Don't forget to check out http://auda.org.au/domain-news/ for today's edition of the complete domain news, including an RSS feed - already online!
Headlines from the November 26 edition of the news include: Pondering the Politics of Private Procedures: The Case of ICANN by Jay P. Kesan & Andres A. Gallo | The emerging Internet governance mosaic: connecting the pieces by William H. Dutton & Malcolm Peltu | ICANN New Delhi meeting website online | au: Many websites may be outside the law | Government of Barbados wins management of .BB domain | Breizh: Breton domain name feasibility study | CENTR magazine Domain Wire now available online | .nz Newsletter - November 2007 | Nominet releases first Domain name industry report | UK ENUM project starts | Lapsed domain names 'bought in seconds' And see my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for daily updates in between postings. *************************************************** The domain name news is supported by auDA *************************************************** The Internet Singularity, Delayed: Why Limits in Internet Capacity Will Stifle Innovation on the Web http://www.nemertes.com/internet_singularity_delayed_why_limits_internet_capacity_will_stifle_innovation_web Internet could run out of capacity by 2010, study claims [IDG] http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9047939 http://computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1183190727;fp;2;fpid;1 Net gridlock by 2010 study warns http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7103426.stm uk: Nominet Domain name industry report http://www.nominet.org.uk/digitalAssets/26156_Nominet_Domain_name_industry_report_2007.pdf Vint Cerf on IPv4 and IPv6 http://www.govtech.com/gt/206531?topic=117688 Only a third of global ISPs on the way to IPv6 compliance http://computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1434651888;fp;2;fpid;1 Enterprises still dragging their feet on IPv6 migration http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1680921443;fp;2;fpid;1 ********************** RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** The Internet Singularity, Delayed: Why Limits in Internet Capacity Will Stifle Innovation on the Web Executive Summary: In this research study, Nemertes performed an independent in-depth analysis of Internet and IP infrastructure (which we call capacity) and current and projected traffic (which we call demand) with the goal of understanding how each has changed over time, and determining if there will ever be a point at which demand exceeds capacity. http://www.nemertes.com/internet_singularity_delayed_why_limits_internet_capacity_will_stifle_innovation_web ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** Internet could run out of capacity by 2010, study claims [IDG] Consumer and corporate use of the Internet could overload the current capacity and lead to brown-outs in two years unless backbone providers invest billions of dollars in new infrastructure, according to a study released Monday. A flood of new video and other Web content could overwhelm the Internet by 2010 unless backbone providers invest up to $137 billion in new capacity, more than double what service providers plan to invest, according to the study by Nemertes Research LLC, an independent analysis firm. In North America alone, backbone investments of $42 billion to $55 billion will be needed in the next three to five years to keep up with demand, Nemertes said. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9047939 http://computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1183190727;fp;2;fpid;1 Net gridlock by 2010 study warns Consumer demand for bandwidth could see the internet running out of capacity as early as 2010, a new study warns. US analyst firm Nemertes Research predicted a drastic slowdown as the network struggles to cope with the amount of data being carried on it. Such gridlock would drastically affect how people use the web and could mean the next Google or YouTube simply doesn't get off the ground, it said. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7103426.stm Bandwidth Demands Exceeding Internet Infrastructure Investment Nemertes Research has released a report on the future of the Internet infrastructure. The key finding from the report is that bandwidth demands are exceeding infrastructure investment, especially at the access layer. We project that users may begin to see the impact of degraded application performance as early as 2010. We also noted that the planned investments in Internet infrastructure are insufficient to meet growing demand. http://www.circleid.com/posts/711209_bandwidth_demands_internet_infrastructure/ An Internet Security Operations Viewpoint of IGF The IGF is an annual UN conference on Internet governance which was held this year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The topics discussed range from human rights online to providing Internet access in developing countries. A somewhat secondary topic of conversation is Internet security and cyber-crime mostly limited to policy and legislative efforts. Techies and Internet security industry don’t have much to do there, but I have a few updates for us from the conference. http://www.circleid.com/posts/711219_internet_security_operations_igf/ IP Justice Report on 2007 IGF The 2007 IGF is officially over. The second meeting hosted by the United Nations to advance discussion on issues related to Internet governance was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 12 – 15 November 2007. The 4-day international conference focused on 5 main themes: Openness, Access, Security, Diversity, and issues related to the management of Critical