[APPLe list] general internet news - 6 April

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

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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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The domain name news is supported by auDA

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Google is just an amoral menace: The ever-growing empire produces nothing but seems determined to control everything
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/05/google-internet-piracy

CNNIC Releases the 23rd Statistical Report on the Internet Development in China
http://www.cnnic.net.cn/html/Dir/2009/03/23/5512.htm

Internet Ads Say Goodbye to Glory Days
http://nytimes.com/2009/04/06/technology/internet/06iht-media06.html

Murdoch says papers should charge on Web
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE5320AX20090403

21st century Lent: US Christians go green, give up new media [AFP]
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/05/2535330.htm

Facebook users unwittingly revealing personal information thanks to way privacy settings work
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/apr/02/facebook-profiles-personal-information

Facebook lures 200m with poker and pets
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/7503cade-2222-11de-8380-00144feabdc0.html

Google sees voice search as core
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7982763.stm

au: ACMA boss Chris Chapman blames media for blacklist 'conspiracy'
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,25297048-2,00.html

Swedish internet use plummets after filesharing curb introduced
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/apr/04/sweden-pirate-bay-filesharing-internet

French 'three strikes' antipiracy law passes second reading [IDG]
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/040309-french-three-strikes-antipiracy-law.html

Google and Music Labels Bet on Downloads in China
http://nytimes.com/2009/04/06/technology/companies/06music.html

Gore: Wireless access to info means power
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-12261_7-10211700-51.html

RIM Sells 50 Millionth BlackBerry, Stock Soars on Earnings [IDG]
http://www.pcworld.com/article/162554/.html

Wireless Carriers Are Wrong to Cripple Skype for iPhone
http://www.pcworld.com/article/162539/.html

Senators Introduce Texting Spam Bill [IDG]
http://www.pcworld.com/article/162587/.html

au: Facebook discipline may be illegal: expert
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/04/03/1238261779328.html

Coy British village tells Google Street View 'spy' to beat a retreat
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/apr/03/google-street-view-broughton

Briton's personal web data to be stored for a year
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/personal-web-data-to-be-stored-for-a-year-1662237.html

Chinese spies target Australian PM's email, mobile phone
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25282389-601,00.html


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INTERNET USE
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Google is just an amoral menace: The ever-growing empire produces nothing but seems determined to control everything
If indeed a new era of global responsibility has come into being with measures that actually restrain banks and isolate tax havens, it may be time for the planet's dominant economic powers to focus on the destructive, anti-civic forces of the internet. Exactly 20 years after Sir Tim Berners-Lee wrote the blueprint for the world wide web, the internet has become the host to a small number of dangerous WWMs - worldwide monopolies that sweep all before them with exuberant contempt for people's rights, their property and the past.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/05/google-internet-piracy

CNNIC Releases the 23rd Statistical Report on the Internet Development in China
On January 13, 2009, China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) released the “23rd Statistical Survey Report on the Internet Development in China” in Beijing. According to the report, by the end of 2008, the Internet penetration rate of 22.6% in China had surpassed the global average level of 21.9% for the first time. Meanwhile, the amount of Internet users in China had reached 298 million, with 279 million broadband users. And the registration number of CN domain names reached 13.572 million. The three indexes continued to rank the first in the world.
http://www.cnnic.net.cn/html/Dir/2009/03/23/5512.htm

Internet Ads Say Goodbye to Glory Days
Now even the Internet is heading into recession. Growth in online advertising largely ground to a halt in the final months of last year in major markets like the United States and Britain, according to several reports published last week. And forecasters say it may have gone into reverse since then, as the economic downturn has deepened and marketers have continued to pare their budgets.
http://nytimes.com/2009/04/06/technology/internet/06iht-media06.html

Death on the Net
Twittering, the online activity du jour, was suddenly everywhere last week, even in the mainstream print media. A sure sign, perhaps, that it has peaked, and is on the road to the graveyard for once-fashionable internet crazes.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/death-on-the-net-1662819.html

