Don't forget to check out my website - http://technewsreview.c
om.au/ - for daily updates in between postings.
**********************************************************
Sponsored by the Singapore Internet Research Centre
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
http://www.ntu.edu.sg
/sci/sirc/
**********************************************************
The Pitfalls of Behavioral Targeting
http://ecommercetimes.com/story/T
he-Pitfalls-of-Behavioral-Targeting-61019.html
Widespread Facebook application installs adware Secret Crush
leads to unwanted advertising [news release]
http://sophos.com/pressoffice/news/artic
les/2008/01/facebook-adware.html
Virtual worlds will soon be as important as Web to companies
http://computerworld.co
m/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9
056602
Logging off: Gates says farewell to CES - what were his
successes and failures
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/ja
n/10/billgates.microsoft
Yahoo chief opens the mobile web
htt
p://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7176077.stm
Yahoo moves to counter Google mobiles push
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/b854cdfa-bcad-11dc-bcf9
-0000779fd2ac.html
Intel predicts the personal net
htt
p://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7176177.stm
Coming Soon: Spam on Your Printer From the Web [IDG]
http://www.i
nfoworld.com/article/08/01/09/Spam-your-printer-from-the-Web
-Researcher-shows-how_1.html
Intel 'undermined' laptop project
htt
p://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7178241.stm
Ban Will Be Lifted For Chinese Internet Cafes
http://www.chinatechn
ews.com/2008/01/09/6273-ban-will-be-lifted-for-chinese-inter
net-cafes/
China cracks down on sex-drug Web sites [Reuters]
http:
//news.zdnet.com/2110-9588_22-6225299.html
Monitoring Kids' Use of Tech Is Key [AP]
http://news.theage.com.au/monitor
ing-kids-use-of-tech-is-key/20080109-1kxz.html
fr: Sarkozy proposes taxing new technology to finance the
old
http://iht.com/articles/2008/01/08/business/france.php
uk: Copying music legally in the digital age
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jan/09/c
opyrightlaws
Apple forced to drop iTunes prices in UK
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/
tol/news/tech_and_web/article3158993.ece
Apple lowers UK prices but might cut catalogue
http://out-law.com/page-
8786
us: Comcast welcomes FCC inquiry into traffic management
[IDG]
http://www.pcworld.
com/article/id,141223-c,ces/article.html
Sony BMG to drop copy protection for downloads [Reuters]
http://w
ww.news.com/2100-1027_3-6224807.html
**********************
INTERNET USE
**********************
The Pitfalls of Behavioral Targeting
Behavioral targeting has been around since the first dot-com
days, but it got really hot again in late 2007, thanks to a
few big promoters like Facebook Latest News about Facebook.
So, What exactly is it, and does it really work the way it
sounds? BT tracks a Web visitor's browser clickstreams --
typically in the last six visits -- to predict what the
visitor may want in the future, and to target ads, content
or products based on those "personalized" past
behaviors.
http://ecommercetimes.com/story/T
he-Pitfalls-of-Behavioral-Targeting-61019.html
**********************
SOCIAL NETWORKING
**********************
Widespread Facebook application installs adware Secret Crush
leads to unwanted advertising [news release]
IT security and control firm Sophos has warned users of the
popular Facebook social-networking site to exercise care
over which applications they install following the discovery
of a "Secret Crush" app that downloads adware onto
their PC.
http://sophos.com/pressoffice/news/artic
les/2008/01/facebook-adware.html
Sophos urges caution on Facebook apps
Facebook users have been advised to exercise caution before
downloading applications on the social-networking site,
after an application was identified as downloading adware
onto users' PCs.
http://news.zdnet.
co.uk/security/0,1000000189,39291981,00.htm
Virtual worlds will soon be as important as Web to companies
While virtual worlds like Second Life have come under fire
for failing to provide enough value to businesses with
established storefront operations, a new Forrester Research
Inc. report argues that the 3-D Internet will be as
important to companies in five years as the Web is today.
The "Getting Work Done in Virtual Worlds" report
released by the IT research firm this week concludes that
executives should begin investigating and experimenting with
virtual worlds soon because of their promise for remote
collaboration, training and the ability to build and share
3-D models.
http://computerworld.co
m/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9
056602
**********************
NEW TECHNOLOGIES
**********************
Logging off: Gates says farewell to CES - what were his
successes and failures
On Sunday, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates gave his 11th,
and last, keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show
(CES) in Las Vegas; in future he will focus his efforts on
the Gates Foundation and its fight against disease. So,
after 14 years, we can look back and ask: how did he do?
