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[APPLe list] general internet news - 11 December
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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://www.auda.org.au/domain-news/ for today's edition of the complete domain news, already online!
And see my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for daily updates in between postings.
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Australians increasingly rely on digital communications in work and leisure [news release]
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311563
British children to be taught to use internet at school
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/primaryeducation/3659564/Children-to-be-taught-to-use-internet-at-school.html
What the Search Engines Have Found Out About All of Us
http://nytimes.com/2008/12/10/nyregion/10about.html
And lo, for Google did pass down its Zeitgeist of the most-searched terms of 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2008/dec/10/googlethemedia-searchengines
Internet access and use in the EU27 in 2008: Nearly 30% of individuals use internet banking; 60% of households have internet access [news release]
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=STAT/08/169
IT admins need to power down PCs
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2232409/admins-power-pcs
Spam levels rise as botnets return
http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9123029
Cybersecurity report offers Obama assorted recommendations
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/12/08/Cyberspace-report-offers-Obama-someo-far-reaching-recommendations_1.html
Underground economy booming online, says Symantec [IDG]
http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9123142
Microsoft Offers to Reduce Search Data in Europe
http://nytimes.com/2008/12/09/technology/internet/09privacy.html
MPAA Urges Obama to Embrace Internet Filtering
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/12/mpaa-urging-oba.html
ComScore: 100 million YouTube viewers in October
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10120027-93.html
Why the IWF was right to ban a Wikipedia page
http://out-law.com/page-9644
IWF lifts UK Wikipedia ban
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/dec/09/wikipedia-iwf-ban-lifted
IWF reverses Wikipedia webpage blockage: IWF statement
http://iwf.org.uk/media/news.251.htm
How the IWF blacklist stops you seeing the Scorpions' album cover
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2008/dec/08/internet-censorship-wikipedia-diagram
Australian man charged over viral baby-swinging video
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/12/08/1228584709781.html
au: Simpsons cartoon rip-off is child porn: judge
http://www.theage.com.au/national/simpsons-cartoon-ripoff-is-child-porn-judge-20081208-6tmk.html
Flash Eurobarometer survey 2008: Towards a Safer Use of the Internet for children in the EU - a parents' perspective
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/sip/eurobarometer/
EU adopts new Safer Internet Programme: €55 million to make the Internet a safer place for children [news release]
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1899
New Report Urges Obama to Focus on Internet Safety for Children
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/10/AR2008121001860.html
Labor plan to censor internet in shreds
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/12/09/1228584820006.html
Telstra says no to ISP filtering pilot
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24768254-15306,00.html
EU considers spending €1 billion for satellite broadband technology
http://iht.com/articles/2008/12/10/technology/satellite.php
au: 19 arrested over ‘worst ever’ Internet child porn bust
http://computerworld.com.au/article/270579/
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INTERNET USE
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Australians increasingly rely on digital communications in work and leisure [news release]
The ACMA Communications Report 2007-08, which has been tabled in Federal Parliament, demonstrates the impact the internet and other digital communications are having on the everyday lives of most Australians.
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311563
British children to be taught to use internet at school
Children under 11 will be taught to use podcasts and the internet at school under Government plans announced today.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/primaryeducation/3659564/Children-to-be-taught-to-use-internet-at-school.html
What the Search Engines Have Found Out About All of Us
Google has released its map of the national brain and appetites for 2008, and it turns out that many, many people across America have been asking the Internet “what is love?” and “how to kiss.”
http://nytimes.com/2008/12/10/nyregion/10about.html
Google unveils China's 2008 most popular search terms [IDG]
... The only U.S. name to make Google's 2008 most popular keyword search list for China was NBA (National Basketball Association), at No. 10. In fact, the NBA was the only non-Internet company to make the list, with the others all popular Chinese sites for news, videos, file sharing and more.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/120908-google-unveils-chinas-2008-most.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/155169/.html
Palin beats Obama in Google's 'zeitgeist' rankings
Google has published its annual round-up of most searched terms today, revealing that the public spent much of the year procrastinating on Facebook, energised by the Large Hadron Collider and obsessing about the downfall of a bank in Iceland.
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article5314396.ece
And lo, for Google did pass down its Zeitgeist of the most-searched terms of 2008
Sitting on top of the world's largest research tool, Google is in an unrivalled position to detect trends in music, politics, retail and everything else the public searches for online.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2008/dec/10/googlethemedia-searchengines
Google tells us what we look for
What do Sarah Palin, Facebook and Euro 2008 have in common? They are all on the list of the top 10 fastest-rising queries on Google during 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7775344.stm
Ledger among most searched subjects on Google [AFP]
Late Australian actor Heath Ledger was among the most searched subjects worldwide on Google in 2008, ahead of "Obama".
