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[APPLe list] general internet news - April 17
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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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Don't forget to check out http://auda.org.au/domain-news/ for today's edition of the complete domain news, including an RSS feed - already online!
And see my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for daily updates in between postings.
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Iceland, Scandinavia top Internet users [AFP]
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23541755-38200,00.html
ACCC to probe Australian eBay policies
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23548903-15306,00.html
ACCC probe of eBay's PayPal forcing
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/04/16/1208025245331.html
US surfers watch 10 billion videos a month
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2214430/surfers-tune-billion-web-videos
Google tightens US web search stranglehold: More than 6.4 billion core searches in March
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2214393/google-boosts-stranglehold-web
Cubans allowed to buy mobile phones
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/15/2216983.htm
New spam site found every three seconds
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2214356/spam-site-found-every-three
ISPs Meddled With Their Customers' Web Traffic, Study Finds [IDG]
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/144682/isps_meddled_with_their_customers_web_traffic_study_finds.html
Two held over Mid-East undersea cable damage
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2214202/two-held-undersea-cable-damage
RIPE NCC Publishes Analysis of Mediterranean Cable Outages
http://ripe.net/news/mediterranean-cable-outages-20080411.html
Piracy costing movie makers billions
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/14/business/media/14piracy.html
Comcast, Pando Call for Pact on P2P Rights [IDG]
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/144680/comcast_pando_call_for_pact_on_p2p_rights.html
Peter Griffin: Legal downloads likely to struggle
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=137&objectid=10504535
Action urged on child abuse sites by IWF
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7350295.stm
Fewer than 3,000 websites produce bulk of child porn
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/apr/17/internet.childprotection
UK web watchdog wants global attack on online child abuse [Reuters]
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10504663
Australian Industry code offers safer online experiences [news release]
http://iia.net.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=637&Itemid=33
ACMA welcomes release of draft industry code of practice to promote safety of children using online and mobile phone content [news release]
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311110
YouTube's video recognition software used to fight child porn [Reuters]
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10504194
Is Australia's Proposed National Broadband Network Good Enough?
http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=4639
Australian band-Aid approach to cyber security
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/04/14/1208025090828.html
Planned ASIO surveillance laws under fire
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/17/2219853.htm
au: Civil liberties expert slams email spying plans
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/14/2216369.htm
au: Email spying shouldn't be business responsibility: Oppn
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/14/2216710.htm
au: Businesses get green light on IM interception
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1138979225;fp;2;fpid;1
NZ music labels unlikely to opt out of 'iPod' change
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4479390a11275.html
New copyright laws hoped to embrace the digital age
http://www.tv3.co.nz/News/EntertainmentNews/Newcopyrightlawshopedtoembracethedigitalage/tabid/418/articleID/52482/cat/55/Default.aspx
New Zealand joins rush to amend ISP laws
http://www.managingip.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=1907957&LS=EMS174331
Australian call to ban anorexia websites
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/04/16/1208025329409.html
France targets anorexia in media
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7349607.stm
France bans websites promoting anorexia 'cult'
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/france-bans-websites-promoting-anorexia-cult-809617.html
Ofcom ponders future of Britain's fast net
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7350431.stm
Ofcom sets out agenda for next-generation broadband
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/apr/17/telecoms.internet1
Put broadband in sewers, says Ofcom
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/apr/16/digitalmedia.ofcom
Ofcom sets out agenda for next-generation broadband
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/apr/17/telecoms.internet1
uk: Delivering super-fast broadband to new build homes and businesses [news release]
http://ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2008/04/nr_20080416
Growth of New Zealand's ICT industry falls sharply
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/8F99F727F8C1E6C8CC25742E0012DFCE
Nokia pushes '4G wireless' plans
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7348706.stm
ACMA unveils regulatory approach to VoIP services [news release]
