[APPLe list] general internet news - April 14

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

Hi all,

I would like to mention for those with an interest in infrastructure issues that go wider than the internet, I have commenced working on a new blog called Infrastructure News. For those with an interest, check out http://infranews.com.au/.

This is in addition to TelcoNews that looks at Telecom and VoIP news that I recently mentioned. As a reminder, check out http://www.telconews.com/ for this one.

If anyone has any news or other information for these blogs, or even on domain name issues or general internet issues, please send it through.

And don't forget to check out my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for daily updates in between postings.

Cheers
David

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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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Developments in fibre technologies and investment
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/49/8/40390735.pdf

Public rights of way for fibre deployment to the home
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/49/9/40390753.pdf

Excessive Internet Use: The Role of Personality, Loneliness and Social Support Networks in Internet Addiction by Elizabeth Hardie and Ming Yi Tee
http://www.swin.edu.au/sbs/ajets/journal/V5N1/V5N1abstract_hardie.htm

Regulating Mobile Content: Convergences and Citizenship by Gerard Goggin [International Journal of Communications Law and Policy]
http://ijclp.net/article.php?doc=7&issue=12_2008

Nine out of 10 UK web users watch video
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/apr/10/web20.digitalmedia

MOBILITY: Nomads at last - how wireless is changing the way we work, live and love
http://www.economist.com/specialreports/displayStory.cfm?story_id=10950394

In every measure, Obama clobbers Clinton online
http://machinist.salon.com/blog/2008/04/11/obama_online/

Australian eBay members cry foul
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23521777-15306,00.html

feeBay: eBay mandates PayPal for all Australian payments
http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php/id;1263339578;fp;2;fpid;1

Updated Web Browsers: Which One Works Best?
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,144338-c,browsers/article.html

US groups seek to shield minors' Web data
http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fi-kidsonline12apr12,1,6408934.story

U.S. Adults Wary Of Web-Use Tracking
http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/privacy/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207100981

Australian email spy plan about national security: Gillard
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/14/2215638.htm

Europe rejects plan to criminalize file-sharing [IDG]
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/04/10/Europe-rejects-plan-to-criminalize-file-sharing_1.html

In Europe, a Push to Take Away Piracy Suspects' Internet Access
http://nytimes.com/2008/04/14/business/worldbusiness/14isp.html

What's the Future of Mobile Music? [Billboard]
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/144498/whats_the_future_of_mobile_music.html

Vodafone biggest seller of music singles in NZ
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10503646

Indonesia restores access to YouTube Web site
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKJAK17047820080411

New Zealand's Digital Copyright Law Demonstrates Anti-Circumvention Flexibility
http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/2829/125/

New Zealand ISPs forced to police internet piracy
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/F6D6303585849E65CC2574290075FE8E

au: Tenders called for $4.7b broadband project
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23522597-15306,00.html

WiMax to pip LTE 3G at the post? 4G race could see a winner soon
http://networks.silicon.com/mobile/0,39024665,39186779,00.htm


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RESEARCH PAPERS
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Developments in fibre technologies and investment
Users' bandwidth demands continue to increase over time and this is leading Internet service providers and telecommunication operators to find ways to meet these growing network capacity requirements. Operators have spent the previous 20 years extending fibre backbones out to local main distribution frames but now many are working on pushing fibre ever closer to end-users in order to improve capacity. This paper provides an overview of developments in optical fibre communication technology and investment.
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/49/8/40390735.pdf

Public rights of way for fibre deployment to the home
Fibre network deployments in the last mile are viewed as a key technology for communications access in the high-speed broadband market providing capacity that is symmetric and can support multiple play services. One factor which can slow the pace of fibre investment in the local loop is the cost associated with legal and regulatory procedures in obtaining permits for access to streets, roads, and other public lands as well as barriers to access existing ducts. 
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/49/9/40390753.pdf

At a Crossroads: "Personhood" and Digital Identity in the Information Society
This paper discusses the relationship between the development of digital identity management and the concept of personhood, and the broader links to trust in the information society. It concludes that more investigation is needed to address gaps in international data protection in light of the emergent identity infrastructure.
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/31/6/40204773.doc

Harassment through the Digital Medium A Cross-Jurisdictional Comparative Analysis on the Law on Cyberstalking by Warren Chik
Abstract: ... Cyberstalking has become a concern that has translated into law in larger and more technologically-matured jurisdictions such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan and even in a small country like Singapore. Existing laws relating to harassment or intimidation are often fact- or relationship- specific and are inadequate to meet the needs of modern society, while nascent cyberstalking laws are substantively disparate. I will first use Singapore as a case study and backdrop by presenting the factual experience and judicial developments in Singapore relating to cyberstalking and identify some of the usual problems in its treatment under law. I will then analyse and compare the cyberstalking laws of several key jurisdictions to determine the common elements and treatment amongst them with a view to the formulation of a proposed statutory solution that will take into consideration the different rights and interests
 of members of society in the use of digital media for social interaction. I will also briefly consider the issues of prescriptive, adjudicatory and enforcement jurisdiction and the need for greater international cooperation to deal with the problem through the harmonisation of substantive laws, the coordination in procedural investigative measures and complementary recognition and enforcement laws.
http://jiclt.com/index.php/JICLT/article/view/56

