general internet news - 28 February

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

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uk: Massive rise in child porn sites

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1718252,00.html

uk: Data Retention Directive endorsed by Ministers
 http://www.out-law.com/page-6666

cn: China calls for Internet regulations to cut down
on pornography and gambling

http://english.people.com.cn/200602/26/eng20060226_246114.html

ug: Net censorship reaches sub-Saharan Africa
 http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=16569

us: Google slams US government requests for data

http://www.pcw.co.uk/vnunet/news/2150634/google-slams-government-request

us: Justice Department's assault on Google to
backfire?
 http://news.com.com/2100-1028_3-6041581.html

More than 100 arrested worldwide in child pornography
sting

http://news.inq7.net/breaking/index.php?index=3&story_id=67440

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CENSORSHIP, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION
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iPod Porn
The trend continues. Whether it's V.H.S., D.V.D., the
Internet or now iPods. Pornography is quick to follow.
The dirty downloads are easy to find, and even easier
to hide.
 http://www.kcrg.com/article.aspx?art_id=99658

Dial P for pornography
Steamy X-rated content could be coming to a mobile
phone near you, writes Tom Brown. AMID controversy and
condemnation, mobile-phone pornography continues to be
a fast-growing business that analysts expect will
generate about $US2 billion ($A2.6 billion) in global
revenue by 2009.

http://smh.com.au/articles/2006/02/22/1140284077924.html

mv: Release of artist and internet dissident
highlights failings of justice system (news release)
Amnesty International welcomes today's release of
prisoners of conscience Ahmad Ibrahim Didi and Naushad
Waheed, but urges the government to take decisive
action to reform the criminal justice system to
prevent further politically motivated detentions.

http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA290012006?open&of=ENG-MDV

ug: Net censorship reaches sub-Saharan Africa
Reporters Without Borders condemned filtering of a
radio website imposed by the Uganda Communications
Commission (UCC) on 16 February 2006 - the first such
case of Internet censorship in Uganda. The move came
just days before voting in presidential and
parliamentary elections on 23 February.
 http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=16569

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CYBERCRIME, CYBERSECURITY AND PRIVACY
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au: Chat rooms are a virtual danger zone, police warn
POLICE in NSW are being overwhelmed with calls from
parents who fear their teenage children are being
targeted online by sexual predators.

http://smh.com.au/news/national/chat-rooms-are-a-virtual-danger-zone-police-warn/2006/02/25/1140670304201.html

au: International task force cracks down on child
pornography
Investigators of child pornography in Australia
realised a long time ago that they were fighting a
battle not limited to Australian shores. As part of
the latest international effort to crack down on
internet child pornography, the Innocent Images
International Task Force is investigating child
pornography and pursuing sexual predators in more than
40 countries.
 http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2006/s1579107.htm

uk: Massive rise in child porn sites
The number of websites found to be offering child
pornography to UK internet users increased by 75 per
cent last year amid fears of an explosion in illegal
images generated overseas.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1718252,00.html

ca: Thousands send tips to child-exploitation website
A year after it launched as Canada's national tipline
for reporting the sexual exploitation of children,
Cybertip.ca has shut down hundreds of websites and
resulted in several arrests.

http://www.cbc.ca/manitoba/story/mb_cybertip-20060223.html

China shuts sites amid market-reform debate
China has shut down two Web sites vocal in criticizing
market-oriented reforms amid a Communist Party
crackdown on expression.

http://news.com.com/China+shuts+sites+amid+market-reform+debate/2100-1028_3-6042333.html

nl/us: Dutch arrest 12 in on-line probe
Dutch authorities have arrested 12 suspects in two
cities as part of a joint U.S.-Dutch investigation
into a criminal gang operating the so-called "419"
e-mail scam.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060223.gtscam0223/BNStory/Technology/home

Cyberspace security: Breaking Ground in the New
Frontier
Bots. Worms. Spoofing. Phishing. Cyber terrorism and
espionage. Malware. Hacking. Virtual copyright and
identify theft. Online child exploitation. Internet
scams and spam. Crime has new frontier?the vast,
digitized realm of wired and wireless communications.
And for the FBI, it?s meant building a whole new set
of technological and investigative capabilities and
partnerships?so we?re as comfortable chasing outlaws
in cyberspace as we are down back alleys and across
continents.
 http://www.fbi.gov/page2/feb06/rsamueller022106.htm

us: Cyber-bullying a growing trend
It's called cyber-bullying, and it's growing. A study
in 2000 by the Crimes Against Children Research Center
at the University of New Hampshire in Durham found
that just over 5 percent of American children had been
victims of online aggression. In 2004, i-SAFE America,
a nonprofit Internet-safety advocacy group, reported
that the proportion had risen to 42 percent of kids.

