[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
general internet news - 16 November
Don't forget to check out http://auda.org.au/domain-news/ for the most recent edition of the domain news, including an RSS feed - already online! And see my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for recent updates and news and RSS feeds as well.
**********************************************************
Sponsored by the Singapore Internet Research Centre
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
http://www.ntu.edu.sg/sci/sirc/
**********************************************************
Britain kills EU attempt to regulate net video clips
http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1947176,00.html
uk: Press freedom being eaten away, says watchdog chief
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/foi/story/0,,1947309,00.html
us: Feds' Expert: 1 Percent of Web Is Porn
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/11/15/1163266595601.html
au: CSIRO wins WLAN Court Case in US (news release)
http://www.csiro.au/csiro/content/standard/ps2gw,,.html
uk: Crackdown on data theft
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,1948016,00.html
Surfing to Excess: How Much Is Too Much?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/10/AR2006111001571.html
Get ready for attacks on VoIP?
http://zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Get_ready_for_attacks_on_VoIP_/0,130061791,339272192,00.htm
******************************************
CENSORSHIP, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION
******************************************
Britain kills EU attempt to regulate net video clips
The British government is set to fight off proposed European rules that
would make it responsible for overseeing taste and decency in video
clips on sites such as YouTube and MySpace. Under a clause in the
European media regulation directive TV Without Frontiers, national
governments would be responsible for regulating the internet for the
first time. Britain's media watchdog, Ofcom, backed by the culture
secretary, Tessa Jowell, argued that the plan was unworkable and would
stifle creativity and investment in new media across Europe.
http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1947176,00.html
EU news release
http://www.eu2006.fi/news_and_documents/conclusions/vko46/en_GB/1163448016726/_files/76247735264216097/default/91666.pdf
uk: Press freedom being eaten away, says watchdog chief
Sir Christopher Meyer, the chairman of the Press Complaints Commission
who sparked a political furore by lifting the lid on his time as
ambassador to Washington, warned last night that freedom of the press
was being gradually chipped away by the government. He said the
breakdown in communication between the government and newspapers was
unhealthy for democracy.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/foi/story/0,,1947309,00.html
uk: S&M saucepots want the Queen muffled
A diverse group of sexual adventurers and civil libertarians has joined
in condemnation of that part of tomorrow's Queen's speech expected to
propose banning "extreme porn", because the internet has made it too
readily available for some people's tastes.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/14/criminal_justice/
us: Feds' Expert: 1 Percent of Web Is Porn
About 1 percent of websites indexed by Google and Microsoft are
sexually explicit, according to a U.S. government-commissioned study.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/11/15/1163266595601.html
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/11/14/financial/f153823S53.DTL
http://news.com.com/2061-10796_3-6135662.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0436d598-7433-11db-8dd7-0000779e2340.html
http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=194300677
A Sneak Peek at a Fractured Web
Internet censorship is spreading and becoming more sophisticated across
the planet, even as users develop savvier ways around it, according to
early results in the first-ever comprehensive global survey of internet
censorship.
http://wired.com/news/technology/0,72104-0.html
New Clicks in the Arab World: Bloggers Challenge Longtime Cultural, Political Restrictions
When he was a college student in Washington state, Saudi Arabia's most
popular blogger, Fouad al-Farhan, donned a T-shirt emblazoned with
"Animal Rights Equals Human Rights" and slept on the campus lawn during
a hunger strike protesting the slaughter of foxes.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/11/AR2006111100886.html
Iranians outraged as Google redraws map
Google has provoked the wrath of Iran's notoriously suspicious
authorities by appearing to question the country's sovereignty over the
province of Azerbaijan in an entry on its Google Video website.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,1946235,00.html
sg: Internet threatened by proposed new rules, while blogger prosecuted over video of himself speaking in public
Reporters Without Borders voiced concern today about proposed criminal
code amendments designed to encourage online self-censorship and to
enable the authorities to prosecute bloggers living abroad. The
organisation also condemned the imminent prosecution of opposition
member Yap Keng Ho for posting a video of one of his public addresses
online.