Right of Disabled People to Accessible Internet by Amir Majid
Abstract: Regarding the civil rights of disabled people, I have not come across any test of welfare more potent than that authoritatively enunciated in the UK House of Lords by Lord Slynn of Hadley (a jurist of brilliant distinction). Lord Slynn adopts a purposive and justice-oriented approach to this issue and recommends that a nation shouldstrive to enable a disabled person lead as "normal life" as possible. His Lordship emphasised that "the yardstick of a "normal life" is important; it is a better approach than adopting the test as to whether something is 'essential' or 'desirable'. Social life in the sense of mixing with others, taking part in activities with others, undertaking recreation and cultural activities can be part of normal life. It is not in any way unreasonable that the severely disabled person should wish to be involved in them despite his disability." In this article, the laws in the international scene, the EU, the US and the UK will
 be surveyed briefly. The search will be for finding a legal right to accessible internet for people with disabilities. Then the evaluative remarks will be made on how nations are promulgating pro-disabled laws and what action they are taking to enforce these laws.
http://jiclt.com/index.php/JICLT/article/view/37

Excessive Internet Use: The Role of Personality, Loneliness and Social Support Networks in Internet Addiction by Elizabeth Hardie and Ming Yi Tee
Abstract: An online survey of 96 adults showed that, based on Young's (1998) criteria for the Internet Addiction Test, 40% of the sample could be classified as average internet users, 52% as problem over-users and 8% as pathologically addicted to the internet. The three groups differed on a range of factors, with over-users and addicts spending increasingly more time in online activities, being more neurotic and less extraverted, more socially anxious and emotionally lonely, and gaining greater support from internet social networks than average internet users. Further analysis revealed that only neuroticism and perceived support from online social networks were significant predictors of excessive internet use. In addition, over-users were found to be younger and less experienced in computer use than average or addicted users. Further research is needed to explicate the role of personality and track the possible pathways from novice over-use to eventual
 average use or pathological addiction.
http://www.swin.edu.au/sbs/ajets/journal/V5N1/V5N1abstract_hardie.htm

Regulating Mobile Content: Convergences and Citizenship by Gerard Goggin [International Journal of Communications Law and Policy]
Abstract: Internet and media convergence has been for sometime concentrated on mobile technologies. Most notable, perhaps, has been the emergence of a cluster of online, mobile data and content services and technologies that have been precursors of fully-fledged mobile media themselves. With these important, lucrative, and potentially far-reaching developments in mind, this paper focusses on international approaches to regulation of mobile content with case studies of the US, Canada, Britain and Australia.
As well as reflecting on the trends across these countries, I also consider the implications of such regulation, and the new models of governance they represent, for questions of cultural citizenship. To what extent are questions of cultural citizenship being posed in regulatory and policy models and discussions of mobile content? At stake here is the convergence, or rather clash, of the quite distinct models of cultural citizenship and exchange, that come respectively from the histories and traditions of telecommunications and the Internet. Thus in conclusion I raise the question of why the commons debate with respect to mobiles be so belated? Is the commons a useful notion to draw upon in thinking about the future of mobiles, or are there new concepts required to register what is at stake in these velocitous transformations?
http://ijclp.net/article.php?doc=7&issue=12_2008

The Principles for User Generated Content Services: A Middle-Ground Approach to Cyber-Governance
The debate over how, whether, and by whom the Internet should be regulated has occurred mostly at the extremes: some have argued that formal regulation of the Internet is impossible and undesirable, advocating for self-governance and heavy reliance on private arrangements, while others have argued that formal, traditional regulation is possible, inevitable, and ideal. ... This Note begins, in Part I, by summarizing the literature on cybergovernance, tracing commentators’ evolving attitudes toward selfgovernance and private arrangements. Part II describes the Principles and their development, focusing on the threads of cooperation and private arrangements underlying the Principles. Part III examines the Principles in light of the various approaches legal scholars have taken to cyber-governance and argues that the Principles represent a promising middle ground that takes advantage of the benefits and minimizes the problems associated with each model.
 Part III also provides a suggestion for how to deepen and extend the middle-ground approach embodied in the Principles, based upon some of their strengths and weaknesses. Part IV concludes.
http://harvardlawreview.org/issues/121/march08/notes/principles_for_user_generated_content.pdf

In My Own World: A Case Study of a Paedophile's Thinking and Doing and His Use of the Internet by David Wilson & Timothy Jones [Howard Journal of Criminal Justice]
Abstract: A case study of a convicted paedophile and the relationship between his thinking and doing is presented to reveal how his fantasy life, his use of the Internet and his contact offences against children are linked. More broadly, the authors propose a generic offending space model to chart how, and in what circumstances fantasy becomes reality.
http://ssrn.com/abstract=1119037