Murdoch says papers should charge on Web
Rupert Murdoch, whose media company News Corp owns one of the few U.S. newspapers that makes people pay to read its news on the Web, said more papers will have to start doing the same to survive.
http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-38862320090403
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE5320AX20090403

21st century Lent: US Christians go green, give up new media [AFP]
From giving up their cars to abandoning their Facebook pages, many Christians in the United States are being called on to help reduce global warming and turn their backs on internet distractions over Lent.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/05/2535330.htm

Google dubbed internet parasite by WSJ editor
Companies that aggregate mainstream media content without paying a fee are the "parasites or tech tapeworms in the intestines of the internet" and will soon be challenged, Robert Thomson, the Australian-born editor of The Wall Street Journal has warned.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,25293711-643,00.html

Cyberbullying 'affects 1 in 10 British teachers'
More than one in 10 teachers are bullied by pupils and colleagues through text messages, emails and social networking sites, new research shows.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/apr/04/cyber-bullying-schools-teachers-survey

au: Online punters rushing to play
In 2000 the Federal Government was interested in attitudes to the embryonic online gambling industry. Would Australians cop a ban on all local gambling sites - and if a ban was enforced would punters simply go offshore for their gambling fix?
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/04/03/1238261799374.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2009/04/03/1238261799374.html

Google’s Phone Apps for the Blind, and Everyone Else
The featureless glassy screens of touch-screen phones may seem like a forbidding barrier for blind users, who often rely on tactile clues to feel their way around. But a pair of engineers at Google, T.V. Raman, who is blind, and Charles Chen, who is sighted, have developed software that makes the touch-screen T-Mobile G1, which uses Google’s Android software, more accessible to blind users. They hope the technology will also be useful to anyone who needs to operate a phone without looking at the screen, like drivers.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/googles-phone-apps-for-the-blind-and-everyone-else/

Study: surfing the Internet at work boosts productivity
People who are able to spend 20 percent or less of their time surfing the Internet at work are more productive than those who don't, according to research from the University of Melbourne. Small Internet breaks help workers focus better, though Internet addicts still have a problem.
http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2009/04/study-surfing-the-internet-at-work-boosts-productivity.ars

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SOCIAL NETWORKING
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Facebook users unwittingly revealing personal information thanks to way privacy settings work
Millions of Facebook users could be unwittingly giving away personal information because of the way in which the social networking website's privacy settings work, researchers said this week.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/apr/02/facebook-profiles-personal-information

Facebook lures 200m with poker and pets
Spectacular growth in online social gaming is prompting companies such as Google to enter the market and developers to rethink how they design video games.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/7503cade-2222-11de-8380-00144feabdc0.html

Sources: Google In Talks To Acquire Twitter
Here’s a heck of a rumor that we’ve sourced from two separate people close to the negotiations: Google is in late stage negotiations to acquire Twitter. We don’t know the price but can assume its well, well north of the $250 million valuation that they saw in their recent funding.
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/02/sources-google-in-late-stage-talks-to-buy-twitter/

Twitter Wouldn’t Sell For $1 Billion, Says Source
Update to our post last night about Google/Twitter talks: New sources say that Google is interested in acquiring Twitter, and has had talks with the company about a deal. Google’s internal valuation, however, would value the company at a token premium above Twitter’s last round of financing valuation, around $250 million. Some Twitter insiders want the deal, but our sources say CEO Evan Williams wouldn’t sell even for $1 billion. “He may blink, but he wouldn’t do it,” said one source.
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/03/twitter-wouldnt-sell-for-1-billion-says-source/

No Google-Twitter deal is planned, says Stone [IDG]
Twitter Inc. co-founder Biz Stone today denied widespread rumors that its acquisition by Google Inc. is imminent.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9131060

Google ‘on verge’ of buying Twitter
Google is in “late stage” talks to buy the microblogging service Twitter, according to reports on the influential technology blog TechCrunch.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/twitter/5099047/Google-on-verge-of-buying-Twitter.html

