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general internet news - 23 February
Don't forget to see my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for regular updates.
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Sponsored by the Singapore Internet Research Centre
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
http://www.ntu.edu.sg/sci/sirc/
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Egypt blogger jailed for 'insult'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6385849.stm
nz: Google axes death-threat blog
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10425243
Virtual child porn may be a crime in Netherlands
http://news.com.com/2100-1028_3-6161025.html
The changing media environment in Singapore
http://abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2007/1841546.htm
Estonia to hold first national Internet election
http://news.com.com/2100-1028_3-6161005.html
The mash-up future of the web
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6375525.stm
au: Broadband grows to 3.6m
http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,21274073%5e16123%5e%5enbv%5e,00.html
New Zealanders flock to AdultSheepFinder.com
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/21/shep_fanciers_website/
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CENSORSHIP
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Censorship: Still a burning issue
If you want to know what defines an era, look no further than the authors, artists and activists who fell foul if it. Censorship is as old as civilisation itself - and the drive to suppress as strong today as ever. As 'The Independent' launches a major series of the greatest banned books in history, Boyd Tonkin asks whether the thought police will ever learn
http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/books/features/article2294384.ece
Egypt blogger jailed for 'insult'
An Egyptian court jails an internet blogger for four years for insulting Islam and President Hosni Mubarak.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6385849.stm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/egypt/story/0,,2019064,00.html
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/africa/article2296833.ece
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article1425345.ece
Egyptian blogger sentenced to four years in prison (news release)
Amnesty International condemns the four-year sentence handed down by an Egyptian court against blogger Karim Amer, and calls for his immediate and unconditional release.
http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGMDE120062007
nz: Google axes death-threat blog
A blog which was shut down by Google after it posted a death threat against a New Zealand politician can still be reached using the internet giant's own search engine.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/02/22/1171733918505.html
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/488120/1001143
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10425243
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CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION
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us: CDT Analyzes Data Retention, Other Proposals For Protecting Kids Online
The Center for Democracy and Technology recommends education and filtering tools to prevent what it calls an unfair burden of liability on content and communications providers.
http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=197007837
Internet safety gets powerful champion
A new web safety thinktank launched in Europe today with the backing of major tech firms including BT, Verizon and Microsoft. The Family Online Safety Institute is a non-profit organisation funded by membership of technology, telecoms and content firms and chaired by Nick Truman, head of internet security at BT.
http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/0,,2019019,00.html
Virtual child porn may be a crime in Netherlands
Virtual enactments of child pornography may be a crime under Dutch law if it encourages child abuse, the public prosecutor said Wednesday.
http://news.com.com/2100-1028_3-6161025.html
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKL2114716620070221
Dutch demand ban of virtual child porn in Second Life
The Dutch prosecutor's office is considering legal actions to test the law against child porn in the popular virtual game Second Life. With no clear litigation, it is difficult to act against perpetrators.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/21/dutch_demand_ban_on_virtual_child_porn/
Dutch prosecutors: Second Life is "a school for pedophiles"
At the moment, the Dutch prosecutor's office as well as four political parties in the Netherlands, are all up in arms against virtual pedophilia. Specifically, they are requesting to ban virtual sex with virtual minors within the realm of the MMORPG, Second Life. In fact, Jos Buschman of the Van Mesdag clinic in Groningen, has even gone as far as to say that the game is "by definition a school for pedophiles".
http://mmorpg.qj.net/Dutch-prosecutors-Second-Life-is-a-school-for-pedophiles-/pg/49/aid/83811
Canada's Telus drops mobile porn
Canadian network operator Telus has bowed to pressure from the Catholic church and stopped sales of mobile porn to subscribers.
