general internet news - 23 September

[David Goldstein <goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au>]

Net censorship hits 'all time high'
Internet restrictions, government secrecy and
communications surveillance have reached an unprecedented
level across the world.
 http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/32922.html
Silenced: an international report on censorship and control
of the internet
 http://www.privacyinternational.org/survey/censorship

OSCE anti-racism conference ends with calls for stronger
laws against hate speech on Internet
The OSCE concluded a conference on racism, xenophobia and
discrimination today with a session that included
contributions on the role of the media in conveying and
countering prejudice. Many speakers focused on the
electronic media and several called for strengthened
legislation or implementation of existing conventions to
suppress access to websites that disseminate hate-speech
and racist messages.
 http://www.osce.org/news/show_news.php?id=3511

http://www.osce.org/events/conferences/anti-semitism/index.php

Protection of minors: the Commission is organising a
meeting of experts on television, Internet and video game
violence.
At the initiative of Viviane Reding, Member of the European
Commission responsible for Audiovisual Policy and Youth,
the Commission is organising a meeting of scientific
experts in Brussels on 10 September to provide input to its
debate on protecting young people against television,
Internet and video game violence as part of the review of
the "Television without Frontiers" Directive and the 1998
Recommendation on the protection of minors in audiovisual
information services. At the end of 2003 or the beginning
of 2004, the Commission will present a communication on the
future of Community audiovisual policy, which will look
into whether there is a need for new Community measures on
the protection of minors. One of the priorities of the 1998
Recommendation was to call upon Internet access providers
to introduce codes of practice.

http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/03/1218|0|RAPID&lg=EN&display=

Digital Media Conference Explores the Future
John Perry Barlow of the Electronic Frontier Foundation
speaking with a conference attendee. Approximately 100
experts from all interested industries gathered at Harvard
Law School today to discuss the possibilities for the
future of digital media. The conference, presented by the
Berkman Center and Gartner|G2, considered five possible
scenarios for governance. CNet (via the New York Times)
summarizes here. The Associated Press reports on the
conference here.

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/home/home?wid=10&func=viewSubmission&sid=88
 http://www.nytimes.com/cnet/CNET_2100-1025_3-5079007.html

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/technology/AP-Digital-Media-Symposium.html

Le racisme ne passera plus forcément par Internet
En juillet dernier, le Mrap dénonçait les dérives racistes
d'Internet. A l'occasion d'une conférence de l'OSCE, l'ONG
va plus loin et fait des propositions concrètes pour tenter
d'endiguer ce fléau.
 http://www.01net.com/article/215621.html

.za - Child porn threatens to 'engulf' the Internet
The growing flood of child pornography is threatening to
engulf the Internet - and it's having a terrible impact on
South Africa, where about 90 percent of all
paedophile-related activities involve the Web.

http://www.itechnology.co.za/index.php?click_id=115&art_id=qw1064137681199N316&set_id=1

scientology case verdict: victory for freedom of opinion -
Press release XS4ALL
The Court of Appeal in The Hague today rejected all of
Scientology's claims in appeal in Scientology's action
against XS4ALL, Karin Spaink and ten other internet
providers. The court concluded that Spaink's publications
which quoted from works of Scientology were completely
legal. In this case, the court said, freedom of opinion
does not take second place to enforcement of copyright.
'The (...) texts show that, in their doctrine and their
organization, Scientology et al. do not hesitate to reject
democratic values. From the texts it also follows that one
of the objects of the non-disclosure of the contents of OT
II and OT III ... is to thwart discussion of the doctrine
and practices of the Scientology organization', according
to the Court of Appeal. Scientology therefore cannot invoke
copyright in these proceedings in order to preclude any
discussion of the nature of the sect. This means that there
are no grounds for any claim against XS4ALL or other
providers. The court has found against Scientology on all
points.
 http://www.xs4all.nl/uk/news/overview/scientology3.html

SE Asia to take on cyber-criminals now
Southeast Asian governments have a message for hackers,
virus writers and other “cyber-criminals” — we’re ganging
up on you.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=193902