Google 'in late-stage negotiations' to buy social networking site Twitter
The internet was abuzz with tweets, blog posts and instant messages yesterday as rumours spread that Google and Twitter, two of the web's biggest names, were close to completing a multimillion-dollar deal.
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article6031912.ece

Google sees voice search as core
Google has said it sees voice search as a major opportunity for the company in building a presence on the mobile web. ... "We believe voice search is a new form of search and that it is core to our business," said Vic Gundotra.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7982763.stm

Facebook 'good for productivity', in moderation
Employers worried that their staff are wasting their time on websites like Facebook, MySpace and YouTube may now be able to relax a bit. A new study has found that workers who surf the net from their office are actually more productive than those who don't.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/02/2533719.htm

Why Facebook is just plain wrong
Having been online before web browsers existed I'm proud to say that I'm a cyber geriatric and love nothing more than the incredible amount of innovation on offer via the internet.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10565066

UK teenager 'saved by Facebook'
A British teenager who took a drugs overdose has been saved after the American girl he was chatting to online raised the alarm.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7983725.stm

Facebook friend saves a life
A British teenager’s suicide note on Facebook sparked a transatlantic rescue mission which saved his life.
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article6035862.ece

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES
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NZ firm claims browser breakthrough
A New Zealand software developer is doing its bit to reignite the browser wars by developing a browser alternative called pageQ. The US Patent Office has awarded the firm, Aspiring Software, a patent for the technology.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/devt/3F9B465BC2C9C84ACC25758C0012B9A3

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CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION
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au: ACMA boss Chris Chapman blames media for blacklist 'conspiracy'
The head of the media watchdog has accused journalists of whipping up controversy over the Federal Government's secret list of banned websites.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,25297048-2,00.html

au: Security distributors and vendors unperturbed by Internet filter trial
Potential misconceptions over the Federal Government’s contentious Internet filtering scheme will not affect demand for filtering software, according to security vendors and distributors.
http://arnnet.com.au/article/298108/
http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/298108/
http://computerworld.com.au/article/298108/
http://techworld.com.au/article/298108/
http://www.cio.com.au/article/298108/

au: Malicious internet sites can't be silenced, says expert
Deakin University internet expert Professor Matt Warren says technology holds no answer to fully protecting children from websites with dark and malicious content.
http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2009/04/03/60445_news.html

au: Why It’s Legal to View Prohibited Content
There’s been some confusion surrounding the government’s use of the phrase ‘prohibited content’ to describe what’s on the ACMA blacklist.
http://newmatilda.com/polliegraph/?p=548

Aussie Senator Admits Error in Internet Censorship Policy
A blacklist authored by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) aiming to censor various “indecent” websites, including online poker sites, leaked last month with the help of anonymous sources. Now, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy is beginning to own up to errors within his controversial internet censorship policy following an uproar from the Australian community.
http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/aussie-senator-admits-error-in-internet-censorship-policy-1809/

Conroy Backtracks on Internet Censorship Policy
The Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy has been clarifying more details on his Internet censorship policy.
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/conroy-backtracks-internet-censorship-policy-040109.html

Australia’s Communication Minister Senator Stephen Conroy Worst Ever
Australian Communications Minister and Senator Stephen Conroy has continued to make waves as his crusade to filter out the Internet from the evils of porn, online poker, religion, YouTube links and political incorrectness continues.
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/australia%E2%80%99s-communication-minister-senator-stephen-conroy-worst-ever-040309.html

Australian Censorship Has Poker Sites on Most Dangerous
Poker domains such as Poker Stars and Full tilt and partner websites that bare their names have been put on a list of dangerous websites in Australia as the government seeks to secretly censor over 2000 websites.
http://www.pokerstrategy.com/news/world-of-poker/Australian-Censorship-Has-Poker-Sites-on-Most-Dangerous_17993

au: Swingers site beats internet filters
Graphic sexual images which appear to contravene national legislation have been posted on the website of a Sunshine Coast swingers club which can be accessed by any member of the public.
http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2009/apr/06/graphic-swingers-site-beats-internet-filters/

