Check out http://auda.org.au/domain-news/ for the most recent edition of the domain news, including an RSS feed - already online! And see my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for regular updates. The domain name news is supported by auDA. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ICANN rides to the rescue in Registerfly meltdown http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/23/icann_registerfly_accreditation/ Registerfly files suit against ousted CEO http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/22/registerfly_ceo_lawsuit/ With RegisterFly in Chaos, ICANN Threatens Action http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2007/02/23/with_registerfly_in_chaos_icann_threatens_action.html .ASIA Launch Update - Start Reviewing Your Trademark Portfolios (reg req'd) http://www.mondaq.com/news.asp?e=1&a=46310 What does it take to run a TLD registry? (ICANN blog) http://blog.icann.org/?p=21 ICANN Opens Comment Period on PIR Amendment to Implement Approved Registry Service http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-22feb07.htm ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ICANN rides to the rescue in Registerfly meltdown In a sudden about face, ICANN has concluded that it does indeed have authority over renegade domain pusher Registerfly. A lawsuit against the recently ousted CEO that alleges corporate spending on such sumptuous perks as escorts and liposuction, not to mention a Miami Beach penthouse, has shone a harsh light on the inner workings of the failing company, and left increasingly desperate and angry domain holders with nowhere else to turn. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/23/icann_registerfly_accreditation/ Registerfly.com threatened with ICANN shutdown ICANN has given scandal-hit domain name registrar Registerfly.com 15 days to sort its problems out or risk losing its license to sell domains. http://www.computerwire.com/industries/research/?pid=208BDF4D%2D63C0%2D4EB7%2D8811%2D0AA91F261F44 http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22022007/221/anger-fear-domain-firm-slowly-implodes.html Registerfly files suit against ousted CEO The split between the founders of Registerfly.com took a tawdry turn last week, as court documents filed by John Naruszewicz and Unifiednames, the corporation that owns Registerfly.com, made some shocking allegations against ousted CEO Kevin Medina. The complaint seeks compensatory and punitive damages, and alleges that 75,000 domain names were lost in January 2007 alone due to failure to remit registry fees. The complaint goes on to accuse Medina of using corporate accounts as private slush funds, thereby failing to maintain sufficient float to cover registry fees. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/22/registerfly_ceo_lawsuit/ With RegisterFly in Chaos, ICANN Threatens Action Embattled domain registrar RegisterFly will lose its accreditation if it can't fix serious operational problems in the next 15 days. ICANN has informed the New Jersey-based registrar that it is in breach of its operating agreement, threatening enforcement action (PDF) after months of complaints from RegisterFly customers. The registrar's operations have descended into chaos this week, with its web site paralyzed amid allegations that the former president and CEO misused company funds. http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2007/02/23/with_registerfly_in_chaos_icann_threatens_action.html ICA Questions ICANN on RegisterFly The Internet Commerce Association sent this letter to ICANN on 20 February in regard to the RegisterFly situation: http://www.circleid.com/posts/ica_questions_icann_registerfly/ .ASIA Launch Update - Start Reviewing Your Trademark Portfolios (reg req'd) While .ASIA launch will likely be as attractive to trademark owners as the .eu launch, the .ASIA launch procedures are designed to avoid many of the problems that befell the .eu launch. For example, the .ASIA launch will include a multi-tiered Sunrise period with application deadlines for qualifying trademarks, the ability to register keywords with the trademark, and live auctions. http://www.mondaq.com/news.asp?e=1&a=46310 What does it take to run a TLD registry? (ICANN blog) Thats the question that has been reverberating around one of the mailing lists that covers Internet issues. Its an important question, and once in which we hope our community have some answers - or, at least, some pointers. What does it take to run a Top Level Domain Registry? And whats more easy to run: a ccTLD or gTLD? http://blog.icann.org/?p=21 ICANN Opens Comment Period on PIR Amendment to Implement Approved Registry Service On 22 November 2006, ICANN's Board of Directors by a 10-0 vote approved Resolution 06.84 to implement the Public Interest Registry's proposed new registry service to implement an excess delete fee on certain ("excess") .ORG domain names deleted during the 5-day add-grace period. Specifically the new service approved by the Board provides that PIR may charge a registrar an excess delete fee of 5 cents on every domain name deleted during the 5-day add-grace period when the number of deletions is in excess of 90% of the total number of initial registrations made by a registrar in a 30-day period. http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-22feb07.htm Where will the Domain Name Market Head from Here? Pay-per-click, type-in traffic, social media, and valuation will all affect the domain name industry but how? http://domainnamewire.com/2007/02/22/where-will-the-domain-name-market-head-from-here/ auDA publishes response to DCITA review and awareness market research (news release) auDA has published its response to public submissions received by DCITA, and market research on SME awareness of auDA. http://auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-23022007/ Application for a new 2LD - bank.nz (news release) An application has been received to create a new, moderated second level domain (2LD) bank.nz. http://dnc.org.nz/story/30272.html Melbourne IT clicks as result soars 39% THE internet continues to flow with money for Australian domain name registrar and web-hosting company Melbourne IT. Chief executive Theo Hnarakis yesterday announced a 42 per cent increase in revenue to $103.8 million, with a 39 per cent rise in earnings before interest and tax to $8.3 million in the financial year ended December 31. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/02/20/1171733824647.html http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/02/20/1171733824647.html .IN Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy Under Scrutiny Domain Names identify Internet sites. They are the text name of a numeric IP address of a computer on the Internet. The increased popularity of the Internet has demanded an Internet presence and every company/organization wants to have a webpage in their name. This development has lead well-known companies/organizations to become protective of their domain names, as everyone has realized that having a domain name identical or similar to them can establish and increase their Internet presence. http://www.mondaq.com/i_article.asp_Q_articleid_E_46454 When is a Typo Not a Typo? By Frank Schilling I was reading about the Nieman Marcus lawsuit and on a phone call related to the "Working Group on Mechanisms to Protect Rights of Others", when suddenly it occurred to me that this whole rush to rid the world of typos could eventually head in a messy direction... How far can this go? Let me take you back to that phone call I was on where representatives of Yahoo indicated they would try to secure Flicker.XXX as a TYPO of Flickr.com (their made up brand name) during a potential new TLD sunrise period. How backward is that? A Typo that became a brand, trying to call the generic name a variant of their trademark! http://www.circleid.com/posts/when_is_a_typo_not_a_typo/ Commercial DNSSEC? By Ron Aitchison Seems that DNSSEC is being subjected to what an old boss of mine used to call the "fatal flaw seeking missiles" which try to explain the technical reasons that DNSSEC is not being implemented. First it was zone walking, then the complexity of Proof of Non-Existence (PNE), next week ... one shudders to think. While there is still some modest technical work outstanding on DNSSEC, NSEC3 and the mechanics of key rollover being examples, that work, of itself, does not explain the stunning lack of implementation or aggressive planning being undertaken within the DNS community. http://www.circleid.com/posts/commercial_dnssec/ Free Speech Vs. Trademarked URLs & Keywords Consumer watchdog Public Citizen has filed a friend of the court brief on behalf of Michael Morgan, a Florida realtor sued by homebuilder Lennar for using its corporate name in the URL of a web site critical of Lennar, and for buying sponsored search ads using the trademarked name to promote the site. http://searchengineland.com/070222-165226.php dotMobi to Auction 15 Premium Names in March (news release) On the heels of a successful auction appearance in 2006 when .mobi domain names sold for a combined total of just under US$400,000, dotMobi is making 15 premium names available via auction. http://prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/02-22-2007/0004532905&EDATE= Domain group to .xxx-amine a spot for porn XXX has been used as the universal symbol for pornography on everything from bookstores to movie houses to video outlets. But for the Internet, the moniker has become a bit of a scarlet letter, as global Net supervisors have struggled over whether to use XXX as a domain for pornography. http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_5285459 ********************** OTHER INTERNET NEWS ********************** Censorship: Still a burning issue If you want to know what defines an era, look no further than the authors, artists and activists who fell foul if it. Censorship is as old as civilisation itself - and the drive to suppress as strong today as ever. As 'The Independent' launches a major series of the greatest banned books in history, Boyd Tonkin asks whether the thought police will ever learn http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/books/features/article2294384.ece Egypt blogger jailed for 'insult' An Egyptian court jails an internet blogger for four years for insulting Islam and President Hosni Mubarak. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6385849.stm http://www.guardian.co.uk/egypt/story/0,,2019064,00.html nz: Google axes death-threat blog A blog which was shut down by Google after it posted a death threat against a New Zealand politician can still be reached using the internet giant's own search engine. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/02/22/1171733918505.html http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/488120/1001143 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10425243 us: CDT Analyzes Data Retention, Other Proposals For Protecting Kids Online The Center for Democracy and Technology recommends education and filtering tools to prevent what it calls an unfair burden of liability on content and communications providers. http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=197007837 Internet safety gets powerful champion A new web safety thinktank launched in Europe today with the backing of major tech firms including BT, Verizon and Microsoft. The Family Online Safety Institute is a non-profit organisation funded by membership of technology, telecoms and content firms and chaired by Nick Truman, head of internet security at BT. http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/0,,2019019,00.html Virtual child porn may be a crime in Netherlands Virtual enactments of child pornography may be a crime under Dutch law if it encourages child abuse, the public prosecutor said Wednesday. http://news.com.com/2100-1028_3-6161025.html http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKL2114716620070221 Dutch demand ban of virtual child porn in Second Life The Dutch prosecutor's office is considering legal actions to test the law against child porn in the popular virtual game Second Life. With no clear litigation, it is difficult to act against perpetrators. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/21/dutch_demand_ban_on_virtual_child_porn/ Canada's Telus drops mobile porn Canadian network operator Telus has bowed to pressure from the Catholic church and stopped sales of mobile porn to subscribers. http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2183910/canadian-software-stance-mobile Hollywood faces up to DRM flop The system designed to protect next-generation DVDs from pirates has been cracked - and even the hackers are surprised at how easy it was http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,2017948,00.html au: Graphic website clue to Carly's death Police investigating the murder of a teenage girl whose body was found floating off a South Australian beach have reportedly begun scouring through her MySpace account in case her murderer posted a message on her site before her death. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/02/23/1171733996788.html http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21271997-421,00.html de: Unwilling Cyber-Porn Stars More and more private films are showing up on Internet porn sites. The women filmed often have no idea they have become online porn stars. The man calling on the phone didn't introduce himself and got right to the point. He said he had just discovered this hot little video of her on the Internet, and that he would now of course like to have wild sex with her. Could he come by? At first Birgit H. thought the man who woke her up so rudely on a Sunday morning in October had simply dialled a number at random. But then she got calls from other strangers -- hardly a coincidence. With the help of a lawyer, the 27-year-old discovered that a private film showing her in the shower had been published on an Internet forum for sexual contacts. The film could only have been posted by her ex-boyfriend -- but he denies it. http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,467422,00.html Europe's plan to track phone and Net use European governments are preparing legislation to require companies to keep detailed data about people's Internet and phone use that goes beyond what the countries will be required to do under a European Union directive http://news.com.com/2100-7348_3-6160521.html Microsoft must pay $1.5bn in MP3 patent case Jury orders software giant to pay damages to Alcatel-Lucent for infringement of MP3 patents, in a case that could have big implications http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1000000121,39286036,00.htm The changing media environment in Singapore The ABCs Media Report examines the limits of liberalisation in nearby Singapore. There's little doubt the society is loosening up and that includes its media. But has the ruling People's Action Party given any ground when it comes to the coverage of political affairs? http://abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2007/1841546.htm Estonia to hold first national Internet election The Baltic state of Estonia plans to become the world's first country to allow voting in a national parliamentary election via the Internet next month--with a little help from the forest king. http://news.com.com/2100-1028_3-6161005.html http://iht.com/articles/2007/02/22/business/evote.php us: The Thorny Problems Posed by Online Predator Bills Online predators will again be the target of legislation filed in Congress this year. Sen. Ted Stevens filed a measure last month aimed at protecting children from pornographers, predators and list brokers. Meanwhile, in the House last week, Mark Kirk submitted a bill entitled the "Deleting Online Predators Act," which is reportedly very similar to legislation approved by the House last year but killed in the Senate. The breadth of the provisions in the Stevens bill have civil libertarians, educators, librarians and Internet activists in a tizzy. http://ecommercetimes.com/story/55913.html Cubas Internet access cramped by U.S. blockade The U.S. blockades effect on Cubas access to the Internet was a topic earlier this month as some 1,650 participants from 58 countries participated in Cubas 12th Information Technology Fair, held in Havana, Feb. 12-16. http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/10620/1/360 The mash-up future of the web The way we use the web is changing and the future lies in mixing, mash-ups and pipes, says BBC columnist Bill Thompson. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6375525.stm In China, Stern Treatment For Young Internet 'Addicts' Alarmed by a survey that found that nearly 14 percent of teens in China are vulnerable to becoming addicted to the Internet, the Chinese government has launched a nationwide campaign to stamp out what the Communist Youth League calls "a grave social problem" that threatens the nation. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/21/AR2007022102094.html kr: Leading the way in user-input journalism South Korea ranks as one of the most Internet-literate countries in the world. And the OhMy News Service, headquartered in Seoul, has been at the leading edge in pioneering what's often called 'citizen journalism'. Now it could be argued that most of what professes to be 'citizen journalism' is actually little more than dubious conjecture and gossip. But at OhMy News, they've been working on promoting user-input into their service in a way that still ensures professionally journalistic accountability. http://abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2007/1843323.htm S. Korean Internet users grow in January amid wide digital divide The number of broadband Internet users in South Korea grew in January but the digital gap between urban and rural areas remained wide, a government report showed Thursday. http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/Engnews/20070222/640000000020070222161034E8.html au: Broadband grows to 3.6m THE number of broadband services in Australia edged over 3.6 million in the September 2006 quarter, but around 2.75 million users remain on dial-up connections. http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,21274073%5e16123%5e%5enbv%5e,00.html New Zealanders flock to AdultSheepFinder.com The ovine-lovers resource is evidently a big hit down there in NZ, with around 100 per cent of the current worldwide membership of 20,333 coming from the set of Lord of the Rings. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/21/shep_fanciers_website/ Firefox loses browser share, Safari gains Mozilla's Firefox browser lost market share last month, report web metrics company Net Applications. But Apple's Safari continued to gain ground, an indicator of a slow but sure uptick in Macintosh sales. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/BDE45A5DB03111A2CC25728A00100524 in: Government committed to bridging digital divide: President Appreciating the need for empowering the citizen with modern information technology, President APJ Abdul Kalam today announced that the year 2007 will be the Year of Broadband as the government was committed to bridging the digital divide by providing broadband coverage throughout the country. http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k7/feb/feb293.htm us: Smarter kids through television: debunking myths old and new The digital divide used to separate rich from poor; now it separates parents from their children. Whether it's infants watching the new 24-hour "Baby's First TV" channel, or teenagers instant messaging while they watch last night's "Daily Show" on their iPods, television is an enormous presence in the lives of kids today. The average American child spends three to five hours a day watching it. And they start their viewing careers much earlier than ever before: In 1961, the average child began to watch television at age 3; today it is 9 months. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2003582570_tvoped22.html Bridging the divide Waiting until 2007 to launch a special issue on technology means most Internet startups and breakthroughs in gadgetry are old news. What's happening now has more to do with the tools people are creatingand the collaborative way they're creating those toolsthat allow people to be more creative and make unprecedented connections with one another. http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A44734 US crackdown on students' illegal downloads The US recording industry today embarked on a new drive against illegal music downloading on campuses throughout America. http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2018226,00.html http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/editorial/16746514.htm The internet has shifted the balance of power It is what in theory ought to happen - but it is good to know that it is indeed happening. In theory the development of the internet is hugely democratic. It gives all of us the access to knowledge that a decade ago would have required a research department in a multinational. But it takes a while for people to figure out how to use the new technologies and for the services distributed through those technologies to be developed. Email, broadband, Google, eBay, Youtube, Skype and other ventures are changing the balance of power between the individual on the one hand and the state and big companies on the other. http://comment.independent.co.uk/columnists_m_z/hamish_mcrae/article2296811.ece uk: From banks to football, the consumers' revolt grows For decades British customers tolerated poor service with a resigned attitude and never dared to complain. No more. From high street banks to football stadia, people are exhibiting a steadfast refusal to put up with high prices or shoddy standards. Instead, in their millions and harnessing the power of the internet, they are switching supplier, staying away, signing petitions, engaging in local democracy. In short, they are fighting back. http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/article2296831.ece Apple and Cisco share iPhone name Apple and Cisco Systems agree to share the iPhone trademark, allowing both firms to use the name. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6384875.stm Google goes after Microsoft with software suite Google is getting serious about taking on Microsoft. Today, it introduces Google Apps Premium Edition, a software suite for companies that provides e-mail, instant messaging, calendar, word processing and spreadsheets. The cost is $50 per worker per year vs. about $500-$600 for Microsoft Office. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/2007-02-22-google-apps_x.htm Wikimedia Foundation denies financial difficulties Newspapers brought financial woes upon themselves, says Craigslist bossFri, Feb, 23 2007The newspaper industry has brought its financial troubles on itself, according to the chief executive of Craigslist, the company that has been accused of decimating the newspaper industry's advertising business. http://out-law.com/page-7800 Regulation and Taxation of VoIP in the United States The United States Congress has passed several regulatory acts to prevent states from exercising regulatory authority over new Internet services, and also gave the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) jurisdiction over new services such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or Internet Telephony. The FCC has issued several declaratory rulings on various VoIP services and has reported to Congress regarding the classification of different varieties of VoIP services. In June 2005, the FCC imposed Enhanced 911 (E911) obligations on providers of interconnected VoIP services. http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=latestnews&id=1687 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Sources include Quicklinks <http://qlinks.net/> and BNA Internet Law News <http://www.bna.com/ilaw/>. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2007
--------- David Goldstein address: 4/3 Abbott Street COOGEE NSW 2034 AUSTRALIA email: Goldstein_David @yahoo.com.au phone: +61 418 228 605 (mobile); +61 2 9665 5773 (home) "Every time you use fossil fuels, you're adding to the problem. Every time you forgo fossil fuels, you're being part of the solution" - Dr Tim Flannery Send instant messages to your online friends http://au.messenger.yahoo.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------- List policy, unsubscribing and archives => http://dotau.org/