Overseas censors say Aust too strict on computer games
Australian censors were too uptight about the supposed
dangers of violent computer games, overseas delegates told
a classification conference in Sydney today.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/22/1064082915824.html

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/22/1064082915824.html

http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,7340635%5E15316%5E%5Enbv%5E15306,00.html

.za - Are video games spawning violent children?
Does imaginary mayhem - as depicted in digital games like
Grand Theft Auto - have a link to real-life violence? A new
poll shows that adolescent American boys who have played
such games are twice as likely to be in physical brawls
than those who haven't.

http://www.itechnology.co.za/index.php?click_id=115&art_id=iol1063773591244S521&set_id=1

Will China's Net Nannies Be Working Overtime?
According to Reporters Without Borders, China employs
30,000 people to watch what people are doing online and
they estimate more people are in prison in China for
expressing their views on the Internet than in any other
country in the world.
 http://www.emarketer.com/news/article.php?1002440

Aust anti-spam legislation beats international rivals
Australia's legislation against spam has fared better in
the opinions of anti-spam activists than its international
counterparts.

http://www.zdnet.com.au/newstech/communications/story/0,2000048620,20278875,00.htm

.uk - Spam and cookie rules in UK law from December
New rules to deal with unsolicited commercial e-mail,
cookies and other privacy issues in electronic
communications were laid before the UK Parliament
yesterday. But critics say the rules risk increasing rather
than reducing spam.

http://www.out-law.com/php/page.php?page_id=spamandcookierule1064070261
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3120628.stm

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/egovernment/story/0,12767,1045407,00.html

http://www.dti.gov.uk/industry_files/pdf/regulations_20030918.pdf

UK Politicians to Join Capitol Hill Spam Debate

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=internetNews&storyID=3475944

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2003-09-19-uk-us-spam-mission_x.htm

.uk - Data retention: ISPs voice concerns
The UK Internet Services Providers’ Association (ISPA UK)
yesterday expressed concern over aspects of the
Governments’ draft Retention of Communications Data (Code
of Practice) Order 2003, which was laid before Parliament
last Thursday.

http://www.out-law.com/php/page.php?page_id=dataretentionisps1063885491

.uk - Law seeks 'deposit' of web sites with UK libraries
For almost a century, publishers have been legally bound to
deposit books with the British Library. But a draft law
will be debated in the House of Lords tomorrow that,
perhaps bizarrely, seeks to extend this obligation to web
site operators.

http://www.out-law.com/php/page.php?page_id=lawseeksdeposit1063303555

.uk - Government emails to be kept on record
Government departments and civil servants are to be warned
to think twice before pressing the send button in the wake
of the explosive email evidence that emerged at the Hutton
inquiry.

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/kelly/story/0,13747,1042619,00.html

Southeast Asia Unveils Cyber-Crime Fighting Plan
Southeast Asian governments have a message for hackers,
virus writers and other "cyber-criminals" -- we're ganging
up on you.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=internetNews&storyID=3472982

A web address for every car?
Will the car—that mainstay of the industrial age—become a
vehicle for the information age as well?

http://www.economist.com/science/tq/displayStory.cfm?story_id=2019879

France Creates Website for African Human Rights
Organisations
The French government has embarked on an information
technology project to create a website for 11 African human
rights organisations to boost their network of sharing
experiences.
 http://allafrica.com/stories/200309150611.html

Fountain of truth?
An ambitious new text-analysis system mines the web for
hidden trends

http://www.economist.com/science/tq/displayStory.cfm?story_id=2019861

.us - Call Centers Struggle in Face of Do-Not-Call Rules 
Telemarketers failed to stop the federal government from
establishing a national do-not-call registry. Now they are
scrambling.
 http://nytimes.com/2003/09/22/business/22TELE.html

Think Debate on Music Property Rights Began With Napster?
Hardly
The music industry has grappled with the uncertainties
wrought by new technologies for over a century.
 http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/22/technology/22tune.html