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311111
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INTERNET USE
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Iceland, Scandinavia top Internet users [AFP]
Icelanders and the Scandinavians are Europe's top internet users, the GfK market research group found in a study published today. In Iceland, an estimated 88 per cent of the population aged 14 and above use the internet regularly, followed by 81 per cent in Finland, 76 per cent in Norway, 76 per cent in Denmark and 73 per cent in Sweden, the survey showed.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23541755-38200,00.html
http://news.smh.com.au/iceland-scandinavia-are-europes-top-internet-users-study/20080415-265n.html
http://news.theage.com.au/iceland-scandinavia-are-europes-top-internet-users-study/20080415-265n.html
au: Mobile web 'commonplace' within a year
Research tracking Australians' propensity to use their mobile phones to access the internet indicates use of the mobile internet will be commonplace within a year.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23553152-16123,00.html
Australians steer clear of mobile web [AAP]
Most Australians are reluctant to surf the web on their mobile phone, a new survey has found. The survey, released by Sony Ericsson and 3 mobile, revealed that 91 per cent of respondents don't use their phone for accessing the internet, believing it costs too much or offers a poor user experience.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/04/15/1208025137230.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/04/15/1208025137230.html
http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/4483048a28.html
ACCC to probe Australian eBay policies
eBay Australia has applied for legal protection as it seeks to force members to use a payment gateway it owns for buying and selling goods. From June 17, eBay plans to institute new payment arrangements that would do away with direct deposits, personal cheques or money orders to purchase items - all in the name of enhanced security.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23548903-15306,00.html
ACCC probe of eBay's PayPal forcing
The competition watchdog is examining whether eBay Australia breached trade practice laws by forcing its users on to PayPal.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/04/16/1208025245331.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/04/16/1208025245331.html
UK internet ads rise despite cuts in marketing
Internet advertising is coming out on top as overall marketing budgets see a second consecutive quarter of cuts, and planned spending for the rest of the year suffers further downgrades, according to the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) quarterly Bellwether report.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/internet-ads-rise-despite-cuts-in-marketing-809040.html
Yahoo moving to new Web-crawler software
Yahoo has begun indexing the World Wide Web with its third-generation software, Slurp 3.0, the company said Monday.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/internet/0,39044908,62040199,00.htm
US surfers watch 10 billion videos a month
US internet users viewed more than 10 billion online videos during February, representing a three per cent gain over January, according to new research. The latest comScore Video Metrix data shows that the number of videos accessed represented a 66 per cent increase compared with February 2007.
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2214430/surfers-tune-billion-web-videos
More than 10 Billion Videos Viewed Online in the U.S. in February [news release]
comScore released February 2008 data from the comScore Video Metrix service, indicating that U.S. Internet users viewed more than 10 billion online videos during the month, representing a 3-percent gain versus January (despite February being two days shorter) and a 66-percent gain versus February 2007.
http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2190
US broadband penetration jumps 300 per cent
Broadband penetration in the US has increased by more than 300 per cent since 2002, according to new research. Analyst firm Scarborough Research found that 12 per cent of US adults had a broadband connection in their household in 2002, compared to 49 per cent who subscribe currently.
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2214380/broadband-penetration-jumps-300
Google tightens US web search stranglehold: More than 6.4 billion core searches in March
Americans conducted 10.8 billion web searches in March, a nine per cent increase compared with February, new monitoring data reveals. The latest comScore qSearch report found that Google Sites extended its share of core searches in March to 59.8 per cent, up from 59.2 per cent in February.
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2214393/google-boosts-stranglehold-web
comScore Releases March 2008 U.S. Search Engine Rankings [news release]
comScore, Inc. released its monthly comScore qSearch analysis of the U.S. search marketplace. March 2008 saw Americans conduct 10.8 billion core searches, representing a 9-percent increase versus February. In March, Google Sites extended its share of core searches to 59.8 percent, up from 59.2 percent the previous month. Yahoo! Sites ranked second with 21.3 percent, followed by Microsoft Sites (9.4 percent), AOL LLC (4.8 percent), and Ask Network (4.7 percent).
http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2185
Mobile browser market taking off
The mobile browser market is currently "transforming" and sophisticated web browsing software will be installed on 1.5 billion handsets by 2013, analysts predict.
