[APPLe list] general internet news - 7 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://GoldsteinReport.com/ - for daily updates in between postings.


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The domain name news is supported by auDA

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Few Match Google; Does That Make It a Monopoly?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124156244115989189.html

Google's power-hungry data centres
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/may/03/google-data-centres

Google, Yahoo never forget, warns Australian retired High Court Judge, Kirby
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25441975-15306,00.html

Older Australians less likely to participate in the digital economy [news release]
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311716

Facebook’s E-mail Censorship is Legally Dubious, Experts Say
http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/05/facebooks-e-mail-censorship-is-legally-dubious-experts-say/

us: Probation Recommended In MySpace Suicide Case [AP]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/04/AR2009050403562.html

E.U. to Hear Proposal for Cross-Border Net Copyright
http://nytimes.com/2009/05/05/business/global/copyright.html

More American Mobile Phone Users Drop Landlines Entirely [AP]
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124164303801393063.html

Internet Service in the Air Is Slow to Take Off
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124165469770094015.html

McAfee reports huge drop in spam
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/050509-mcafee-spam-drop.html

Australia to invest in cyber warfare capabilities
http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/301811/

European Parliament vetoes telecoms reform, demands court order for ISP disconnection
http://out-law.com/page-9996

EU parliament blocks telecoms reforms
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ed7b5188-3a4d-11de-8a2d-00144feabdc0.html

British agency denies internet spy plans
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8032367.stm

Board Ties at Apple and Google Are Scrutinised by FTC
http://nytimes.com/2009/05/05/technology/companies/05apple.html

us: Smith Reintroduces Web Freedom Bill
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/05/smith-reintroduces-web-freedom.php


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INTERNET USE
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Few Match Google; Does That Make It a Monopoly?
If there was any doubt about whether or not Google is under the antitrust microscope, it has been erased by news that antitrust regulators may try to break up interlocking directors at Google and Apple.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124156244115989189.html

Google's power-hungry data centres
Once at full capacity, one Google data plant in Oregon could use the same power as every home in Newcastle put together: Few places throw the internet's rapacious appetite for energy into relief more sharply than a remote 30-acre patch of scrubland in northern Oregon owned by Google.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/may/03/google-data-centres

Google, Yahoo never forget, warns Australian retired High Court Judge, Kirby
Retired High Court judge Michael Kirby says internet search engines and imaging capture systems like Google Street View have unexpectedly sidelined traditional principles governing the protection of personal information, and expectations of reasonable privacy in public places.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25441975-15306,00.html

Information outbreak: A web-crawling system is providing vital, up-to-date data on the global spread of disease – including swine flu
Clusters of yellow and orange markers hover over a satellite image of the Earth, each representing a reported outbreak of disease. This is the screen that greets visitors to HealthMap, a near real-time web-crawling system that gathers and organises data from news sources, official alerts, online databases and blogs, overlaying it on to a Google map.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/may/07/information-outbreak-swine-flu

Rupert Murdoch eases concern over News Corp earnings guidance [Dow Jones]
In a conference call on its latest profit report, News Corporation eased concerns by maintaining its guidance for fiscal 2009 operating earnings.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,25441977-643,00.html

Older Australians less likely to participate in the digital economy [news release]
Age is the most significant driver of internet use in the home, according to an Australian Communications and Media Authority report, released today.
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311716

Australia in the digital economy: Online participation
Age is the most significant driver of internet use in the home, according to an new Australian Communications and Media Authority report.
http://apo.org.au/research/australia-digital-economy-online-participation

Elderly Aussies’ lack of interest in web concerns ACMA
More than half of Australians aged over 65 don’t have the internet at home and 44 per cent have never used the Web, according to an Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) report.
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/NewsStory.aspx?story=102682
http://www.crn.com.au/News/102682,elderly-aussies-lack-of-interest-in-web-concerns-acma.aspx

Australia's online history 'facing extinction'
Parts of Australia's valuable cultural history could be lost forever if web archiving is not seriously undertaken in Australia, the National Library of Australia has warned.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/07/2563251.htm

