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And don't forget to check out my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for regular updates in between postings. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ICANN may be looking for immunity from U.S. law http://news.com.com/2061-10796_3-6172758.html auDA may open up .au http://zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/auDA_may_open_up_au/0,130061791,339274647,00.htm us: Homeland Security grabs for net's master keys http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/03/dns_master_key_controversy/ .eu registry Eurid: being different at any price? http://www.heise.de/english/newsticker/news/87756 Should I really give a XXXX about the .xxx domain? http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,2049768,00.html Porn domain firm may sue ICANN http://cbronline.com/article_news.asp?guid=F5FF7F26-6B94-4B68-86A7-09C46F2A894F Rights and Content Issues May Complicate Internet Domain Name Expansion http://ip-watch.org/weblog/index.php?p=575&res=1024_ff ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ICANN may be looking for immunity from U.S. law The closest thing the Internet has to a governing body seems to want the same kind of immunity from national laws that the International Red Cross and the International Olympic Committee have enjoyed for decades. A recent report prepared for the board of ICANN says the organization should "explore the private international organization model" and it should "operationalize whatever outcomes result." http://news.com.com/2061-10796_3-6172758.html http://www.heise.de/english/newsticker/news/87858 http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=38703 auDA may open up .au Australia's domain name regulator is considering opening up the nation's top level .au domain, in a dramatic proposal that could see second-level domains such as "example.au" made available. http://zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/auDA_may_open_up_au/0,130061791,339274647,00.htm http://www.builderau.com.au/news/soa/auDA_may_open_up_au/0,339028227,339274647,00.htm us: Homeland Security grabs for net's master keys The US Department of Homeland Security is pushing to get hold of the master keys for a proposed revision of the internet's domain name system. The shortcomings of the present DNS have been known for years but difficulties in devising a system that offers backward compatability while scaling to millions of nodes on the net have slowed down the implementation of its successor, DNSSEC. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/03/dns_master_key_controversy/ http://www.zeropaid.com/news/8585/Department+of+Homeland+and+Security+wants+master+key+for+DNS .eu registry Eurid: being different at any price? Pieced-together e-mails and too little automation in general were complaints voiced by a number of registrars at a meeting sponsored by Eurid, the .eu registry, that accompanied the 28th Public Meeting in Lisbon of ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. The transfer of .eu domains was thereby made more difficult, especially for major registrars with a high degree of automation, it was said. "I have no problems with e-mails," Christian Müller, the head of technology at Stratos, said. "We can parse them. But it would be nice if they all looked the same. We have received typed e-mails from you guys which did not even contain the domain name," he said with a glance at the representatives of the .eu registry. http://www.heise.de/english/newsticker/news/87756 Article criticising Niue and Tokelau for online content called shoddy and misleading The Pacific Islands Chapter of the Internet Society says Niue and Tokelau are being wrongly blamed for being a major source of internet pornography and other devious online content. PICISOC has expressed disappointment over a recent article by New Zealand journalist Michael Field titled "Pacific atolls host world’s most dangerous websites", released last month by Fairfax Media. http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=31254 Domain Registrars’ Better Business Bureau Records Spotty Analysis of Better Business Bureau complaints alarming yet inconclusive. Domain Name Wire surveyed the Better Business Bureau records of the seven largest domain registrars with considerable North American consumer operations. Registrars ranged from 2 complaints on the low end (over the past 36 months) to 321 on the high end. http://domainnamewire.com/2007/04/02/domain-registrars-better-business-bureau-records-spotty/ .COM and .NET: Thick Or Thin? by Gavin Brown The fallout from the failure of RegisterFly has been largely addressed as an issue of regulation and enforcement. ICANN needs to enable registrants to transfer their domain names away from RegisterFly, or to “bulk transfer” all of RegisterFly’s sponsored domain names to another registrar. However, RegisterFly has control of all the customer data so it’s impossible to match registrant to domain name, in order to release the all-important AuthInfo code. http://www.circleid.com/posts/com_net_thick_or_thin/ Putting Some Circuit Breakers Into