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ONLINE TV & MUSIC
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Swedish internet use plummets after filesharing curb introduced
Internet traffic in Sweden - previously a hotbed of illicit filesharing - has fallen dramatically following the introduction of a law banning online piracy.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/apr/04/sweden-pirate-bay-filesharing-internet

Internet traffic in Sweden plummets on first day of law banning web piracy
Internet traffic in Sweden – previously a hotbed of illicit filesharing – has fallen dramatically in the first day of a new law banning online piracy.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/apr/02/sweden-internet-traffic-plummets

As Sweden's Internet anonymity fades, traffic plunges
A new Swedish law that went into effect yesterday makes it possible for rightsholders to go to court and unmask a user based on an IP address. Traffic passing through Sweden's main Internet exchanges fell almost in half in consequence.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/04/as-swedens-internet-anonymity-fades-traffic-plunges.ars

Piracy law cuts internet traffic
Internet traffic in Sweden fell by 33% as the country's new anti-piracy law came into effect, reports suggest.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7978853.stm

Royalty Dispute Stops Music Videos in Germany
YouTube has stopped showing music videos in Germany as a dispute over royalty payments in Europe spreads.
http://nytimes.com/2009/04/03/technology/internet/03youtube.html

France approves main section of tough anti-P2P bill
France's Assemblée Nationale has been debating a strict, government-backed graduated response bill for several weeks. As the final vote nears, the bill's core section has been adopted and its passage looks likely.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/04/france-approves-main-section-of-tough-anti-p2p-bill.ars

French 'three strikes' antipiracy law passes second reading [IDG]
French Internet users who share music or videos without permission from the copyright holders are one step closer to losing their Internet access, after the French National Assembly gave its assent to the so-called Hadopi law on Thursday night. The law had its first reading in the Senate last year.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/040309-french-three-strikes-antipiracy-law.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/162573/.html

French pass 'three strikes' file-sharing law
In a decision that is likely to alarm file-sharers worldwide, an almost empty French National Assembly has finally voted through its "three strikes law" designed to clamp down on file-sharing and illegal downloads.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/03/french_three_strikes/
http://out-law.com/page-9927

Google and Music Labels Bet on Downloads in China
Can global music companies make money by giving away songs in China, where piracy is rampant? They certainly hope so. Last Monday, the world’s biggest record labels, including EMI, the Warner Music Group and Vivendi’s Universal Music, said they would seek to profit here by working with Google and offering free downloads of music to anyone inside China.
http://nytimes.com/2009/04/06/technology/companies/06music.html

au: Yes Minister? No Minister! Conroy's 'improper' gaffe
The Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, is under fire for potentially prejudicial comments he made about the legal battle between iiNet and the movie studios, saying iiNet's defence "belongs in a Yes Minister episode".
http://www.watoday.com.au/technology/yes-minister-no-minister-conroys-improper-gaffe-20090403-9lml.html

iiNet slams Communications Minister over copyright case comments
The chief executive of iiNet, Michael Malone, is considering legal action against Federal Communications Minister Stephen Conroy after he ridiculed iiNet's defence against alleged copyright infringements.
http://www.smartcompany.com.au/internet/20090403-iinet-slams-communications-minister-over-copyright-case-comments.html

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MOBILE/WIRELESS
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Gore: Wireless access to info means power
Former Vice President Al Gore sought to link the democratic effects of information sharing with the growth of the wireless industry as the solution to all of life's problems.
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-12261_7-10211700-51.html
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62052886,00.htm

RIM Sells 50 Millionth BlackBerry, Stock Soars on Earnings [IDG]
Research In Motion Limited (RIM) stock soared in after-market trading after the company posted solid financial results and said it sold its 50 millionth BlackBerry smartphone.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/162554/.html
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/040309-rim-sells-50-millionth-blackberry.html
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9131039