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=19702
uk: Teachers want ban on cyber-bully pupils
Teachers are demanding action to stop pupils humiliating them through
offensive video clips and abuse posted online. Their unions say service
providers should do more to police websites amid growing concern over
"cyber bullying".
http://education.guardian.co.uk/pupilbehaviour/story/0,,1946299,00.html
au: NetAlert’s “Netty’s World” recognised for award by media peers (news release)
NetAlert is delighted to announce that its pre-school educational
program, Netty’s World, has been nominated as one of Australia’s best
educational websites at the 24th Annual ATOM Awards. NetAlert is proud
to be recognised for its work on Internet safety.
http://netalert.net.au/03723-NetAlert%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9CNetty%E2%80%99s-World%E2%80%9D-recognised-for-award-by-media-peers.asp
***************************************
CYBERCRIME, CYBERSECURITY AND PRIVACY
***************************************
au: CSIRO wins WLAN Court Case in US (news release)
CSIRO has had an important win in a court case in the US in its battle
to be paid royalties for its Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)
technology. CSIRO was granted a US patent for this technology in 1996.
http://www.csiro.au/csiro/content/standard/ps2gw,,.html
uk: Crackdown on data theft
Tough measures planned for firms that steal and sell personal details after prosecution exposes growing trade.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,1948016,00.html
us: Could Online Poker Law Raise The Stakes on Free Linking?
The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act rocked the online casino
industry mere days after its passage this month, and, with the
president expected to sign the bill on Friday, most commentary has
focused on how it will impact the millions of Americans who enjoy
playing poker and placing bets online. As in many other instances, this
attempt to stamp out an online activity could also impact anyone who
wants to link to or help you access sites online.
http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/cmusings/2006/10/12/could-online-poker-law-raise-the-stakes-on-free-linking/
Voice software adds to child abuse fears
Child protection experts have expressed alarm that paedophiles can
easily acquire software that changes their voices to sound like those
of children, downloading it from the internet for just £16.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1945945,00.html
us: Google downplays video lawsuit
Google downplayed a lawsuit against its video service, two days after
the search giant revealed the legal action. "This is a small lawsuit
over a single video that appeared briefly," a Google spokesperson said
in an e-mailed statement.
http://infoworld.com/article/06/11/10/HNgooglevideolawsuit_1.html
us: Satanic Barney on Web tests copyright laws
Barney the purple dinorsaur's owner, Lyons Partnership, is in a legal
squabble with a Web site creator who posted unflattering images of the
children's character. The dispute is testing the boundaries of
copyright law and free expression on the Internet.
http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/stories/2006/11/10/1110bizbarney.html
us: Catching Up With Cybercriminals
Last year for the first time, proceeds from cybercrime were greater
than proceeds from the sale of illegal drugs, according to recent
comments by Valerie McNiven, an adviser to the U.S. Treasury Dept.
"Cybercrime is moving at such a high speed that law enforcement cannot
catch up with it," she says.
http://ecommercetimes.com/story/54200.html
us: Cyber-criminals gear up for a merry Christmas
Online shoppers spent nearly US$10 billion during the holiday season
last year, 24 percent more than in 2004, indicating a significant
number people at risk.
http://www.itnews.com.au/newsstory.aspx?CIaNID=42143
us: FBI's cyber squad works to tackle growing Internet child porn problem
Adult pornography has been around for many years, but recently child
porn has soared to the top of the list for online pedophiles. According
to authorities, child pornography has sunk to an all-time low.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA111106.child.porn.KENS.2aa6da35.html
fr: Use of Web Spider Software to Collect Personal Data from the Internet is Illegal
The CNIL asked the French prosecution authorities to take action
against five companies because of their commercial practices, including
the use of spamming. Following this request, a prosecution was brought
against one of the companies for collecting personal data, and, in
particular, e-mail addresses, through the use of web spider software
that automatically scans and collates this information from Internet
websites.
http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=latestnews&id=1603
uk: Man faces eviction over 'anti-social' website
A man has been threatened with eviction because of a website he runs.
Glasgow's John Quinn has been served with an eviction notice because he
used to run a website criticising his landlord, the Glasgow North
Housing Association (GNHA).
http://out-law.com/page-7479
**************************
GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
**************************
au: Victoria the first to cast e-vote in a state election
Electronic votes are set to be cast in the state of Victoria today, marking a first for Australia in any state election.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1353237299;fp;16;fpid;1
ca: Ottawa to block CRTC on Internet phone regulation
The Harper government will announce Wednesday its intention to rewrite
the CRTC's key ruling on Internet-based telephone services, a highly
unusual move that could mark a big step toward a more open and
consumer-friendly sector.
http://www.globeinvestor.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061115.wrtelecom15/GIStory/
EU reportedly threatening new Microsoft fines (Reuters)
Microsoft has until Thanksgiving Day to provide rival firms with
outstanding details of its software systems or face fresh fines, the
EU's antitrust chief said, according to the Guardian newspaper.
http://news.com.com/2100-1014_3-6135710.html
*****************************
INTERNET & NEW TECHNOLOGY USE
*****************************
Surfing to Excess: How Much Is Too Much?