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/11/2443404.htm
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/12/11/1228584977441.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/12/11/1228584977441.html
us: Bush talks with international bloggers
The president-elect has been showing off his Web savvy on Change.gov, but George Bush demonstrated Wednesday he also advocates using the Internet to facilitate democracy.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10120648-38.html
Technology stalwarts back Google rival Kosmix in fight for cyberspace
A Silicon Valley start-up that is taking on the might of Google has attracted investment from Time Warner, owner of AOL, and the man who launched one of the world's most popular mobile phones. ... The site looks more like a web portal than a search engine. It pulls together text, audio and video content based on the underlying concept behind any query entered, rather than just looking for sites that contain the words in that query.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/dec/09/kosmix-search-engine-funding-internet
Search start-up Kosmix raises $20 million
Company also launches beta search site, which presents specialized topic-centric search results in a dashboard-style page.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10118922-93.html
au: Scots College investigating anti-semitic remarks on Facebook
Sydney's Scots College is looking into reports that some of its students were part of a Facebook group with anti-semitic overtones.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/09/2441252.htm
au: Facebook scandal shames private school students
A Facebook network of senior students from two of Sydney's most elite private schools have offended the Jewish community with anti-Semitic slurs.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/facebook-scandal-shames-private-school-students-20081209-6u73.html
Life, liberty and GPS: What technology means in Egypt
Among international outrages, depriving citizens of personalized maps seems far down on the list. Still, that was the condition put on the introduction of Apple's 3G iPhone in Egypt. The government demanded that Apple disable the phone's global-positioning system, arguing that GPS was a military prerogative.
http://iht.com/articles/2008/12/08/business/link.php
http://nytimes.com/2008/12/08/technology/personaltech/08link.html
Internet access and use in the EU27 in 2008: Nearly 30% of individuals use internet banking; 60% of households have internet access [news release]
In the EU27, 60% of households had access to the internet during the first quarter of 2008, compared with 54% during the first quarter of 2007, and 48% had a broadband internet connection, compared with 42% in 2007.
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=STAT/08/169
Cyberspace has buried its head in a cesspit of climate change gibberish
We all create our own reality, and shut out the voices we do not want to hear. But there is no issue we are less willing to entertain than man-made climate change. Here, three worlds seem to exist in virtual isolation. In the physical world, global warming appears to be spilling over into runaway feedback: the most dangerous situation humankind has ever encountered. In the political world - at the climate talks in Poznan, for instance - our governments seem to be responding to something quite different, a minor nuisance that can be addressed in due course. Only the Plane Stupid protesters who occupied part of Stansted airport yesterday appear to have understood the scale and speed of this crisis. In cyberspace, by contrast, the response spreading fastest and furthest is flat-out denial.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/dec/09/climate-change-science-environment
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SOCIAL NETWORKING
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uk: Vandal who trashed pub caught by Facebook
A teenage vandal was forced to hand himself in to police after pictures of him trashing a pub were posted on Facebook by the landlord.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/3687954/Vandal-who-trashed-pub-caught-by-Facebook.html
Koobface Worm Targets MySpace, Other Sites
The Koobface worm which has plagued the Facebook social networking site during the past week, is now targeting MySpace, Bebo, and other sites as well, security researchers warn.
http://www.darkreading.com/security/attacks/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212400218
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NEW TECHNOLOGIES
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IT admins need to power down PCs
A report by analyst house Forrester has concluded that IT managers are going to have to manage PCs differently if they are to cut power usage and hit green targets.
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2232409/admins-power-pcs
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SPAM
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Spam levels rise as botnets return
Four weeks after spam levels plummeted when a rogue hosting company was yanked off the Internet, junk mail volumes are again up, a researcher has said.
http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9123029
http://www.techworld.com/news/index.cfm?NewsID=108197
http://www.pcworld.com/article/155218/.html
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/120908-spam-levels-climb-as-criminals.html
Flood of junk email expected before Christmas
A flood of spam should be expected in the run-up to Christmas, according to Network Box.
http://www.computeractive.co.uk/computeractive/news/2232277/christmas-spam-expected-rise
Vint Cerf's Twitter Account Was A Fake
A report that Vint Cerf's Twitter account was hacked, used for spamming, and then suspended appears to be only partially correct. According to Cerf, VP and chief Internet evangelist for Google, the Twitter account that bears his name was not created by him.
http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/social_network/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212400170
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ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL
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VeriSign, NeuStar and others team on DNS security [IDG]
Momentum continues to build for rapid deployment of DNS encryption mechanisms. Seven leading domain name vendors -- representing more than 112 million domain names or 65% of all registered domain names -- have formed an industry coalition to work together to adopt DNS Security Extensions, known as DNSSEC. Members of the DNSSEC Industry Coalition include: VeriSign, which operates the .com and .net registries; NeuStar, which operates the .biz and .us registries; .info operator Afilias Limited; .edu operator EDUCAUSE; and The Public Interest Registry, which operates the .org registry.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/120908-dns-security.html
http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9123026
Should cybersecurity be managed from the White House?