Wireless Carriers Are Wrong to Cripple Skype for iPhone
Everybody loves the idea of cheap VoIP calls on cell phones. Everybody, that is, except for wireless carriers who charge usurious fees for voice and data plans. Cellular providers around the globe are placing restrictions on Skype for iPhone and other Internet phone services, and that’s bad news for consumers.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/162539/.html

The Palm Pre Will Be an iPhone Killer
Although a collective sigh may be raised at comparing yet another touch-screen smartphone with Apple's iPhone 3G, Palm's Pre has been generating plenty of buzz since it was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year.
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/162528/.html

Why Korea Isn't Rushing To 4G
Super-wired South Korea easily outranks the U.S. in most measures of broadband. But that might just change. In a surprising twist, with help from Korean companies, the U.S. could win the race to upgrade cellular networks to faster mobile broadband speeds.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/02/4g-broadband-internet-technology-korea-09-4g.html

Group urges FCC to open AT&T's 3G to Skype on iPhone
An advocacy group today asked the Federal Communications Commission to decide whether AT&T Inc. and Apple Inc. have broken federal rules by blocking iPhone owners from using the recently released Skype voice-over-IP (VoIP) service on AT&T's 3G wireless network.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9131062
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/040309-fcc-asked-to-investigate-skype.html

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SPAM
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us: Senators introduce bill to curb mobile spam
Two Senators are attempting to curb unsolicited text messages with a bill to strengthen government oversight of commercial texts.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10211562-38.html

Senators Introduce Texting Spam Bill [IDG]
Two U.S. senators have introduced a bill aimed at attacking a growing problem: unsolicited commercial text messages or mobile spam.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/162587/.html
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9131061
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/040309-senators-introduce-texting-spam.html

Senators Unveil Mobile Anti-Spam Bill
Sens. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and Bill Nelson, D-Fla., introduced legislation Thursday to curb unsolicited text messages or mobile spam which is a growing nuisance for millions of wireless customers.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/04/senators-unveil-mobile-antispa.php

Three spammers sentenced in US for advance fee fraud [IDG]
Two Nigerians and a Frenchman were sentenced to prison Thursday for swindling people out of more than US$1.2 million in a massive e-mail scam, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/298116/
http://computerworld.com.au/article/298116/

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DIGITAL DIVIDE
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Korea Bridges Digital Divide: Korea's IT agency has advice for the Obama administration.
Dr. Yeongi Son has a message for President Obama: If you're serious about making broadband a priority, establish an agency dedicated to digital divide issues.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/02/internet-broadband-korea-technology-korea-09-broadband.html

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ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL
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au: Facebook discipline may be illegal: expert
Firms who discipline or sack staff for comments made on Facebook and Twitter could be acting illegally, says a veteran lawyer. Stories about NSW Department of Corrective Services threatening to sack prison officers over Facebook posts and Telstra disciplining employee Leslie Nassar for Twitter comments have provoked a series of other examples.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/04/03/1238261779328.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2009/04/03/1238261779328.html

David vs Goliath: CSIRO takes on big business over wi-fi patent
The CSIRO's legal win against Hewlett Packard over the use of its patented wireless technology could mean big bucks for the Australian science agency, says a patent attorney.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/02/2533653.htm

iiNet tests legality of Conroy slur
Perth-headquartered ISP iiNet said it has sought legal advice on Communications Minister Senator Stephen Conroy's public commentary on its legal defence in a high-profile copyright case before the NSW Federal Court.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25280013-15306,00.html

Google Settles AdWords Lawsuit For $20 Million
The list of companies and individuals suing Google for the way it runs its search ad business is a long one: including everyone from biggies like American Airlines to one-off advertiser lawsuits. And settling its latest AdWords-related lawsuit could ultimately cost Google up to $20 million, according to Mediapost.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/01/google-settles-adwords-lawsuit-technology-paidcontent.html

