.nz/blog/griffins-tech-blog/2008/3/31/separation-day-and-what-it-means/ nz: Telecom split becomes official A plan to split New Zealand's biggest public company, Telecom, into separate business units has been formally approved by Communications Minister David Cunliffe. http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/1672256 InternetNZ welcomes ‘Separation Day’ [news release] InternetNZ (the Internet Society of New Zealand Inc) welcomes the Minister of Communication’s decision approving the three-way operational separation of Telecom from today. http://www.internetnz.net.nz/media/2008/sepday ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Airwaves Up for Grabs: How much free space is left in the broadcast spectrum? Just a day after Verizon Wireless spent nearly $10 billion in its bid for a valuable slice of the airwaves last week, Google asked the Federal Communications Commission to open up other unused pieces of the spectrum for wireless broadband. The plan calls for allowing companies like Google and Microsoft to beam wireless Internet access on frequencies between those allocated for television channels—in the so-called "white space"—as well as frequencies reserved for channels that don't exist in a given area. How much of the broadcast spectrum is still up for grabs? http://www.slate.com/id/2187502/ ********************** VoIP ********************** How to Secure VOIP The time to secure VOIP traffic is now, before the threats outweigh the benefits of this cost-saving communications technology. The technology offers a host of benefits, from lower calling costs and greater mobility to advanced functions like unified messaging and collaborative whiteboarding. But as VOIP matures, and as hackers become more familiar with its intricacies, the threats may someday equal the benefits—unless companies prepare now. http://www.midmarket.eweek.com/c/a/News/How-to-Secure-VOIP/ ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN ********************************** au: Changed bail conditions for accused former teacher A former teacher who is accused of using online chat rooms to lure young girls for sex has been given permission by an ACT magistrate to use the internet. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/27/2200989.htm au: 'Online predator' arrest Police tonight arrested a Melbourne man on suspicion of using the internet to groom a 15-year-old American girl for sexual purposes. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/03/27/1206207305377.html au: Policeman faces child porn charges An ACT police officer has been charged with child pornography offences and will appear in the ACT Magistrates Court this morning. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/31/2203093.htm au: ACT cop charged with child porn offences An ACT police officer has been arrested and charged after child pornography was found on his home computer. http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=471474 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 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. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2008 --------- 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 Get the name you always wanted with the new y7mail email address. www.yahoo7.com.au/y7mail _______________________________________________ APPLe mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.apnic.net/mailman/listinfo/apple