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2214273/mobile-browser-market
China's web users turn chatrooms red
Chinese web users, stung by international criticism of China ahead of the Beijing Olympics, have splashed red across the internet by adding hearts and "CHINA" to their names when chatting online in a show of support.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10504649
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SOCIAL NETWORKING
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Not everybody loves Facebook: Poll; One in four Canadians finds site more negative than positive
It has emerged as one of the most popular ways to connect with friends, family and long-lost acquaintances, but nearly one-quarter of Canadians believe Facebook has played a more negative than positive role in society, a new poll suggests.
http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=984132
au: Employers Taking Chances When Blocking Facebook Too, Says Deacons [news release]
Australian employers' approach to on-line social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace may be influencing their efforts to recruit young workers, according to new research by law firm Deacons. In the Deacons' Social Networking Survey 2008, almost half of those who used social networking sites at work said that if given a choice between two jobs equal in all other respects, they would choose an employer which allowed access to these sites over one which did not.
http://www.deacons.com.au/legal-services/technology-media-telecommunications/media-releases/media-release.cfm?objid=6383
http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=4625
Workers refuse jobs with no Facebook
Bosses who block access to MySpace and Facebook at work risk losing valuable staff to other companies, new research has found.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23548865-1702,00.html
Aussies least likely to play up on work PCs
Australian workers are among the least likely to use their office computers for personal use, according to an international survey. The survey, released by software industry group Business Software Alliance (BSA), found that only 22 per cent of Australian workers download non-work-related software on their office computer, compared with 55 per cent of Asian workers and 48 per cent globally.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/04/16/1208025265272.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/04/16/1208025265272.html
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NEW TECHNOLOGIES
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Cubans allowed to buy mobile phones
Cubans have been mobbing mobile phone shops in Havana now that they are able to openly buy the devices for the first time.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/15/2216983.htm
Cubans line up to buy cellular phones for first time [Reuters]
Hundreds of Cubans lined up at state-owned telephone offices on Monday as the new government under President Raul Castro began selling cellular phone service to the general public for the first time.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKN1435806920080414
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10504208
Cubans Line Up for Cell Phone Service [AP]
Lines stretched for blocks outside phone centers Monday as the government allowed ordinary Cubans to sign up for cellular phone service for the first time.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-cuba-cell-phones,1,7569317.story
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SPAM
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Spam related Web pages appear every three seconds
One spam related web page is appearing approximately every three seconds on the Internet according to Sophos’s latest quarterly spam report.
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/NewsStory.aspx?story=74037
New spam site found every three seconds
New figures suggest that 92.3 per cent of all email sent globally during the first three months of 2008 was spam. The data from Sophos also indicated that 23,300 new spam-related web pages were created every day during the period, or one about every three seconds.
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2214356/spam-site-found-every-three
http://www.computeractive.co.uk/vnunet/news/2214356/spam-site-found-every-three
Spam wars: Anti-spam vendors can't thwart the spam boom. Is it time for an e-mail tax?
Tech vendors have made headway in the war on spam, yet spammers are returning volley with sheer numbers. Perhaps it's time for more drastic measures? These are the rumblings from InfoWorld Test Center analysts, who reviewed anti-spam e-mail appliances and released their findings last week.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/04/16/front-street-spam_1.html
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DIGITAL DIVIDE
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Mobile Phones Play Role in Zimbabwe [IDG]
It's well-known that mobile phones are revolutionizing communications across the globe, particularly in developing countries where landline infrastructure is lacking in many rural and urban areas. They are the only means of communication for hundreds of millions of people, and have opened up economic opportunities for their owners, who can use them to find out about job openings, advertise services, or operate complementary businesses such as charging phone batteries.
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/144535/mobile_phones_play_role_in_zimbabwe.html
ITU Nets $55 Billion for Connect Africa Launch
The launch of Connect Africa has raised US$55 billion in project funding, according to the secretary general of the International Telecommunication Union, Hamadoun Touré.
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/144718/itu_nets_55_billion_for_connect_africa_launch.html
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ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL
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ISPs Meddled With Their Customers' Web Traffic, Study Finds [IDG]
About one percent of the Web pages being delivered on the Internet are being changed in transit, sometimes in a harmful way, according to researchers at the University of Washington.