In a report released Monday, the nonpartisan Center for Strategic & International Studies served up dozens of recommendations for improving American cybersecurity—but by far the most headline friendly was the call for a new National Office for Cyberspace within the White House, headed by an "assistant to the president for cyberspace," or cybersecurity czar.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081210-should-cybersecurity-be-managed-from-the-white-house.html
A Scary Twist in Malware Evil-ution
Security experts are warning Internet users to be aware of a disturbing evolution in malicious software that can turn a single infected computer into a vehicle for stealing data from nearby systems, regardless of what operating system or security software those computers may be running.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/12/a_scary_twist_in_malware_evil-.html
DHS secretary warns against White House oversight of cybersecurity
The head of the Homeland Security Department on Wednesday warned against moving oversight for cybersecurity operations from the agency to the White House, as suggested by a nonpartisan commission this week.
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20081210_6108.php
Think tank panel recommends that feds make major cybersecurity changes [IDG]
The U.S. government should overhaul its approach to cybersecurity by imposing sweeping new regulations on businesses and creating a centralized cybersecurity office in the White House, an outside group of experts recommended today.
http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9122903
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/120808-csis-releases-government-cybersecurity.html
Panel Presses to Bolster Security in Cyberspace
License plates may be coming to cyberspace. "Securing Cyberspace for the 44th Presidency," a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (pdf)
http://nytimes.com/2008/12/09/technology/09security.html
http://iht.com/articles/2008/12/08/technology/09security.php
More Cyber Security Regulations Recommended
A bipartisan commission of computer security experts are recommending today that President-elect Barack Obama set up a high-level post to tackle cyber security, consider new regulations to combat cyber crime and shore up the security of the nation's most sensitive computer networks.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/08/AR2008120801944.html
Cybersecurity report offers Obama assorted recommendations
A congressionally sponsored study conducted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, made public on Monday, recommends everything from the creation of a the National Office for Cyberspace outside the authority of the Department of Homeland Security to maintaining "sufficient manufacturing capabilities" at home to supply components and software that is not dependent on a global supply chain.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/12/08/Cyberspace-report-offers-Obama-someo-far-reaching-recommendations_1.html
http://computerworld.com.au/article/270147/
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/155137/.html
http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/270147/
Commision: White House Should Take Lead In Cybersecurity
President-elect Barack Obama should take leadership of the U.S. cybersecurity effort, tie together the disparate federal initiatives, and expand regulation of cyberspace, according to recommendations issued today by the Commission on Cyber Security for the 44th Presidency.
http://www.darkreading.com/security/government/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212300241
Panel says White House should oversee cybersecurity efforts
The White House, not the Office of Management and Budget or the Homeland Security Department, should take the lead role in managing the government's cybersecurity program, according a report for the Obama administration released by a nonpartisan cybersecurity commission Monday.
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20081208_4713.php
U.S. Losing Cyberspace Security Battle
A new cybersecurity report released on Monday by the Center for Strategic & International Studies Commission on Cybersecurity for the 44th Presidency warns that America is losing the battle to protect cyberspace.
http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/government/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212300200
CNET News Daily Podcast: Behind DHS' failing grade on cybersecurity
A nonpartisan report on cybersecurity recommends that President-elect Barack Obama create an office in the White House focused on cyberspace which would be headed by an assistant to the president. But the report offers a worried look at the current state of the nation's cyberdefenses, describing the challenge as one of the most urgent national security problems facing the new administration. We check in with CNET News' Stephanie Condon to find out more.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11424_3-10118203-90.html
Coalition to Secure DNS Takes Shape
"DNS (define) is critical to the functioning of the Internet, linking IP addresses with domain names. Thanks to security researcher Dan Kaminsky, awareness around the DNS and its shortcomings have been greatly elevated this year. DNSSEC is a key solution to ensuring that the DNS cache poisoning attack that Kaminksy first warned about cannot occur.
http://www.linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2008-12-08-025-35-NW-NT
Cyber-criminals adapt tactics for financial crisis: Virtual Criminology Report 2008
Cyber-criminals are adapting their tactics to target people worried about their finances and job security during the financial crisis, experts have warned.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/3685492/Cyber-criminals-adapt-tactics-for-financial-crisis.html
Russia and China accused of harbouring cybercriminals
Russia and China are protecting gangs of criminals engaged in cybercrimes such as internet fraud, blackmail and money laundering, a study says today.
