********************************************************** Sponsored by the Singapore Internet Research Centre Nanyang Technological University, Singapore http://www.ntu.edu.sg/sci/sirc/
********************************************************** Don't forget to check out http://www.auda.org.au/domain-news/ for today's edition of the complete domain news, already online! Headlines from the edition of the news include: And see my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for daily updates in between postings. *************************************************** The domain name news is supported by auDA *************************************************** TV, the Internet's final frontier http://nytimes.com/2009/02/16/technology/internet/16chip.html Asia's shoppers go online as Internet barriers fall http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-38077420090218 Facebook backtracks after online privacy protest http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/feb/19/facebook-personal-data Clear English Could Be a Big Winner in the Facebook Affair http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/facebook-to-defend-english-from-the-lawyers/ au: Arsonist' online threats taken down http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/02/17/1234632787036.html Pirate Bay triumphant as prosecution drops half of charges http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/feb/17/pirate-bay-internet Half of Pirate Bay case dropped in courtroom drama http://out-law.com/page-9803 Mobile makers turning green http://iht.com/articles/2009/02/13/business/srgreen.php Is the mobile phone industry really turning itself green? http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/feb/19/green-mobile-phone-industry 4G mobile networks edge closer [The Dominion Post] http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4852950a28.html Google wins US Street View privacy case http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/feb/19/google-wins-street-view-privacy-case Stephen Fry rails against NZ internet law http://www.stuff.co.nz/4851675a28.html NZ copyright protest blockades parliament http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/NZ-copyright-protest-blockades-parliament/0,130061791,339295077,00.htm ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** TV, the Internet's final frontier You would be hard-pressed to find a screen today that does not get Internet access. It's not just the PC and the phone - online content now appears in elevators, in the back of taxis and at your airplane seat. Some companies even tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to get the Internet displayed on a refrigerator door. http://nytimes.com/2009/02/16/technology/internet/16chip.html http://iht.com/articles/2009/02/15/technology/chip.php Asia's shoppers go online as Internet barriers fall From dresses, to handbags, diamonds and music downloads, consumers in Asia are taking to Internet shopping like never before as the region becomes one of the world's fastest growing e-commerce markets. ... Internet retailing is increasingly making its presence felt in Asia because telecommunications infrastructure has improved, and payment modes, a major obstacle to online shopping, are now more secure, analysts say. http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-38077420090218 Cyberchondria: The perils of internet self-diagnosis It's all too easy to consult Dr Google when we're feeling under the weather – and all too easy to convince ourselves we're seriously ill http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/features/cyberchondria-the-perils-of-internet-selfdiagnosis-1623649.html Yahoo, Microsoft, AOL search up; Google down Yahoo, Microsoft, and AOL each carved out a little more U.S. search market share in January, but Google still had the biggest piece of the pie, according to a report Wednesday by ComScore. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10167142-93.html comScore Releases January 2009 U.S. Search Engine Rankings [news release] comScore released its monthly comScore qSearch analysis of the U.S. search marketplace. In January 2009, Americans conducted 13.5 billion core searches, a 7-percent gain versus December 2008. Google Sites led the U.S. core search market in December with 63.0 percent of the searches conducted, followed by Yahoo! Sites (21.0 percent), Microsoft Sites (8.5 percent), AOL LLC (3.9 percent) and Ask Network (3.7 percent). http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2729 ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Facebook backtracks after online privacy protest Facebook is under unprecedented scrutiny for its policies on retention of personal data after users criticised the site for breaching privacy. After a wave of protests, the world's largest social networking site yesterday announced that it was reversing its recent decision to keep copies of users' messages online, even after they had left the network. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/feb/19/facebook-personal-data http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/feb/18/facebook-u-turn-on-privacy-changes Privacy law call in Facebook row The row over Facebook's change in its terms of service governing users personal data highlights the need for a privacy law, claims a leading watchdog. The Electronic Privacy Information Centre was on the brink of filing a legal complaint when Facebook announced it would revert to its old policy. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7898164.stm Clear English Could Be a Big Winner in the Facebook Affair Over the last few days, a lot of Facebook users were left wondering whether the company had ambitions to turn their goofy photos into a coffee table book and adapt their wall postings into a Broadway play. (”25 Random Things,” starring Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, and a cast of flying sheep?) http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/facebook-to-defend-english-from-the-lawyers/ Users force Facebook to withdraw controversial 'copyright' plan Facebook has withdrawn controversial changes to its terms of service after receiving a storm of complaints from users of the social networking website. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article5757485.ece Facebook 'withdraws' data changes The founder of Facebook says the social network will return to its previous terms of service regarding user data. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7896309.stm Facebook backtracks on change to terms of use after protests Facebook Inc.'s latest capitulation to offended users offered another reminder of the social network's power for self-criticism. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-facebook19-2009feb19,0,5077250.story Facebook Withdraws Changes in Data Use Facebook, the popular social networking site where people share photos and personal updates with friends and acquaintances, lost some face on Wednesday. http://nytimes.com/2009/02/19/technology/internet/19facebook.html Facebook Backs Into a 'Bill of Rights' For the past week or so, a dense clot of legalese has been one of the most talked-about texts on the Internet. This document lacks a plot or a setting, but it's still been a compelling -- sometimes enraging -- read for users of the Web's largest social network, Facebook. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/18/AR2009021803121.html Facebook's About-Face on Data Facebook Inc.'s retreat from changes to its terms of service highlights a debate over the ownership of user information on social-networking sites, and the increasingly important role such data play in company business models. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123494484088908625.html Facebook policy changes upset NZ users Thousands of New Zealand Facebook users are upset over policy changes made by the social-networking site. http://tvnz.co.nz/technology-news/facebook-police-changes-upset-users-2494009 Facebook's Users Ask Who Owns Information Reacting to an online swell of suspicion about changes to Facebook’s terms of service, the company’s chief executive moved to reassure users on Monday that the users, not the Web site, “own and control their information.” http://nytimes.com/2009/02/17/technology/internet/17facebook.html http://iht.com/articles/2009/02/17/technology/17facebook.php Facebook: Relax, we won't sell your photos On an otherwise placid holiday weekend, one blog's commentary on a change to Facebook's terms of service created a firestorm of banter on the Web: does the social network claim ownership to any user content on the site, even if the user deletes it? http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10165190-36.html au: Arsonist' online threats taken down Facebook has begun removing postings and groups that threaten violence against accused arsonist Brendan Sokaluk, while his MySpace page has been suspended following requests from Victoria Police. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/02/17/1234632787036.html http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2009/02/17/1234632787036.html Online hate mail threat to arson case Thousands of people who posted messages of hate and threats on the internet relating to accused arsonist Brendan Sokaluk in the days after he was charged potentially face serious criminal charges, lawyers and internet regulators warn. http://www.theage.com.au/national/online-hate-mail-threat-to-arson-case-20090216-899r.html http://www.smh.com.au/national/online-hate-mail-threat-to-arson-case-20090216-899r.html Arson vigilante groups disappear from Facebook Vigilante internet groups making threats against alleged Victorian bushfire arsonist Brendan Sokaluk have begun disappearing. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/17/2493841.htm Online hate mail threat to arson case Thousands of people who posted messages of hate and threats on the internet relating to accused arsonist Brendan Sokaluk in the days after he was charged potentially face serious criminal charges, lawyers and internet regulators warn. http://www.theage.com.au/national/online-hate-mail-threat-to-arson-case-20090216-899r.html http://www.smh.com.au/national/online-hate-mail-threat-to-arson-case-20090216-899r.html au: Vigilantes publish alleged arsonist's image online Facebook vigilantes, frustrated at a court order protecting a man charged with lighting one of the deadly Victorian bushfires, which killed at least 11 people, have published his photograph on the social networking site and threatened his life. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/02/16/1234632703992.html http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2009/02/16/1234632703992.html Accused's photo on vigilante websites The man accused of lighting the Black Saturday Gippsland fire that killed at least 10 people did not appear in court yesterday but that did not stop his image being plastered all over cyberspace. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25064530-5013404,00.html Australians Rage Against Arson Suspect [AP] A man accused of setting one of the deadly fires that ripped across southern Australia this month has been placed in protective custody amid widespread fury and threats of vigilante justice that sprang up on the Internet after his identity was made public. http://nytimes.com/2009/02/17/world/asia/17australia.html Facebook's arson vigilantes could face prosecution The creators of internet groups calling for the torture of the man accused of lighting one of the deadly Victorian bushfires could face prosecution for breaching a court order. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/16/2492984.htm Facebook vigilantes call for accused arsonist's torture Facebook vigilantes have launched groups calling for the man accused of lighting one of the deadly Victorian bushfires to be "burnt at the stake". http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/16/2492818.htm Italian bill aims to block mafia Facebook shrines Spurred by a row about Facebook pages which honour mafia godfathers, Italian politicians are to vote on new legislation ordering Italian internet providers to block pages on the social networking website which are seen as justifying or encouraging criminal activity. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/16/italy-facebook-internet-providers ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ au: Net filter plan nurtures 'open source government' The campaign to prevent the mandatory internet filter in Australia has been like no other campaign before it. Though the subject matter naturally lends itself to the type of campaign we're witnessing - and participating in as never before - it also offers a fascinating glimpse into the way more mainstream campaigns will be run in the future. We are witnessing what may come to be seen as the beginnings of open source government in this country. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/16/2492571.htm au: Filtering doesn't breach free speech by Senator Stephen Conroy, Communications Minister TO ensure confidence in the digital economy, the Government is working to promote an online civil society through its $125.8 million Cyber-Safety Plan. The ISP filtering debate has nothing to do with freedom of speech, according to Communications Minister Stephen Conroy This contains a comprehensive set of measures to combat online threats and help parents and educators protect children from inappropriate material. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25068568-5013046,00.html Does Conroy's FUD make a Ludd of Rudd? Senator Stephen Conroy's twice-removed predecessor, Richard Alston, gained the nickname "the world's biggest Luddite" for, among other reasons, his belief that broadband was mainly for pornography and gambling http://www.zdnet.com.au/blogs/fullduplex/soa/Does-Conroy-s-FUD-make-a-Ludd-of-Rudd-/0,139033349,339295006,00.htm Sick kids connect on Aussie website Seventeen-year-old Tamaryn Stevens is a pioneer member of an exclusive online community: a social networking website for young Australians who are chronically ill. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/19/2496378.htm Social network for sick kids The Starlight Foundation has just launched a social networking website for young people who are seriously ill. http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2496269.htm Internet porn ‘encourages teenagers to have sex early' Exposure to internet pornography leads teenagers to lose their virginity at a "much younger" age, researchers have found. A peer reviewed study from the journal CyberPyschology and Behaviour revealed that males aged between 12 and 17 who regularly viewed porn had sex at an earlier stage in their lives and were more likely to initiate oral sex, apparently imitating what they had watched. http://www.sundayherald.com/mostpopular.var.2228388.mostviewed.internet_porn_encourages_teenagers_to_have_sex_early.php eu: MEP’s combat child Internet pornography MEPs are calling for the criminalisation of all types of sexual abuse of children including "grooming" and paedophile chat rooms on the internet. http://www.newtonnews.co.uk/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2722&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0 ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** Pirate Bay triumphant as prosecution drops half of charges The prosecution has dropped the most serious charges against the irreverent Swedish filesharing service The Pirate Bay on only the second day of its trial for assisting widespread copyright infringement. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/feb/17/pirate-bay-internet Prosecutor drops some charges in Pirate Bay case In only the second day of one of the highest-profile copyright trials of the digital era, a prosecutor in Stockholm on Tuesday dropped portions of his case against The Pirate Bay, a Swedish file-sharing service that the movie and music industries have portrayed as their No.1 enemy. http://iht.com/articles/2009/02/17/technology/pirate.php Half of Pirate Bay case dropped in courtroom drama Prosecutors have been forced to drop their more serious charges against file-sharing links site The Pirate Bay in a dramatic climbdown in the closely-watched trial in Sweden. Around half the charges have been dropped. http://out-law.com/page-9803 Pirate Bay joy at charge change Half of the charges levelled at the founders of the Pirate Bay file-sharing site have been dropped. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7895026.stm The Pirate Bay in the dock as filesharing trial begins One of most high-profile trials over copyright infringement in years began today in Sweden. Four men behind The Pirate Bay website – which enables people to find others willing to share audio, video, games and other files with them – appeared in court in Stockholm to answer the charge that they had assisted in copyright infringement. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/feb/16/pirate-bay How piracy paved the way in Sweden The trial against The Pirate Bay site began Monday in Sweden. And while Sweden is depicted by copyright-enforcement groups as piracy's promised land, it is also a nation that experiments with legal music-service alternatives. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10165433-93.html Pirate Bay file-sharing defended The founders of a website which carries links to copies of music, films and TV programmes have gone on trial in Sweden on charges of copyright theft. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7892073.stm How The Pirate Bay sailed into infamy The Pirate Bay was launched in 2003 and has established itself as the world's most high-profile file-sharing site. But its founders are now on trial for copyright violation and face imprisonment, if found guilty. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7893223.stm NY wants to tax internet downloads New York Governor David Paterson has proposed a tax on internet downloads in a move that has raised eyebrows because it could apply to everything from software to pornography. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/17/2493467.htm us: Agreement reached on Internet music royalty rates A group that collects royalties for music artists and recording companies has agreed to reduce rates for thousands of commercial radio stations that also play songs over the Internet. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/17/AR2009021701776.html ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Mobile makers turning green As the world economy drops further into economic crisis, discerning - and perhaps cash-strapped - mobile phone users are increasingly being pushed to ask themselves the same questions that have been presented to car buyers for several years. http://iht.com/articles/2009/02/13/business/srgreen.php http://nytimes.com/2009/02/16/technology/16green.html Is the mobile phone industry really turning itself green? Perhaps. After years of being criticised by environmental campaigners for their poor green credentials, companies were falling over each other at this week's Mobile World Congress, the sector's biggest annual get-together, to proclaim their transformation. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/feb/19/green-mobile-phone-industry 4G mobile networks edge closer [The Dominion Post] 4G mobile networks have moved a step closer with the announcement by United States telco Verizon Communications that it had selected Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson to supply much of the equipment for its LTE network. http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4852950a28.html Mobile advertising edges closer to breakthrough After years of hype and hot air, advertising on mobile phones finally appears to be making some headway, boosted by the popularity of smartphones such as Apple's iPhone and the content found on them. http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKTRE51I3WV20090219 Mixed support for EU plan to cut mobile call fees European Commission draft guidelines to slash the cost of mobile phone call routing fees failed to win a clear endorsement from EU governments on Wednesday, raising expectations of changes before adoption. http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE51H4VQ20090218 Telecoms firms get real in Barcelona Delegates to this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona are getting down to the business of cost-cutting and doing what deals they can as the industry adjusts to the realities of global economic downturn. http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE51H4JE20090218 Help us beat slump, say European mobile firms Two of the world's largest mobile phone companies have warned that without a change in Europe's regulatory environment they may not be able to invest in the next generation of services that could help lift the region out of recession. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/feb/18/mobile-telecoms-regulators UK mobile networks use traffic data for advertising stats All five UK mobile phone networks have monitored users' web surfing habits and submitted the data to an industry body to help generate advertising. Users' permission was not sought but the GSM Association says the project did not break privacy laws. http://out-law.com/page-9810 Telstra says no to mobile flat rates Telstra chief executive Sol Trujillo has defended the telco's internet pricing structure after Google and Skype said more transparency in data plans was necessary to further the growth and innovation of the mobile internet. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,,25076512-15306,00.html Dangerous mobile phone viruses surge Viruses and spam attacks targeting mobile phone users are on the increase, says McAfee. According to the security firm's annual mobile phone report, over half of all handset manufacturers have reported instances of malware and spam attacks on mobile phones. In 2008, 17 percent of the world's handset manufacturers reported a total of over one million attacks. http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=110956 Universal charger for phones plan The world's biggest mobile phone makers and network operators have backed plans to create a universal phone recharger. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7894763.stm Push for standard cellphone charger gains ground [AP] With every new mobile phone purchased, another old, incompatible phone charger gets tossed out. http://iht.com/articles/2009/02/17/technology/chargers.php The Cellphone, Navigating Our Lives The cellphone is the world’s most ubiquitous computer. The four billion cellphones in use around the globe carry personal information, provide access to the Web and are being used more and more to navigate the real world. And as cellphones change how we live, computer scientists say, they are also changing how we think about information. http://nytimes.com/2009/02/17/science/17map.html Downturn and upheaval in mobile world The world's mobile telecommunications industry will gather here this week hoping to find ways to outwit the economic downturn, powerful new rivals and software developers threatening to steal their thunder. http://iht.com/articles/2009/02/13/technology/srecon.php Microsoft to Upgrade Mobile Software Microsoft Corp. said a new version of its operating system for mobile phones will be available by year end as the company attempts to strengthen its offerings in the consumer market. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123480324145493295.html Microsoft takes fight to Apple iPhone with new mobile phone services Microsoft tried to kickstart a high street battle with the launch of a range of mobile phone services designed to challenge the dominance of Apple's iPhone. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/microsoft/4641711/Microsoft-takes-fight-to-Apple-iPhone-with-new-mobile-phone-services.html Mobile phone companies take the fight to Apple over new apps The mobile phone trade show kicked off in Barcelona yesterday but industry insiders believe the economic downturn has taken its toll on the showpiece event of the year. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/mobile-phone-companies-take-the-fight-to-apple-over-new-apps-1624014.html Telstra ramps up Next G network Telstra Corporation will roll out what it says is the world's fastest wireless broadband network, over the next two months. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2009/02/17/1234632776639.html http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/02/17/1234632776639.html 'Mobile health' campaign launched Three foundations have announced their intention to join in a "mobile health" effort to use mobile technology to provide better healthcare worldwide. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7893849.stm ********************** DIGITAL DIVIDE ********************** African Nations Need to Better Utilize Emerging Technologies, Say UN Experts [news release] African Governments are failing to take advantage of technological advances that can improve the delivery of services to their citizens despite the growth in mobile and information and communications technology (ICT) across the continent, United Nations experts told a meeting in Ethiopia. http://www0.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=29944 au: The digital divide holding back disadvantaged kids The digital divide is exacerbating inequalities in access to good schooling and other children’s services. Many parents are pulled in two ways by the new technology -- they fear its negative impacts: passivity, physical inactivity, pornography and cyber-bullying. But they sense that without adequate exposure and skill acquisition their children will be disadvantaged. http://www.apo.org.au/linkboard/results.chtml?filename_num=262529 ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Black Hat DC: U.S. Must Consider Impact Of 'Militarization' Of Cyberspace The United States is unprepared to respond to a cyber-Katrina or cyberwarfare attack and must consider three hot-button issues as the new administration formulates its cybersecurity strategy: the role of the intelligence community, cyberweapons deployment, and who should be in charge of the nation's response to a cyberattack, said cybersecurity and homeland security expert Paul Kurtz today during his keynote address here at Black Hat DC. http://www.darkreading.com/security/attacks/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=214500702 US Lawsuit Says Google Was Unfair to Rival Site A small Web site operator filed an antitrust suit against Google on Tuesday, accusing it of unfairly manipulating its advertising system to harm a potential competitor. http://nytimes.com/2009/02/18/technology/internet/18google.htm Verizon to Implement Spam Blocking Measures Verizon.net is home to more than twice as many spam-spewing zombies as any other major Internet service provider in the United States, according to an analysis of the most recent data from anti-spam outfit Spamhaus.org. Verizon, however, says it plans to put measures in place to prevent it from being used as a home to so many spammers. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/02/verizon_to_implement_spam_bloc.html Aust vulnerable to cyber crime, police say Late last year $US9 million was lost in a global ATM heist after a hacker reportedly infiltrated the server at US payment processor RBS WorldPay. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/18/2494803.htm au: Govt warns of stimulus package email scams The Federal Government has warned of hoax emails being circulated relating to its stimulus package. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/19/2496351.htm Phishing soars as fraud-as-a-service grows The number of global phishing attacks grew by a whopping 66 per cent last year compared to 2007, equating to 135,426 separate incidents, according to new research from RSA Security. http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2236687/phishing-soars-fraud-service ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Surveillance will cost more than £34 billion say Convention on Modern Liberty The cost of running Britain’s state-run databases over the next ten years has soared to £34 billion, according to estimates from a new campaign against what it called the surveillance society. ... A Home Office working party has drawn up three options for surveillance of telephone calls, e-mails and text messages, including a huge government database. Opponents describe this as a Big Brother project that could cost £12 billion over the next ten years. But the police say that access to data about the time and duration of calls and texts, and the location of callers and senders, is essential. They emphasise that they are not seeking access to the content of calls and e-mails, but believe communications data must be retained in some format. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article5755524.ece UK regulators demand clearer privacy policies Two-thirds of people surveyed by the UK privacy watchdog want marketing opt-outs to be clearer, while 62% want a clearer explanation of how personal information will actually be used. The survey found that 71% did not read or understand privacy policies. http://out-law.com/page-9795 uk: ICO cracks down on misleading small print [news release] The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is calling for an overhaul of privacy and marketing small print as research1 reveals that half of consumers don’t understand what they’re signing up to when they fill in online and paper forms. http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/pressreleases/2009/spbp_pressrelease.pdf Google wins US Street View privacy case An American couple who attempted to sue Google over what they claimed was its "privacy invading" Street View technology have lost their case in a Pennsylvania court. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/feb/19/google-wins-street-view-privacy-case Judge dismisses Google lawsuit A legal claim by a Pittsburgh couple that Google's Street View feature violated their privacy has been thrown out by a federal judge. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7898407.stm Judge Dismisses Google Street View Case [IDG] A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a Pennsylvania family against Google after the company took and posted images of the outside of their house in its Maps service. http://www.pcworld.com/article/159740/.html http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/277192/ Google wins Street View privacy suit A couple in Pittsburgh whose lawsuit claimed that Street View on Google Maps is a reckless invasion of their privacy lost their case. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10166532-93.html Judge throws out lawsuit against Google Street View A lawsuit against Google over its Street View mapping service has been dismissed. US District Court Judge Amy Reynolds Hay has concluded that Street View is not an invasion of privacy. http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2009/02/judge-throws-out-lawsuit-against-google-street-view.ars FTC standards for Web marketers fall short, privacy advocates say [Bloomberg News] The Federal Trade Commission's new Internet-advertising guidelines don't put enough pressure on companies to protect consumer data used in targeted marketing campaigns, privacy advocacy groups said. http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fi-ftc13-2009feb13,0,5200155.story ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** Obama taps cybersecurity expert to assess U.S. defenses The White House has engaged a hard-charging consultant for an unprecedented review of U.S. cybersecurity policy to determine whether the government needs to be more pro-active in slowing cybercrime attacks on individuals and businesses. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/2009-02-16-cybersecurity-expert-obama_N.htm Stephen Fry rails against NZ internet law British actor Stephen Fry has given a global highlight to a protest against a contentious New Zealand internet law due to come into effect next week. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4851675a28.html http://www.stuff.co.nz/thepress/4851752a6009.html http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/thepress/4851752a6009.html Why New Zealand Copyright Act is worse than US equivalent: legal analysis Rick Shera of Lowndes Jordan, Barristers and Solicitors in Auckland is a very experienced ICT lawyer, with a masters degree in Internet and copyright law. http://www.geekzone.co.nz/juha/6270 NZ copyright protest blockades parliament Some 120 protesters descended upon New Zealand's Parliament today in Wellington to deliver petitions expressing concern over sections of the new Copyright Act which will force ISPs to disconnect customers who have allegedly infringed copyright. http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/NZ-copyright-protest-blockades-parliament/0,130061791,339295077,00.htm nz: IT bodies try to save Digital Development Council Digital Development Council members are discussing how to preserve the overarching ICT sector body in some form, after the government withdrew funding for the organisation. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/10CC68822BBF682BCC25755E00815850 nz: DDC forged good links in short life, say members Major ICT associations involved with the Digital Development Council express hope that no matter what its fate now, in its short life it has cultivated better contacts among them which will lead to positive developments. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/918C18CC29D02729CC25755E008230F2 ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** nz: Telecom's biggest headaches, part 2: finding $3.5 billion Telecom will probably be chosen to build the government’s proposed fibre-to-the-premises network, subsidised by $1.5 billion in taxpayer funds. A detailed report commissioned by InternetNZ puts the cost of a fast internet network to 80% of homes at $5 billion; a generally accepted figure. http://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/chris-keall/telecoms-biggest-headaches-part-2-finding-35-billion Aust telcos study fire tragedy lessons Telstra and Optus will conduct internal reviews and work closely with a royal commission investigating the Victorian bushfires to understand how telcos can improve the resilience of their networks when disaster strikes. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25065269-5013041,00.html UK businesses demand high-speed telecoms Nearly 19 out of 20 businesses believe that the UK needs a high-performance telecommunications infrastructure in every part of the country for the UK to compete on a global basis, according to research by the Communications Management Association (CMA). http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2236822/performance-business-networks Controversy surrounds Africa telecom privatization As African governments move to sell off incumbent telecommunications companies to save them from collapse, controversies that may scare away potential investors are clouding the privatization process. http://www.computerworld.co.ke/articles/2009/02/17/controversy-surrounds-africa-telecom-privatization ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN ********************************** au: Man faces charges for illegal transactions, child porn A Canberra man accused over illegal cash transactions worth $72,000 has also been charged with possessing child pornography. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/17/2493917.htm U.S. trial of Montreal teacher on more than 230 child porn charges set to begin [Canadian Press] Don't ever try to tell Det. John Chapman he's out of his jurisdiction. The straight-talking cop from small-town Virginia has been regularly trolling the web, hunting down cyber predators and child-porn peddlers from different corners of the United States. http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5j4-oWSQiecdHeE2P9LVBF71dOoBA +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 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 Make Yahoo!7 your homepage and win a trip to the Quiksilver Pro. Find out more _______________________________________________ APPLe mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.apnic.net/mailman/listinfo/apple