http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/bradenton/living/health/13926807.htm

us: Cyber-stalkers prey on teen bloggers
Teenage bloggers are putting themselves at risk of
cyber-stalking and cyber-bullying because they often
reveal their names, ages and offline locations,
according to new research.

http://www.pcw.co.uk/vnunet/news/2150714/cyber-stalkers-prey-teen

us: Cyber predators: How to protect your kids online
Predators after your children and your money are
stalking the Internet, a panel of experts warned
Wednesday at a forum sponsored by U.S. Rep. Melissa
Bean, D-Barrington.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/top/w24online.htm

us: Internet popularity one reason for increase in
child porn
A recent string of Chicago-area child pornography
cases raises questions about who the offenders are,
why they seek these images and what kind of punishment
they face.

http://nwitimes.com/articles/2006/02/26/news/illiana/23e12e07640a05ee862571210005eb23.txt

us: Ruling May Undercut Google in Fight Over Its Book
Scans
A recent court decision on image copyrights might
undermine a pillar of defense for Google in its
dispute with publishers and authors.

http://nytimes.com/2006/02/25/technology/25google.html

us: Are Usenet fans vulnerable to copyright lawsuits?
In a new series of lawsuits, Hollywood studios for the
first time are targeting companies that provide access
to Usenet newsgroups.

http://news.com.com/Are+Usenet+fans+vulnerable+to+copyright+lawsuits/2100-1025_3-6043057.html

Academics join Microsoft antitrust fight
Microsoft has enlisted a group of distinguished
European academics in its efforts to dissuade the
European Commission from imposing fresh antitrust
fines.

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/d0fd9418-a4ae-11da-897c-0000779e2340.html

Microsoft publishes dispute file in EU battle
The software giant published letters between its chief
executive, and the EU Competition Commissioner, to
show it complied with a Brussels mandate

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9075-2056547,00.html

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GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
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us: Legislature votes to update law defining child
pornography
The Alabama Legislature approved legislation Wednesday
that updates the state law concerning child
pornography to include material produced through
modern technology, such as the Internet.

http://www.al.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-19/1140653675279630.xml&storylist=alabamanews

uk: Whitehall branded internet 'villains'
The British Government has been criticised by the
world's largest internet companies after it forced
them to store more information on their users

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9075-2056974,00.html

uk: Data Retention Directive endorsed by Ministers
The controversial Data Retention Directive received
its final seal of approval on Tuesday, when Ministers
at the Justice and Home Affairs Council adopted the
Directive with a qualified majority. Irish and Slovak
Ministers voted against the measure.
 http://www.out-law.com/page-6666

us: CDT Report Finds Changing Technology Makes
Government Surveillance More Intrusive
Against the backdrop of debate over warrantless
wiretaps and Administration calls to amend the Foreign
Intelligence Surveillance Act, CDT today released a
report about how privacy law has failed to keep pace
with technology. The report, entitled "Digital Search
& Seizure: Updating Privacy Protections to Keep Pace
with Technology," calls for an in-depth Congressional
review of the ways digital technology makes government
surveillance easier and more intrusive.
 http://www.cdt.org/publications/policyposts/2006/4#1

cn: China calls for Internet regulations to cut down
on pornography and gambling
China's Internet media and content providers have
pledged to protect cyberspace from pornography,
gambling and other "unhealthy content" through
self-regulation and legal measures.

http://english.people.com.cn/200602/26/eng20060226_246114.html

http://english.eastday.com/eastday/englishedition/features/userobject1ai1876992.html

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2006-02/26/content_524024.htm

cn: Internet media call for self-discipline
China's Internet media and content providers have
pledged to protect cyberspace from pornography,
gambling and other "unhealthy content" through
self-regulation and legal measures.

http://english.eastday.com/eastday/englishedition/node20676/userobject1ai1876882.html

China's Internet Industry Called For Better Oversight
During a seminar sponsored by the Internet Society of
China in Hainan this past weekend, industry and
government representatives called for better
management of China's Internet resources.

http://chinatechnews.com/index.php?action=show&type=news&id=3607

Japan police struggle against cybercrime
Japan may still be one of the safest countries in the
world when it comes to violent crime, but the number
committed in cyberspace is on the rise, according to
the National Police Agency.