Google's Plan for Out-of-Print Books Is Challenged
The dusty stacks of the nation’s great university and research libraries are full of orphans — books that the author and publisher have essentially abandoned. They are out of print, and while they remain under copyright, the rights holders are unknown or cannot be found.
http://nytimes.com/2009/04/04/technology/internet/04books.html

FBI: Internet Fraud Rates Rose 33% Last Year
Internet fraud complaints to the FBI by consumers increased more than 33 percent in 2008 over the previous year, according to figures released this week.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/04/fbi_internet_fraud_rates_rose.html

Grappling With Internet Addiction: How Korea is battling Internet addiction and cybercrime.
There are plenty of benefits to expanding access to broadband, ranging from educational to environmental gains. Increasingly, there are drawbacks too.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/02/internet-addiction-security-technology-korea-09-addiction.html

NZ publishers line up for slice of $125m Google copyright settlement
Google has finalised an out-of-court $US125 million settlement with book publishers for scanning their titles without permission, and the NZ Copyright Council has begun taking local claims on the cash.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/nz-publishers-line-slice-125m-google-copyright-settlement-100042

Computer malware spurred by profit motive
It's war out there as hostilities intensify between propagators of computer malware and those in the business of eradicating it.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10565006&ref=rss

Cyberwarfare: A Chinese ghost in the machine? Identifying the perpetrator of cyber-attacks can be impossible
Cyberspace is ideal for spies. Digitally disguised and undeterred by borders or passports, they can pick locks anywhere in the world, pilfer secrets without trace and even leave toxic traps for the unwary.
http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13416219

A more detailed look at the proposed Cybersecurity Act of 2009 by Milton Mueller
The Rockefeller-Snowe bill emerges from an environment of blind hysteria around cyber-security problems that has developed in recent months. Section 2 contains 150 lines of silly hyperventilating that exaggerate the threats - but more importantly, misconceives the nature of Internet-based threats and the best way to respond to them. The bill succumbs to the tendency to take a national, hierarchical and centralized approach to problems that are best met through the organic evolution of decentralized, flexible, adapative and transnational, private sector-based cooperative solutions that leverage the peer production capabilities of the Internet.
http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2009/4/3/4142495.html

White House to oversee coordination of cybersecurity efforts
Two officials in the Obama administration confirmed on Friday that the White House would oversee the coordination of securing networks governmentwide, identifying more than 250 requirements in an on-going 60-day review of federal cybersecurity initiatives.
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090403_9076.php

Cybersecurity review closely scrutinizing telecom policy
The government may have to take a new approach to securing the nation's telecommunications infrastructure, two senior administration officials said Friday.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10212101-38.html

Cybersecurity bill seeks to give president new powers over private-sector networks
A wide-ranging cybersecurity bill introduced in the U.S. Senate this week would give the president unprecedented new powers to disconnect government and private-sector networks from the Internet in the event of security emergencies. But that provision is expected to be a hard sell in Congress.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9131070

Obama Cyber Review Still Short On Details
As the Obama administration crafts a game plan for keeping the nation's computer networks and critical infrastructure secure, the White House is going to anchor the interagency coordination and set a vision for the way forward, administration officials told reporters Friday evening on a conference call about the 60-day cybersecurity review the president ordered earlier this year. The White House does not plan to strong-arm the Homeland Security Department, National Security Agency and other entities that currently control operational aspects of government and private sector IT security, they said. Cybersecurity leadership has been a hot topic among lawmakers, think tanks and tech industry officials recently with at least one prominent report calling for the White House to take charge of that mission.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/04/obama-cyber-review-still-short.php

Conficker.c controls 4% of all infected PCs, IBM says
As many as one out of every 25 Internet addresses that transmits potentially dangerous data over the Internet is infected with the Conficker.c worm, IBM Corp.'s security arm said today.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9131038