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article5312323.ece
Report: Cybercrime is Winning the Battle Over Cyberlaw
Law enforcement agencies worldwide are losing the battle against cyber crime at a time when criminals are increasingly using the global economic downturn to make headway in recruiting more computers and computer users to further illegal online activities, a scathing new report from security vendor McAfee concludes.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/12/report_cybercrime_is_winning_t.html
Ineffective law enforcement, bad economy fueling cybercrime
Cybercriminals operating worldwide are benefitting from ineffective law enforcement and a growing economic recession that could make jittery people more susceptible to cybercrime scams.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/120808-cybercrime.html
http://computerworld.com.au/article/270293/
Study: Police not prepared for international cybercrime
Law enforcement efforts are "ad hoc" and "ill-equipped to cope" with international cybercrime, security experts have warned in a new report.
http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9123027
us: Md. Court Weighs Internet Anonymity
In a First Amendment case with implications for everything from neighborhood e-mail lists to national newspapers, an Eastern Shore businessman argued to Maryland's highest court yesterday that the host of an online forum should be forced to reveal the identities of people who posted allegedly defamatory comments.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/08/AR2008120803405.html
US court tackles online anonymity
Be careful the next time you engage in an Internet flame war: it could land you in court.
http://computerworld.com.au/article/270367/
http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/270367/
Underground economy booming online, says Symantec [IDG]
An online underground economy has recently matured into an efficient, global marketplace to trade stolen goods and offer fraud-related services.
http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9123142
au: Police defend baby swinging video charge
Police say it is a crime for anyone to even watch a viral video of a man swinging a baby around the room.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/12/11/1228584982919.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/12/11/1228584982919.html
Australian Christmas shoppers warned about online scammers
Christmas shoppers are being warned to protect themselves from internet scammers this festive season.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/09/2441587.htm
us: Panel to Call for Review of Wiretapping of Scholar
A Congressional oversight panel plans to ask the National Security Agency to start an investigation into new evidence that the agency illegally wiretapped a Muslim scholar in Northern Virginia and concealed the eavesdropping during a 2005 trial in which the scholar was convicted on terrorism charges.
http://nytimes.com/2008/12/08/washington/08nsa.html
in: Google Earth accused of aiding terrorists
An Indian Court has been called to ban Google Earth amid suggestions the online satellite imaging was used to help plan the terror attacks that killed more than 170 people in Mumbai last month.
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article5311241.ece
China names and shames fake drug websites
China, beset by food and drug safety scandals, has blacklisted dozens of websites for making false claims about traditional Chinese medicine, state media said on Wednesday.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE4B91YF20081210
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PRIVACY
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Microsoft Offers to Reduce Search Data in Europe
Microsoft offered Monday to abide by a European privacy panel’s request that it reduce the length of time it kept records of Web searches if its rivals, Yahoo and Google, did the same.
http://nytimes.com/2008/12/09/technology/internet/09privacy.html
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ONLINE TV & MUSIC
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MPAA Urges Obama to Embrace Internet Filtering
The Motion Picture Association of America is urging the incoming Obama administration to adapt internet filtering technology to block illicit file sharing of motion pictures and television shows.
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/12/mpaa-urging-oba.html
What the MPAA wants from Obama: 3 strikes, Canada crackdown
The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has supplied its political wish list to the Obama transition team, and thanks to new transition team policies, that means the MPAA has shared its agenda with everyone on the Internet. "Graduated response" rules are praised, anti-camcording rules are paramount, and Canada and Spain are two of the countries that need to be singled out for "priority trade policy attention."
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081210-what-the-mpaa-wants-from-obama-3-strikes-canada-crackdown.html
ComScore: 100 million YouTube viewers in October
Online video is really taking off, according to stats firm ComScore. Not that we should be particularly surprised by that assertion. But the leader in the space, Google's YouTube, during October pulled in 100 million viewers in the U.S. for a market share of almost 40 percent.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10120027-93.html
YouTube Attracts 100 Million U.S. Online Video Viewers in October 2008 [news release]
comScore released October 2008 data from the comScore Video Metrix service, reporting that U.S. Internet users viewed 13.5 billion online videos during the month, representing an increase of 45 percent versus year ago.
http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2616
Commission issues guidelines to get Mobile TV on Europeans' mobile phones
The European Commission has today taken a decisive step towards the promotion of competitive Mobile TV services in the EU. It has published a set of guidelines for the authorisation of Mobile TV to accelerate roll-out of the service across Europe. Mobile TV revenues worldwide are expected to reach more than €7.8 billion in 2013.