Hit save before dot-com becomes dot-gone: archiving web content
If we don't take steps to resource and support the methodical preservation of our public web culture we stand to lose huge slabs of it into the void of time, writes National Library of Australia web archiving manager Paul Koerbin.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/07/2562951.htm

Guardian wins three Webby awards
Guardian News & Media today won three Webby awards, including best online newspaper website for the fourth time in five years. Other winners in the 2009 Webbys included the BBC, the New York Times, the Economist and the Huffington Post.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/may/05/guardian-wins-three-webby-awards

BBC News website wins two Webbys
The BBC News website has scooped two gongs in this year's Webby Awards, which reward excellence on the net. It won both the official Webby and the People's Voice award in the category of best news site.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8033808.stm

Prince Charles reaches for Barack Obama's internet magic
The Prince of Wales turns to Barack Obama’s internet specialists today in a bid to create his own global web phenomenon. President Obama swept to victory in last year’s race for the White House using viral internet posts to spread his campaign message. Tonight, the Prince launches his own video hoping that the message to the save the rainforests will be spread around the world via e-mail, websites and forums.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6226158.ece

Mini-Links to Web Sites Are Multiplying
If you have spent any time on the Internet in the last few months, chances are you have clicked on a shortened link Web address. URL shorteners, which abbreviate unwieldy Web addresses into bite-size links, have been around for years. The most popular service, TinyURL.com, was started in 2002 by a unicyclist named Kevin Gilbertson.
http://nytimes.com/2009/05/04/technology/start-ups/04short.html

Nigerian Telephone Charges High, Internet Usage Low: World Bank
Although high telephone charges are beginning to come down world over, Nigerians still suffers from relatively high telephony costs, a World Bank report has said. The report which was released last week said in the area of telecommunications cost, Nigeria does not appear to have a distinct advantage over its competitors.
http://dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9111&Itemid=11
http://allafrica.com/stories/200905040496.html

'The Times' titles lose £51.3m on ad squeeze
The publisher of The Times and The Sunday Times experienced a loss of £51.3m in the year to 29 June, the latest indicator of the industry's struggle in the face of collapsing advertising revenues. The results mark a 17 per cent rise in losses at Times Newspapers over the previous year, according to accounts filed at Companies House yesterday.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/the-times-titles-lose-163513m-on-ad-squeeze-1679909.html

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SOCIAL NETWORKING
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Facebook’s E-mail Censorship is Legally Dubious, Experts Say
When The Pirate Bay released new Facebook features last month, the popular social networking site took evasive action, blocking its members from distributing file-sharing links through its service.
http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/05/facebooks-e-mail-censorship-is-legally-dubious-experts-say/

Robot to create Facebook profile
Facebook could soon be helping bridge the divide between humans and robots. Researchers are giving a robot its own Facebook profile page to help foster meaningful relationships with people.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8034190.stm

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES
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Australia to get tax on electronic waste
Australia is set to get its first e-tax in a bid to create a nation-wide electronic goods recycling scheme. The industry-backed tax is set to go before government ministers this month.
http://computerworld.com.au/article/302189/

au: Stop e-waste, says AIIA, environmental group
Key environmental and industry bodies have called for the urgent introduction of mandatory recycling for consumer electronic waste, with the release of a joint declaration today.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25437654-15306,00.html

Seventh seal of approval: is the upgrade really worth waiting for?
The new Windows is edging closer to release. This week, Microsoft has made the release candidate (RC) available to anyone who wants to try it; and although the company has not announced the final release date, Acer's UK managing director, Bobby Watkins, recently told the press that machines with Windows 7 installed will be on sale from 23 October.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/may/07/microsoft-seventh-seal-of-approval

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CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION
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us: Probation Recommended In MySpace Suicide Case [AP]
A Missouri mother involved in a MySpace hoax on a 13-year-old neighbor girl who committed suicide should be placed on probation for one year and fined $5,000 for her misdemeanor convictions, probation officials recommended.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/04/AR2009050403562.html

au: Social site warning for teenagers
Teenagers should think twice before posting personal information and photos on the internet, as they might come back to haunt them, privacy experts warn.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2009/05/05/1241289177088.html
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/05/05/1241289177088.html

au: School bullying biggest fear amongst Aussie parents [AAP]
School bullying is the biggest fear of Australian parents, new research has revealed.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10570736

au: Girls log off from bullying
Ipswich teenagers are set to help the Federal Government tackle the growing problem of online threats such as cyber bullying.
http://www.qt.com.au/story/2009/05/06/girls-log-off-from-bullying/