Well, he gets a mixed report. He did well for the show,
reasonably well in tracking the industry, and badly when
launching new products. (Transcripts of Gates's speeches
from 1996 to 2008 are on Microsoft's site at
tinyurl.com/2a8nox; the first from CES is the 1998 one.)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/ja
n/10/billgates.microsoft
Yahoo chief opens the mobile web
Yahoo chief Jerry Yang has revealed the firm's future
ambitions for an open and mobile web. Central to the
company's aims is allowing third party software developers
to create small applications which can run in Yahoo portals.
The first Yahoo platform to allow these widgets, as they are
known, will be Go 3.0, developed for mobile phones.
htt
p://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7176077.stm
CES : Yahoo invites third-party mobile widget developers
[IDG]
Yahoo Inc. today plans to introduce new versions of its two
primary mobile services, and it expects to launch
documentation that will let any developer or publisher write
mobile widgets for the Yahoo services.
http://computerworld.co
m/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9
055818
Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang: The Mobile Web Needs Openness
Yahoo is going more mobile than ever. The company announced
a new version of its mobile client application, Yahoo Go
3.0, and a new developer platform for mobile applications at
the Consumer Electronics Show on Monday.
http://informationweek.com/news/showArticle
.jhtml?articleID=205600088
Yahoo moves to counter Google mobiles push
The internet group has unveiled technology aimed at
developers and publishers who want to create applications
that will run on many different mobile handsets
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/b854cdfa-bcad-11dc-bcf9
-0000779fd2ac.html
Intel predicts the personal net
Mobile devices will deliver a more personal internet within
five years, using chips with the power of today's desktop
PCs, Intel's head has said.
htt
p://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7176177.stm
Intel CEO sees Net boosting consumer electronics
The ability to connect practically all electronic devices to
the Internet will unleash a burst of innovation and business
opportunities that will rival the impact on personal
computers, Intel CEO Paul Otellini said Monday.
http:
//news.zdnet.com/2100-9584_22-6225031.html
Internet changing consumer electronics world: Intel chief
[AFP]
The Internet is a magnificent "disruptive force"
changing the world's gadgets along with lifestyles, computer
giant Intel's top executive said Monday at the top consumer
electronics show.
http://news.sm
h.com.au/internet-changing-consumer-electronics-world-intel-
chief/20080108-1kt3.html
http://news
.theage.com.au/internet-changing-consumer-electronics-world-
intel-chief/20080108-1kt3.html
**********************
SPAM
**********************
Coming Soon: Spam on Your Printer From the Web [IDG]
Aaron Weaver has made a discovery the world could probably
do without: He's found a way to spam your printer from the
Web. By using a little-known capability found in most Web
browsers, Weaver can make a Web page launch a print job on
just about any printer on a victim's network. The Web site
could print annoying ads on the printer and theoretically
issue more dangerous commands, like telling the printer to
send a fax, format its hard drive or download new firmware.
http://www.pcworld.
com/article/id,141239-c,spam/article.html
http://www.i
nfoworld.com/article/08/01/09/Spam-your-printer-from-the-Web
-Researcher-shows-how_1.html
Spam King Indicted for Stock Scheme
The indictment against Alan Ralsky, said to be one of the
world's most prolific spammers, indicates that Ralsky used
botnets as part of his pump-and-dump stock scheme. While
Ralsky was the mastermind behind the scheme, John Hui, a
dual national of Canada and Hong Kong, acted as a
"conduit" for Chinese companies who wanted their
stocks pumped.
h
ttp://www.cio-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=57548
**********************
DIGITAL DIVIDE
**********************
Intel 'undermined' laptop project
Intel repeatedly undermined a not-for profit scheme to bring
cheap laptops to children in the developing world, the head
of the charity told BBC News.
htt
p://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7178241.stm
Negroponte turns up the heat on Intel
Intel has hit back at claims made by One Laptop per Child
that the chip giant broke a "non-disparagement"
agreement.