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/144682/isps_meddled_with_their_customers_web_traffic_study_finds.html
Two held over Mid-East undersea cable damage
Two ships have been impounded in Dubai after satellite images indicated that they may have been responsible for the damage to undersea cables which left large parts of the Middle East without proper internet access.
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2214202/two-held-undersea-cable-damage
RIPE NCC Publishes Analysis of Mediterranean Cable Outages
On the morning of 30 January 2008, two submarine cables in the Mediterranean Sea were damaged near Alexandria, Egypt. The media reported significant disruptions of Internet and phone traffic in the Middle East and South Asia. About two days later, a third cable was cut, this time in the Persian Gulf, 56 kilometers off the coast of Dubai. In the days that followed more news on other cable outages came in.
http://ripe.net/news/mediterranean-cable-outages-20080411.html
Hackers exploit poor website code
Web designers making very old mistakes are letting malicious hackers hijack visitors to their sites, say experts. Many of the loopholes left in the code created for websites have been known about for almost a decade say the security researchers.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7345990.stm
Online crime's impact spreads
There appears to be no end to the cybercrime wave despite daily headlines about the latest computer breach and the best efforts of hundreds of security companies. The latest estimate: $200 billion a year, rivaling the illicit markets for drug trafficking and money laundering, according to several security experts and law-enforcement officials.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/computersecurity/2008-04-10-cybercrime-computer-security_N.htm
US courts erode protections for online publishers
Two recent judgments could erode vital protections there for web publishers in the US. The rulings could undermine protections from liability for user-posted material previously enjoyed by publishers.
http://out-law.com/page-9051
Stream of Wikileaks and other leak websites slippery for banks, churches, even Guantanamo
Lately, the world is springing a lot of leaks. Ask Julius Baer Bank of Zurich, or the Church of Scientology. Ask the Joint Task Force at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Ask any agency or entity listed on Wikileaks.org's "Analysis Requested" page, a long list of "fresh" documents the site has received from leakers and whistleblowers around the globe.
http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-et-webscout16apr16,1,294495.story
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PRIVACY
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Fears over Phorm advert system privacy
Online advert system Phorm could make the net less secure and breaches human rights, the service's creators have been told. Phorm's bosses met with members of the public in London to discuss concerns around its controversial deployment.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7349715.stm
Microsoft to FTC: Think Bigger Than Behavioral
As the Federal Trade Commission collected the final industry and public comments on its proposed self-regulation principles for behavioral targeting, Microsoft submitted a response of its own signaling it would prefer a broader approach.
http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3629117
Microsoft Offers Plan for Ad Data Self-Regulation
Microsoft has leapt into the brawl surrounding a recent proposal by the Federal Trade Commission Latest News about Federal Trade Commission to tighten restrictions on online advertising E-Mail Marketing Software - Free Trial. Click Here., responding with its own five-tiered plan for self-regulation.
http://ecommercetimes.com/story/62574.html
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FILE SHARING
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Piracy costing movie makers billions
When Shari Hyman tried to buy some pirated DVDs of first-run movies in February, she and her friends went to Canal Street, New York City's discount marketplace.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/14/business/media/14piracy.html
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/04/15/1208025138223.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/04/15/1208025138223.html
Comcast, Pando Call for Pact on P2P Rights [IDG]
Comcast and Pando Networks, a maker of peer-to-peer software, have kicked off a drive to create a "P2P Bill of Rights and Responsibilities" to help settle the conflicts between broadband providers and some P2P users.
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/144680/comcast_pando_call_for_pact_on_p2p_rights.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,144680-c,internet/article.html
Comcast wants 'bill of rights' for file-sharers and ISPs [AP]
Comcast Corp., under federal investigation for interfering with the traffic of its Internet subscribers, said Tuesday it wants to develop a "Bill of Rights and Responsibilities" for file sharing.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2008-04-15-comcast-bill-of-rights_N.htm
http://news.smh.com.au/comcast-wants-bill-of-rights-for-filesharers-and-isps/20080416-26es.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/15/AR2008041501993.html
http://news.theage.com.au/comcast-wants-bill-of-rights-for-filesharers-and-isps/20080416-26es.html
Comcast Bill of Rights unnecessary in open source world
All the brouhaha concerning whether Comcast can create a “Bill of Rights and Responsibilities” for Internet users is misplaced. Like any small Wireless ISP, Comcast has the right, indeed the responsibility, to manage its network so every customer gets as much of it as practical.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=2299
US Senator: Let's monitor P2P for illegal files
A prominent Senate Democrat on Wednesday said federal and local police should use custom software to monitor peer-to-peer networks for illegal activity, and wants to spend $1 billion in tax dollars to make that happen.