Forbes: Bill Gates still world's richest man
Forbes magazine has released its list of the 400 wealthiest
US citizens, revealing that once again Microsoft chairman
and chief software architect, Bill Gates, has not only
grabbed the top spot but is the world's richest man with a
net worth of $US46 billion.

http://www.arnnet.com.au/index.php?id=1359894267&fp=2&fpid=1

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/business/management/0,39020654,39116543,00.htm
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3121428.stm

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=3475472

Lawyers in e-mail row face censure for discrimination
The London law firm that was sued by a black secretary
after a solicitor sent an e-mail requesting that she be
replaced by a "busty blonde" is facing disciplinary action
for breaches of the race and sex discrimination rules.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/legal/story.jsp?story=445149
 http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104_2-5079094.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/mobile/article/0,2763,1045383,00.html

Net 'worth little to many Brits'
Access to the internet is easier for most Britons, but many
still need a reason to use it, says a study.
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3121950.stm

Swiss ban anonymous prepaid mobiles
Fears that al Qaeda is using Swiss prepaid chips abroad has
lead Switzerland's parliament to legislate against
cellphone anonymity.

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/mobile/0,39020360,39116537,00.htm
 http://www.silicon.com/news/500022-500001/1/6101.html

Text messaging is spoiling teenagers' sleep
The quality of sleep of almost half of 16 year olds may be
affected by text messaging on mobile phones, a study from
Belgium says.  The sleep of one in four 13 year olds could
be affected too, says the researchers, who looked at the
effects of text messaging on sleep interruption in
teenagers (Journal of Sleep Research (2003:12:263).
 http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/327/7415/582-c

Turn On. Tune In. Download.
File sharing is the pot smoking of today's young. If you
expect lawsuits to stop it, don't hold your breath.
 http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/21/magazine/21WWLN.html

Students Shall Not Download. Yeah, Sure.
When it comes to downloading music or movies off the
Internet, students compare it with under-age drinking:
illegal, but not immoral.
 http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/20/technology/20COLL.html

Hitler at Home on the Internet
The resurrection of a 1938 article on Hitler's mountain
retreat has dropped squarely into the current debate over
the Internet and intellectual property.
 http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/21/weekinreview/21ZELL.html
 http://www.iht.com/articles/110714.html

File Sharing Lawsuits Scared Few Users Away - Study
Use of the most popular Internet file-sharing service
declined only 5 percent last week despite a high-profile
crackdown by the U.S. recording industry on unauthorized
music trading online, the latest data shows.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=internetNews&storyID=3475061

Old Hitler Article Stirs Debate
A blogger finds an old article in a Homes & Gardens
magazine that lionizes Hitler and his manse. He posts the
piece on his blog -- and unleashes a debate about copyright
issues and public interest on the Web.
 http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,60523,00.html

Talking to Your Children About Downloading Music – A
Parent’s Guide - By Parry Aftab
Parenting is tough enough. We need to balance work, home
and parenting. We need to be the math tutor, grammar expert
and able to paint the backdrops for the school play. We
have to bake (or fake it by buying ) cookies and cupcakes,
and do science projects last minute.

http://www.wiredpatrol.org/documents/downloadingmusic_parryguide.html

ICC rules on e-contracting are on their way
The International Chamber of Commerce has started drafting
voluntary rules to help companies negotiate contracts
electronically. At the same time, ICC has expressed serious
concerns about a projected international convention
governing e-contracts.

http://www.iccwbo.org/home/news_archives/2003/stories/e-terms.asp

New internet worm warning
The countdown to the next Windows net worm outbreak has
begun.
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3119316.stm

http://edition.cnn.com/2003/TECH/internet/09/19/worm.swen.reut/index.html

.nz - Funding boost for Internet2
The Government has injected $200,000 into a project to
create an advanced "next generation" Internet-based
research network, capable of gigabit-per-second data
transmission speeds.
 http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2666012a28,00.html


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=====
David Goldstein
 address: 2/4 Dundas Street
             COOGEE NSW 2034
             AUSTRALIA
 email: Goldstein_David@yahoo.com.au
 phone: +61 418 228 605 - mobile; +61 2 9665 0015 - home

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