More Internet users say their time online is interfering with their
lives; medical communities are taking their complaints seriously.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/10/AR2006111001571.html
Educational toys? Just give toddlers your old phone
Parents spending hundreds of pounds on high-tech educational toys for
toddlers would be better off giving them an old mobile phone to play
with, according to an education expert.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2452542,00.html
Websites face four-second cut-off
Shoppers are likely to abandon a website if it takes longer than four seconds to load, a survey suggests.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6131668.stm
Google CEO sees free cell phones, funded by ads (Reuters)
Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt sees a future where mobile phones
are free to consumers who accept watching targeted forms of advertising.
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1035_22-6135191.html
http://news.com.com/2100-1039_3-6135191.html
Traffic to online gambling sites drops in wake of new U.S. law (AP)
Internet gambling sites saw a drop in traffic last month as President
Bush signed a measure aimed at banning most online wagering in the U.S.
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/business/technology/16011350.htm
Internet ad potential underestimated - Yahoo chief (Reuters)
The growth potential of Internet advertising has been underestimated
because the predictions did not include advertising on video, social
media or mobiles, Terry Semel, CEO of Yahoo Inc, said on Tuesday.
http://go.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=internetNews&storyID=14008418
************
FILE SHARING
************
au: Soon recordings will be a crime
Hundreds of U2 fans used their mobile phones to record Bono belting out
their favourite songs at Sydney's Telstra Stadium over three concerts
ending last night. Little did they know that under planned changes to
copyright laws, they would be committing a criminal offence, attracting
a maximum fine of A$6600.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/11/13/1163266483975.html
Google saves $200m for YouTube legal issues
Google indicated it was setting aside more than $200m to deal with
possible lawsuits and copyright settlements over the next 12 months
arising from its $1.65bn acquisition of the video-sharing site YouTube.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/3df876be-7434-11db-8dd7-0000779e2340.html
*********************************
COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS
*********************************
Can't we all share in the search bounty?
Should we be paid for using search engines? For most people that is a
silly question. Of course not, they would say. If anything, we should
be paying them. The use of search engines has transformed our lives by
bringing knowledge on any subject to our computer screens in a fraction
of a second - and all for nothing. The more relevant question is: how
much would you pay to have a search engine if it were suddenly whisked
away from you? The answer is: a lot of money.
http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,1942272,00.html
How to Make Your Web Site Sing for You
Your Web site is like a digital business card, designers say, the first
online look at your company that a customer gets. With luck, it will
not be the last.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/15/business/smallbusiness/15web.html
*******************
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
*******************
Network Convergence - No Longer a Promise, Now a Reality (news release)
48 percent of businesses have already implemented IP convergence in all
or most of their business, nearly twice the number recorded a year ago,
according to a new global survey conducted by the Economist
Intelligence Unit (EIU) for AT&T Inc. . In addition, the vast
majority -- 84 percent -- of business leaders now recognise the
centrality of convergence to their strategic IT and business goals,
compared with only 45 percent in 2005.
http://commsdesign.com/press_releases/prnewswire/showPressRelease.jhtml?&CompanyId=1&HeadlineId=X556090
*****
VoIP
*****
Get ready for attacks on VoIP?
Spam, phishing and denial of service could all soon be threatening VoIP
services, and businesses need to take steps now to ward off the danger.
http://zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Get_ready_for_attacks_on_VoIP_/0,130061791,339272192,00.htm
Ovum warns on VoIP risks
Businesses must take steps to minimise the security risks of VoIP technology before it is more widely deployed.
http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2006/11/13/219888/Ovum+warns+on+VoIP+risks.htm
uk: Ofcom silent on VoIP regulation
The publication of Ofcom's proposed regulation for the burgeoning
internet telephony industry has been delayed by at least three months.
http://networks.silicon.com/telecoms/0,39024659,39164023,00.htm
Get ready for attacks on VoIP...
Spam, phishing and denial of service could all soon be threatening VoIP
services, and businesses need to take steps now to ward off the danger.
http://software.silicon.com/security/0,39024655,39164026,00.htm
**********************************
ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN
**********************************
au: Man gets probation for keeping child porn
A 33-year-old Brisbane man who was caught with 1,000 child pornography
images on his computer has been sentenced to two years' probation.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200611/s1787503.htm
au: CBO for `soft' child porn
A WARRNAMBOOL man caught up in an international FBI pornography investigation yesterday received a community-based order.
http://the.standard.net.au/articles/2006/11/14/1163266519325.html
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Check out http://auda.org.au/domain-news/ for the most recent edition
of the domain news, including an RSS feed - already online!
The domain name news is supported by auDA.
Also see http://internews.tv/mailman/admin/internetnews_internews.tv
for an archive and to subscribe to the domain name and general internet
news and http://technewsreview.com.au/ for recent updates and news.
Sources include Quicklinks <http://qlinks.net/> and BNA Internet Law News <http://www.bna.com/ilaw/>.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
(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)
"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
---------
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