Perfect 10 and Contributory Liability: Can Search Engines Survive? by Damon Chetson
Search engines allow millions of users to locate content on the Internet, including content offered by individuals and companies who have infringed upon a copyright holder's rights. Copyright Law's contributory infringement doctrine presents a dilemma for search engines like Google, whose services may facilitate the infringement of copyrights by enabling users to locate such content on the Internet. The Ninth Circuit's recent decision in Perfect 10, Inc. v. Amazon.com, Inc. highlights the problems associated with contributory liability doctrine in copyright law in the digital era. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals remanded the case to the district court, holding that “reasonable and feasible” means were available to Google, enabling it to block access on its search engine to content that violates a copyright holder's rights. This recent development illustrates some of the problems of applying the standard of contributory liability to search engines
 on the Internet.
http://www.ncjolt.org/content/view/164/107/

Love Actually! Older Adults and their Romantic Internet Relationships by Sue Malta
Abstract: This research was inspired by two stereotypes: first, that older adults don’t do computers – and certainly not the Internet and, secondly, that older adults don’t do sex – they are asexual. The results clearly show these stereotypes to be flawed. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted via synchronous computer-mediated-communication (private chat). The sample consisted of older adults (61 – 85 years) who had all used the Internet to meet potential romantic partners, either through their involvement in online discussion groups or via online dating sites. For the most part, the relationships described were meaningful, intimate and long-lasting. The majority were involved in ongoing sexual activity with their partners, and for some, cyber-sex was or had been an integral part of their relationships. Additionally, a proportion enjoyed flirting online with others and some were also involved in extra-dyadic relationships;
 indicating that sex and intimacy outside of primary, committed relationships was just as compelling an activity for these older adults as for younger Internet users.
http://www.swin.edu.au/sbs/ajets/journal/V5N2/V5N2abstract_malta.htm

Kids' Ad Play: Regulating Children's Advergames in the Converging Media Context by Sara Grimes
Abstract: This article explores possibilities for regulating emerging forms of advertising within children's online culture, focusing specifically on the rising phenomenon of advergames. An immensely popular form of entertainment among children and teens, advergames integrate advertising and market research strategies directly into the fabric of online games and environments. I begin by situating advergames within broader traditions of advertising to children. I then present and discuss four potential "points of entry" for the regulation of these new media advertising practices, which include media regulation, consumer protection law, industry self-regulation and contract law. As media regulation in Canada and the US share many similarities, and because children's digital media is most often transnational with a large proportion of content originating from the US, the discussion draws upon both Canadian and US legislation, providing comparisons where
 relevant. I discuss different courses of action that could potentially establish clearer restrictions on marketers' interactions with children online, as well as enforce regulation of the role of advertising in children's online games. The aim of this paper is to explore the Canadian government's position that existing regulatory frameworks can be effectively extended to digital media, as well as demonstrate the necessity of enhanced coordination and integration if these regulatory regimes are to remain relevant within the converging media context.
http://ijclp.net/article.php?doc=8&issue=12_2008

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INTERNET USE
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Nine out of 10 UK web users watch video
Almost nine out of 10 UK web users watched video online in December, according to comScore, whose data revealed the dominance of YouTube. In the UK, 28.7 million web users, or 87% of the online population, watched video in December, accessing 3.1m videos.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/apr/10/web20.digitalmedia

comScore Video Metrix Launched in U.K., France, Germany and Canada [news release]
... Canada Shows Heavy Online Video Viewing Activity: Of the five countries currently reported by comScore Video Metrix, online video had the highest reach in Canada, where 19 million viewers viewed a video online in December, representing 89 percent of the total online population age 15 and older. The U.K. was next with an 87 percent reach, followed by France with an 84 percent reach and Germany with an 81 percent reach. Penetration was slightly lower in the U.S., where online video reached 78 percent of the total online population.
http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2166

Mobile broadband on the rise among Irish businesses - report
55 per cent of large corporate firms in Ireland use mobile broadband using data cards and modems, says a report by Irish regulator ComReg. ComReg also found that 16 per cent of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) had adopted mobile broadband via laptops, while 24 per cent had accessed the internet over mobile handsets (up from 15 per cent in 2006).
http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=30463

ComReg Business Survey reveals that adoption of mobile broadband is strong [news release]
The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) today published the results of a business survey of the telecommunications needs of large Corporate firms and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The survey, of over 550 businesses in Ireland, was conducted on behalf of ComReg by Millward-Brown IMS in January and February 2008. The survey analyses the usage and attitudes of Irish business to ICT and is conducted twice a year.
http://comreg.ie/publications/comreg_business_survey_reveals_that_adoption_of_mobile_broadband_is_strong.584.103058.p.html

MOBILITY: Nomads at last - how wireless is changing the way we work, live and love
Wireless communication is changing the way people work, live, love and relate to places—and each other, says Andreas Kluth: At the Nomad Café in Oakland, California, Tia Katrina Canlas, a law student at the nearby university in Berkeley, places her double Americano next to her mobile phone and iPod, opens her MacBook laptop computer and logs on to the café's wireless internet connection to study for her class on the legal treatment of sexual orientation. She is a regular here but doesn't usually bring cash, so her credit-card statement reads “Nomad, Nomad, Nomad, Nomad”. That says it all, she thinks. Permanently connected, she communicates by text, photo, video or voice throughout the day with her friends and family, and does her “work stuff” at the same time. She roams around town, but often alights at oases that cater to nomads.
http://www.economist.com/specialreports/displayStory.cfm?story_id=10950394