Youth to advise Australian Government on cyber-bullying and cyber-threats [news release]
The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today announced a group of 305 young Australians to advise Government on online issues such as cyber-bullying.
http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2009/031

Students to advise govt on cyber-safety [AAP]
The federal government has turned to the nation's school students for advice on how to best combat emerging threats in cyberspace.
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuId=28&ContentID=139717
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/5541895/students-to-advise-govt-on-cybersafety/

au: Web filters threaten national security
Internet heavyweights have attacked the federal government's Internet content filtering plans and claimed it opens vulnerabilities that could threaten national security.
http://computerworld.com.au/article/301831/

au: Web filter a runaway success: Exetel
Internet content filtering could cost users about $6 a year and cause no network disruption, according to results from a trial of the technology by ISP Exetel.
http://computerworld.com.au/article/301839/
http://www.cio.de/news/cio_worldnews/883817/
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/050409-web-filter-a-runaway-success.html
http://www.securecomputing.net.au/News/144048,exetel-trial-records-20000-hits-on-filtered-urls.aspx
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/102406,exetel-trial-records-20000-hits-on-filtered-urls.aspx

Exetel says no to internet filtering
Exetel chief John Linton has ruled out selling an opt-in ‘clean feed’ internet service to users as a result of last week’s trial because the technology can be too easily bypassed.
http://www.securecomputing.net.au/News/144149,exetel-says-no-to-internet-filtering.aspx

au: Internet contet filter ISPs: Where are they now?
ISPs participating in the Federal Government’s Internet filtering trial have reported mixed experiences in deploying technology for the scheme.
http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/302202/

nz: Teens lax over online security
Otago teenagers still largely think a lapse in internet security "won't happen to them" and sometimes suffer the consequences of posting personal information on the 'net.
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/54148/teens-lax-over-online-security

Study says half o kiwi teens posts sensitive personal information on-line
A new NetSafe research indicates that half of NZ teenagers post sensitive information about themselves on publically available webpages and mobile phone chat rooms.
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=8202

nz: EDITORIAL: The 3 Rs and the 3 Ws
A news report this week stated our children could soon find internet safety on their school health curriculum. An Auckland secondary school will this month take part in trial lessons covering the "digital footprint" left by teens when they surf the web. Lessons will also cover how to stay safe from cyber bullying and sexual predators.
http://www.wanganuichronicle.co.nz/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3797713&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=

Internet's effects may be taught [The Dominion Post]
The lasting effects of the internet on children's lives could soon be as big a part of the school health curriculum as sexuality, drug use and contraception.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/national-news/2383812/
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/national-news/2383812/
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/news/latest-news/2383812/

uk: Abusive messages to 12-year-old victim
Within hours of being diagnosed with swine flu, schoolgirl Phoebe Wyburd began to receive a string of text messages, one of which said: "You will die."
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/abusive-messages-to-12yearold-victim-1679714.html

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ONLINE TV & MUSIC
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E.U. to Hear Proposal for Cross-Border Net Copyright
Two European commissioners are proposing the creation of a Europewide copyright license for online content that could clear the way for cross-border sales of digital music, games and video — and lower prices for consumers.
http://nytimes.com/2009/05/05/business/global/copyright.html

EU pushes for single online content market
The European Commission wants to scrap the patchwork of national rules governing what music and movies consumers can download from the Internet, and instead create one marketplace for everyone in the European Union, commissioners Vivane Reding and Meglana Kuneva said Tuesday.
http://www.cio.de/news/cio_worldnews/883933/
http://www.thestandard.com/news/2009/05/05/eu-pushes-single-online-content-market

Pirate Bay could face second case in Italy
Italian officials have said they will continue their investigation into the activities of the Pirate Bay website, just two weeks after four men linked to the service were sentenced to prison by a Swedish court.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/may/04/pirate-bay-italy