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1923
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CENSORSHIP
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Why the IWF was right to ban a Wikipedia page
EDITORIAL: There has been a storm of controversy over a decision by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) to blacklist a page of Wikipedia. But the criticism of Britain's online watchdog is unfair and hypocritical.
http://out-law.com/page-9644
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/09/iwf_wikipedia_ban/
IWF lifts UK Wikipedia ban
The Internet Watch Foundation has lifted its ban on a Wikipedia page and image of a record album cover showing a young nude girl, in an unprecedented move.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/dec/09/wikipedia-iwf-ban-lifted
IWF backs down on Wiki censorship
The online watchdog, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), has withdrawn its objection to a Wikipedia page that contained an image of a naked girl.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7774102.stm
IWF reverses Wikipedia webpage blockage: IWF statement
... Following representations from Wikipedia, IWF invoked its Appeals Procedure and has given careful consideration to the issues involved in this case. The procedure is now complete and has confirmed that the image in question is potentially in breach of the Protection of Children Act 1978. However, the IWF Board has today (9 December 2008) considered these findings and the contextual issues involved in this specific case and, in light of the length of time the image has existed and its wide availability, the decision has been taken to remove this webpage from our list.
http://iwf.org.uk/media/news.251.htm
Wikipedia victory in Scorpions censorship row
An anti-child abuse watchdog has reversed its decision to blacklist a Wikipedia page showing a controversial 1976 album cover after protests over censorship.
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article5315345.ece
British Dispute That Blocked Wikipedia Editing Is Resolved
A standoff between Wikipedia and a quasi-governmental British watchdog group over a 1970’s heavy-metal album cover was resolved on Tuesday when the group reluctantly lifted its ban on the image.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/british-dispute-that-blocked-wikipedia-editing-is-resolved/
British agency resolves dispute with Wikipedia
A standoff between Wikipedia and a quasi-governmental British monitoring agency over a 1970s heavy-metal album cover was resolved when the agency reluctantly lifted its ban on the image.
http://iht.com/articles/2008/12/10/technology/wiki.php
Should the internet be censored? [BBC Radio 4 Today programme interview]
A decision by a number of UK internet providers to block a Wikipedia page showing an image of a naked girl has angered users of the popular site. Sarah Robertson, of the Internet Watch foundation, and David Gerard, of Wikipedia, discuss if censorship of the internet should be allowed.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7770000/7770832.stm
Wikipedia falls foul of British censors
British internet providers have blocked access to parts of Wikipedia after accusations that the site was carrying "potentially illegal" images of child pornography.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/dec/08/wikipedia-censorship
Wikipedia row escalates as internet watchdog considers censoring Amazon US over Scorpions image
The Internet Watch Foundation may add Amazon US to its list of sites "blocked" for hosting a picture of an album cover by The Scorpions
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/dec/08/amazon-internet-censorship-iwf
Internet ban on 'child porn' album sleeve
Britain's rules on internet censorship have come under scrutiny following a decision to block pages on Wikipedia after a page on the site showing the image of a naked young girl on an album cover from 1976 was declared "potentially illegal".
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/dec/09/wikipedia-censorship-scorpions-sleeve
How the IWF blacklist stops you seeing the Scorpions' album cover
If you needed a flow diagram - and doesn't everyone, at some point? - of how the UK's Internet Watch Foundation/BT CleanFeed system works to prevent you seeing album covers by the Scorpions and other unsavoury content, it's right here.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2008/dec/08/internet-censorship-wikipedia-diagram
Australian man charged over viral baby-swinging video
A Queensland man has been charged for re-publishing on a video-sharing site a viral video of a man swinging a baby around like a rag doll.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/12/08/1228584709781.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/12/08/1228584709781.html
au: Simpsons cartoon rip-off is child porn: judge
A NSW Supreme Court judge has ruled an internet cartoon in which lookalike child characters from The Simpsons engage in sexual acts is child pornography. In a landmark finding, Justice Michael Adams today upheld a decision convicting a man of possessing child pornography after the cartoons, depicting characters modelled on Bart, Lisa and Maggie engaging in sex acts, were found on his computer.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/12/08/1228584707575.html
http://www.theage.com.au/national/simpsons-cartoon-ripoff-is-child-porn-judge-20081208-6tmk.html
Fake Simpsons cartoon is child porn, judge rules
A NSW judge has ruled that an animation depicting well-known cartoon characters engaging in sexual acts is child porn.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/08/2441023.htm
au: Push to shut bashing website
The is a push for a website showing the apparent bashing of a teenager in Adelaide to be shut down.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/10/2442136.htm
us: Student punished for Facebook rant against teacher sues school for violating freedom of speech
A former Florida high school student disciplined for "cyberbullying" one of her teachers on Facebook has filed a lawsuit against the principal of the school for allegedly violating her freedom of speech.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/3704812/Student-punished-for-Facebook-rant-against-teacher-sues-school-for-violating-freedom-of-speech.html
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CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION
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EU's Safer Internet Programme gets €55 million funding to help children
The EU will have a new Safer Internet Programme as of 1 January 2009. Following the overwhelmingly positive vote on 23 October in which the European Parliament expressed its support for the new Safer Internet Programme, the Council of Ministers has adopted yesterday the new Programme.