Domain-hoarding may have hamstrung Conficker
Prior to the April-1st update for the Conficker worm, security researchers scrambled to snatch up domains which the botnet's controllers were thought to be targeting.
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2239852/domain-hoarding-hamstrung

IBM sees Conficker hitting 4 percent of PCs [IDG]
IBM is the second company in two days to suggest that the number of computers infected by the Conficker.C worm may be higher than previously thought.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/040309-ibm-sees-conficker-hitting-4.html

Conficker Worm: Not Finished Yet
April 1 has come and gone, and the Internet has not disintegrated and no major cyber-attacks were reported. But Conficker still remains a threat. Now don't panic, this doesn't mean cyber-Armageddon could strike at any minute, it just means you need to make sure your computer is fully updated if it isn't already. Feel better? Good, then let's take a look at what's going on.
http://pcworld.in/india/news/5963779/
http://www.cio.com/article/488013/
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/040209-conficker-worm-not-finished.html

Conficker infections higher than first thought [IDG]
Internet infrastructure provider OpenDNS has warned that infections from the Conficker worm may more widespread than previously thought.
http://www.techworld.com/news/index.cfm?NewsID=113778
http://www.itworld.com/security/65657/conficker-may-be-more-widespread-previously-thought
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=113742
http://www.pcworld.com/article/162447/.html

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PRIVACY
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Coy British village tells Google Street View 'spy' to beat a retreat
Any villains inspired to check Google Street View to see whether a personal visit to the Buckinghamshire village of Broughton might be profitable, have been confounded. The residents formed a human hoarding to block the camera's view of their streets, then forced its vehicle into ignominious retreat.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/apr/03/google-street-view-broughton

Village mob thwarts Google Street View car
A spate of burglaries in a Buckinghamshire village had already put residents on the alert for any suspicious vehicles. So when the Google Street View car trundled towards Broughton with a 360-degree camera on its roof, villagers sprang into action. Forming a human chain to stop it, they harangued the driver about the “invasion of privacy”, adding that the images that Google planned to put online could be used by burglars.
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article6022902.ece

Dotcom companies consider boycott of Phorm's online advertising technology
Digital technology company Phorm is facing a major setback, with several of the world's largest dotcom companies considering boycotting its controversial online advertising technology.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/apr/02/dotcom-boycott-advertising-phorm

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GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
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European call for a watch on the watchers
Organisations tracking net use should themselves be monitored, say MEPs. The Euro-MPs overwhelmingly backed a statement which called on governments to list internet watching organisations and report on what they do.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7981212.stm

Briton's personal web data to be stored for a year
The mobile calls, emails and website visits of every person in Britain will be stored for a year under sweeping new powers which come into force on Monday. Privacy campaigners warned last night that the information would be used by the Government to create a giant "Big Brother" super-database containing a map of everyone's private life.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/personal-web-data-to-be-stored-for-a-year-1662237.html

Internet records to be stored for a year
Details of every email sent and website visited by people in Britain are to be stored for use by the state from tomorrow as part of what campaigners claim is a massive assault on privacy.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/technologynews/5105519/Internet-records-to-be-stored-for-a-year.html

Storing of emails and website addresses: What does it mean for you?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/technologynews/5105609/Storing-of-emails-and-website-addresses-What-does-it-mean-for-you.html

ISPs to record all emails and calls
Internet service providers are to keep records of emails and online phone calls under controversial new government regulations that come into force today.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/apr/06/internet-data-storage

Chinese spies target Australian PM's email, mobile phone
Chinese spies have directly targeted Kevin Rudd, repeatedly attempting to infiltrate prime ministerial email and mobile phone communications.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25282389-601,00.html

Hi-tech power to shake up defence
Kevin Rudd understands that China's massive and sophisticated cyber assault capabilities have long-term implications for Australia's defence.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,25282371-5014047,00.html