In every measure, Obama clobbers Clinton online
We've long known that Barack Obama is the Web's favorite presidential candidate -- now that Ron Paul is gone, the race isn't even close. But in a blog post today the Web-analysis firm Compete put out the full measure of Obama's dominance over rival Hillary Clinton.
http://machinist.salon.com/blog/2008/04/11/obama_online/

Google aims to penetrate Deep Web with HTML forms crawling
In a move aimed at taking the search engine giant closer to what's commonly called the Deep Web, Google Inc. Friday said that it has started experimenting to find ways for its search engine to index HTML forms like drop-down boxes and select menus.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/04/11/Google-aims-to-penetrate-Deep-Web-with-HTML-forms-crawling_1.html

Australian eBay members cry foul
... New payment arrangements imposed by the online auction house will see costs dramatically rise for Australians selling goods; as the local market is a testbed for the planned worldwide policy. Buyers will no longer be able to use direct deposits - a popular payment method - personal cheques or money orders to purchase items on the website from June 17.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23521777-15306,00.html

feeBay: eBay mandates PayPal for all Australian payments
eBay is using its massive market share to lock users into paying for purchases through its fee-based PayPal service. In a world first move, the online retailer has announced that as of June 17, users in Australia must use its PayPal payment service for all transactions, with the only exception for cash-on-delivery.
http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php/id;1263339578;fp;2;fpid;1

Mobile Browsing Set For Major Growth
Mobile Web browsing is poised to grow from 76 million browsers delivered last year to nearly 700 million by 2013, according to a new study by ABI Research released Friday.
http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/browsers/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207200175

'Suicide' Internet search turns up 'how to' advice: study [AFP]
People searching the Internet for information about suicide methods are more likely to find sites encouraging suicide than those offering help or support, according to a study released Friday.
http://news.smh.com.au/suicide-internet-search-turns-up-how-to-advice-study/20080411-25li.html
http://news.theage.com.au/suicide-internet-search-turns-up-how-to-advice-study/20080411-25li.html

Running L8 But CU Soon. Luv, Mom
OMG. Dat u mom? Yes, it is. Parents are horning in on their teenagers' lives through text messaging. Sending shorthand cellphone messages used to be the province of the younger set -- under the dinner table, in the car, at all hours of the night.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/10/AR2008041003784.html

France Telecom Goes to the Movies
With its three-screen service, Orange—the telco's mobile, Internet, and TV arm—makes sure you're wired for entertainment wherever you are
http://businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/apr2008/gb20080410_396858.htm

Myspace tries to reach a bigger screen
Positioning a social network as a breeding ground for a television series, MySpace has signed a deal with a British-based production company, ShineReveille International, to distribute its video content outside the United States.
http://iht.com/articles/2008/04/11/technology/myspace.php

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SOCIAL NETWORKING
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Israel army in Facebook clampdown
Israeli defence chiefs have moved to tighten internet social networking rules after photographs appeared showing sensitive military subjects. A review of Facebook pages belonging to Israeli troops found that some had posted detailed pictures of air bases, operations rooms and submarines.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7343238.stm

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES
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IBM races to make hi-tech memory
Handheld gadgets storing thousands of hours of film footage could soon be a reality thanks to IBM scientists. Researchers for the computer giant are working on a technology known as racetrack memory which uses tiny magnetic boundaries to store data.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7341031.stm

Updated Web Browsers: Which One Works Best?
Apple's Safari, Mozilla's Firefox 3, and Microsoft's Internet Explorer 8 duke it out to be the program you use most on your PC. ... Which One Is Best? I'm sticking with Firefox. I use my browser for everything from word processing to story research to invoice filing, and I love being able to customize the program I use most often.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,144338-c,browsers/article.html

Why inflight telephony spells cacophony
Harmony: that is what the European Commission professed to promulgate this week. The decision on "harmonised conditions of spectrum use for the operations of mobile communication services on aircraft" promises to enhance "quality of life". But Brussels' announcement of the freedom to roam, telephonically, at 30,000 feet spells only discord.
http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/simon-calder-why-inflight-telephony-spells-cacophony-808125.html

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SPAM
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New spam tricks revealed
Spammers are increasingly relying on legitimate content and web sites to cloak their messages, attempting to bypass traditional controls by passing their messages off as genuine.
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/NewsStory.aspx?story=73856

us: Judge: law protects Comcast's "Good Samaritan" spam filters
Internet "e-mail marketer" e360insight has had a rough time of it in the courts. The company first came to the public's attention when it sued to try to knock spam blacklist provider Spamhaus off the Internet, an attempt that was ultimately thwarted. e360insight's latest attempts to further its business through the courts has now been dismissed, as a judge has ruled that Comcast's decision to filter e-mails sent by the company is perfectly legal.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080413-judge-law-protects-comcasts-good-samaritan-spam-filters.html