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2183910/canadian-software-stance-mobile
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CYBERCRIME, CYBERSECURITY AND PRIVACY
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Hollywood faces up to DRM flop
The system designed to protect next-generation DVDs from pirates has been cracked - and even the hackers are surprised at how easy it was
http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,2017948,00.html
au: Graphic website clue to Carly's death
Police investigating the murder of a teenage girl whose body was found floating off a South Australian beach have reportedly begun scouring through her MySpace account in case her murderer posted a message on her site before her death.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/02/23/1171733996788.html
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21271997-421,00.html
de: Unwilling Cyber-Porn Stars
More and more private films are showing up on Internet porn sites. The women filmed often have no idea they have become online porn stars. The man calling on the phone didn't introduce himself and got right to the point. He said he had just discovered this hot little video of her on the Internet, and that he would now of course like to have wild sex with her. Could he come by? At first Birgit H. thought the man who woke her up so rudely on a Sunday morning in October had simply dialled a number at random. But then she got calls from other strangers -- hardly a coincidence. With the help of a lawyer, the 27-year-old discovered that a private film showing her in the shower had been published on an Internet forum for sexual contacts. The film could only have been posted by her ex-boyfriend -- but he denies it.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,467422,00.html
Europe's plan to track phone and Net use
European governments are preparing legislation to require companies to keep detailed data about people's Internet and phone use that goes beyond what the countries will be required to do under a European Union directive
http://news.com.com/2100-7348_3-6160521.html
Microsoft must pay $1.5bn in MP3 patent case
Jury orders software giant to pay damages to Alcatel-Lucent for infringement of MP3 patents, in a case that could have big implications
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1000000121,39286036,00.htm
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GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
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The changing media environment in Singapore
The Media Report examines the limits of liberalisation in nearby Singapore. There's little doubt the society is loosening up and that includes its media. But has the ruling People's Action Party given any ground when it comes to the coverage of political affairs?
http://abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2007/1841546.htm
Estonia to hold first national Internet election
The Baltic state of Estonia plans to become the world's first country to allow voting in a national parliamentary election via the Internet next month--with a little help from the forest king.
http://news.com.com/2100-1028_3-6161005.html
http://iht.com/articles/2007/02/22/business/evote.php
us: The Thorny Problems Posed by Online Predator Bills
Online predators will again be the target of legislation filed in Congress this year. Sen. Ted Stevens filed a measure last month aimed at protecting children from pornographers, predators and list brokers. Meanwhile, in the House last week, Mark Kirk submitted a bill entitled the "Deleting Online Predators Act," which is reportedly very similar to legislation approved by the House last year but killed in the Senate. The breadth of the provisions in the Stevens bill have civil libertarians, educators, librarians and Internet activists in a tizzy.
http://ecommercetimes.com/story/55913.html
Cuba?s Internet access cramped by U.S. blockade
The U.S. blockade?s effect on Cuba?s access to the Internet was a topic earlier this month as some 1,650 participants from 58 countries participated in Cuba?s 12th Information Technology Fair, held in Havana, Feb. 12-16.
http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/10620/1/360
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INTERNET & NEW TECHNOLOGY USE
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The mash-up future of the web
The way we use the web is changing and the future lies in mixing, mash-ups and pipes, says BBC columnist Bill Thompson.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6375525.stm
In China, Stern Treatment For Young Internet 'Addicts'
Alarmed by a survey that found that nearly 14 percent of teens in China are vulnerable to becoming addicted to the Internet, the Chinese government has launched a nationwide campaign to stamp out what the Communist Youth League calls "a grave social problem" that threatens the nation.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/21/AR2007022102094.html
kr: Leading the way in user-input journalism
South Korea ranks as one of the most Internet-literate countries in the world. And the OhMy News Service, headquartered in Seoul, has been at the leading edge in pioneering what's often called 'citizen journalism'. Now it could be argued that most of what professes to be 'citizen journalism' is actually little more than dubious conjecture and gossip. But at OhMy News, they've been working on promoting user-input into their service in a way that still ensures professionally journalistic accountability.
http://abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2007/1843323.htm
S. Korean Internet users grow in January amid wide digital divide
The number of broadband Internet users in South Korea grew in January but the digital gap between urban and rural areas remained wide, a government report showed Thursday.