Cyber warfare a real-time threat
The Chinese state, especially the People's Liberation Army, has in recent years embarked on a huge cyber assault on Western targets, including Australia.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25282370-5013460,00.html

China 'running' spy ring in Australia: Tony Abbott
Tony Abbott has intensified a fierce debate over links to Beijing, accusing China of running an extensive spy network in Australia and encouraging rioting when the Olympic torch was paraded through Canberra last year to upstage any pro-Tibet protests.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25282368-5013404,00.html

China denies spies targeted Australia PM, Rio Tinto [Reuters]
China denied on Friday that its spies attempted to hack into the phone and computer of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd during a visit to Beijing, amid growing unease in Canberra over Chinese investment.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/02/AR2009040204338.html

US Senators Unveil Mobile Anti-Spam Bill
Sens. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and Bill Nelson, D-Fla., introduced legislation Thursday to curb unsolicited text messages or mobile spam which is a growing nuisance for millions of wireless customers. The measure will provide more government attention to this growing problem and makes modifications to existing laws in order to improve efforts to restrain mobile spam, according to a press release. Specifically, the bill would strengthen powers given to the FCC and the FTC to curb unwanted text messages. It also affords additional consumer protections by banning commercial text messages to wireless numbers listed on the do-not-call registry.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/04/senators-unveil-mobile-antispa.php

France Telecom Loses Antitrust Appeal at European Court [IDG]
Europe's top court Thursday threw out an appeal by France Telecom against a 2003 European Commission antitrust ruling that found the company guilty of monopoly abuse in the market for Internet access.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/162463/.html

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COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS
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Online gaming in China: Intangible value - Changyou is making a fortune selling items in a virtual world
Perhaps it should not be a surprise. In the midst of a global capital shortage, the first company to list this year on New York’s NASDAQ exchange not only needs no money; its source of profit is receiving cash for items that do not exist.
http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13415293

Clash of the clouds: A familiar-sounding industry spat breaks out over standards
Cloud computing may be the next big thing, but its politics are as old as the mainframe. Geeks from the early years of the information-technology (IT) industry would have had no difficulty deconstructing a quarrel that has broken out among IT’s modern giants. At issue is an “Open Cloud Manifesto”, which was published on March 30th.
http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13414155

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TELECOMMUNICATIONS
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Concern on broadband security
A $10 billion-plus tender to build a new national broadband network will finally be unveiled this week, but the Opposition is warning that national security concerns must be paramount in determining the winner.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/concern-on-broadband-security-20090405-9ta0.html
http://www.smh.com.au/national/concern-on-broadband-security-20090405-9ta0.html

Several options open on national broadband network
Late last year, the Rudd Government rejected Telstra's proposal for a new Telstra-owned national broadband network. That was the easy part.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,25285637-5018015,00.html

A broadband offer they could refuse
Late one flinty Canberra morning, August 11, 2005, a collection of polished and prosperous telecommunications executives arrived to pay a visit.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,25285635-5018015,00.html

Telstra announces premium SMS consumer safeguards
Telstra has moved to head off further industry regulation through announcing plans to implement new safeguards to protect its customers from unwanted subscriptions to premium SMS services.
http://techworld.com.au/article/298263/
http://computerworld.com.au/article/298263/

Telstra introducing new SMS safeguards for customers
Telstra is to introduce additional measures which it says will safeguard its customers from unintentional subscriptions to premium SMS services.
http://www.itwire.com/content/view/24268/127/

ACMA proposes new measures for 400 MHz band
On Thursday the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) announced a number of proposals for future spectrum arrangements in the 400MHz band, including a harmonised band for government use and measures to allow more efficient use of this spectrum.
http://southgatearc.org/news/april2009/acma_400mhz_proposal.htm

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ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN
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au: Teacher sentenced for viewing child porn
A former Wollongong High School teacher has been sentenced to 16 months' periodic detention for accessing child pornography images on his home computer.
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/teacher-sentenced-for-viewing-child-porn/1477908.aspx


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