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DIGITAL DIVIDE
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Study finds digital divide in Qatar society
There exists a wide technological divide between children and their parents in Qatari society. Though many e-education initiatives are technologically and pedagogically effective, children may not enroll because of parental anxiety, says Qatar's Global Information Technology Report 2007-2008.
http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&month=April2008&file=Local_News2008041221250.xml

us: Folks below the 'digital divide' would use the Internet more if they had it, research suggests
There is still a "digital divide." Rich people are connected to the Internet more than poor people, and some worry that this creates an "electronic underclass" unable to access important services. Subsidies to help low-income households get online have been suggested.
http://news.cornell.edu/stories/April08/InternetDivide.ws.html

Can the Cellphone Help End Global Poverty?
If you need to reach Jan Chipchase, the best, and sometimes only, way to get him is on his cellphone. The first time I spoke to him last fall, he was at home in his apartment in Tokyo. The next time, he was in Accra, the capital of Ghana, in West Africa. Several weeks after that, he was in Uzbekistan, by way of Tajikistan and China, and in short order he and his phone visited Helsinki, London and Los Angeles. If you decide not to call Jan Chipchase but rather to send e-mail, the odds are fairly good that you’ll get an “out of office” reply redirecting you back to his cellphone, with a notation about his current time zone — “GMT +9” or “GMT -8” — so that when you do call, you may do so at a courteous hour.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/13/magazine/13anthropology-t.html

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ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL
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Fears over pro-suicide web pages
People searching the web for information on suicide are more likely to find sites encouraging the act than offering support, a study says. Researchers used four search engines to look for suicide-related sites, the British Medical Journal said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7341024.stm

Computer viruses hit one million
The number of viruses, worms and trojans in circulation has topped the one million mark. The new high for malicious programs was revealed by security firm Symantec in the latest edition of its bi-annual Internet Security Threat Report.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7340315.stm

Top botnets control 1M hijacked computers
Storm is a shadow of its former self, Kraken is just another name for Bobax, and the biggest botnet goes by the mouthful of "Srizbi," a noted botnet researcher said Wednesday as he released the results of his census of the various armies of hacked computers that spew spam.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/04/10/Top-botnets-control-1M-hijacked-computers_1.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,144359-c,cybercrime/article.html

Google Accused of Unfairly Rejecting Anti-Abortion Ad
A Christian group in Britain is suing Google over the search engine's alleged refusal to place an ad related to abortion.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,348869,00.html

Free Tibet Web sites hacked
Malware has been detected on two pro-Tibet independence Web sites, in what could be a politically motivated attack, according to security supplier ScanSafe. The security vendor detected the malware on FreeTibet.org and SaveTibet.org Web sites.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/04/10/Free-Tibet-Web-sites-hacked_1.html

us: Eight Teenagers Charged in Internet Beating Have Their Day on the Web
The six teenage girls accused of beating a classmate and filming the attack for the Internet made their first court appearance on Friday, looking down and occasionally covering their faces with their hands and hair to avoid a gaggle of cameras.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/12/us/12florida.html

us: Video of Teen Beating Raises Questions [AP]
Eight Florida teenagers charged with beating another teen so they could post the "animalistic" attack on YouTube got exactly what they had wanted _ worldwide exposure.
http://news.smh.com.au/video-of-teen-beating-raises-questions/20080412-25ns.html
http://news.theage.com.au/video-of-teen-beating-raises-questions/20080412-25ns.html

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PRIVACY
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US groups seek to shield minors' Web data
A coalition of medical groups and child advocates called Friday for guidelines that would prevent Internet companies from tracking the behavior of minors online, contending that many adolescents are divulging more than they realize and aren't digesting complex privacy policies.
http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fi-kidsonline12apr12,1,6408934.story

U.S. Adults Wary Of Web-Use Tracking
A majority of U.S. adults are uncomfortable with Web sites using a person's online activity to deliver customized content, a study released Thursday showed.
http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/privacy/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207100981

Majority Uncomfortable with Websites Customizing Content Based Visitors Personal Profiles [news release]
A majority of U.S. adults are skeptical about the practice of websites using information about a person's online activity to customize website content. However, after being introduced to four potential recommendations for improving websites privacy and security polices, U.S. adults become somewhat more comfortable with the websites use of personal information.
http://harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=894

American ISPs already sharing data with outside ad firms
Multiple American ISPs are sharing customer data with outside firms that deal in so-called behavioral ad targeting, and according to one of these firms, the Silicon Valley-based NebuAd, roughly 10 per cent of all US web surfers are affected.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/10/american_isps_embrace_behavioral_ad_targeting/

Australian bosses' to get power to check email
Companies will be able to intercept the emails and internet communications of their employees without their consent under new laws being considered by the Federal Government to protect the nation's critical infrastructure from a cyber attack.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/04/13/1208025032644.html
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/04/13/1208025032644.html

Australian email spy powers 'a licence for witch hunts'
Civil rights groups have spoken out against a proposal for closer monitoring of email and internet use in workplaces.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/14/2216007.htm

Australian email spy plan about national security: Gillard
Employers would be able to read their staff's emails under proposed new national security laws being considered by the Federal Government.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/14/2215638.htm

