********************************************************** 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! And see my website - http://GoldsteinReport.com/ - for daily updates in between postings. *************************************************** The domain name news is supported by auDA *************************************************** Web can help elderly surfers slow dementia http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6879663.ece uk: Social networking booming with doubling of online profiles http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/oct/16/social-netwrkign-facebook-internet 70% of Britons oppose internet ban for filesharers, poll shows http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/oct/18/public-poll-filesharers-internet-ban Twitter and The Guardian Untie a Gag Order http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/19/technology/internet/19link.html Thou shalt not fleece: scammers target Christians in Australia http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/thou-shalt-not-fleece-scammers-target-christians-20091015-gyp2.html New German government reaches key internet security agreements http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4794080,00.html Google's e-book plan slammed as 'hysterical garbage' [AFP] http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/googles-ebook-plan-slammed-as-hysterical-garbage-20091019-h3ha.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/fury-in-frankfurt-at-googles-global-library-project-20091019-h35k.html ********************** RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** OECD: Rethinking e-Government Services - User-Centred Approaches Expecting substantial savings and improved public services – a trend further accentuated by the financial and economic crisis beginning in 2008 – OECD countries have invested in the development of e-government services over the past 10-15 years. However, despite the initial exceptional take-up, governments later saw low adoption and low use of e-government services which are still far from satisfactory today. http://www.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/display.asp?sf1=identifiers&st1=422009091P1 ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Web can help elderly surfers slow dementia Googling is good for grandparents. Internet use can boost the brain activity of the elderly, potentially slowing or even reversing the age-related declines that can end in dementia, researchers have found. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6879663.ece Teen net addicts at risk of mental health problems Obsessive use of the internet could create a mental-health epidemic, with up to 10 per cent of adolescents at risk, a Sydney academic warns. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/teen-net-addicts-at-risk-of-mental-health-problems-20091017-h275.html http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2978688/ France Moves to Win Back Control of Content Like Asterix, the cartoon Gaul who resists the Romans with his pluck — and a magic potion — French publishers and news providers are cooking up original ways to fight the perceived threat of cultural domination by U.S. technology giants like Google and Amazon. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/19/business/global/19iht-cache19.html Next steps to ensure availability, take-up and effective use of communications services Ofcom today set out the next steps it will take to ensure availability, take-up and effective use of communications services following analysis which shows there is more to be done to achieve widespread access and inclusion across the UK. http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2009/10/nr_20091015a Google says worst of downturn is over Google on Thursday declared the worst of the recession over as it reported a surprisingly strong 8 per cent increase in net revenues in the latest quarter and earnings per share that were 10 per cent ahead of Wall Street’s expectations. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/17bc7acc-b9c8-11de-a747-00144feab49a.html Google Says Internet Advertising Picked Up Steam in Third Quarter Google Inc. shook off the recession and said its Internet advertising business picked up steam during the third quarter, as marketers began spending again. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704107204574474822581549710.html Google delivers forecast-beating financial results Google, the internet giant, provided further signs of economic recovery today as it delivered a forecast-beating set of quarterly results and signalled plans to resume its policy of taking on staff. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/oct/15/google-announces-profits Brisk Ad Sales Spur Google in Third Quarter Consumers are loosening the grip on their wallets and advertisers are trying to get their attention — at least on the Internet. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/16/technology/companies/16google.html Ofcom: Next steps to ensure availability, take-up and effective use of communications services [news release] Ofcom today set out the next steps it will take to ensure availability, take-up and effective use of communications services following analysis which shows there is more to be done to achieve widespread access and inclusion across the UK. http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2009/10/nr_20091015a Ofcom: Digital Participation Consortium launched today [news release] A new Consortium to promote Digital Participation in the UK will be launched today. The Consortium - launched by Ofcom Chairman Colette Bowe and Minister for Digital Britain Stephen Timms MP - aims to increase the reach, breadth and depth of digital technology use. It also aims to maximise digital participation and promote its economic and social benefits. http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2009/10/nr_20091015 Martha Lane Fox: fixing the holes in Britain's net Behind the desk where Martha Lane Fox works at the Digital Inclusion Task Force – in an office right next door to Private Eye in Soho, London – is a map with a handful of tags on it: blue, yellow, red. One set is labelled "Beacons"; another "Martha's visits"; the third, "Not-spots". It's a map of division, indicating how people are failing to join the computer revolution that has been sweeping through our lives for more than 20 years now – driven by characters such as Sir Clive Sinclair, whose overriding ambition was to make computers affordable for everyone, and Chris Curry, whose Acorn Computers won the BBC Micro contract in 1982. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/oct/14/martha-lane-fox-interview Bing up marginally in September, Yahoo! slides [Relax News] Bing, Microsoft's new search engine, is making steady if unspectacular progress in its bid to wrest a bigger share of the lucrative US search and advertising market away from Google. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/bing-up-marginally-in-september-yahoo-slides-1803008.html comScore Releases September 2009 U.S. Search Engine Rankings [news release] comScore, Inc., a leader in measuring the digital world, today released its monthly comScore qSearch analysis of the U.S. search marketplace. In September 2009, Americans conducted 13.8 billion core searches, with Google Sites accounting for 64.9 percent search market share. Microsoft Sites grabbed 9.4 percent market share, representing a slight gain versus August. http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_releases/2009/10/comScore_Releases_September_2009_U.S._Search_Engine_Rankings Hong Kong Internet Users Spend Twice as Much Time on Instant Messengers as Counterparts in Asia-Pacific Region [news release] comScore, Inc., a leader in measuring the digital world, today released its first report on Web usage in Hong Kong. The report provided an overview of the most visited properties in Hong Kong and what activities captured the largest share of visitors’ time online. Yahoo! Sites reigned as the most visited Web property in August, while Instant Messenger sites captured the largest share of visitors’ minutes, accounting for nearly 16 percent of time spent online in Hong Kong. http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_releases/2009/10/Hong_Kong_Internet_Users_Spend_Twice_as_Much_Time_on_Instant_Messengers ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Social networking booming with doubling of online profiles The online social networking boom shows no signs of abating, with almost twice as many British internet users having an online profile than two years ago, helping to make Facebook the most viewed website in the UK, according to new research. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/oct/16/social-netwrkign-facebook-internet UK adult social networkers nearly double The number of British adults signing up to social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace has almost doubled in the last two years, according to new research from the country's communications watchdog. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE59E3CP20091015 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-43188620091015 Facebook friends and survival of the twittest Demographer Bernard Salt writes he is always impressed by the academic work of evolutionary psychologists, who attribute human behaviour to survival skills. Over eons, humankind has evolved with an inbuilt sense of what is needed to survive, procreate and prosper. The most recent application of this thinking has been in the development of theories on the need for friends. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,,26210714-14741,00.html Twitter losing out to Facebook in the US Twitter is losing ground to Facebook in the US, as the social network nears 100 million unique monthly users, according to new figures. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/twitter/6325194/Twitter-losing-out-to-Facebook-in-the-US.html ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** New ITU standard opens doors for unified ‘smart home’ network - G.hn standard for wired home networking gets international approval ITU has approved a cutting-edge technical standard that will usher in new era in ‘smart home’ networking systems and applications. Called ‘G.hn’, the new standard will enable service providers to deploy new offerings, including High Definition TV (HDTV) and digital Internet Protocol TV (IPTV), more cost effectively. It will also allow consumer electronics manufacturers to seamlessly network all types of home entertainment, home automation and home security products, and greatly simplify consumers’ purchasing and installation processes. http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2009/46.html ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ fi: Safe Online on NRJ The Safer Internet Day takes part in the Finnish radio channel NRJ's Safe Online theme month, which will be launched on 5 October 2009. The campaign is directed to the young and their parents. http://www.ficora.fi/en/index/viestintavirasto/uutiset/2009/P_40.html uk: Child web safety course launched A national training course for parents which aims to keep their children safe on the internet has been unveiled by Newcastle University academics. The course is designed to help protect children from paedophiles and from cyber bullying on the internet. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/tyne/8313372.stm au: Internet Industry Association content filters updated The Australian Internet Industry Association is updating its Family Friendly Internet Filter list with new products after testing by Enex Testlab. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/322656/ au: Rudd to talk about Internet filtering Internet filtering is one of several topics The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, will discuss in a one-hour Web chat on Thursday, October 22. Up to 20 Web chat participants will be selected from people that have commented on the PM’s blog. http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/322592/ au: Teen was bullied before death, coroner hears A coronial inquest into the apparent suicide of a schoolboy on the New South Wales north coast has been told he was bashed at least twice in the days leading up to his death. ... The court heard the 14-year-old Kadina High School student was bashed at least twice in the days leading up to his death and was also a victim of cyber-bullying. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/19/2717856.htm au: Inquest for bullied suicide victim Alex Wildman Two days before 14-year-old Alex Wildman tragically took his own life, he was brutally attacked by another student in the grounds of his north-coast school. ... “What is clear is that nasty things, hurtful things, were being said about Alex over the internet and these things can be described in these times as cyber bullying.” http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/inquest-for-bullied-suicide-victim-alex-wildman/story-e6freuy9-1225788367825 ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** 70% of Britons oppose internet ban for filesharers, poll shows Plans to force internet service providers (ISPs) to disconnect suspected illegal downloaders have been roundly rejected in a new YouGov poll, the first time public opinion has been tested on the issue. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/oct/18/public-poll-filesharers-internet-ban Australian ISPs stay hush hush on copyright breach notices Australian Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are remaining tight lipped over the number of copyright breach notices they have received from copyright holders as the iiNet versus the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) case continues in the Federal Court of Australia. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/322142/ AFACT tactics have origins in 1975 UNSW library case Some of the legal issues at stake and the tactics employed by the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) in its civil case against Internet Service Provider iiNet in the Federal Court of Australia have their origins in a landmark copyright case involving the University of NSW library in 1975. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/322319/ China's Online Video Piracy Jumps to Internet TVs [IDG] Internet-linked televisions, many containing peer-to-peer download tools, are winning buyers in China despite piracy concerns and a battle between government factions over how to regulate the industry, according to analysts. http://www.pcworld.com/article/173787/.html ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Britain's airwaves to be auctioned to aid mobile broadband access The 20 per cent of the population denied mobile broadband access will stand a much better chance of being able to log on when the Government clears the way today for an auction of airwaves best suited to wireless data. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/telecoms/article6877152.ece Nokia Tries to Undo Blunders in U.S. Nokia, the Finnish company that is the world’s biggest maker of mobile phones, is an undisputed powerhouse in Europe, Asia and Latin America, with market shares regularly topping 30 percent. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/19/technology/companies/19nokia.html Radio waves may be dangerous, says French government A French government agency has warned that measures should be taken to reduce everyday exposure to radio signals, even though, it said, there is no definitive proof that such signals have a negative effect on human health. The French Agency for Environmental and Occupational Health Safety conducted a review of around 3,500 studies and publications. http://news.techworld.com/green-it/3204279/ ********************** SPAM ********************** Canadian marketers want anti-spam bill altered The Canadian Marketing Association is lobbying MPs to change an anti-spam bill so that consumers have to opt out of receiving commercial email messages, rather than opting in to get them. http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/10/16/marketers--email-spam-legislation.html Canadian Marketing Association Attacks Anti-Spam Bill by Michael Geist With the final Industry Committee review of C-27, Canada's anti-spam legislation, set for Monday afternoon, lobby groups have been increasing the pressure all week in an effort to water down many of the bill's key protections. Yesterday, the Canadian Marketing Association chimed in with an emergency bulletin to its members calling on them to lobby for changes to the bill. While the CMA was very supportive of the bill when it appeared before the committee in June, it now wants to kill the core protection in C-27 - a requirement for express opt-in consent. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20091016_canadian_marketing_association_attacks_anti_spam_bill/ Twitter cracks down on spam In its latest attempt to clean up the messages being sent across its site, Twitter is now letting users flag spammers by clicking a "report as spam" button on their profiles. Twitter says a team of employees will follow up on the reports. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2009/oct/14/twitter-fighting-spam ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Twitter and The Guardian Untie a Gag Order Twitter has been credited with helping to organize political protests and shine a light on abuses around the world. At the same time, the ubiquitous service has been criticized for disrespecting the sanctity of once-private halls of deliberation — whether a criminal jury’s chambers or an N.B.A. locker room. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/19/technology/internet/19link.html S'pore looking to improve online security The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is exploring ways to enhance security for online purchases, according to an industry player, who adds that dynamic authentication will be a good step toward that direction. http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/security/0,39044215,62058692,00.htm Australian judges have final decision on Twitter The Federal Court will leave it up to individual judges to decide whether to allow cases to be covered from within their courtrooms on new media platforms such as Twitter. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,26228749-15306,00.html Thou shalt not fleece: scammers target Christians in Australia Online romance scammers are trawling Christian websites in search of lonely hearts and generous souls to "suck the life out of". Law enforcers say an increasing number of Australians are falling victim to romance fraud, with an insidious new religious flavour that appeals to values of faith. http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/thou-shalt-not-fleece-scammers-target-christians-20091015-gyp2.html http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/thou-shalt-not-fleece-scammers-target-christians-20091015-gyp2.html http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/2972403/ us: Online libel case stirs up free speech debate An Illinois politician's attempt to unmask the identity of an e-mail poster who allegedly made disparaging remarks about her teenage son in an online forum is stirring a debate about free speech rights on the Internet. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9139442/Online_libel_case_stirs_up_free_speech_debate http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/322450/ Fake security software in millions of computers - report Tens of millions of U.S. computers are loaded with scam security software that their owners may have paid for but which only makes the machines more vulnerable, according to a new Symantec report on cybercrime. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE59I09X20091019 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-43254120091019 New German government reaches key internet security agreements Christian Democrats (CDU) and Free Liberals (FDP) reached key agreements on internet security Thursday evening. The controversial block on child porn websites will be lifted and new rules will affect police powers. http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4794080,00.html ************************** PRIVACY ************************** Official says Einstein security system won't read e-mails Although a sophisticated system called Einstein 3 is in development to detect and prevent electronic attacks on federal civilian networks, a senior Homeland Security official gave assurances Wednesday that the department has no intention of reading contents of e-mails or other communications. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20091015_6734.php ALRC hails Government response to privacy recommendations The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) is claiming a win following the Federal Government’s decision to respond to 197 of its 295 recommendations for improving privacy protection. http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/322282/ ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** Google's e-book plan slammed as 'hysterical garbage' [AFP] "Garbage" and "hysterical propaganda" was one angry reaction at the world's biggest book fair this year when Google, the world's biggest internet search service, defended plans to turn millions of books into electronic literature available online. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/googles-ebook-plan-slammed-as-hysterical-garbage-20091019-h3ha.html http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/fury-in-frankfurt-at-googles-global-library-project-20091019-h35k.html Tories plan broadband, BBC changes - report The Conservatives would reverse government plans to make the BBC share £130 million pounds of the television licence fee with other broadcasters, the shadow culture secretary told the Financial Times. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE59I05320091019 Call for rethink on data storage around the world The rules on the movement of electronic data around the world need an overhaul, according to a Microsoft executive. Many technology companies, including Microsoft, IBM and Yahoo, use vast data centres to run services over the internet and store data such as e-mail. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8308490.stm European Commission urges Ofcom to take stronger action on fixed termination rates The European Commission has called on the UK regulatory authority for telecommunications, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), to impose appropriate price control and non-discrimination obligations on all communication providers regarding their fixed termination rates (FTRs). http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1533 ********************************* MISCELLANEOUS ********************************* Forecast for Microsoft: Partly Cloudy Ray Ozzie, the chief software architect at Microsoft, bristles when asked whether people think that new versions of his company’s flagship software — like Windows and Office — are exciting. http://nytimes.com/2009/10/18/business/18msft.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 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://GoldsteinReport.com/ for recent updates. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2009 --------- David Goldstein email: [email protected] web: http://davidgoldstein.tel/ http://goldsteinreport.com/ phone: +61 418 228 605 - mobile; +61 2 9665 5773 - office/home "Every time you use fossil fuels, you're adding to the problem. Every time you forgo fossil fuels, you're being part of the solution" - Dr Tim Flannery __________________________________________________________________________________ Get more done like never before with Yahoo!7 Mail. Learn more: http://au.overview.mail.yahoo.com/ _______________________________________________ APPLe mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.apnic.net/mailman/listinfo/apple