http://publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=18266
Flash Eurobarometer survey 2008: Towards a Safer Use of the Internet for children in the EU - a parents' perspective
In 2008, within the scope of the Safer Internet Programme, the European Commission conducted a Flash Eurobarometer survey in order to find out parents' perceptions of their children's Internet usage and potential risks they could face online.
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/sip/eurobarometer/
EU adopts new Safer Internet Programme: €55 million to make the Internet a safer place for children [news release]
The EU will have a new Safer Internet Programme as of 1 January 2009. Following the overwhelmingly positive vote on 23 October in which the European Parliament expressed its support for the new Safer Internet Programme (IP/08/1571), the Council of Ministers has adopted today the new Programme.
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1899
EU commits $70 million to make Internet safer for children
The European Union (EU) Tuesday said that it will spend €55 million ($70 million) in a five-year programme to make Internet safer for children.
http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-58328.html
EU commits €55 mln for safer Internet for children
European Union (EU) member states on Tuesday endorsed a five-year program for safer Internet for children.
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90856/6550444.html
New Report Urges Obama to Focus on Internet Safety for Children
Online safety advocates are pushing president-elect Barack Obama to put more resources toward protecting children from crime, harassment and predators on the Web.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/10/AR2008121001860.html
nz: Team approach urged to stop cyber bullying
With children becoming more internet savvy the need to find effective solutions to educate them against technological bullying is needed and may require a team effort, say principals.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/auckland/4787532a22395.html
Parenting: Children and the internet
Click on Me: We're living in the internet age, and it's more important than ever before to teach your children how to use the internet safely. Cyber bullying and sexual abuse can be very hard to monitor as an adult. To keep your child safe, you should have a clear internet usage policy in your home, with consequences if they fail to abide by your rules and limits. This article will discuss some guidelines to use in your home to help you to keep your teenager safe on the internet.
http://tvnz.co.nz/content/2342697
Parenting: When You Don't Like Your Child's Friends
Rachel Goodchild is a parenting and education specialist. She's worked as a nanny, teacher and lecturer and is the author of over 25 educational titles.
http://tvnz.co.nz/content/2222199
Internet filtering rebels hit Australia’s streets
Participants have created Facebook groups and a YouTube video to rally support and direct activists to the events
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/21EA98D066A62A56CC257519001184D4
Internet Censorship and Mandatory Filtering by Tom Edwards and Gareth Griffith - NSW Parliamentary Library Research Service E-Brief
... With the limited exceptions of Germany and Italy, mandatory ISP level filtering is not a feature of any of the countries reviewed. In place, rather, are voluntary ISP filtering schemes designed to prevent accidental access to a defined list of illegal sites containing child pornography. However, in the UK the position seems to be that the internet industry is encouraged to participate in this scheme, under threat of regulatory intervention should it fail to do so. The line between mandatory and voluntary participation is not clear-cut.
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/7F8B9A55E2FC8932CA2575030083844A/$File/E%20Brief%20Internet%20Censorship.pdf
NSW Parliamentary Research: Mandatory ISP filtering is not what it seems.