DNS to Protect The Net by Karl Auerbach For example, a virus that takes over a victim’s computer might communicate with its control point, or send its captured/stolen information, by looking up a domain name. Normally domain names are somewhat static - the addresses they map to don’t change very frequently - typically changes occur over periods measured in months or longer. What the bad folks are doing is to change the meaning of those domain names very rapidly, from minute to minute, thus shifting the control point. They rapidly change the contents of DNS records in the authoritative servers for that domain. They couple this with low TTL (time-to-live) values on DNS information, thus preventing cached information from surviving very long and thus erasing one source of audit trails and covering their tracks. http://www.circleid.com/posts/circuit_breakers_dns_protect/ Put Security Alongside .XXX by Gadi Evron Isn’t security as important to discuss as .XSS? The DNS has become an abuse infrastructure, it is no longer just a functional infrastructure. It is not being used by malware, phishing and other Bad Things, it facilitates them. Operational needs require the policy and governance folks to start taking notice. It’s high time security got where it needs to be on the agenda, not just because it is important to consider security, but rather because lack of security controls made it a necessity. http://www.circleid.com/posts/put_security_alongside_xxx/ Domain name app gives phishers a new foe Ben Jackson's goal is to stymie people who develop phishing sites -- misleading Web sites designed to steal people's personal information. Jackson, a 26-year-old developer from New Bedford, Massachusetts, who works for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, is spending his spare time on a Web-based application called Crows Nest. It's designed to alert users when newly registered domain names that are likely to be used as phishing sites go live on the Internet. http://infoworld.com/article/07/04/04/HNdomainnameapplication_1.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,130393-pg,1/article.html Smart Tech Fights Fakes: Fake products are hot, and so are the Web's counterfeit detectors ... MarkMonitor isn't alone. About two dozen other companies are using Web-crawling technology to search for counterfeit storefronts and sales. They detect fraudsters who set up shop using domain names similar to legitimate brands or who plaster brands' trademarks and logos on their online storefronts. The companies also monitor counterfeit sales, looking for keywords like "cheap," "discount," "authentic," and "factory variants." They flag colors that the original product wasn't made in and prices that are far too low. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2007/03/01/8401026/ NIC Mexico Reaches 200,000 Domain Names The .mx domain registration has spread out in the last 2 years at a higher rate of acceleration with 100,000 domain names in the last 2 years. http://webhosting.info/news/1/nic-mexico-reaches-200%2C000-domain-names_0403076413.htm Montenegro Establishes Council for .ME Domains (news release) SD PETOSEVIC announced that Montenegro’s law calling for the establishment of a Council for .ME domains entered into force on March 22, 2007. The Council is now the highest authority in the field of domain names in Montenegro. http://www.ag-ip-news.com/GetArticle.asp?Art_ID=4219〈=en Bill Gates's Corbis loses battle for corbis.net Stock photography company Corbis has lost its battle to gain control of the domain corbis.net. The company's claims that the small web design firm that owns the name registered it in bad faith were rejected by a WIPO panellist. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/03/corbis_wipo_domain/ Buckhead.com Seller Banks $250,000 and ActiveExchange Bows With Ten Big Sales This week's #1 domain won't come as a surprise since we told you it was on the way last week. The transfer of Buckhead.com was completed shortly after our last report and the domain now belongs to DigiPawn.com who gave up $250,000 for the name. http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2007/domainsales04-03-07.htm J&J conceives plan to master domain names The company paid to register Web sites named OrthoEvraKills.com, patchdangers.com and deadlypatch.net, which doesn't seem to represent a direct path to marketing its Ortho Evra birth-control patch. Actually, the health-care giant is simply playing good defense. http://www.nj.com/business/ledger/index.ssf?