auDA Domain Name News - Oct 20
20/Oct/2008
auDA Domain Name News is compiled by David Goldstein on auDA's behalf. The views expressed in the news items linked from auDA's website (Linked Documents), do not necessarily reflect the views of auDA. auDA does not warrant the accuracy or reliability of the information contained in the Linked Documents, and assumes no liability to any person for any reliance placed upon any information contained in the Linked Documents.
**********************
RESEARCH PAPERS
**********************
Internet Porn, ICANN, and Families: A Call to Action by Cheryl B. Preston [Journal of Internet Law]
Abstract: Although ICANN technically does not regulate Internet content, its day-to-day decisions consistently influence not only the structure of the Internet, but its content as well. ICANN policies concerning the approval of Top Level Domains and Internationalized Domain Names, maintenance of the WHOIS database, treatment of common vehicles for abuse, and requirements governing speech, for example, have far-reaching implications. Among the ramifications are the potential for protecting children online now or in the future, stopping the flow of child pornography, thwarting predators and sex traffickers, and maintaining legitimate free speech policy. ... This Article addresses reasons why advocates for families, consumers, and safety interests have not yet stepped forward to fill the gap in the stakeholder representation at ICANN. It then discusses the makeup, history, and voting power of the current ICANN Non-commercial Users' Constituency (NCUC), and the positions taken by the NCUC and its officers in policy debates. It explores the basis and implications of these positions, including the principle of "Net Neutrality." It compares this principle with the traditional parameters of the right to free expression. Finally, it urges a more robust and balanced discussion of competing rights and interests in the ICANN forum. This Article concludes with recommendations for ICANN to respond to the narrowness of the non-commercial stakeholder representation. It suggests (1) considering further the reasons for keeping separate the NCUC and the At-large Advisory Committee; (2) using ICANN's travel support funding to encourage wider participation of groups and individuals representing the breadth of user interests; (3) developing integration and training programs; (4) maintaining standards for rotating officers and appointments; as well as (5) materially assisting in the revision of the stakeholder structure.
ssrn.com/abstract=1285270
**********************
GOVERNANCE
**********************
Kenya yet to fully address Internet governance issues [IDG]
Kenya has yet to fully address its legal, infrastructure, access, content and security issues, according to a report released Tuesday at the Kenya Internet Governance Forum (IGF).
www.computerworld.co.ke/articles/2008/10/16/kenya-yet-fully-address-internet-governance-issues
www.networkworld.com/news/2008/101608-kenya-yet-to-fully-address.html
www.cio.com/article/455174/Kenya_Yet_to_Fully_Address_Internet_Governance_Issues
Vint Cerf, "father" of internet says Obama best for net
"My Name is Vint Cerf, I'm a Scientist and I am Voting for Barack Obama". Why? Principally because of net neutrality.
www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2008/oct/15/obama-net-neutrality-cerf-google
Vint Cerf endorses Barack Obama and discusses the importance of net neutrality
au.youtube.com/watch?v=O60x75K9Fgw
Vint Cerf backs Obama for U.S. president
Vint Cerf has come out in support of Barack Obama for United States president. In a YouTube video he recorded, Cerf, Google's chief Internet evangelist, said he was supporting Obama primarily because of the Democratic candidate's position on Net neutrality.
news.cnet.com/8301-10787_3-10067289-60.html
**********************
DOMAIN NAMES
**********************
**********************
- ICANN
**********************
Draft Applicant Guidebook for New gTLDs Available Soon
In the next two weeks, in the lead up to ICANN’s Cairo public meeting, the new gTLD Applicant Guidebook, also called the “draft Request for Proposal (RFP)”, will be released. This document will provide information to applicants wanting to apply for a new gTLD.
icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-16oct08-en.htm
Ombudsman Releases Annual Report
ICANN's Ombudsman has released his report for 2008. The report is an annual stocktake of the office and outlines how it has helped individuals and organizations with disputes come to resolution while avoiding formal processes like the courts.
icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-16oct08-en.htm
Explosion of new domain names presents risks for online brands
On November 1, ICANN will meet in Cairo, Egypt to discuss the introduction of new TLDs (gTLD), current examples in use are .com, .net, and .biz.
www.itnewsafrica.com/?p=1473
**********************
- ccTLD & gTLD NEWS
**********************
.Asia: A Gateway for European SMEs to Enter Lucrative Asia Market
DotAsia Organisation announces partnership with Web2Asia to launch the GoingEast.Asia survey. The survey targets SMEs (Small/Medium Enterprises) and Internet businesses worldwide, on their expansion plans for Asia.