Gillard defends email intercept
Proposed laws to allow companies to snoop on their workers' emails are needed to protect vital electronic infrastructure from terrorist attacks, Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard says.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/04/14/1208025037405.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/04/14/1208025033663.html
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,23535343-2702,00.html

Bosses to be made email spies in anti-terror plan
Laws to allow bosses to snoop on their employees' emails are needed to protect crucial infrastructure from terrorist attacks, Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard says.
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23535254-5006301,00.html

Bosses to snoop on emails - and you would never know
Bosses could be given the power to snoop on employees' emails and monitor their internet messaging under a new plan to avert a terrorist attack in Australia.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23535224-2,00.html

Aussie considers workplace spy powers [AAP]
New laws that give companies the power to intercept employee emails and internet communications without consent are being considered by the federal government in the name of national security.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=55&objectid=10504000

Office gossip emails still safe [AAP]
Proposed laws to allow companies to snoop on their workers' emails are needed to protect vital electronic infrastructure from terrorist attacks, Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard says.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23535335-1702,00.html

Australian Google execs out of sight
They spend their days devising technology that eats away at privacy but when it comes to disclosing their own personal information the people behind Google's prying mapping systems are less than co-operative.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23526150-7582,00.html

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FILE SHARING
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Europe rejects plan to criminalize file-sharing [IDG]
The European Parliament rejected attempts to criminalize the sharing of files by private individuals and threw out the idea of banning copyright abusers from the Internet, in a plenary vote Thursday.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/04/10/Europe-rejects-plan-to-criminalize-file-sharing_1.html
http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php/id;1466645745;fp;2;fpid;1

Europe rejects anti-piracy plans
European politicians have voted down calls to throw suspected file-sharers off the net. The idea to cut off persistent pirates formed part of a wide-ranging report on creative industries written for the European parliament.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7342135.stm

EU votes against disconnecting file-sharers
People should not be criminalised for the file-sharing of copyrighted material if they are not profiting from doing so, the European Parliament has recommended.
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/0,1000000085,39384074,00.htm

In Europe, a Push to Take Away Piracy Suspects' Internet Access
Prodded by the music industry and government, some Internet service providers are reluctantly exploring the adoption of an old-fashioned shunning ritual as the ultimate 21st century punishment: banishing errant online users.
http://iht.com/articles/2008/04/13/business/ISP14.php
http://nytimes.com/2008/04/14/business/worldbusiness/14isp.html

What's the Future of Mobile Music? [Billboard]
... And while there's been much discussion about how ease of use, need for innovation, pricing and so on contribute to the problem, one of the overlooked issues is that of marketing. Talk to any mobile industry executive or major-label representative, and they'll tell you all about how excited they are over ringback tones, mobile video, full-song downloads and such. But ask them to take out their checkbook and pay for some advertising around these services and you'll soon be facing empty air.
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/144498/whats_the_future_of_mobile_music.html

Next Generation Music Services Will Halt European Music Industry Decline by 2010 [news release]
As CD sales will continue to dwindle, next-generation digital music services will be key to future music industry revenues, according to a new report from JupiterResearch, a leading authority on the impact of the Internet and emerging consumer technologies on business. The report, 'European Next-Generation Digital Music Services: Remove Consumer Barriers to Drive Mass-Market' finds that next-generation digital offerings will eventually embrace platform agnosticism and begin to meet consumer expectations of music 'without limits.'
http://jupiterresearch.com/bin/item.pl/press:press_release/2008/id=08.04.09-next-gen-music-services.html/

Flickr to offer video sharing
Photo-sharing website Flickr has confirmed months of speculation and responded to demands from its users to introduce video sharing.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/apr/09/web20.digitalmedia

Vodafone biggest seller of music singles in NZ
Digital music sales in New Zealand are soaring with mobile phone company Vodafone selling the most music singles, beating out traditional record stores, The Warehouse, iTunes and rival phone company Telecom for the top position.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10503646

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CENSORSHIP
**********************
Indonesia restores access to YouTube Web site
Indonesia's Internet service providers have restored access to YouTube and other Web sites that carried a Dutch lawmaker's film that accuses the Koran of inciting violence, an industry official said on Friday.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKJAK17047820080411

Indonesia ends YouTube ban [AFP]
Indonesia's main internet providers say they have restored access to YouTube and other sites carrying a controversial anti-Islam film following "overwhelming" protests from web users.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/11/2214683.htm

Indonesia apologises for YouTube blockade [AFP]
Indonesia ended its blockade of websites carrying a controversial anti-Islam film and apologised to the public on Friday after a string of angry complaints and accusations of censorship.
http://news.smh.com.au/indonesia-apologises-for-youtube-blockade/20080412-25n1.html
http://news.theage.com.au/indonesia-apologises-for-youtube-blockade/20080412-25n1.html

Blocking of YouTube by three ISPs attacked as “excessive” [news release]
Reporters Without Borders today denounced as “excessive” the government’s demand that 146 Internet service providers (ISP) block access to the YouTube video website because of the posting on it of a Dutch film, "Fitna," which criticises the Koran.
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=26496