/base/business-6/1175667264157220.xml&coll=1 http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a7keBbhxGz64 Emirates Internet Group recognized by ICANN Emirates Internet Group has been recognized as an official internet organization in the UAE by ICANN. http://upi.com/Arabia2000/view.php?StoryID=20070331-600023-2406-r Visa invests in dotMobi Visa has invested an undisclosed amount in Dublin-based mobile domain name registry dotMobi. http://www.e-consultancy.com/news-blog/363003/visa-invests-in-dotmobi.html New .biz language Domains Chinese and Japanese IDN language scripts will be available in the .biz domain space from April 2007. http://domainnews.com/registries/0520070404/new-biz-language-domains/ .kr (South Korea) second level Landrush The Landrush for second level .kr registrations began on Wednesday 28th March. Second level .kr names are open to all companies, organisation and individuals in Korea. Local presence is a requirement for registration! http://domainnews.com/registries/0520070404/kr-south-korea-second-level-landrush/ 10-years Internet in Vietnam forum to open in April Ten years after the Internet came to Vietnam, the country now has over 4.18 million Internet subscribers, accounting for 18.17% of the population, according to the Vietnam Network Information Centre. The total capacity of international Internet channels is 7.076 Mbps and the total of 37,900 of .vn domain names are operating. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/tech/2007/04/679947/ Net.cn Launches Domain Name Marketplace Chinese domain name registration and virtual hosting service provider Net.cn has formally launched a domain name sales transaction center. http://www.chinatechnews.com/2007/04/05/5216-netcn-launches-domain-name-marketplace/ Hockey Night in Canada goes after Cloverdale man's website The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has served a one-man B.C.-based website with a cease and desist order, calling on www.hockeyfightincanada.com to stop using the Hocky Night in Canada takeoff logos and name on its site, caps and T-shirts. http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=4c62d42d-a465-4d42-9306-3d9218a67e58 http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/198845 Canada to trademark 'winter' for 2010 Olympics This story doesn't specifically deal with domain names, but no doubt would apply to domain names as well as everything else: The Winter Olympics are coming to Vancouver, British Columbia, in 2010, and the Canadian team is boasting that it will "own the podium." If a bill before the Canadian Parliament is passed, the organizers of those games will own something even more rarefied: the trademark on the word "winter." http://iht.com/articles/2007/04/02/business/olympics.php FIFA 2010 World Cup marketing guidelines (news release) ... FIFA also does not allow the use of its official marks in domain names, URL identification which come before the domain name for websites with commercial content or as hyperlinks on the internet. http://www.marketingweb.co.za/marketingweb/view/marketingweb/en/page74600?oid=81356&sn=Marketingweb%20detail Will Domain Names Become Less Relevant? Currently domain names carry significant weight in Google's relevancy algorithms if they match the search query, but that is a signal destined to lose value. As more people get into automated and cheap content to turn park pages into automated low cost community driven sites, search engines are going to learn that it doesn't make sense to give a matching domain default status in a category. http://www.webpronews.com/blogtalk/2007/04/03/will-domain-names-become-less-relevant-to-search-engines Should I really give a XXXX about the .xxx domain? Not unless you believe that all adult material should be consigned to an interweb ghetto, because it's not going to be. Last week Icann, the organisation that oversees the allocation of top-level domains (TLD) online, decided not to go ahead with creating .xxx for the adult industry - mostly on the grounds that it was unworkable and would lead to Icann being dragged into content regulation, which is outside its remit. http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,2049768,00.html Porn domain firm may sue ICANN ICM Registry is considering taking ICANN to court, after the domain name system overseer rejected its proposal. http://cbronline.com/article_news.asp?guid=F5FF7F26-6B94-4B68-86A7-09C46F2A894F Rights and Content Issues May Complicate Internet Domain Name Expansion This article says “[f]uture TLD applicants will have to take many different rights into consideration, according to draft final recommendations” that were “discussed during the meeting by ICANN’s GNSO.” Further, they “have to document support from special communities affected by the applied-for TLD. They also must ‘not infringe on the legal right of others,’ not be ‘confusingly similar to existing top-level domains,’ not be ‘reserved names’ and not be ‘contrary to generally accepted legal norms relating to morality and public order.’ Questions arose in Lisbon as to whether anything could still be opened up as a new TLD given the sum of these restrictions.” Milton Mueller asks “Is it possible for anybody to create a controversial proposal and get it approved under this process?” He gives the example of an .abortion TLD that “might not be well received by the Catholic Church.” The article also looks at the role of governments and Geopolitical Names and Upcoming IDNs. http://ip-watch.org/weblog/index.php?p=575&res=1024_ff ICANN Board Vote Signals Era of Censorship in Domain Names by Robin Gross The ICANN Meeting in Lisbon last week ended with an important vote by the ICANN Board of Directors on the application to create a new top level domain “.XXX”. On 30 March 2007 the ICANN Board voted 9-5 to block the introduction of the new .XXX domain name space for non-technical reasons. This vote has important implications in the larger debate at ICANN to set the general policy over the introduction of new top level domains. http://ipjustice.org/wp/2007/04/02/icann_board_votexxx Tech Politics Podcast: Why xxx still doesn't mark the spot ICANN has again rejected a request for a xxx domain registry for adult Web sites. But this is more than an open-and-shut question. Tune in to this week's edition of the CNET News.com Tech Politics Podcast to find out what's going on behind the scenes as Charles Cooper and Declan McCullagh chat with former ICANN member and Cisco veteran Karl Auerbach. http://news.com.com/2324-12835_3-6172683.html ICANN rejects .XXX domain application The board of ICANN rejected the .XXX application proposed by ICM Registry, an independent registry operator. http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=23360 http://www.telecompaper.com/news/article.aspx?id=163063&nr=&type=&yr= http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religiontoday/11536118/ http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/organgrinder/2007/04/porn_misses_out_on_its_own_xxx.html http://out-law.com/page-7926 http://uk.theinquirer.net/?article=38703 http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/04/03/ICANN_votes_down_xxx_again/ http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=sci_tech&id=5176976 ICANN Rejection of .XXX Domain Might Bring Litigation ICANN Board member Susan Crawford, who voted in favor of the new .xxx top-level domain, suggested in her blog that ICANN had in fact given in to governmental pressure in rejecting the controversial .xxx TLD. Crawford also pointed out that the United States was not the only government to oppose the .xxx domain. ICANN also received objections from Australia, Brazil, and several other countries. http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=51179 WIPO Warns Trademark Owners Of Increased Risk From Cybersquatters (reg req'd) In a report issued on March 12, 2007, WIPO warned trademark owners that they face increased risks from cybersquatters. http://mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=47420 ********************** OTHER INTERNET NEWS ********************** Thailand blocks access to YouTube Thailand's government bans access to the YouTube website over material critical of the country's king. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6528303.stm http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/04/05/1175366357507.html th: Getting a clearer picture of YouTube block It seems interesting to note than when something as blatant as censoring YouTube occurred, nobody seems to be responsible for it, or for finding out who did it. The Ministry of ICT (MICT) said it was not their fault while the TOT and CAT also denied responsibility. http://asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=67019 th: Online bid to oust Prem 'not insulting to King' Thai police have decided there was no cause to accuse activists who launched an online campaign against Privy Council chief Prem Tinsulanonda of breaking the law against insulting the monarchy. http://asiamedia.ucla.edu/article-southeastasia.asp?parentid=67001 th: ICT ministry to shut down controversial websites The Information and Communications Technology Ministry has ordered staff to shut down any websites deemed to be violating the orders issued by the leaders of the Sept 19 coup. ICT Minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom said the ministry had the authority to block any websites considered to have committed lese majeste or seen as a threat to national security. http://asiamedia.ucla.edu/article-southeastasia.asp?parentid=67016 kr: Korean ministry blocking porn sites While I've previously posted stories on this topic, this article in Stars and Striples, the US Army newspaper, there are some quotes from US servicemen based in Korea on how the blocking of porn will efffect them! http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=44868 uk: Plan to tighten child abuse law Ministers are planning to tighten the law to make it an offence to possess computer-generated or cartoon images depicting child sex abuse. It is currently an offence to possess indecent photographs and pseudo-photographs of children. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6518103.stm http://out-law.com/page-7934 uk: Cyber bullying threat to teachers Teachers are calling for much tougher restrictions to protect staff from "cyber bullying" by pupils. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers has warned of the distress caused to teachers by anonymous, malicious comments on websites. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/6522501.stm uk: Teachers fear growing 'cyberbullying' by pupils Growing numbers of teachers are becoming the victims of cyberbullying by their pupils, a conference heard yesterday. Youngsters are photographing their teachers in the classroom and then placing obscene images of them on websites - or posting derogatory comments about their teaching ability. http://education.independent.co.uk/news/article2418438.ece uk: Teachers urge web firms to act against cyber-bullying Teachers are trying to shame website providers and mobile phone companies into stopping pupils posting malicious and demeaning video clips and insults against school staff online. http://www.guardian.co.uk/Education/schools/story/0,,2049632,00.html us: Cases of abuse over the internet end up before the US courts Cyber-bullying has emerged as a significant problem in the US, prompting many states to consider introducing laws to protect students and teachers. The move towards legislation comes against a dramatic rise in the bullying of teachers over the internet or by text message which is seeing schools increasingly end up in court. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/8709e51c-e249-11db-af9e-000b5df10621.html eu: Monitoring of employee breached human rights, says European court The monitoring by a Welsh college of an employee's email, phone and internet use was a breach of her human rights, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled. The UK Government must pay £3,000 damages and legal costs in the case. http://out-law.com/page-7936 it: Web Content, Personal Data Handling, Free Speech, Providers’ Liability In The Internet Environment (reg req'd) In recent years Internet Provider’s liability has more and more shifted to the centre of an intense debate involving exponents of conflicting interests.: Pressure Groups are active lobbying for industry’s or businesses’ (economic) interests or advocating in favour of widely recognized principles (freedom of speech, no barriers to information, pluralism, cultural exchange, etc.). http://mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=47392 us: Persecutors may not Need to Provide Expert Opinion Testimony in Child Pornography Prevention Act Cases to Meet their Burden of Proof. A recent 2007 decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (US v. Rodriguez-Pacheco) held that the prosecution needs not to provide expert opinion testimony to prove that a particular pornographic image depicted a real child- instead of a virtual image- to meet its burden of proof of preponderance of evidence at sentencing. This holding is interesting (and somehow tactful) complement to the United States Supreme Court decision on Free Speech Coalition case (535 US 234), where the Supreme Court granted First amendment protection to virtual –no real- child pornography images. http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=latestnews&id=1724 E-Commerce Update February 2007 — International developments The third Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy (congress), held in Geneva on 30 to 31 January 2007, has called for more resources to fight counterfeiting and piracy. According to Dr Kamil Idris, Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), counterfeiting and piracy ‘is a global phenomenon which requires global action’. Fellow convenors of the congress, namely the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and the World Customs Organization, agreed that implementing effective intellectual property systems will require the joint efforts of governments, businesses and intellectual property organisations. http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=latestnews&id=1725 au: Gang rape filmed on mobile phone A teenager was brutally raped by a gang of boys who filmed the scene on their mobile phones, then sent the footage to school friends, police said yesterday. Five boys have been charged with aggravated sexual assault of the 17-year-old girl, and distributing a video of the attack. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/04/04/1175366325678.html http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21503940-2,00.html http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/04/04/1175366303906.html Don't use WEP, say German security researchers German researchers have published details of a way to break WEP security on wi-fi networks in under 60 seconds http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/A3B06D499807B743CC2572B300823425 http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,130385-c,networksecurity/article.html EU gets connected with €22.5m BT deal The European Commission has signed BT to supply internet access with a budget of up to €22.5m over up to eight years. BT will be responsible for supplying, implementing and managing a range of internet access services - at least 17 sites for the EC - collectively called the Internet Access and Associated Service. http://networks.silicon.com/broadband/0,39024661,39166650,00.htm http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=23407 http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/0,1000000085,39286606,00.htm Deutsche Telekom ordered to grant rivals access to its network cables The German telecommunications regulator has decided to order Deutsche Telekom to grant rivals access to its network cables, according to a decision set to be published Wednesday. http://iht.com/articles/2007/04/03/technology/deutsche.php