On Monday One Laptop per Child (OLPC) founder Nicholas
Negroponte claimed that one of the reasons for tensions
resulting in Intel leaving the OLPC board was that the chip
giant had "disparaged" OLPC XO laptops to partners
and potential buyers. Negroponte claimed Intel had attempted
to discredit XO laptops, despite having signed a
non-disparagement agreement.
http://news.zdnet.
co.uk/hardware/0,1000000091,39291975,00.htm
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/ha
rdware/soa/Negroponte-turns-up-the-heat-on-Intel/0,13006
1702,339284942,00.htm
**************************
ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL
**************************
U.S. government needs new cybersecurity steps, Symantec
warns [IDG]
U.S. government agencies need to take additional steps to
protect against cybersecurity problems after a series of
congressional hearings and reports exposed several
weaknesses in 2007, representatives of Symantec Corp. said.
http://computerworld.co
m/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9
056002
h
ttp://www.infoworld.com/article/08/01/07/Symantec-says-gover
nment-needs-to-take-new-cybersecurity-steps_1.html
http://www.pcworld.
com/article/id,141113-c,cybercrime/article.html
Beijing Police: Chinese Internet Services Frequently Used By
Thieves
Beijing Police have issued an emergency reminder that with
the increase of online fraud in recent days, eight online
services, including Sina.com, qq.com, ourgame.com and
Taobao.com, have become the hangouts for thieves seeking to
deceive Chinese netizens.
http://www.chinatechnews.com/2008/01/09/6274-beijing-police
-chinese-internet-services-frequently-used-by-thieves/
70,000 Web Pages Hacked By Database Attack
Web sites that naively call for user input, then fail to put
strict checks on what that input may be, are susceptible to
SQL injection attacks. That vulnerability appears to be the
cause of up to 70,000 Web pages getting hacked by malicious
code between Dec. 28 and Jan. 5.
http://informationweek.com/news/showArticle
.jhtml?articleID=205600157
**************************
PRIVACY
**************************
Global Privacy Index Criticizes Falling Standards in Germany
Individual privacy is under siege as governments worldwide
introduce ever-increasing surveillance measures, according
to a global privacy index in which Germany slipped from
number one to seventh spot in Europe.
http://www.dw-wor
ld.de/dw/article/0,,3036544,00.html
**********************
CENSORSHIP
**********************
Ban Will Be Lifted For Chinese Internet Cafes
According to local media reports, Chinese government
agencies will soon fully open netcafe license applications
after implementing a one-year hiatus in early 2007.
http://www.chinatechn
ews.com/2008/01/09/6273-ban-will-be-lifted-for-chinese-inter
net-cafes/
China cracks down on sex-drug Web sites [Reuters]
China is shutting down about 200 Web sites for carrying
illegal sex-drug advertisements, state media said on
Wednesday, the latest in a string of measures to clean up
the Internet.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKP
EK13367220080109
http://w
ww.news.com/2110-1028_3-6225299.html
http:
//news.zdnet.com/2110-9588_22-6225299.html
Will Australia Censor Online Poker and Online Gambling?
Australia's new federal Labor government has introduced
controversial Internet legislation, proposing censorship
laws to stop computer-savvy children from looking at banned
sites, including online gambling (including online poker and
casinos) and pornography.
http:/
/www.pokerpages.com/poker-news/news/will-australia-censor-on
line-poker-and-online-gambling-30254.htm
************************************************
CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION
************************************************
us: L.A. grand jury issues subpoenas in Web suicide case
A federal grand jury in Los Angeles has begun issuing
subpoenas in the case of a Missouri teenager who hanged
herself after being rejected by the person she thought was a
16-year-old boy she met on MySpace, sources told The Times.
http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-me-myspace9jan09,1
,6037466.story
uk: One Click from Danger
During the BBC's Panorama's investigation into the
vulnerability of youngsters online, we found a number of
cases in which teenagers and younger children had been
approached by predators on social networking sites. The
Panorama researcher set up a virtual identity of a
14-year-old girl on three social networking sites. Keen to
understand more about how this works and, by extension, how
children might avoid such dangers, a researcher in our
office set up a virtual identity of a 14-year-old girl on
three social networking sites. She took on the name Jane
Brown and this is her diary. To watch the programme see:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/7174814
.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/default
.stm
au: Conroy wades into child porn net flood
Broadband Minister Stephen Conroy faces an uphill struggle
in his plans to increase internet censorship by boosting the
official blacklist from a puny 1000 web pages to many
millions of banned websites. Industry commentators say the
task may be beyond the capabilities of filtering mechanisms
and procedures, and it would be impossible to block all such
material.