If you can't buy it legally, of course you'll download it
As someone who produces copyrighted content, I suppose I should be cheering at the Pirate Bay verdict. Or perhaps, as someone who wants to get the latest episodes of my favourite show quickly, I should be angry about it. That's the trouble with the current system of distribution and copyright enforcement: it sets content producers and fans against each other.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/may/05/naomi-alderman-film-downloading

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MOBILE/WIRELESS
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More American Mobile Phone Users Drop Landlines Entirely [AP]
For the first time, the number of U.S. households opting for only cellphones outnumber those that just have traditional landlines in a high-tech shift accelerated by the recession.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124164303801393063.html

BlackBerry Curve Tops the iPhone in the First Quarter
... Market research firm NPD Group said Research in Motion’s BlackBerry Curve unseated the iPhone as the top-selling consumer smartphone in the first quarter of this year. NPD said RIM devices captured three of the top five slots for U.S. consumer sales of smartphones, and the company’s total share rose 15% to nearly half of the market. By contrast, Apple’s market share declined by 10%, NPD said.
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/05/04/blackberry-curve-tops-the-iphone-in-the-first-quarter/

us: BlackBerry Curve outsells iPhone in the first quarter
Apple's iPhones may get the most of the publicity. But the best selling consumer smartphone line in the U.S. during the first three months of 2009 is none other than Research In Motion's BlackBerry Curve, says researcher NPD.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/technologylive/2009/05/blackberry-curve-outsells-iphone-in-the-first-quarter.html

Cell Phone Gaming on the Rise
... In a survey of 1,100 AT&T wireless customers, 57% said that they play games on their mobile devices, and half those gamers admitted to playing during work hours. The reason? More than 50% of people who said they were games reported that they did it as “a distraction from life issues,” while 40% chalked it up to “relaxation and stress relief.”
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/05/05/cell-phone-gaming-on-the-rise/

Internet Service in the Air Is Slow to Take Off
The World Wide Web works well at 30,000 feet. But first you have to find it. Several U.S. airlines, including Delta Air Lines Inc., Virgin America, AMR Corp.'s American Airlines, Southwest Airlines Co., Alaska Air Group Inc. and UAL Corp.'s United Airlines, are rolling out technology to bring wireless Internet service to hundreds of aircraft -- a move that promises to allow passengers almost continuous access to the Web and email while flying. The nascent services are particularly attractive to frenetic business-class travelers who can't stand being off the email grid for even an hour or two in-flight.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124165469770094015.html

Broadband-ready passenger planes to near 800
Those who need their Internet fix while in flight should appreciate a report released on Wednesday by market researcher In-Stat.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10234565-94.html

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SPAM
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McAfee reports huge drop in spam
Global e-mail spam volumes have dropped 20% for the first quarter this year compared with the same period last year, according to McAfee's latest research on the topic.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/050509-mcafee-spam-drop.html
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=115388

McAfee, Inc. Quarterly Threat Report Reveals 12 Million New IP Addresses Have Been Hijacked by Botnets [news release]
The McAfee, Inc. first quarter threat report revealed that cybercriminals have taken control of almost 12 million new IP addresses since January, a 50 percent increase since 2008. The United States is now home to the largest percentage of botnet-infected computers, hosting 18 percent of all zombie machines. Cybercriminals are building an army of infected, “zombie” computers to recover from last November’s takedown of a central spam-hosting ISP, according to the new report from Avert Labs.
http://newsroom.mcafee.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=3515

EU to consider spam crackdown
European Union authorities are considering new rules to toughen and harmonise penalties for sending spam internet messages across the 27-nation bloc.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a0a0ec5c-390c-11de-8cfe-00144feabdc0.html

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ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL
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UK accused of stalling in fight against cybercrime
Europe's top human rights body questioned Britain's commitment to fighting cybercrime and terrorism on Tuesday, asking why it had failed for more than four years to ratify key agreements.
http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-39426820090505

California judge blunts Internet false advertising law
A California judge on Monday threw out a $45 million (29.99 million pounds) false advertising lawsuit against online advertising company ValueClick, in a decision that defence attorneys said could blunt the most aggressive state law regulating commercial email.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE5440CI20090505
http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-39414420090505