http://infoworld.com/article/07/04/04/HNgermantelecom_1.html Can the internet be truly neutral? Net Neutrality is dividing opinion. For some it is a cause worth fighting for, but others claim it's a red herring that's impeding progress. Andrew Orlowski investigates http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,2049763,00.html Web-Browsing Habits Enforce Gender Stereotypes When it comes to Internet use, men tend to devote more time each week to playing games and researching techie gadgets, while women log on to chat with friends, shop and plan vacations. Forrester Research's most recent study of how Europeans use technology surveyed 22,662 consumers in the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden to learn more about what drives men and women to the Internet. The survey found that while women have been catching up with men in their Internet use -- 54 percent of European women use the Internet compared with 62 percent of men -- the activities they partake in vary widely from those of their male counterparts. http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,130404-c,techindustrytrends/article.html Internet advertising to overtake radio next year Global spending on internet advertising increased from $18.7 billion in 2005 to $24.9 billion last year, as world takes UK's lead http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/money/broadband/article1605109.ece uk: Broadband kills off consumer ISDN BT is to withdraw ISDN services from consumer use later this year. ISDN proved very popular with people working from home who needed access to data connections faster than available dial-up modem speeds. ... But there is one group for whom ISDN has not lost its lustre - broadcasters. Although slow by broadband speeds, ISDN is proving usefulFor them it has proved to be a boon when filing reports away from base. Unfortunately the technology is being discontinued all over the world leaving many broadcasters with a problem of what to replace it with. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6519681.stm uk: More than half of adults have broadband More than half of all adults in the UK now have broadband at home, according to a new report by the telecoms regulator, after growing competition helped to push down prices by as much as 75% over the last few years. http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2048889,00.html France caters to market for the most simple of computers The Minitel, a French government-sponsored minicomputer that was wired into 14 million French homes at its peak in the mid-1990s, had a limited service offering, a black-and-white screen and slow connection speeds that doomed it to near-extinction in the face of the Internet. Now, a French Internet service provider, Neuf Cegetel, has taken inspiration from the Minitel to develop a computer based on a similar low-cost model, aimed at people who are unable or unwilling to buy a computer. In a gesture to high-technology enthusiasts, however, the system uses the open-source software beloved by many engineers and programmers. http://iht.com/articles/2007/04/02/technology/neuf.php How Webkinz is getting children hooked on the Web If you have or know a child around 6 to 8 years old, then you have probably heard of Webkinz, and chances are you too may have been bitten by the bug. Webkinz are small plush toys that virtually live in the online Webkinz World created by a tightlipped toy company called Ganz. Vaughan, Ontario-based Ganz declined to answer any of our technical questions about the security of its Web site or the network infrastructure used to support it. The company did say it has sold more than 1 million Webkinz. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9015401 You Call It the Net. TiVo Calls It a Trove. Mining the Net in TiVo-Land to Stay Ahead TiVo has been quietly adding features that take the machine well beyond its original function as a video recorder. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/05/technology/05pogue.html Launch of Information Society Watch IT for Change has launched a beta version of ‘Information Society Watch’, a resource portal providing a Southern perspective on information society (IS) issues. IS Watch attempts to address the imperative of catalysing new perspectives, frameworks and concepts rooted in the development experience of the global South. It is a response to the need for building a Southern discourse on the information society phenomenon, which so far has mostly been interpreted by Northern actors. IS Watch is directed at scholars, activists, NGOs and government officials. It offers resources and analytical tools for unpacking the structural and political dimensions of the information society, to enable social change actors to reinterpret their work in relation to the new realities. Organised along a simple scheme that serves those who may be looking for practical and theoretical aspects on the information society, IS Watch has three key focus areas: Information Society Policies, ICT for Development and Society & Culture. http://is-watch.net/ us: Tribes' digital divide addressed in memorial Swaths of Indian land in Arizona are