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/Engnews/20070222/640000000020070222161034E8.html
au: Broadband grows to 3.6m
THE number of broadband services in Australia edged over 3.6 million in the September 2006 quarter, but around 2.75 million users remain on dial-up connections.
http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,21274073%5e16123%5e%5enbv%5e,00.html
New Zealanders flock to AdultSheepFinder.com
The ovine-lovers resource is evidently a big hit down there in NZ, with around 100 per cent of the current worldwide membership of 20,333 coming from the set of Lord of the Rings.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/21/shep_fanciers_website/
Firefox loses browser share, Safari gains
Mozilla's Firefox browser lost market share last month, report web metrics company Net Applications. But Apple's Safari continued to gain ground, an indicator of a slow but sure uptick in Macintosh sales.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/BDE45A5DB03111A2CC25728A00100524
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DIGITAL DIVIDE
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in: Government committed to bridging digital divide: President
Appreciating the need for empowering the citizen with modern information technology, President APJ Abdul Kalam today announced that the year 2007 will be the ?Year of Broadband? as the government was committed to bridging the digital divide by providing broadband coverage throughout the country.
http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k7/feb/feb293.htm
us: Smarter kids through television: debunking myths old and new
The digital divide used to separate rich from poor; now it separates parents from their children. Whether it's infants watching the new 24-hour "Baby's First TV" channel, or teenagers instant messaging while they watch last night's "Daily Show" on their iPods, television is an enormous presence in the lives of kids today. The average American child spends three to five hours a day watching it. And they start their viewing careers much earlier than ever before: In 1961, the average child began to watch television at age 3; today it is 9 months.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2003582570_tvoped22.html
Bridging the divide
Waiting until 2007 to launch a special issue on technology means most Internet startups and breakthroughs in gadgetry are old news. What's happening now has more to do with the tools people are creating?and the collaborative way they're creating those tools?that allow people to be more creative and make unprecedented connections with one another.
http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A44734
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FILE SHARING
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US crackdown on students' illegal downloads
The US recording industry today embarked on a new drive against illegal music downloading on campuses throughout America.
http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2018226,00.html
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/editorial/16746514.htm
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COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS
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The internet has shifted the balance of power
It is what in theory ought to happen - but it is good to know that it is indeed happening. In theory the development of the internet is hugely democratic. It gives all of us the access to knowledge that a decade ago would have required a research department in a multinational. But it takes a while for people to figure out how to use the new technologies and for the services distributed through those technologies to be developed. Email, broadband, Google, eBay, Youtube, Skype and other ventures are changing the balance of power between the individual on the one hand and the state and big companies on the other.
http://comment.independent.co.uk/columnists_m_z/hamish_mcrae/article2296811.ece
uk: From banks to football, the consumers' revolt grows
For decades British customers tolerated poor service with a resigned attitude and never dared to complain. No more. From high street banks to football stadia, people are exhibiting a steadfast refusal to put up with high prices or shoddy standards. Instead, in their millions and harnessing the power of the internet, they are switching supplier, staying away, signing petitions, engaging in local democracy. In short, they are fighting back.
http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/article2296831.ece
Apple and Cisco share iPhone name
Apple and Cisco Systems agree to share the iPhone trademark, allowing both firms to use the name.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6384875.stm
Google goes after Microsoft with software suite
Google is getting serious about taking on Microsoft. Today, it introduces Google Apps Premium Edition, a software suite for companies that provides e-mail, instant messaging, calendar, word processing and spreadsheets. The cost is $50 per worker per year vs. about $500-$600 for Microsoft Office.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/2007-02-22-google-apps_x.htm
Wikimedia Foundation denies financial difficulties
Newspapers brought financial woes upon themselves, says Craigslist bossFri, Feb, 23 2007The newspaper industry has brought its financial troubles on itself, according to the chief executive of Craigslist, the company that has been accused of decimating the newspaper industry's advertising business.
http://out-law.com/page-7800
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VoIP
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Regulation and Taxation of VoIP in the United States
The United States Congress has passed several regulatory acts to prevent states from exercising regulatory authority over new Internet services, and also gave the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) jurisdiction over new services such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or Internet Telephony. The FCC has issued several declaratory rulings on various VoIP services and has reported to Congress regarding the classification of different varieties of VoIP services. In June 2005, the FCC imposed Enhanced 911 (E911) obligations on providers of interconnected VoIP services.
http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=latestnews&id=1687
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ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN
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uk: Internet police uncover global paedophile ring
Police rescue eight children after uncovering paedophile ring based in Britain with 300 members worldwide.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,2018548,00.html
http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2018547,00.html
Aussie found with 1000 child porn images
AN Australian man caught with 1000 pornographic images of children as young as five could face up to 20 years' jail in the US.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21266967-663,00.html
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(c) David Goldstein 2007
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David Goldstein
address: 4/3 Abbott Street
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