The NSW Parliamentary Library Research Service has issued an E-Brief on Internet Censorship and Mandatory Filtering. Its authors Tom Edwards and Gareth Griffith survey the local and international position and conclude that mandatory ISP level filtering is not a feature of many of the countries it reviewed. In place, rather, are voluntary ISP filtering schemes designed to prevent accidental access to a defined list of illegal sites containing child pornography.
http://www.iia.net.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=687&Itemid=32
au: Youth Advisory Group to guide Government on cyber-safety [news release]
School students from across Australia will participate in the Rudd Governments Youth Advisory Group on Cyber-Safety, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, announced today.
http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2008/091
Australia plans to test Web filter
The Australian government plans to test a nationwide Web filter that would require Internet service providers to block access to thousands of sites containing illegal content.
http://iht.com/articles/2008/12/10/technology/cyber.php
Conroy silent on web censorship trial
The federal Government is keeping mum on the number of applications received for content filtering trials.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,,24784419-5013040,00.html
Labor plan to censor internet in shreds
The Government's plan to censor the internet is in tatters, with Australia's largest ISP saying it will not take part in live trials of the system and the second largest committing only to a scaled-back trial.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/12/09/1228584820006.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/12/09/1228584820006.html
Telstra says no to ISP filtering pilot
Telstra has snubbed the federal Government by refusing to take part in its live content filtering trial.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24768254-15306,00.html
Telstra shuns internet filtering trial
Australia's largest internet service provider has said it will not participate in trials of the Federal Government's controversial national internet filter.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/telstra-shuns-internet-filtering-trial-20081208-6u1n.html
http://www.thevine.com.au/news/articles/telstra-shuns-internet-filtering-trial.aspx
Telstra out of Conroy's filtering trial
Telstra has decided not to participate in the government's controversial ISP filtering trial, for which expressions of interest were due today.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Telstra-out-of-Conroy-s-filtering-trial/0,130061791,339293711,00.htm
Telstra won't partake in internet blocking
Telstra says it won't take part in the government's controversial internet filtering trail due to customer management issues.
http://www.skynews.com.au/business/article.aspx?id=285386
Telstra BigPond refuses to participate in net filter trials
Australia’s largest ISP Telstra has ruled out participating in the Federal Government’s controversial Internet filtering trial due to what it calls ‘customer management issues’.
http://itnews.com.au/News/NewsStory.aspx?story=90687
Telstra rejects govt internet filtering trials
If the nation's biggest ISP doesn't have anything to do with them, how much reliance can be placed on tests of the controversial "clean feed" proposal?
http://apcmag.com/telstra_rejects_govt_internet_filtering_trials.htm
Telstra out of Conroy's filtering trial
Telstra has decided not to participate in the government's controversial ISP filtering trial, for which expressions of interest were due today.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Special-Report-Telstra-out-of-Conroy-s-filtering-trial/0,130061791,339293711,00.htm
Proposed internet filter takes another hit
The Federal Government’s internet content filtering plan, designed to protect internet users from child pornography, is coming under fire.
http://www.smartcompany.com.au/Free-Articles/The-Briefing/20081210-Proposed-internet-filter-takes-another-hit.html
Australian Sceme to Censor Online Casinos Falters
Colin Jacobs, vice-chairman of Electronic Frontiers Australia, said that the unintended results would be the same as the failed UIGEA ban in the US.
http://www.onlinecasinoadvisory.com/casino-news/online/australian-online-gambling-filtering-plan-falters-42383.htm
Australia’s Web Filtering Efforts a Complete Debacle
An effort to ban porn websites and potentially online gambling in Australia appears to have faltered.
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/australia%E2%80%99s-web-filtering-efforts-complete-debacle-120908.html
ISPs Give Rudd Government Two Finger Salute
The Rudd Government is continuing to encounter ISP resistance to its plans for a trial of Internet filtering technology, with SA-based national operator Internode and Perth's iiNet refusing to have anything to do with it, and Optus saying it will participate only in a strictly limited way.
http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Home_Office/Industry/Q8D9L2K8
Readers' Comments: Telstra snubs filter trial
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/comments/0,23836,24769108-8362,00.html
Net filtering problems: Residents from Middlesex experience effects of failed content blocking
Why net filtering is not a good idea. Officials in Australia are finding out trying to implement full scale Internet site and content blocking does not work. Many readers will remember similar attempts by the local government to do the same thing but there were so many ways to get around it that while some filtering is still in place here it is not very effective.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/101208_Database/10Dec2008_data67.php
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GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
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Tanner and Conroy go blogging
Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, and Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Lindsay Tanner, have launched a joint blog to canvass opinions on the future of Australia’s digital economy.