http://ww
w.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23021645-15306,
00.html
http://w
ww.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,23019670-7582,00.h
tml
au: Net porn filter plan needs facelift
The controversial internet filtering scheme proposed by the
federal Government requires a drastic upgrade as it
currently would only block a tiny proportion of pornographic
websites. In its current form the scheme would block only
about 1000 websites containing child and extreme
pornography. Industry estimates of child pornography sites
range from 100,000 to above 30 million.
http://ww
w.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23021650-15306,
00.html
Filters needed to battle child porn by Bernadette McMenamin
It is beyond belief that some representatives of the
Australian internet service provider industry are reluctant
to install filters that would prevent access to child
pornography. Child pornography is one of the fastest growing
online businesses generating approximately $US3 billion each
year, says Child Wise CEO Bernadette McMenamin: Surely any
decent person would do all they can to protect children.
However there exists a small but vocal group in Australia
which is opposed to the federal Government’s proposal to
introduce mandatory ISP filtering to block child pornography
and other illegal content.
http://ww
w.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23021828-15306,
00.html
Australia cracks down on internet content
The Australian government is taking steps to insure that
children will not be subject to pornography, violence and
online gambling (including poker).
http://www.net4now.com/isp_news/news_article.asp?Ne
ws_ID=6155
Australische Regierung will Filter für das Internet
Im Kampf gegen Pornografie und Gewalt sollen
Internet-Provider nach dem Willen der australischen
Regierung künftig Filter einbauen, damit ihre Kunden
bestimmte Websites nicht mehr abrufen können. Der
Kommunikationsminister Stephen Conroy kündigte an, Kinder
sollten dadurch künftig besser vor Pornografie und Gewalt
geschützt werden.
http://www.krone.
at/index.php?http%3A//www.krone.at/krone/S96/object_id__8801
4/hxcms/index.html
Monitoring Kids' Use of Tech Is Key [AP]
The International Consumer Electronics Show is such a glitzy
celebration of technology that its was striking to see a set
of panel discussions here Tuesday exploring whether
electronic connectedness is valuable for children.
http://news.smh.com.au/monitoring-ki
ds-use-of-tech-is-key/20080109-1kxz.html
http://news.theage.com.au/monitor
ing-kids-use-of-tech-is-key/20080109-1kxz.html
at: Paedophilia page linked to public health site [AFP]
Austrian officials have discovered that computer hackers
established an Internet link between a public health website
and a paedophilia site, the regional newspaper Tiroler
Tageszeitung reported on Tuesday.
http://www.ioltechnology.c
o.za/article_page.php?iSectionId=2885&iArticleId=4198929
**************************
GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY
**************************
fr: Sarkozy proposes taxing new technology to finance the
old
In a move that could profoundly reshape the media landscape
in France, President Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday proposed
banning commercials from public television and making up for
some of the lost revenue with a first-of-its-kind tax on the
Internet and mobile phones.
http://iht.com/articles/2008/01/08/business/france.php
fr: Sarkozy proposes new internet tax
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has proposed new taxes on
internet access and mobile phone use.
http:
//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7178340.stm
French consider effects of Sarkozy TV revolution
... The aim of the advertising change, according to Mr
Sarkozy, was to create a clearer division between the public
channels with a public service remit to produce high-quality
content and to promote French productions, and the
commercial sector. Together with a shake-up of French
international broadcasting, the reforms could create a
high-quality public television service inspired by the BBC,
Mr Sarkozy’s advisers say.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1a042e50-beee-11dc-
8c61-0000779fd2ac.html
**********************
FILE SHARING
**********************
uk: Copying music legally in the digital age
Fans of the Clash, and other music lovers, will no longer be
fighting the law every time they fill up their iPod, under
government proposals unveiled yesterday. Owners of digital
music players will be acting lawfully when they transfer
music from their computer to a digital player or copy a CD
for their own use, under proposed amendments to bring
copyright law into the digital age.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jan/09/c
opyrightlaws
uk: Copying CDs could be made legal
Copying music from a CD to a home computer could be made
legal under new proposals from the UK government.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7176538.stm
Apple forced to drop iTunes prices in UK
British customers of iTunes will soon be charged up to 10
per cent less for their downloads, after pressure by the
European Commission forced Apple into a change of policy.