http://tech.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1132623.php/Japan_police_struggle_against_cybercrime

us: Google's privacy concerns unfounded: US government
The US Justice Department has denied requesting
anything from Google that could threaten the privacy
of the search-engine's users, as the company recently
contended.
 http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6043338.html

us: Google slams US government requests for data
Google has issued a stinging rebuke to the US
government's legal request for copies of all search
terms used, and the URLs they identify, over a
two-month period.

http://www.pcw.co.uk/vnunet/news/2150634/google-slams-government-request

us: Justice Department's assault on Google to
backfire?
The U.S. Department of Justice's attempt to compel
Google to divulge millions of search records could
backfire on police and prosecutors.
 http://news.com.com/2100-1028_3-6041581.html
 http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6041581.html

nz: Call for watchdog with teeth
Consumer groups have clashed with the country's big
telcos by calling for an independent body to
investigate and resolve complaints made against
telecommunications companies.
 http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3584493a28,00.html

nz: Real competition needed to broaden our horizons By
COLIN JACKSON
In the Business Forum column last Monday, Telecom
director and shareholder Rob McLeod described the
necessity of regulating the telecommunications sector
as an urban myth.
 http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3583245a1865,00.html

NZ 'better off than others' in broadband
Business New Zealand has waded into the debate about
the price of broadband, commissioning a study to
compare Telecom prices with prices in other countries.
 http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3581293a13,00.html

nz: InternetNZ hits nail on head - Greens (news
release)
The Government should listen to proposals from
InternetNZ on reform of New Zealand's
telecommunications regulatory framework, and make a
decision based on what's good for New Zealand rather
than what's palatable to Telecom, Green Party
Information Technology Spokesperson Nandor Tanczos
says.
 http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00387.htm

nz: InternetNZ releases proposals for
telecommunications reform (news release)
"Reform of New Zealand's telecommunications regulatory
framework is a vital step if we have any intention of
catching up with Australia, and taking New Zealand
towards the top of the OECD for broadband Internet
service uptake," said Colin Jackson today.

http://internetnz.net.nz/news/2006-02-22-stocktake-submission-mediarelease.htm

nz: Advisory group calls for end to 'Mexican
stand-off'
The unofficial technology spokesman for New Zealand's
Small Business Advisory Group has called for the
Government and Telecom to end their "Mexican
stand-off" and talk to one another about how to
improve access to broadband.
 http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3584492a28,00.html

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INTERNET & NEW TECHNOLOGY USE
*****************************
au: Networks' internet fears aired
WHILE the internet's effect on the business models of
newspapers has been well documented, now it is also
causing headaches for Australia's TV networks.

http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,18284920%5e16123%5e%5enbv%5e,00.html

us: What is your teenager doing online? MySpace and
others let anyone and everyone know
It takes just seconds to sign up for an account on
MySpace.com, the hugely popular social-networking Web
site that started as a place to discover rock stars
and meet other music lovers.
 http://www.poststar.com/story.asp?storyid=212211

us: Study: Americans' home Net adoption slowing
Americans' home adoption of the Internet has stalled,
and doesn't appear likely to increase much in the next
few years, according to a new research report issued
Thursday.

http://news.com.com/Study+Americans+home+Net+adoption+slowing/2100-1034_3-6042670.html

30 Million Blogs And Counting . . .
There's been some recent chatter about whether we're
entering the twilight of the blogs, even though it
feels like we're only in the late morning. Noon, at
the latest.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/25/AR2006022500229.html

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FILE SHARING
************
eu: Raids close file-sharing server
Joint raids by police in Belgium and Switzerland have
shut down a popular file-sharing server.
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4743052.stm

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COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS
************************
European institute 'to rival MIT'
Europe will today attempt to take a major step towards
competing with the US when the European commission
unveils plans to establish a rival to the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1715061,00.html

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ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN
**********************************
More than 100 arrested worldwide in child pornography
sting
More than 100 people have been arrested in 19
countries in a Spanish-led crackdown on users of
Internet pedophilia websites, Spain's interior
ministry said Friday.

http://news.inq7.net/breaking/index.php?index=3&story_id=67440

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18257383-401,00.html

au: Teacher faces child porn charges
A 24-year-old teacher at a Perth high school has made
a brief appearance in a Perth court on child
pornography charges.

http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,18260784-5001028,00.html

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(c) David Goldstein 2006

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


	

	
		
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