So now we can legally watch Max Mosley being beaten by prostitutes. For whom is this a victory?
Having primly waited for permission from a high court judge, I have finally got on the internet and looked at a video of Max Mosley's sado-masochistic sex games with a group of London prostitutes. I tried the News of the World's website, but this was a bit of a disappointment because, while I could hear the formula one boss pleading for more punishment in a stage German accent, no pictures appeared on the screen at all.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/apr/11/law

Web users flock to Mosley sex video
The News of the World's video of Formula One boss Max Mosley with five prostitutes attracted almost 189,000 unique visitors to its website yesterday, according to figures released by the newspaper.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/apr/11/newsoftheworld.pressandpublishing

Saudi Blogger Releases Christian Version of 'Fitna'
The recent film "Fitna" by the controversial Dutch politician Geert Wilders was seen by many as an attack on Islam. Now a Saudi blogger has created a film featuring violent texts from the Bible, with the intention of showing that stereotyping can go both ways.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,546534,00.html

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CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION
************************************************
au: Senators caught up in the Fielding Filth Filter
Steve Fielding, the Senate choice of 1.88% of Victorians, is obsessed with p-rnography. Since he arrived in Canberra, no Estimates session has been complete without Fielding earnestly declaring that Australian families weren't safe from the flood of p-rn ready to roll out of their PCs. His greatest direct contribution to public policy since he was "elected" was to badger the Howard Government into wasting tens of millions of dollars on the ludicrous Netalert internet filter scheme.
http://www.crikey.com.au/Politics/20080411-Senators-caught-up-in-the-Fielding-Filth-Filter.html

au: Would you like yours filtered?
For the 100th time, filtering content at the ISP level does not work. The federal government is currently looking at making ISP’s provide a “clean feed” into your home. However, a clean feed is not 100 per cent clean, can prevent you from accessing legitimate sites and is easily circumvented. Providing a clean feed does not address the major problems: children who are groomed, harassed and bullied via email, social websites, chat rooms and mobile phones.
http://onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=7233

Fortinet wins 'Deep Throat' porn filtering test
The controversial Deep Throat Fight Club test of porn filters held at this week's RSA security show has declared a winner. According to organizers Untangle, the best performer was Fortinet.
http://www.techworld.com/security/news/index.cfm?newsID=11946
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/04/10/Fortinet-wins-Deep-Throat-filter-test_1.html
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;597781564;fp;2;fpid;1

Brazil wants Google info on alleged pedophiles
A panel of the Brazilian senate has ordered Google to provide access to account information for 3,261 suspected pedophiles who've used Google's Orkut social-networking service, Agence France-Presse reported Wednesday.
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9916570-7.html

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GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
**************************
New Zealand's Digital Copyright Law Demonstrates Anti-Circumvention Flexibility
New Zealand passed its digital copyright law this week, drawing the ire of the technology community and the blogosphere.  While the bill isn't great, many of the provisions are far better than what Industry Minister Jim Prentice may have in mind for Canada including format and time shifting provisions as well as anti-circumvention provisions that are more flexible than those found in the DMCA.  In fact, the anti-circumvention provisions are arguably the best of any country, since they are compliant with WIPO, limited in scope, and seek to preserve fair dealing rights.
http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/2829/125/

New Zealand copyright reform law schools US DMCA on fair use
New Zealand got a massive new copyright reform bill this week. Was it good? Was it bad? It depends on who you ask (and whether they read the bill). This is a major piece of legislation, and we won't even attempt to summarize all that's packed inside. For our purposes, the anti-circumvention provisions are the most interesting, as they have turned out to be the most hated part of the DMCA. American consumers have never been able to figure out why they should not be allowed to rip DVDs and put them on an iPod, for instance, or why they weren't allowed to bypass the region coding on a video game that was legally imported from another continent. Now they can look on New Zealand and think about what might have been.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080410-new-zealand-copyright-reform-law-schools-us-dmca-on-fair-use.html

New Zealand ISPs forced to police internet piracy
Internet service providers took a big step towards becoming internet police courtesy of a new copyright law passed in Parliament last week.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/F6D6303585849E65CC2574290075FE8E

Copyright Act may drag ISPs into disputes
InternetNZ fears Internet service providers will be dragged into dozens of disputes every day over who owns copyright to material posted on homepages and websites they host.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4479398a28.html
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4479398a28.html

nz: Music labels unlikely to opt out of 'iPod' change
The Recording Industry Association says record companies are unlikely to try to use "opt out" provisions in the amended Copyright Act to prevent people from copying music from CDs to iPods, MP3 players, telephones and computers.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4479390a28.html

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COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS
*********************************
Sir David Attenborough fronts Google charity push
Sir David Attenborough has thrown his weight behind a Google initiative to open its mapping tools to environmental charities. Google Earth Outreach can be used by charities and non-governmental organisations to embellish maps with a layer of text, video and audio content to illustrate their projects around the world.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/apr/10/googlethemedia.digitalmedia

Yahoo, Weighing Options, Keeps Them Open
Yahoo’s board met Friday to evaluate Microsoft’s takeover bid and other alternatives but did not make a formal decision on which option to pursue, people briefed on the meeting said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/12/technology/12yahoo.html