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/
tol/news/tech_and_web/article3158993.ece
Apple Settles Score With EU, Trims UK iTunes Pricing
Apple has reached a deal that will have it equalize prices
on the European version of its iTunes Music Store and end a
European Union probe into the legality of the original
pricing policy.
http://ecommerceti
mes.com/story/Apple-Settles-Score-With-EU-Trims-UK-iTunes-Pr
icing-61122.html
Apple lowers UK prices but might cut catalogue
Apple will lower its prices for music downloads in the UK
following pressure from consumer lobby group Which? to the
European Commission. The Commission has welcomed the move,
but Apple has warned it could lead to cuts in its UK
catalogue.
http://out-law.com/page-
8786
Apple Flattens Fees For Europe
Apple's compliance with the European Union over the pricing
of iTunes downloads in the EU just goes to show that its
journey from computers to music retail has been anything but
smooth on the continent. The company has avoided getting
fined 10% of its worldwide annual sales for not allowing
customers in certain parts of the European Union to buy
songs from other member states, an issue at the heart of the
region's mandate as a single economy.
http://ww
w.forbes.com/technology/2008/01/09/apple-itunes-europe-marke
ts-equity-cx_po_0109markets08.html
iTunes downloads to become cheaper [Reuters]
British music fans will pay less for downloads from Apple's
online iTunes store after Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs
reached a deal with the European Commission.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKB
RU00622120080109
http:
//news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6225272.html
Apple to Cut the Prices of iTunes in Britain
Apple said on Wednesday that it had agreed to cut the prices
on its iTunes digital music store in Britain to align them
with those on the Continent, settling an antitrust case
brought by European regulators.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/10/technology/10apple.ht
ml
EU Reaches ITunes Deal With Apple
Apple Inc. will scrap its iTunes pricing policies across
Europe and charge consumers in Britain and the rest of
Europe the same for music downloads, the company and the
European Union said Wednesday.
http://www.washingtonpost.co
m/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/09/AR2008010900648.html
us: Comcast welcomes FCC inquiry into traffic management
[IDG]
Cable-modem service provider Comcast said Wednesday that it
would welcome a U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
investigation into its broadband traffic management
practices.
http://www.
infoworld.com/article/08/01/09/Comcast-welcomes-FCC-inquiry-
into-traffic-management_1.html
http://www.pcworld.
com/article/id,141223-c,ces/article.html
The FCC examines Comcast's traffic-blocking plan
Late last year, in a blockbuster bit of investigation, the
Associated Press discovered that Comcast was running
software on its network that actively blocks its customers'
peer-to-peer file-trading applications (even when what
they're trading is perfectly legal -- like, in the AP's test
case, the Bible).
http://machinist.salon.com/blog/2008/01/09/comcast_fcc/
F.C.C. to Look at Complaints Comcast Interferes With Net
[AP]
The Federal Communications Commission will investigate
complaints that Comcast actively interferes with Internet
traffic as its subscribers try to share files online, the
commission’s chairman, Kevin J. Martin, said Tuesday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/09/business/media/09fc
c.html
Sony BMG to drop copy protection for downloads [Reuters]
Sony BMG Music Entertainment, the world's second-largest
music company, will this month become the last of the big
four majors to drop copy protection software on music
downloads, also known as digital rights management, or DRM.
http://w
ww.news.com/2100-1027_3-6224807.html
Dutch rights group loses bid for MP3 player levy [Reuters]
A Dutch rights organization which compensates artists for
the use of their copyrighted material on Tuesday lost its
court bid to remove a government block on new levies on MP3
media players.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKL
0810353620080110
http://www.theglobea
ndmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080108.wgtdutch0108/BNStory
/Technology/
**********************
VoIP
**********************
Cambridge University dials up VoIP - 17,000 users get 20,000
VoIP phones
BT and Cisco have landed a deal to provide VoIP connectivity
to Cambridge University users, replacing their current
telephone system which provides communications across 200
locations.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/08/cambridge_uni
_voip/
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om.au/ for recent updates.
Sources include Quicklinks <http://qlinks.net/> and
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/>.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
(c) David Goldstein 2008
---------
David Goldstein
address: 4/3 Abbott Street
COOGEE NSW 2034
AUSTRALIA
email: Goldstein_David  yahoo.com.au
phone: +61 418 228 605 (mobile); +61 2 9665 5773 (home)
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