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9920665-7.html
Tesco takes on iTunes with DRM-free music
Tesco launched an audacious bid to take on iTunes today, with the announcement of a music and film download service that will compete directly with Apple's store.
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3751511.ece
Zune VideoX: Microsoft’s iTunes killer?
Zune Marketplace is no iTunes killer. But maybe Zune VideoX will (at least attempt to) be.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1341
Peter Griffin: Legal downloads likely to struggle
It looks like we'll have a movie download service in New Zealand this year allowing you to legally download movies and TV shows to your computer in the same way you've been able to do with music for years through services such as iTunes and Digirama.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=137&objectid=10504535
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CENSORSHIP
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UAE's du starts restricting Internet access [Reuters]
The United Arab Emirates' second telecom operator du began blocking on Monday Web sites that conflict with the country's moral values, raising concerns among residents about freedoms in the booming Gulf state.
http://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080414/tbs-emirates-internet-955c2a1.html
Pirate Bay launches uncensored blogging site
The Pirate Bay, a popular BitTorrent tracking site, has launched a blogging service where bloggers won't have to fear censorship, according to TorrentFreak. The new blogging site, dubbed BayWords, is powered by Wordpress and will eventually make money off ads.
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9920714-7.html
If you block online porn, you'll surely block dissent in China
The issue of whether the internet can be censored, and how governments are trying to do it, continues to be fought around the world. The OpenNet Initiative, a collaborative partnership of four leading academic institutions, has produced a book-length analysis - Access Denied: The Practice and Policy of Global Internet Filtering. It's a primer in methods and an atlas of studies. The first sections provide an analytical framework. Then prohibitions are examined across dozens of countries. The results show that far from the earlier idea of the internet destroying nations, nations are, arguably, domesticating the internet (or at least trying hard). As one telling sentence puts it: "A key aspect of control online ... is that states have, on an individual basis, defied the cyberlibertarians by asserting control over the online acts of their own citizens in their own states."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/apr/17/internet.censorship
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CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION
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Action urged on child abuse sites by IWF
A concerted international effort could see the end of websites that profit by selling images of child sex abuse, it is claimed. The UK's Internet Watch Foundation conducted research to identify how many sites trade such images and concluded there are 2,755 such sites worldwide.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7350295.stm
Fewer than 3,000 websites produce bulk of child porn
Fewer than 3,000 English-language websites produce the bulk of child pornography images, according to the first authoritative analysis of the scale of the problem, published today.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/apr/17/internet.childprotection
UK web watchdog wants global attack on online child abuse [Reuters]
Hundreds of child abuse websites around the world could be shut down if countries worked together to tackle the problem, an internet watchdog said in a report.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKL1670424920080416
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10504663
Australian Industry code offers safer online experiences [news release]
The IIA released its draft code of practice for internet content providers for public comment. The deadline for responses is 15 May 2008. The Internet Industry Association (IIA) launched its draft code of practice for internet content providers for public comment. The deadline for responses is 15 May 2008.
http://iia.net.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=637&Itemid=33
ACMA welcomes release of draft industry code of practice to promote safety of children using online and mobile phone content [news release]
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has welcomed the release of the Internet Industry Association’s (IIA) draft industry code of practice for online and mobile content services for public and industry consultation.