Craigslist on PR offensive over sex industry links
Craigslist is trying to head off a growing revolt across America by meeting with senior officials concerned about the site's relationship with the sex industry.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/may/06/craigslist-sex-controversy

US attorneys meet with Craigslist on ad concerns [AFP]
US attorneys general met with Craigslist on Tuesday to discuss concerns that the free online classified service is being used to advertise prostitution.
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/us-attorneys-meet-with-craigslist-on-ad-concerns-20090506-au8p.html
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/us-attorneys-meet-with-craigslist-on-ad-concerns-20090506-au8p.html

Craigslist Under Fire From States Over Erotic Ads
Craigslist has until May 15 to eliminate its "erotic services" section for South Carolina's portion of the online classifieds or face prosecution. The online marketplace has come under legal pressure from the attorneys general of several states to remove some of its adult-oriented sections, in part as a response to a murder investigation in Boston.
http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/retail/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=217300435

Libraries Ask Judge to Monitor Google Books Settlement
Three groups representing libraries, including the American Library Association, the largest such group in the United States, have asked a federal judge to exercise “vigorous oversight” over a class-action settlement between Google, authors and publishers.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/04/libraries-ask-judge-to-monitor-google-books-settlement/

Cybercriminals use fake search engines to spread malware
Cybercriminals have moved on from search engine optimization techniques and are now creating fake search sites designed solely to direct Web surfers to pages hosting malware, Panda Security warned on Wednesday.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10235083-83.html
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/security/0,39044215,62053840,00.htm

Cyber-Command May Help Protect Civilian Networks
The Pentagon is considering whether to create a new cyber-command that would oversee government efforts to protect the military's computer networks and would also assist in protecting the civilian government networks, the head of the National Security Agency said yesterday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/05/AR2009050504342.html

Witnesses say coordination lacking against cyberattacks
A panel of defense information technology and intelligence officials told a House Armed Services panel Tuesday that it will take a tightly coordinated team effort by the military, the other federal agencies and the private sector to secure the nation's vital information networks from cyberattack. But, they conceded, there are no plans or processes in place to ensure that unified effort.
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090506_6733.php

Former Security Chiefs Advise Caution In Reorganizing Cybersecurity Effort
Fortify Executive Summit 2009 -- The U.S. federal government needs to put seasoned leadership and better coordination around its cybersecurity efforts, but President Obama should think twice before doing any wholesale reorganization, several former top-ranking security officials said yesterday.
http://www.darkreading.com/security/government/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=217300247

Australia to invest in cyber warfare capabilities
Australia will develop greater cyber warfare capabilities as part of a $70 billion strategy announced in a Federal Government whitepaper at the weekend.
http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/301811/
http://computerworld.com.au/article/301791/

McAfee: New botnets dwarf Conficker threat
The Conficker worm, which has set off many a recent security alarm bell, may just be a small fry, compared to the growing number of botnets, viruses, and worms infecting cyberspace.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10233531-83.html

Zombie computers 'on the rise'
Twelve million new computers have been hijacked by cyber-criminals since January, according to a report.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8032886.stm

McAfee, Inc. Quarterly Threat Report Reveals 12 Million New IP Addresses Have Been Hijacked by Botnets [news release]
The McAfee, Inc. first quarter threat report revealed that cybercriminals have taken control of almost 12 million new IP addresses since January, a 50 percent increase since 2008. The United States is now home to the largest percentage of botnet-infected computers, hosting 18 percent of all zombie machines. Cybercriminals are building an army of infected, “zombie” computers to recover from last November’s takedown of a central spam-hosting ISP, according to the new report from Avert Labs.
http://newsroom.mcafee.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=3515

FAA's Air-Traffic Computer Systems Penetrated by Hackers
Civilian air-traffic computer networks have been penetrated multiple times in recent years, including an attack that partially shut down air-traffic data systems in Alaska, according to a government report.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124165272826193727.html

us: Federal Cybersecurity a Tough Balance to Strike
A Friday afternoon in spring might not be the best day to hold a hearing on the Hill if you're looking for a strong turnout, even if the subject is something as important as cyber threats to the nation's infrastructure.
http://www.internetnews.com/government/article.php/3818476