Internet Resources (CIR). Capacity building was a cross-cutting issue through all the main themes. Over 2,000 registered participants from 109 countries attended the IGF’s various main plenary sessions, workshops, best practice sessions and other related meetings. http://ipjustice.org/wp/2007/11/19/2007-igf-rio-wrap-up/ Network Neutrality: Implications for Europe - 3-4 December 2007 Bonn, Germany Given the growing prominence of broadband, an intense debate concerning whether Internet service providers should be required to offer access to content, applications and network devices on a non-discriminatory basis has been raging in the United States. This Network Neutrality debate has not been intense so far in Europe; however, the issue of Network Neutrality was a factor in the 2006 review of the European regulatory framework, and it could have far-reaching implications for the long-term development of ICTs in Europe. This workshop will try to assess the current situation, identify shortcomings and explore future options. http://www.wik.org/content/netneutrality_main.htm Is the Internet Governable? by Larry Seltzer Opinion: No, there's no Internet Governmental Organization based in Switzerland that can order anyone around. What authorities there are can only focus on the high-profile stuff. Mostly, it's every man for himself. Most people must assume that there's some agency in charge of the Internet, someone who can enforce rules and impose new standards. Of course there isn't. Partly it's from misleading representations of technology on TV and the movies. I especially remember one "Law&Order" episode in which the NYPD computer guru ran a "tracert" program that identified who had sent an e-mail down to the address of their house. Neat trick. http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2219851,00.asp Partnership to Grow Internet Information in African Nations [reg req'd] Increasing awareness about Internet Governance issues and working together on the development and growth of the Internet in Africa are part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers and the African Telecommunications Union (ATU). http://hana.ru.ac.za/article.cfm?articleID=1763 ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Partnership to grow Internet information in African nations Increasing awareness about Internet Governance issues and working together on the development and growth of the Internet in Africa are part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the African Telecommunications Union (ATU). http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/410/23/19843.html Hero’s honour for decision-maker - Dennis Jennings, new ICANN board member Back in 1983, while most of us were being asked to tighten our belts, Irishman Dennis Jennings had to make a decision that would eventually have far-reaching social, scientific and economic implications, not only for the world but also for Ireland. Dublin is now the envy of the world, with major internet companies such as Google, Yahoo!, Amazon and eBay having bases here and employing thousands between them. Few realise that the internet, as we know it, was made possible by Jennings’ decision in 1983, when he was in charge of the supercomputer programme at the National Science Foundation in the US, to deploy a protocol known as TCP/IP in a network linking 304 university research departments in the US. http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/news.nv?storyid=single9684 http://www.independent.ie/business/technology/herorsquos-honour-for-decisionmaker-1226729.html Domain Name Update: Front Running by Matthew Hall The Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC) of ICANN has launched a probe into the practice of what it calls domain name "front running". ICANN said that there are widespread suspicions that checks for availability are being monitored and the information used to register desired addresses in order to sell them back to the user at a profit. People who want to buy a domain name usually check its availability first on websites such as whois.net, or through registrar companies. It is at that point that unscrupulous operators may be registering names in order to profit from the demand. http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=54526 ********************** - (cc)TLD NEWS ********************** Internet law - Andorran domain registration Andorra is one of the smallest countries in the world, and only recently came under self-rule. But given that the little state tucked away in the Pyrenees range has beautiful scenery, tourism has helped invigorate a formerly moribund economy. Set in the center of southern Europe, the country could become an Internet hub if interested parties invested in the infrastructure, knowing that the prime E.U. location and small amount of bureaucracy could prove a potent business mix. http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=articles&id=418794FA-5B9C-4E4C-BA95-424B2BCF1754 Popular Spanish domain names containing accents raffled [reg req'd] http://www.telecom.paper.nl/news/article.aspx?id=193593 .LAT to become the new Internet Domain Extension for Latinos It is official! eCOM-LAC and NIC Mexico, the organizations in charge of pursuing the Internet domain name for Latinos, announced that .LAT as the extension to identify this new domain. http://www.neowin.net/news/main/07/11/19/lat-to-become-the-new-internet-domain-extension-for-latinos uk: Nominet Domain name industry report Nominet has released their first ‘Domain name industry report’. The key themes examined in the report are: an analysis of global domain name statistics; registrant statistics and trends within the UK and a close look at the UK registrar market. The findings of the report show that the domain name industry both globally and in the UK is healthy. The report demonstrates the extent of the uptake of the Internet in the UK. It reveals areas of potential future growth and gives pointers as to current trends in domain name registration and the changing nature of the UK registrar market. http://www.nominet.org.uk/digitalAssets/26156_Nominet_Domain_name_industry_report_2007.pdf uk: Nominet establish a Foundation [news release] The Board is proposing the establishment of a Nominet Foundation for the purpose of public benefit to UK Internet stakeholders through education, research and the funding of suitable projects. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=4618 Nominet awarded the contract to run the Tier 1 registry for ENUM [news release] Nominet has announced they have been awarded the contract to run the Tier 1 registry for UK ENUM, a standard that will unify the telephone numbering system with the Internet's Domain Name System. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=4616 ********************** - DOMAIN SECURITY ********************** DNS security improves as firms tool up to tackle spam Domain name servers on the net are still often vulnerable to attacks despite some marked improvements, according to a new survey. Many organisations are making efforts to install the most recent versions of BIND and eliminate Microsoft DNS for external servers. But most still leave their systems open to denial of service and pharming attacks by allowing recursion and zone transfers in response to arbitrary requests from unauthenticated parties. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/20/dns_security_survey/ DNS Servers in Harm's Way Sometimes it takes a DNS attack for an organization to get serious about the security of its Internet-facing DNS name servers. Many of these servers today are still not properly secured or configured, security experts say, leaving them wide open for distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) and other types of attacks. "There are many organizations who are still in the dark about managing their external DNS," says David Ulevitch, CEO of OpenDNS. "Just as people run firewalls and anti-spam systems, it's important for them to manage the DNS coming into, and leaving, their network. http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=139525 DNS security still "as vulnerable as ever" The security of domain name system (DNS) continues to be an issue for network administrators, despite the availability of more secure DNS servers such as BIND 9, according to a survey by network appliance company, Infoblox. http://hardware.silicon.com/servers/0,39024647,39169220,00.htm Are your servers vulnerable to DNS attacks? More than half of internet name servers today allow requests that leave networks vulnerable to cache poisoning and distributed denial of service attacks — a fact that has not improved over the past year. The finding is part of the third annual survey of the internet's domain name servers released this week by The Measurement Factory, which conducted the survey for DNS management appliance maker Infoblox. http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/scrt/737ABB3F3EB55D35CC25739A00062FD8 Video spam and other nastiness set for 2008 MessageLabs has unveiled its security predictions for 2008, and unsurprisingly the forecast is a tad gloomy, with video file spam among other nastiness predicted for the coming year. ... "ICANN will continue to be exploited through loopholes, and domain kiting will continue to be a problem." (Again, ICANN exploits are already with us). http://www.techworld.com/news/index.cfm?NewsID=10714 Protecting Your Brand in Cyberspace For business, the Internet age means sales without borders and a worldwide market of billions of customers. The same aspects of the Internet that are so attractive to business, however, can also be a source of sleepless nights and deep concern for legal counsel charged with corporate brand protection. http://www.law.com/jsp/legaltechnology/pubArticleLT.jsp?id=1195466653399 Domain Name System still at risk The Domain Name System (DNS) is still growing strongly, indicating the internet's expansion in terms of infrastructure, users, traffic and applications. But the annual survey of domain name servers on the public internet by Infoblox suggests that the global DNS is as vulnerable as ever. http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2203785/dns-survey-reveals-systems Hackers Abuse Domain-Name Trust Using variations on trusted, popular domains has long been a common tactic for scammers, spammers and porn sites. But cyber criminals have devised a new twist on the misspelled domain-name trick by hijacking IP addresses. And they tried it on Yahoo. http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3712071 http://www.enterpriseitplanet.com/security/news/article.php/3712496 Domain names can falsely lure users The type of domain name that a website uses is not necessarily authorised anymore, it has been claimed, and can be attained by almost anyone. Record sales of certain domain names with popular key words highlight the importance of the name of site, yet communications supplier Pipex Hosting has stated that these names are often not actually what they describe. http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=conWebDoc.15949 UK cements reputation as phishing hotspot The UK is now established as the second biggest target area for phishing attacks on banks, according to research from security firm RSA show. http://www.techworld.com/news/index.cfm?NewsID=10704 Slip of the fingers nets profit for some: McAfee report A slip of the fingers on the keyboard is helping a band of online entrepreneurs make money from our mistakes. A new report from security software company McAfee reveals the practice of "typo-squatting" - using common misspellings of popular brands, products and people in order to redirect consumers to alternative websites. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/11/22/1195321926053.html http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/11/22/1195321926053.html http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,25642,22803221-5014239,00.html http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=137&objectid=10477751 Misspelled Children's Web Sites Lead to Porn Children's Web sites are frequent targets a growing category of online fraud where unsuspecting Web surfers are lured to malicious sites when they misspell the URL. http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,139828-c,sites/article.html ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** Vint Cerf on IPv4 and IPv6 The current Internet design - Internet protocol version 4 (IPv4) - was standardized in 1978, and has 4.3 billion unique terminations. Simply put, "We can foresee a time when the allocations of addresses will end," said Cerf, who is known for his work in helping to create what we now know as the Internet. The number of unique Internet addresses in IPv4, he said, will run out around 2011. http://www.govtech.com/gt/206531?topic=117688 Only a third of global ISPs on the way to IPv6 compliance Only a third of the world's top 21 ISPs have begun the move to IPv6, according to Latif Ladid, president of the IPv6 Forum. Speaking at the IPv6 Summit in Canberra yesterday, Ladid said IPv6 continues to come under attack from multiple fronts forming part of the "world wars" of the Internet. http://computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1434651888;fp;2;fpid;1 Enterprises still dragging their feet on IPv6 migration Australia's ICT industry needs to focus on the possibilities of IPv6 and how the technology will transform online communities. The best way to drive up interest in IPv6 among consumers and business-users is to drive home the potential advantages the technology can bring, according to Bruce Sinclair, the CEO of Hexago. http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1680921443;fp;2;fpid;1 ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** The Name Game: Sometimes, It's a Losing Effort The list of forgettable names is long, corny and meaningless -- except maybe in terms of learning from the fallen. Blish, Colib, Diigo, Eskobo, Gliffy, Gootodo, Goowy, Meebo, Noodly, Otavo, Oyogi, Qoop, Renkoo, Skobee, Tioti, Trumba, Woomp, Wrickr, Zlango and Zoozio are but a few. This bizarre avalanche of bad names comes from a single source: the elusive URL. ... "All of the names in the Blish to Zoozio list cited above are examples of 'what were they thinking?' and what they were thinking was this: We must have a domain name that matched exactly our company/product name," agrees Jurisich. "But, the success of Google has made this issue irrelevant." http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/The-Name-Game-Sometimes-Its-a-Losing-Effort-60429.html ********************** - AFTERMARKET ********************** Tucows - Enhanced Domain Parking Programs Tucows Inc. , a leading provider of Internet services to web hosting companies and ISPs worldwide, today officially launched its domain parking programs that will share over $1 million in revenues with Tucows resellers over the next 12 months. The two programs, Parked Pages Program and Expired Domains Program, offer additional sources of revenue to resellers, including a slice of the growing domain name re-sale market through a share of Tucows Premium Domains service sales revenues. http://www.webhostdir.com/news/articles/shownews.asp?id=23034 http://domainnamewire.com/2007/11/20/tucows-relaunches-parking-services-for-resellers/ ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Google U.S. Web search share jumps to 58.5 percent [Reuters] Google enjoyed one of its biggest monthly gains in U.S. Web search market share in October, building on consistent gains over the past two years, according to industry data out on Wednesday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKN2121132720071121 http://www.news.com/2100-1038_3-6219821.html http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6219821.html comScore Releases October U.S. Search Engine Rankings [news release] ... In October, Google Sites increased its lead atop the core search ranking with 58.5 percent of U.S. searches, gaining 1.5 share points versus the previous month. Yahoo! Sites ranked second with 22.9 percent, followed by Microsoft Sites (9.7 percent), Ask Network (4.7 percent) and Time Warner Network (4.2 percent). http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=1908 UK broadband use reaches new high Almost 90% of British net users are using broadband and average speeds are climbing, official figures reveal. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7105242.stm ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Facebook users raise privacy complaints over new tracking for marketing [AP] Some users of the online hangout Facebook are complaining that its two-week-old marketing program is publicizing their purchases for friends to see. Those users say they never noticed a small box that appears on a corner of their Web browsers following transactions at Fandango, Overstock and other online retailers. The box alerts users that information is about to be shared with Facebook unless they click on "No Thanks." It disappears after about 20 seconds, after which consent is assumed. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/11/22/1195321901158.html http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/11/22/1195321901158.html http://www.ioltechnology.co.za/article_page.php?iSectionId=2885&iArticleId=4139489 ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Amazon unveils mobile library the size of a book Amazon yesterday launched its first electronic book reader as the online retailer looks to drag one of the last bastions of the analogue world into the digital age. Amazon's device, called Kindle, can hold more than 200 titles from best-selling books to the latest edition of The Washington Post. Only available through Amazon's US store, it costs $399 (£195). http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/nov/20/amazon.news Amazon Reading Device Doesn’t Need Computer [AP] Jeff Bezos knows that the world is not exactly clamoring for another way to read electronic books. “If you go back in time, the landscape is littered with the bodies of dead e-book readers,” Mr. Bezos, the chief executive of Amazon.com, said yesterday. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/20/business/20bookxx.html ********************** SPAM ********************** Video spam and other nastiness set for 2008 MessageLabs has unveiled its security predictions for 2008, and unsurprisingly the forecast is a tad gloomy, with video file spam among other nastiness predicted for the coming year. http://www.techworld.com/news/index.cfm?NewsID=10714 12 spam research projects that might make a difference Those who commit cybercrime know they need to stay on the cutting edge of technology to come up with new and different ways to swindle people. Luckily, the good guys are also spending time in research labs developing ways to thwart the latest tricks employed by spammers, phishers and other criminals. This article lists 12 research projects underway that focus on new technology and techniques to stop spam. While in many cases these projects are reacting to exploits already in use, such as image spam and phishing, the work by these researchers is designed to counter spammers’ current developments and may also lead to prevention of future ones. This list, by no means complete, contains select papers recently made public. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/112007-spam-research.html ********************** DIGITAL DIVIDE ********************** Ban Ki-moon stresses role of science and technology in Africa’s development [UN News Service] Marking Africa Industrialization Day today, United Nations officials stressed the importance of science, technology and human resources in supporting the continent’s efforts to alleviate poverty and achieve sustainable development. “One of the most effective channels for eradicating poverty, creating wealth and enhancing competitiveness is through the acquisition, adaptation and application of relevant technologies,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message for the Day. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=24731 Partnership to grow Internet information in African nations Increasing awareness about Internet Governance issues and working together on the development and growth of the Internet in Africa are part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the African Telecommunications Union (ATU). http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/410/23/19843.html Make ICTs more accessible [reg req'd] The 5th International Conference on Open Access ended last week in Bagamoyo, Tanzania after successful deliberations. Leadership, ICT infrastructure for development, ICT infrastructure, M-Applications and ICT in business were some of the issues that were discussed at the conference. http://hana.ru.ac.za/article.cfm?articleID=1770 ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** uk: They've got your number: State's hunger for personal data raises security fears There are increasing fears that Britain could suffer a repeat of the HM Revenue & Customs data loss as the scale and breadth of personal information held by government bodies continues to grow inexorably. As the police step up their search for the two missing Inland Revenue computer discs containing the banking and personal details of 25 million people, ministers have been warned that the potential exposure to theft and identify fraud could be present for many years to come. http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article3182301.ece Richard Thomas: Individuals value their privacy - institutions do not [Information Commissioner] Privacy matters now more than ever. Research by my office – the Information Commissioner's Office – published earlier this month highlighted that nine out of 10 people are concerned that organisations do not treat their personal information properly. People also rank protecting personal information as the second most important social issue – perhaps surprisingly ahead of the environment and the NHS. http://comment.independent.co.uk/commentators/article3182300.ece uk: Brace yourselves for new wave of e-mail scams, say security experts Banks and security experts expect a wave of scam e-mails and bogus mailshots after the loss of the personal data of 25 million people. Executives from the largest high street banks fear that if the data falls into criminal hands the most damaging attack could come in the form of fake direct mail campaigns, possibly conducted over several years. “They could post leaflets that appear to come from a customer’s bank, would be able to quote an account number, be correctly addressed and could invite recipients to phone a fake call centre to apply for, say, a