Yahoo! holds council of war on Microsoft plan
Yahoo! held a board meeting yesterday to review how far its discussions with Time Warner about a white knight rescue were progressing, although any agreement is still thought to be a fortnight away.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article3732170.ece

Microsoft counsel warns against Yahoo-Google deal
Microsoft's top lawyer on Thursday warned that any deal between Yahoo and Google would hurt competition.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/internet/0,39044908,62040143,00.htm

Microsoft Windows 'in danger of collapsing', analysts say
Microsoft Windows, the operating system which has dominated desktop computing for decades, is in danger of collapsing, according to analysts at Gartner.
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3730534.ece

Reports of Windows’ demise are greatly exaggerated
I was planning to avoid posting about Gartner’s “Windows will collapse under its own weight” presentation from earlier this week because I felt it was a bunch of hype that didn’t provide any new insights or conclusions. But given how many others are riffing — and riffing crazily — on Gartner’s findings, I’ve decided to throw my two cents in.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1331

Gartner: Windows collapsing under its own weight; Radical change needed
Microsoft’s Windows juggernaut is collapsing as it tries to support 20 years of applications and becomes more complicated by the minute. Meanwhile, Windows has outgrown hardware and customers are pondering skipping Vista to wait for Windows 7. If Windows is going to remain relevant it will need radical changes.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=8428

Traditional software licensing: Why you pay more and a look at your options
It’s hard to believe that some of the most profitable software companies in the world–Oracle, Microsoft and SAP–are sitting on a licensing model that is untenable in the long run and will increasingly irk customers. But there may be a revolution in the cards that could tip the balance of power, argues Gartner.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=8440

U.N. Teams With Google Earth To Track Refugees, Educate Public
Can Google Earth save the world? The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees announced a new partnership with the search engine this week. The goal: To use Google's globe-mapping software to illustrate the plight of parts of the planet's population.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/11/AR2008041103566.html

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TELECOMMUNICATIONS
**********************
au: Tenders called for $4.7b broadband project
THE federal government has moved a step closer to delivering on its promise of building a national high-speed broadband network.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23522597-15306,00.html

Australian Government invites National Broadband Network proposals
The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy, today announced the release of the Request for Proposals (RFP) to roll-out and operate the National Broadband Network.
http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2008/023

All eyes on Australian broadband bids
An emerging Indian telecommunications company, two huge private equity funds and a major local investment bank are all considering making bids through consortiums for the Rudd Government's $9 billion-plus national broadband network project.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23536004-15306,00.html

Which Broadband and IT Vision for America?
Broadband and IT policy in the United States is increasingly mired in a debate that is as extreme as it is unproductive. One side sees government as the problem; the other sees big corporations. One side wants all networks and information to be private with almost no role for government. The other wants big corporations out of the role of providing networks, content and software; instead these should be publicly-owned, produced by open-source volunteers, or owned by small mom and pop ISPs. In this WebMemo, ITIF President Rob Atkinson argues that it’s time for a debate in America that focuses on the most important digital economy issues: how to get fast broadband networks to all Americans; how to use IT to transform our health care system, transportation system, education system, and government; and how to encourage all organizations to become digital, thereby driving productivity and income growth, and resulting in a better quality of life.
http://www.itif.org/index.php?id=136

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MOBILE/WIRELESS
**********************
WiMax to pip LTE 3G at the post? 4G race could see a winner soon
WiMax could prove to be the winner in the 4G race against the long-term evolution of 3G, simply because the technology is here first. Teresa Kellett, director of global development for telco Sprint Nextel, said during a panel discussion at this week's WiMax Forum Asia 2008 that WiMax's first-mover advantage over the long-term evolution of 3G (LTE) may eventually help the former become a more widely adopted technology.
http://networks.silicon.com/mobile/0,39024665,39186779,00.htm
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/0,1000000085,39384063,00.htm

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VoIP
**********************
VoIP Jargon Decoded
How to make sense of the geek-speak you’ll hear when talking to VoIP providers and phone vendors: Try talking shop with your local VoIP service provider or an IP PBX vendor, and you’ll swear that you’re listening to a language other than English. That’s no surprise, given the never-ending range of acronyms and buzzwords that pass for industry parlance these days. It’s worth taking the time, however, to read between the lines. Behind the jargon are some serious pros and cons that companies need to consider when migrating to VoIP. Here are a handful of some of today’s most common VoIP terms — and what they really mean.
http://www.voip-news.com/feature/voip-jargon-decoded-041008/

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ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN
**********************************
us: Officials Find Child Pornography on 20,000 Va. Computers
Law enforcement officials working undercover were sent child pornography files from nearly 20,000 private computers in the state over a 30-month period, according to a report by an expert on the distribution of Internet child porn.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/08/AR2008040803930.html

nz: 'Uncrackable' computer key to finding Marie
A computer may hold the key to the disappearance of 15-year-old Christchurch girl Marie Davis. A specialist police team is examining the contents of Marie's computer, including trawling through websites she has visited and emails.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4475978a11.html


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David Goldstein
 address: 4/3 Abbott Street
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           AUSTRALIA
 email: Goldstein_David @yahoo.com.au
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