Tech industry split on cybersecurity regulations [IDG]
Recent cybersecurity legislation introduced in the U.S. Congress seems to be creating a split in the tech community. Some security vendors say new regulations may be necessary, while a major tech association said it has major concerns about the legislation, called the Cybersecurity Act.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/050409-tech-industry-split-on-cybersecurity.html
http://www.cio.de/news/cio_worldnews/883836/
http://techworld.com.au/article/301945/
http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/301945/

US needs 'digital warfare force'
The head of America's National Security Agency says that America needs to build a digital warfare force for the future, according to reports.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8033440.stm

Pentagon cyber command to create force for future [AP]
The U.S. is determined to lead the global effort to use computer technology to deter or defeat enemies, while still protecting the public's constitutional rights, the director of the National Security Agency says.
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/pentagon-cyber-command-to-create-force-for-future-20090505-atsu.html
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/pentagon-cyber-command-to-create-force-for-future-20090505-atsu.html

NKorea builds up cyber warfare unit: officials [AFP]
North Korea has strenghtened its cyber warfare unit, increasing the country's ability to launch a computer attack on South Korea and the United States, officials and a report said.
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/nkorea-builds-up-cyber-warfare-unit-officials-20090505-atoa.html
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/nkorea-builds-up-cyber-warfare-unit-officials-20090505-atoa.html
http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2386576/

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PRIVACY
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Should the White House Be a Place for Friends?
Last week, President Obama extended his use of social media sites, a trademark feature of his campaign, into the White House, setting up on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. The president, of course, has had an official blog, and he has been posting White House video on YouTube and other video sites.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/04/should-the-white-house-be-a-place-for-friends/

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CENSORSHIP
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Google: 'rough' talks ahead on privacy with Korea [IDG]
The South Korean government could force Google to block access to its YouTube Web site in an ongoing dispute over user privacy, Google's deputy counsel said Monday.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/050509-google-rough-talks-ahead-on.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/164332/.html
http://www.itworld.com/government/67438/google-rough-talks-ahead-privacy-korea

Watchdog threatens online rights group with $11k fine
Online privacy advocacy group Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) has withdrawn links to a blacklisted Web site after its hosting provider was threatened with an $11,000 fine by the communications watchdog.
http://computerworld.com.au/article/302161/
http://www.cio.com.au/article/302161/
http://techworld.com.au/article/302161/
http://www.cio.de/news/cio_worldnews/884077/
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/050609-watchdog-threatens-online-rights-group.html

EFA receives a 'Take Down' notice
Earlier today, the ISP hosting the Electronic Frontiers Australia website was served with a "Final Link-Deletion Notice" – Australia's equivalent of a "take-down notice" by the ACMA.
http://www.itwire.com/content/view/24836/1239/

Political censorship of internet linkage begins in Australia
The host ISP of Electronic Frontiers Australia has been served a take-down notice for linking to an R-rated "blackbanned" site, itself not in Australia, in a page that was a political comment on the merits (or demerits, rather) of mandatory internet filtering in Australia. I put the entire text of their notice below the fold. This is exactly what we were told would never happen by the minister. It is exactly what everybody who ever thought for ten minutes on the subject knew would happen.
http://scienceblogs.com/evolvingthoughts/2009/05/political_censorship_of_intern.php

ACMA link removal: A free speech analysis by Nic Suzor, Electronic Frontiers Australia
commentary Yesterday Electronic Frontiers Australia's hosting provider received a Final Link Deletion Notice from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), requiring us to remove a link to a page that contains images of aborted foetuses from our website.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/insight/communications/soa/ACMA-link-removal-A-free-speech-analysis/0,139023754,339296313,00.htm

Aussie censors implement six degrees of separation policy
The Australian Government yesterday broke new records for web censorship by requiring the takedown not just of a page containing harmful content, nor even a page linking to harmful content, but a page linking to a link to allegedly harmful content.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/05/07/oz_link_ban/

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GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
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European Parliament vetoes telecoms reform, demands court order for ISP disconnection
Internet service providers should only be able to disconnect users on the order of a court, the European Parliament has said. The demand has derailed the expected ratification of European telecoms reform at a Parliament session today.
http://out-law.com/page-9996