cut off from cell phone service and the Internet, which creates problems in emergencies and attempts to communicate in an information economy, a state lawmaker says. http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/business/46813.php EMI takes locks off music tracks Music giant EMI is taking software locks off its digital music sold via download sites such as iTunes. The "premium" versions of EMI tracks will lack the digital locks common to songs available via many online sites. http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6516189.stm http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/music/news/article2414761.ece eu: Apple may face £330m fine Apple faces a fine of more than £300 million after the European Commission issued a formal objection to the higher prices it charges to download music from iTunes in Britain compared with the Continent. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article1605136.ece Brilliantly boring A website that shows a large piece of cheese as it (very slowly) matures is getting thousands of hits a day. What is it about dull- as-ditchwater webcam footage that can be so strangely gripping? Oliver Burkeman dissects the cult of banality on the net while Alexandra Topping picks some of the classics of the genre http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2048813,00.html us: Topix taps web readers to bolster news (Reuters) Web news search site Topix, owned by three top US newspaper publishers on Monday will begin recruiting users to report local news that traditional outlets do not sufficiently cover in a bid for more readers. Registered readers will be able to submit news to the site from their computers and mobile phones. The service is the latest attempt to engage "citizen journalists" and expand on local news offered by city and small town newspapers. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/04/02/1175366134835.html Google and Microsoft 'in race for DoubleClick' Google has been flagged as a rival to Microsoft in a $2 billion race to buy DoubleClick, the largest broker of display advertising on the internet. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article1602272.ece Research points the finger at PowerPoint If you have ever wondered why your eyes start glazing over as you read those dot points on the screen, as the same words are being spoken, take heart in knowing there is a scientific explanation. It is more difficult to process information if it is coming at you in the written and spoken form at the same time. The Australian researchers who made the findings may have pronounced the death of the PowerPoint presentation. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/04/03/1175366240499.html Google goes offline for advertising revenues Following its conquest of YouTube last year, Google is now aiming for a piece of the old-fashioned tube. The Internet search giant was set to announce Tuesday that it will begin selling television ads on the 125 national satellite channels distributed in the United States by EchoStar Communications' DISH Network. http://iht.com/articles/2007/04/03/business/google.php http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2049166,00.html http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/04/03/1175366241026.html Apple condemned for consigning toxic computers to China Apple has been rated worst among major electronics firms for its environmental policies by the pressure group Greenpeace. In a new survey of 14 major companies, Apple was put bottom of the list for its policies on the elimination of toxic substances and recycling. http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article2418417.ece http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6525307.stm Chinese company tops Greenpeace "Green Ranking" of electronics industry (news release) The latest Greenpeace ranking of electronic manufacturers' recycling and toxic content policies has a couple of surprises: Lenovo leaps to the number one spot, and Apple stays in last place. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/chinese-company-tops-greenpeac nz: Comment sought on three way split of Telecom (AAP) The New Zealand Government is seeking public comment on a three-way split of Telecom. Communications Minister David Cunliffe today released a consultation document on the separation of Telecom. http://zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Comment_sought_on_three_way_split_of_Telecom/0,130061791,339274714,00.htm http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/410965/1049626 nz: Peering pressure on big players It isn't just our groaning, overburdened infrastructure and stifled competitive environment that have been throttling New Zealanders' internet experience. Another aspect contributing to our failure to get the most out of the internet relates to a concept called peering and a three-year standoff involving the two largest providers of internet services. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=137&objectid=10432686 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 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/