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311110
Google tackles child pornography
Google engineers have adapted a software programme to help track child sex predators and search for patterns in images of abuse on the web.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7347476.stm
YouTube's video recognition software used to fight child porn [Reuters]
Google is enlisting the same image-recognition technology the company uses to trace copyright violations on its YouTube video site to fight online child pornography.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10504194
Google adapts copyright-ID technology for child-porn fight [AP]
The fight against child pornography is getting an assist from technology designed by Google Inc. to help identify copyright-protected clips on its YouTube video-sharing site. Four Google employees used their "20 percent time" - during which the company encourages them to pursue unofficial, out-of-the-box projects - to customize the copyright software for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's program for identifying children in sexually explicit photos and video.
http://news.smh.com.au/google-adapts-copyrightid-technology-for-childporn-fight/20080417-26nw.html
http://news.theage.com.au/google-adapts-copyrightid-technology-for-childporn-fight/20080417-26nw.html
Google tech to help fight child pornography
After a long silence from Google on the kids front, the search giant is now regularly raising its hand to help children's advocates on the Internet.
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9918265-7.html
Study says Cyber bullying common in Japan school Web sites
Japan has over 38,000 unofficial middle and high school Web sites that are not overseen by the schools, and harassment, sexual content, and violent slang are prevalent among them, an education ministry survey showed.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKT25418420080416
Video games classification arrives in S'pore
Dual-rating system promises greater variety of video games in the country, and aims to protect the young from unsuitable content, says the Media Development Authority.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62040212,00.htm
Software tracks child porn traffickers online
Police investigator Flint Waters types "toddler" on his laptop keyboard, and in the time it takes to read this paragraph, up pop dozens of pictures and videos that show young children being sexually molested. "This is all live," meaning the files are currently being traded, Waters says. There are rapes of toddler in such innocent settings as diaper changes or bath time, and even more violent acts.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-04-15-childporn-side_N.htm
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GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
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Is Australia's Proposed National Broadband Network Good Enough?
The OECD has released a report that provides a broad overview of developments in optical fibre technologies in the last mile, that is, between subscribers' premises and telecommunication switches and in the backhaul part, from the switches to the core of the network. Issues related to the deployment of last mile fibre networks, their costs and related regulatory issues are also raised in the report, called Developments in Fibre Technologies and Investment.
http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=4639
http://infranews.com.au/article_infranews.asp?a=AV&ai=7790
http://www.telconews.com/2008/04/15/is-australias-proposed-national-broadband-network-good-enough/
Australian band-Aid approach to cyber security
Allowing companies to intercept their employees' emails without their consent, as proposed by the Federal Government, would do little to protect the nation's critical infrastructure from a potentially devastating attack from hackers and terrorists, according to cyber security experts.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/04/14/1208025090828.html
Planned ASIO surveillance laws under fire
A Senate Inquiry has been told proposed amendments to electronic surveillance laws will allow ASIO and police to further intrude on people's privacy. The inquiry sitting in Sydney today is looking at proposed changes to the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Bill.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/17/2219853.htm
Concerns raised as government demands universal wiretapping
Sweeping reforms will make it easier than ever for law enforcement to intercept communications if amendments to the Telecommunications (Interceptions) Act are agreed upon by a Senate standing committee.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;81561031;fp;2;fpid;1
au: Civil liberties expert slams email spying plans
The head of the Australian Council of Civil Liberties, Terry O'Gorman, says tighter laws to protect Australia against cyber terrorism threats are not needed.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/14/2216369.htm
au: Email spying shouldn't be business responsibility: Oppn
The Federal Opposition says a proposal to increase counter-terrorism laws by letting employers monitor staff emails will put an unnecessary burden on businesses.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/14/2216710.htm
Australian government wants power to snoop work e-mail, IMs
In the US, it's mostly assumed that when you work for a company, your e-mail, web, and chat traffic may be monitored by IT staff. This is usually meant to ensure that you're not leaking company information, wasting too much time e-flirting with the person the next cube over, or downloading porn on company time. Still, most people (who don't work in government) operate under the assumption (mistaken at times) that, unless something goes horribly wrong at work, they have some level of privacy in their office communications. That may no longer be the case in Australia, though, if certain changes go into effect that will give companies and law enforcement the right to snoop on all employee communications whenever they please, without employee consent.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080414-australian-government-wants-power-to-snoop-work-e-mail-ims.html
au: Businesses get green light on IM interception
Businesses will be able to intercept e-mail and instant messaging communications under proposed changes by the federal government to prevent data leakage.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1138979225;fp;2;fpid;1
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/stuff/4479390a11275.html
New copyright laws hoped to embrace the digital age
Parliament has given New Zealand's outdated copyright laws a reboot to embrace the digital age.