special offer,” one banker said. “Once you call, they ask for your password – and bingo.” http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/money/consumer_affairs/article2917521.ece Report: E-Commerce Fraudsters' Haul May Reach US$3.6B in 2007 It is becoming increasingly unsafe to buy or otherwise conduct business online, according to the ninth annual CyberSource survey on e-commerce fraud. Fraudsters will divert approximately $3.6 billion from U.S. e-commerce in 2007, a 20 percent increase over 2006, based on survey results. Merchants are working aggressively to hold back the tide. Their various online security products and related best practices are keeping the fraud rate stable, notes CyberSource. Still, it's requiring the expenditure of more resources to keep fraudsters at bay. http://ecommercetimes.com/story/60394.html IPhone Must Be Offered Without Contract Restrictions, German Court Rules Last month, French law forced Apple to promise that consumers could buy a version of its iPhone in this country without having to be locked into a long-term contract with Orange, the only mobile phone operator offering the new device. Now, the same issue is tripping up Apple’s plans to sell the music-playing cellphone in Germany, the largest European telephone market. Last week, the Vodafone Group won the first round of a legal case against T-Mobile over its exclusive deal to sell the iPhone there. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/21/technology/21iphone.html de: Fresh blow for exclusive Apple iPhone strategy Apple’s iPhone strategy was dealt a fresh blow today when its exclusive partner in Germany — Europe’s largest market — was forced to make the gadget available on rival networks. T-Mobile said that it would, with immediate effect, make the phone accessible to other mobile operators. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/telecoms/article2914903.ece de: Skype encryption stumps police [Reuters] German police are unable to decipher the encryption used in the internet telephone software Skype to monitor calls by suspected criminals and terrorists, Germany's top police officer said. http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKL21173920071122 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10477899 au: Scores selling stolen cars on eBay: Govt The New South Wales Government is planning to expand an investigation that has found 106 people are believed to have been illegally selling cars on auction site eBay. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/21/2096844.htm INTERNET LAW - SINGAPORE: INFRINGEMENT AND ENFORCEMENT OF REGISTERED TRADEMARKS Singapore is a small but potent former British trading colony, established as part of the Crown in 1819. After declaring independence in 1965, it blossomed into one of the world's premier economies, based upon positioning itself as a dynamic trading hub. A chief aspect of the surge of prosperity in this tiny nation has been respect for private property and a stern regime of protection for such rights. http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=articles&id=775068FC-B2D5-4C46-B5AE-623CE0A69D13 Pressure Mounts Against Google-DoubleClick Google's quest to buy DoubleClick hit a few bumps this past week as European regulators and U.S. senators continued to question whether the deal creates a monopoly that shuts out competitors in the growing and lucrative online advertising sector. http://www.forbes.com/technology/2007/11/21/google-doubleclick-antitrust-tech-cx_wt_1121googledc.html ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Microsoft closes pro-anorexia websites Microsoft has abruptly closed down four “pro-anorexia” websites in Spain following a complaint that they were endangering the lives of teenage girls. The websites, which offer tips such as “take up smoking” and “if your stomach rumbles, hit it”, were accused of teaching teenagers how to starve themselves. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article2916356.ece ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ uk: Langham says child porn viewings compassionate The comedy actor Chris Langham today claimed he was being "compassionate and sympathetic" when he looked at the child porn that put him in prison. The Bafta award-winner, who was released early from jail last week, denied he had any sexual interest in children but admitted looking at the images was "completely wrong". http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,2214015,00.html Actor Chris Langham tells of 'compassionate' viewing of child porn Chris Langham, the disgraced comedy actor, today launched an attempt to restore his reputation after serving a prison sentence for downloading child pornography. In a television interview less than a week after his release, Langham, 58, said that he was tempted to kill himself when it became public that he had been arrested. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article2906052.ece au: Schoolboy whiz helps draft Labor cyber policy Tom Wood, the 16-year-old schoolboy who circumvented the Government's $84 million internet filter scheme, has been enlisted by Labor to draft a sizeable chunk of its cyber safety policy. And in the process he has been drawn into a vicious mud-slinging match between the Labor and Liberal parties. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/11/21/1195321833867.html http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/11/21/1195321833867.html http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/articles/2007/11/21/1195321841803.html http://stuff.co.nz/4283253a28.html us: How to catch an online predator In trying to catch creeps who prey on children, Detective Michele Deery has stalked through cyberspace as many different people. She's been a 14-year-old girl and a 55-year-old man. Recently, she posed as the mother of two adolescent daughters who was willing to turn her fictitious children over for sex with a stranger. The man was arrested when he arrived for a rendezvous at a diner. "I like my work," Detective Deery says. "It's important work." http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/11/21/1195321793493.html us: Missouri city makes Internet harassment a misdemeanor in wake of 13-year-old's suicide City officials unanimously passed a measure Wednesday making online harassment a crime, days after learning that a 13-year-old girl killed herself last year after receiving cruel messages on the Internet. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/11/17/1194767007753.html http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/11/17/1194767007753.html http://www.charlotte.com/nation/story/373331.html http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest+News/World/STIStory_179382.html ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** EU's Mandelson: U.S. needs to change gambling laws [Reuters] European trade chief Peter Mandelson said the United States should let foreign companies into its multibillion-dollar online gaming market instead of trying to compensate European firms for shutting them out. "The U.S. has so far opted for compensation to make right what is wrong. I don't think compensation does that job," he told members of the European Parliament on Tuesday. http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6219619.html uk: Regulator targets fake drugs sold on internet The medicines watchdog is to step up covert internet purchases and testing of suspect pharmaceuticals as part of a new strategy to be unveiled on Thursday. Michael Deats, head of enforcement at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, told the FT that he planned more testing of patented drugs, as well as strengthening of generic drugs testing, tougher criminal sentencing, greater cross-border police co-operation and introduction of 24-hour telephone hotlines. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/aee3d1d0-989f-11dc-8ca7-0000779fd2ac.html How the web shaped the Australian election [AAP] The Australian election campaign has shown the internet is becoming an integral part of the political landscape, with politicians, activists and comedians all using it to have their voice heard. http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,0a28,00.html ********************************* COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS ********************************* CONFERENCE: Ethics, Technology and Identity; June 18-20 of 2008, The Hague, the Netherlands Information technology plays an increasingly important role in society and in human lives. Identity Management Technologies (e.g. biometrics, profiling, surveillance), in combination with a variety of identification procedures and personalized services are ubiquitous and pervasive. This calls for careful consideration and design of collecting, mining, storing and use of personal information. This conference aims to discuss the theme of ‘identity’ in light of new (information) technology. Key-note speakers are David Velleman, Oscar Gandy, Robin Dellon and David Shoemaker. http://ethicsandtechnology.eu/index.php/news/comments/ethics_technology_and_identity/ ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Retail Wi-Fi wide open to hackers, study finds A study has discovered that while retailers are physically securing their businesses to prevent theft, they are not taking the same precautions with their wireless security. http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/11/20/Retail-Wi-Fi-wide-open-to-hackers_1.html ITU Approves 450MHz and 700MHz Bands for 3G and Next Generation (IMT) Mobile Services The CDMA Development Group (CDG) has applauded the decision made by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approving the identification of the 450-470MHz and 698-862MHz frequency bands for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) services during the 2007 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-2007). The CDG expects the decision to further stimulate the growth and deployment of CDMA2000 systems in the 450MHz band (CDMA450) and 700MHz band around the globe. http://www.wirelessdesignasia.com/article-7354-internationaltelecommunicationsunionapproves450mhzand700mhzbandsfor3gandnextgenerationimtmobileservi-Asia.html ITU allocates post 2015 frequencies The World Radio Conference, discussion forum of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), has allocated five frequency blocks for use by future mobile telephony technologies, with member countries signed up to the blocks they like the look of and aren't using for anything else. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/21/wrc_07/ ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN ********************************** au: Policeman jailed for internet sex chats A Northern Territory policeman has been jailed for using the internet to try to lure a 14-year-old girl into meeting him for sexual activity. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/21/2096900.htm http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22796771-26103,00.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 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 Make the switch to the world's best email. Get the new Yahoo!7 Mail now. www.yahoo7.com.au/worldsbestemail --------------------------------------------------------------------------- List policy, unsubscribing and archives => http://dotau.org/