EU Parliament rejects law allowing Internet cutoff [AP]
The European Parliament rejected Wednesday attempts by EU governments to crackdown on illegal downloaders of music and film. The measures were part of proposals to update Europe-wide telecommunications rules.
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/eu-parliament-rejects-law-allowing-internet-cutoff-20090507-avic.html
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/eu-parliament-rejects-law-allowing-internet-cutoff-20090507-avic.html

EU lawmakers vote to introduce net neutrality
The European Parliament has voted through a massive tranche of reforms for the European telecommunications sector, including a significant net-neutrality amendment.
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/0,1000000085,39648565,00.htm

EU Mulls New Legal Fight Against Spam, Invasion of Privacy [IDG]
In a bid to patch holes in Europe's rules governing the Internet, the European Commission is considering a renewed effort to clamp down on spam and online abuse of consumers' privacy.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/164351/.html

EU Consumer Guide Seeks To Spur, Protect Web Users
The European Commission, taking complaints of consumers to heart, has published a consumer rights guide that it hopes will encourage Internet surfers to spend time online, and do so safely, particularly across country borders.
http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/ebusiness/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=217300271

Web push derails Europe telecoms reform
A last-gasp push by European lawmakers to have internet access established as an inalienable human right has derailed a sweeping package of telecoms reform.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0d3925d4-3a69-11de-8a2d-00144feabdc0.html

EU parliament blocks telecoms reforms
European mobile operators cheered as the threat of more stringent scrutiny from Brussels was scuppered on Wednesday over an arcane dispute about the human rights of internet users.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ed7b5188-3a4d-11de-8a2d-00144feabdc0.html

EU Parliament approves law ensuring Internet access as a fundamental right
The right of an individual to access the Internet is equivalent to the right to free speech, in a European bill that now faces a skeptical Telecoms Council.
http://www.betanews.com/article/EU-Parliament-approves-law-ensuring-Internet-access-as-a-fundamental-right/1241651104

British agency denies internet spy plans
The UK's electronic intelligence agency has taken the unusual step of issuing a statement to deny it will track all UK internet and online phone use. Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) said it was developing tracking technology but "only acts when it is necessary" and "does not spy at will".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8032367.stm

GCHQ denies snooping claim
The government's electronic eavesdropping centre has issued a rare response to accusations that it plans to install thousands of black boxes to monitor all internet and telephone use in Britain.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/may/04/gchq-snooping-technology-mobile-internet

Board Ties at Apple and Google Are Scrutinised by FTC
The Federal Trade Commission has begun an inquiry into whether the close ties between the boards of two of technology’s most prominent companies, Apple and Google, amount to a violation of antitrust laws, according to several people briefed on the inquiry.
http://nytimes.com/2009/05/05/technology/companies/05apple.html

US regulators question links between Google and Apple
The relationship between Apple and Google is under scrutiny again after the revelation that US regulators are investigating whether the close ties between the two companies violate competition law.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/may/05/apple-google-ftc

Apple and Google 'probe launched' by FTC
The Federal Trade Commission is looking into the ties between the boards of Apple and Google, according to reports.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8033073.stm

Q&A: Jordan's Internet minister on piracy, open source, outsourcing
... That leaves outsourcing and other businesses as one obvious bright spot, and Jordan is hoping to enlist computer technology and the Internet to fight an unemployment rate that probably hovers around 30 percent, thanks in part to the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi and Palestinian refugees the country has taken in. Embracing the Internet also means trying to reconcile its rollicking, unruly culture of free expression with a population that's about 92 percent Muslim and a society that's far from as strict as neighboring Saudi Arabia -- but nevertheless conservative enough to prompt most women to follow the dictates of the hijab by wearing head scarves.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10232069-38.html

in: There is an inspector in my email
The IT Amendment Act gives sweeping powers to the government and these affect the civil rights of ordinary citizens: In some quarters, it is being called the Indian version of America’s Patriot Act. Like the infamous act, it gives the government overarching powers to rummage around its citizens’ telephone, email and all other modes of technological communications.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090415/jsp/opinion/story_10824259.jsp