http://www.tv3.co.nz/News/EntertainmentNews/Newcopyrightlawshopedtoembracethedigitalage/tabid/418/articleID/52482/cat/55/Default.aspx
New Zealand joins rush to amend ISP laws
New Zealand’s Parliament passed a series of controversial amendments to its Copyright Act on April 8: The Copyright (New Technologies) Amendment Bill updates the Copyright Act 1994 and “will maintain the balance between protection, access and use already established in the original Act,” according to associate commerce minister Judith Tizard.
http://www.managingip.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=1907957&LS=EMS174331
Australian call to ban anorexia websites
A federal Labor MP has called on the Government to follow France's lead and ban pro-anorexia websites, which promote extreme thinness and methods for self-starvation. Anna Burke said she had been calling for ban on anorexia websites for some time.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/04/16/1208025329409.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/04/16/1208025329409.html
France targets anorexia in media
France's National Assembly passes a bill to make promotion of anorexia and extreme thinness a criminal offence.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7349607.stm
France bans websites promoting anorexia 'cult'
Internet sites and blogs which peddle the gospel of an "anorexic lifestyle" to teenage girls were outlawed by the French parliament yesterday. The law is the first attempt anywhere in the world to stamp out the "pro-ana" movement, a cult-like attempt to promote anorexia as a lifestyle which began in the United States eight years ago.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/france-bans-websites-promoting-anorexia-cult-809617.html
Ofcom ponders future of Britain's fast net
Super-fast broadband could be delivered via the underground pipes of the UK's water and electricity companies, regulator Ofcom has said. It is conducting a survey of the UK's ducting network to see its suitability for carrying fibre networks.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7350431.stm
Ofcom sets out agenda for next-generation broadband
Ofcom yesterday tried to take control of the debate over how to create the next generation of super-fast broadband in the UK when it suggested the nation's sewers, electric pipes and underground telecom ducts could be used to carry new cables.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/apr/17/telecoms.internet1
Put broadband in sewers, says Ofcom
Broadband cables should be put in sewers to help cope with the soaring demand for online video content, media regulator Ofcom is saying.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/apr/16/digitalmedia.ofcom
Ofcom sets out agenda for next-generation broadband
Ofcom yesterday tried to take control of the debate over how to create the next generation of super-fast broadband in the UK when it suggested the nation's sewers, electric pipes and underground telecom ducts could be used to carry new cables.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/apr/17/telecoms.internet1
uk: Delivering super-fast broadband to new build homes and businesses [news release]
Ofcom today published proposals to promote next generation broadband networks for new housing and office developments. It also announced a survey of UK infrastructure to examine the scope for extending these networks elsewhere. The proposals seek to encourage investment in super-fast broadband with speeds of up to 100 Mbit/s*, while promoting competition in the provision of these services.
http://ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2008/04/nr_20080416
Singapore set to be regional media hub
In their first joint press briefing together, the Media Development Authority (MDA), Economic Development Board (EDB) and Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) Wednesday highlighted some of the local media sector's recent developments. Christopher Chia, MDA's CEO, identified Singapore's broadcasting industry as a "big area of strength and growth", outlining the increasing number of co-production deals brokered with international production companies.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62040276,00.htm
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COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS
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Growth of New Zealand's ICT industry falls sharply
Sales from New Zealand's information and communication technology industry increased 3.3% to $18.2 billion in the 2007 financial year, Statistics New Zealand says, a growth-rate well down on the previous year.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/8F99F727F8C1E6C8CC25742E0012DFCE
New-look eBay beats forecasts with 22% rise in quarterly profit
Online auctioneer eBay posted a 22% rise in first-quarter net profit last night, beating analyst expectations, with its revamped website adding buyers for the first time in a year.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/apr/17/ebay.internet
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MOBILE/WIRELESS
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Russian government enacts Byzantine WiFi regulations
It is often said that the opposite of progress is paperwork. The incomprehensibly self-defeating wastefulness and inefficiency of the legislatosaurus never ceases to depress me, but for once, America's idiocracy has been outdumbed by a Russian government agency which has proposed one of the most breathtakingly inane policies that I have ever had the misfortune of witnessing: mandatory registration of all WiFi devices.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080416-russian-government-enacts-byzantine-wifi-regulations.html
Nokia pushes '4G wireless' plans
Nokia, the world's largest handset manufacturer, has signed up Sony Ericsson, NEC and Alacatel-Lucent to its plans for a 4G wireless system. The companies have formed a licensing framework for their patents for the emerging mobile standard, called Long Term Evolution (LTE).