http://computerworld.com.au/article/270261/
http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/270261/
Tanner, Conroy start blogging
The Federal Government has taken a step into the Web 2.0 world, with Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and Finance Minister Lindsey Tanner starting a Digital Economy blog to stoke the opinion fires of digital policy.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Tanner-Conroy-start-blogging/0,130061791,339293724,00.htm
Govt's blogging foray sparks controversy
The Federal Government's first foray into internet blogging has elicited some angry responses from people opposed to internet filtering.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/10/2443062.htm
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy gets a blog bashing over web filtering
ANYONE could have seen it coming. Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's department yesterday launched a public consultation blog to gather ideas on the future of Australia's digital policy.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24779707-2,00.html
Obama stimulus plan aims to boost digital economy
In pledging to "renew our information superhighway," President-elect Barack Obama has offered the broad outline of an economic stimulus plan likely to lead to major increases in IT spending -- especially for broadband deployment and technology for schools and health care.
http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9122959
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TELECOMMUNICATIONS
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Coalition, local government lock horns over broadband
The Coalition has attacked a scathing report by local governments on the state of broadband in Australia which labelled telecommunications under the Howard government as “extremely sluggish and frustrating”.
http://computerworld.com.au/article/270085/
http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/270085/
http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/270085/
Australian internet superhighway derailment 'criminal'
Australia's sluggish response to a national broadband network is "criminal", costing jobs and hurting the economy, a gloomy snapshot of the nation says.
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24770025-5006301,00.html
ACMA explodes the monopoly myth
Today’s ACMA Communications Report 2007-08 firmly debunks any suggestions that Telstra enjoys a monopoly in the telecommunications industry. The new report shows the number of licensed carriers has soared from three to 172 since competition was introduced in 1997.
http://www.nowwearetalking.com.au/news/acma-explodes-the-monopoly-myth
Libyans Plan Continent's Largest Telecoms Group
LapGreen Networks, a subsidiary of Libyan African Investment Portfolio, plans to build 'the biggest' telecommunications company with a single network in Africa.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200812081310.html
FCC Chief Pushes New Rules on Phone Fees
The US's chief telecommunications regulator said yesterday that he will push to establish a federal policy on the early cancellation fees charged by cellphone and other services as early as July.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/12/AR2008061203783.html
us: Congressional report: FCC's Martin abused power [IDG]
U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin has abused his power and suppressed public information during his tenure at the agency, according to a new report from a House of Representatives committee.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/120908-congressional-report-fccs-martin-abused.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/155230/.html
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MOBILE/WIRELESS
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EU considers spending €1 billion for satellite broadband technology
The €200 billion economic rescue plan being considered this week by European Union leaders includes a proposal to spend €1 billion on bringing high-speed Internet access to rural areas.
http://iht.com/articles/2008/12/10/technology/satellite.php
EC concerned over German regulator's failure to notify mobile termination rates [news release]
The European Commission, in a letter made public today, requested the German telecoms regulator, Bundesnetzagentur ("BNetzA"), to notify it of all German mobile operators' termination rates, the wholesale tariffs charged by the operator of a customer receiving a phone call to the operator of the caller's network.
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1860
Two vie for Australian WiMax build
The contract to build Unwired's $200 million national metropolitan WiMax broadband network is down to a two-horse race between Huawei and Motorola, and might end up tied.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24771011-5013040,00.html
Axia shows its NBN hand
Little-known Canadian group, Axia NetMedia, has broken its silence on the Rudd Government's $15 billion national broadband network, saying that unless it is built using fibre all the way to homes and businesses in metropolitan areas, then it shouldn't be built at all.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24780196-15306,00.html
4G chip promises eight-times faster mobile downloads
LG Electronics claimed a step forward in the commercialisation of the next generation of internet capable handsets, demonstrating a modem chip with a download speed eight times that of the fastest mobile phones currently on the market.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/4g-chip-promises-eighttimes-faster-mobile-downloads-1060107.html
Critical mass needed for independent VoIP, says new operator
A new entrant into the VoIP market in New Zealand says the time to establish independent providers is limited to “two to three years” and perhaps some form of “co-opetition” is needed to establish a critical mass of such operators.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/A5C09F8CA249F081CC2575190012BEC1
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ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN
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au: Men arrested over 'worst child porn' images [AAP]
VIDEOS depicting children being sexually abused for more than two hours have been seized by Australian Federal Police who have arrested 19 men over what they say is a child porn ring.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21498,24784604-948,00.html
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24784245-911,00.html
au: 19 arrested over ‘worst ever’ Internet child porn bust
Australian Federal Police officers have seized "among the worst" images of child abuse they have seen following a global sting of an online network sharing images and videos of sexually abused children.
http://computerworld.com.au/article/270579/
Justice figures accused over child porn [AAP]
A NSW police officer and a retired Victorian QC are among those arrested as part of a 12-month investigation into a child pornography ring.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newshome/5205555
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David Goldstein
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