us: Smith Reintroduces Web Freedom Bill
Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., reintroduced his Global Online Freedom Act on Wednesday with the bipartisan backing of Reps. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., Frank Wolf, R-Va., and others. The measure would prevent U.S. technology companies from working with repressive foreign governments that seek to conduct Internet surveillance to find, capture, convict and often torture citizens for engaging in democracy promotion and human rights advocacy online. Smith's bill passed several House committees last Congress but he could not secure a floor vote before the session ended.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/05/smith-reintroduces-web-freedom.php

us: House Internet privacy, data breach bills could merge
Consumer privacy bills championed by two House Energy and Commerce subcommittee chairmen that are now progressing on parallel tracks could merge to become a sweeping measure with implications for information brokers, broadband service providers, Internet companies and other technology stakeholders.
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090506_2018.php

us: Senator calls for new net neutrality rules [IDG]
The Federal Communications Commission needs to pass strong new net neutrality rules to prevent small technology entrepreneurs from being crowded out of the market by large broadband providers, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden said today.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9132627
http://computerworld.com.au/article/302267/

Bill unveiled to reverse U.S. online gambling ban
Legislation aimed at reversing a 3-year-old ban on Americans placing online bets was introduced on Wednesday by U.S. House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE5455ON20090506

us: Frank Set To Introduce Web Gambling Bill
Supporters of legislation that would create an exemption to a U.S. ban on Internet gambling for licensed and regulated businesses like their odds in the 111th Congress as House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank prepares to unveil the latest version of his bill Wednesday.
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2009/05/frank-set-to-introduce-web-gam.php

EU legislator claims Internet needs to be policed
Conservative British MEP Malcolm Harbour has reiterated his support for government regulation of the Internet.
http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/42338/108/

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COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS
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Microsoft: Lay Off the Layoff Emails
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer sent a company-wide email Tuesday morning announcing a new wave of layoffs that will bring the number of job cuts at the software company to close to 5,000 this year. That’s at the high end of the job cuts that Microsoft in late January said it would make by June of next year.
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/05/05/microsoft-lay-off-the-layoff-emails/

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TELECOMMUNICATIONS
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Singapore's National Broadband Network progresses
More major milestones have been passed in Singapore's journey towards the landmark next generation national broadband network (Next Gen NBN).
http://computerworld.com.au/article/302078/
http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/302078/

Plug pulled on second Tasman cable
The plug has been pulled on development of a new trans-Tasman cable to improve the resiliency of New Zealand's connectivity.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/DA889CFA303DBC4CCC2575AF00004189

Vodafone, Telecom reach deal
Telecom's embattled $574 million XT mobile network is now expected to launch around May 29 after Vodafone and Telecom reached an out of court settlement today. In a statement the two companies said they had resolved their differences over Telecom's new XT network.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2391180/

Vodafone says call quality will improve now Telecom 3G fight over
Vodafone says its customers should notice improved call quality after sorting out its scrap with Telecom over the latter's new mobile phone network.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10571007

Virtual shift can help in low carbon
Ericsson, a provider of technology and services to telecom operators globally, today said it believed mass deployment of broadband networks can accelerate the shift from physical to virtual infrastructure and services, contributing to the creation of a low-carbon economy.
http://www.ciol.com/Enterprise/GreenIT/News-Reports/Virtual-shift-can-help-in-low-carbon/5509119239/0/

us: ISPs' costs, revenues don't support data cap argument
Data caps and metered billing have generated significant consumer resistance not because the idea of metered billing is always bad, but because the new packages on offer feel like highway robbery. Proponents of such caps, like Time Warner Cable, often claim that people need to "pay their fair share" in order to fund future upgrades, so we rounded the quarterly earnings statements out last week from the major US ISPs in an attempt to gauge how accurate that argument might be.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/05/isps-costs-revenues-dont-support-data-cap-argument.ars

West Africa Cable 'Online By 2011'
The $600-million, 14 000km West Africa Cable System linking southern and western African countries with Europe should be in service by 2011.
http://www.buanews.gov.za/news/09/09050512351001
http://allafrica.com/stories/200905060044.html

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ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN
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au: Teacher admits guilt on child porn
A primary school teacher in Western Australia has pleaded guilty in the Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court to child pornography charges.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/05/2561060.htm

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