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7348706.stm
T-Mobile betting on 3G to close on high-speed competitors
T-Mobile USA is late to the high-speed wireless party, but it's going low-cost to catch up. While rivals such as AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and Sprint Nextel have been talking recently about building new 4G wireless networks, T-Mobile--which will begin offering 3G wireless service this summer--is leveraging cheap, unlicensed Wi-Fi technology to bring true broadband speed over wireless networks to some of its subscribers today.
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9916988-7.html
ACMA seeks feedback on five year spectrum outlook plan
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has released two papers on how to address the critical task of spectrum planning through to the yeaer 2014.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1640816994;fp;2;fpid;1
http://www.cio.com.au/index.php/id;1640816994
Australia Launches Consultation on Future Radio Spectrum Plans
The Australian Communications and Media Authority says that it is seeking industry feedback on two documents that together provide guidance on how ACMA is intending to approach the task of addressing demand for radio spectrum.
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/30524.php
ACMA releases future directions for spectrum planning and management with key principles and five-year outlook [news release]
The Australian Communications and Media Authority is seeking public and industry feedback on two documents that together provide guidance on how ACMA is intending to approach the critical task of addressing demand for spectrum going forward.
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311104
Five-year Spectrum Outlook 2009–2014
ACMA invites comments and feedback on the information in this document and the value of the initiative more generally. ACMA also seeks information from stakeholders on spectrum demands or issues that are not already identified in this document but feel should be included.
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311105
Telstra to meet CDMA April cutoff date
Telstra has met the requirements of the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy for the shutdown of the CDMA network, which will be switched off permanently on April 28.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1702935461;fp;4;fpid;18
http://www.arnnet.com.au/index.php/id;1702935461;fp;4194304;fpid;1
http://www.cio.com.au/index.php/id;1702935461
http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php/id;1702935461;fp;2;fpid;1
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VoIP
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ACMA unveils regulatory approach to VoIP services [news release]
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has announced a new approach to dealing with the regulation of voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services.
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311111
Strategy to engage VoIP providers in new compliance program
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has released a three-strand approach to regulating Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services which includes the introduction of a compliance program. ACMA acting chairman, Chris Cheah, said the new regulatory approach to VoIP aims to strike a balance between being effective while still promoting innovation.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;535985699;fp;2;fpid;1
http://www.cio.com.au/index.php/id;535985699
ACMA to crack down on VoIP services
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has launched a three pronged approach to ensure that all VoIP service providers in Australia's burgeoning VoIP industry are aware of and comply with all the applicable regulation.
http://www.itwire.com/content/view/17687/127/
How ACMA Plans To Regulate VoIP
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is planning to take a new approach to dealing with the regulation of VoIP service providers. Speaking at the CommsDay Summit 2008 in Sydney, Chris Cheah, Acting ACMA Chairman explained how the organisation was adopting a three-strand approach to VoIP which included a review of existing regulation and a new "VoIP engagement strategy" to better understand the regulatory framework and ACMA's approach.
http://www.voipnews.com.au/content/view/1747/159/
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ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN
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au: Valley View man had 34,000 child porn images
A SOUTH Australian man found with 34,000 images of child pornography will be assessed by a psychologist before facing sentencing submissions next month.
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23536140-2682,00.html
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David Goldstein
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