dotasia.org/pressreleases/DotAsia-PR-2008-10-13_EN.pdf
More than 100,000 .br domain names become available this weekend
This Saturday (October 18) Nic Brazil will free more than 100,000 domains being available for registration by any eligible registrants.
www.domainpulse.com/2008/10/16/more-than-100000-br-domain-names-become-available-this-weekend/
www.domainnews.com/en/general/more-than-100-000-.br-domain-names-become-available-this-weekend.html
Letter from "Registre Internet Français" (DAD Deutscher Adressdienst GmbH)
For the last few months, the AFNIC has received letters from users that were contacted by an entity that calls itself "Registre de l’Internet Français" (French Internet Registry).
www.afnic.fr/actu/nouvelles/202/letter-from-registre-internet-francais-dad-deutscher-adressdienst-gmbh.html
is: Addendum to the upcoming regulation change
Following the announcement of .IS domain rules to change 29th October, the ISNIC Board has made an additional modification. The modification will remove fully the requirement for an Icelandic agent, ID number or a registered agent. However, we expect domestic registrations to include ID numbers for legal reasons and tax purposes.
www.isnic.is/news/index.php
MYNIC Workshops Are On Again!
DNS servers are essential network infrastructure that maps domain names to IP addresses, directing Internet inquiries to the appropriate location. It is used in all interactions with names and identifiers such as World-Wide Web, electronic mail, and many more. The DNS has become an important element that people depend on when moving about on the Internet. It is a core part of the Internet infrastructure and secure DNS mappings are necessary to create a trusted Internet environment.
mynic.net.my/readnews.php?id=77
Proposed new moderated Second Level Domain .health.nz — Second Consultation
Previously, comment has been sought on a proposal for a new moderated second level domain, .health.nz. As a result of seeking comments on the application, ten submissions were received. These can be read at"> dnc.org.nz/health-application. The submissions identified some issues with the Ministry of Health's initial moderation policy which were discussed with them. As a result, the moderation policy has been revised, and a further round of consultation is now taking place.
dnc.org.nz/story/30322-29-1.html
Why dotPDX...
Short video with testimonials from residents of Greater Portland discussing why they'd like to see a .pdx top level
au.youtube.com/watch?v=OWpKgQZNF3c
.tel domain to integrate with iPhones and Blackberries & Windows
Telnic, the company behind the .tel top level domain launching in December and billed as "a new communications 'hub' for individuals and businesses that...will enable secure sharing of contact information and true personalisation of online services" is releasing beta versions of applications for BlackBerries, iPhones and Window -based PCs that will enable address books to be dynamically updated with information stored in a .tel owner's domain.
www.itwire.com/content/view/21228/53/
Telnic Launch Developer Centre and Offer Free Downloads
As the countdown towards launch day for .tel comes closer Telnic is ramping up its activities. This morning Telnic are officially launching their developer centre, which offers a number of applications, source code and documentation to help developers build on the .tel platform.
www.isquattedyour.eu/2008/10/15/telnic-launch-developer-centre-and-offer-free/
**********************
- DNS SECURITY
**********************
InternetNZ studies potential DNS attack cure
New Zealand’s domain name system is unlikely to be protected by digital signatures in the near future, despite moves in the US and elsewhere to implement protocols to make this happen.
computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/netw/1A7C95E7989E3FD2CC2574E7000A9E38
$300 Million Annual Loss Due to Non-Cooperation in Fight Against Phishing
During a presentation today at the eCrime Researchers Summit in Atlanta, Georgia, security researchers revealed that average lifetime of malicious websites are often longer than they should be due to lack of communication and cooperation between security vendors.
www.circleid.com/posts/20081016_non_cooperation_fight_against_phishing/
Cybersecurity: Users, Other Groups Must Work Together [IDG]
Individual Internet users, businesses, the government and tech vendors all need to focus more on cybersecurity and be aware of the dangers, a group of cybersecurity experts said Thursday.
www.pcworld.com/article/152358/.html
www.infoworld.com/article/08/10/16/Cybersecurity_Users_other_groups_must_work_together_1.html
www.arnnet.com.au/index.php/id;1237344190
computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1237344190
FBI warns of rising cybercrime threat
The threat of cybersecurity attacks from organised criminals, terrorists and foreign governments is increasing, an FBI official warned on Wednesday.
news.zdnet.co.uk/security/0,1000000189,39518856,00.htm
Georgian cyberattacks suggest Russian involvement, say researchers
The hackers who launched cyberattacks against the former Soviet republic of Georgia two months ago probably had links to the Russian government, even though no hard evidence has been uncovered of official involvement, a report by an all-volunteer group of experts said today.
computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9117439
computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;446005914
pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php/id;446005914
DDoS Attack Graphs from Russia vs. Georgia's Cyberattacks by Dancho Danchev
Part of Georgia's information warfare campaign was aiming to minimize the bandwidth impact on its de-facto media platforms such as the website of their Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I've just received a report on "Russian Invasion of Georgia," titled "Russian Cyberwar on Georgia" which is quoting me on page 4 regarding "too good to be courtesy of Russia's cyber militia" creative that appeared on the defaced Georgian President's website.
www.circleid.com/posts/20081016_graphs_russia_georgias_cyberattacks/
Internet-scale 'man in the middle' attack disclosed
In Black Hat's October Webinar on Thursday, Anton Kapela, datacenter manager at 5Nines Data, spoke about Internet-scale "man in the middle" attacks.
news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10068327-83.html
Election Deception: The Web's 12 Dirtiest Tricks
If scammers have things their way--with the help of a dozen sneaky ploys--plenty of ballots will never make it to the boxes. ... 2. Web Site Wiles: Some scammers have adopted the strategy of orchestrating Web site-based attacks. These may take the form of actual hacks--remember the Obama-Clinton redirect exploit back in April?--but more commonly they involve creating an independent site whose URL suggests affiliation with a candidate or organization but whose content dishonestly promotes a hostile agenda.
www.pcworld.com/article/152290/election_deception_the_webs_12_dirtiest_tricks.html
**********************
- DOMAIN DISPUTES
**********************
Kentucky judge refuses to dismiss gambling domain name seizure
A Franklin County Circuit Court judge refused to dismiss a lawsuit that sought to block access to more than 140 online casinos in Kentucky. However the judge will hear arguments on 17 November before deciding whether the Kentucky state government will be allowed to take control of 141 gambling-related domain names for some of the most popular gambling websites.
technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=6240
www.domainpulse.com/2008/10/17/kentucky-judge-refuses-to-dismiss-gambling-domain-name-seizure/
Ky. judge allows gambling Web site case to proceed [AP]
A Franklin County Circuit Court judge refused Thursday to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to block access to more than 140 online casinos in Kentucky.
www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/10/17/ap5568640.html
www.kentucky.com/471/story/558040.html
Kentucky judge gives online gambling sites 30 days to block access
Judge Thomas Wingate has given 141 online gambling sites 30 days to block access to Kentucky residents. If the sites in question -- which include industry giants Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars, Bodog and Golden Palace – have "reasonably established to the satisfaction of the Kentucky's Justice and Safety Cabinet or this Court that such geographical blocks are operational, (they) shall be relieved from the effects of the Seizure order and from any further proceedings in the instant civil forfeiture action," said Wingate in his 43-page ruling.
www.casinocitytimes.com/news/article.cfm?contentID=175492
Kentucky May Kill Online Gambling Permanently
The state of Kentucky's attempt to block resident's access to 141 online gambling sites has proceeded to the next level, as a Franklin County Circuit Court judge refused Thursday to dismiss the case.
www.pcworld.com/article/152403/kentucky_may_kill_online_gambling_permanently.html
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/17/AR2008101701403.html
ICA Response to Kentucky Seizure Ruling
... “The Internet Commerce Association is extremely disappointed in the decision issued by the Court this afternoon. This is a dangerous decision not just for domain name investors and developers but for all who value commerce and free speech on the Internet.
www.internetcommerce.org/ICA_Response_to_Kentucky_Seizure_Ruling
Are Domain Names Considered Property or Not?
I was up late last night cruising through the 44 page docket from the case involving the 141 gambling domain names seized by the state of Kentucky. This is a landmark case in my opinion and I wanted to read some of the fine print. It’s pretty clear that this case will be setting some major precedent regarding jurisdiction and domain name use, but there was something else that caught my eye in the document. The groups involved in the case made several points in their efforts to have the case dismissed, but a discussion on domain names being considered property is the one that made me look twice.
www.domainnamenews.com/legal-issues/are-domain-names-considered-property-or-not/2917
Kentucky Court Affirms Seizure of 141 Gambling Domain Names & the ICA Response
Judge Thomas Wingate's Ruling today in the matter of the Commonwealth of Kentucky vs. 141 Internet Domain Names has dismissed all objections brought by representatives of the 141 Internet domain names subject to seizure and forfeiture to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This was the result of an order issued by the same court late last month that DomainNews has been reporting on.
www.domainnews.com/en/general/kentucky-court-affirms-seizure-of-141-gambling-domain-names-the-ica-response.html
Kentucky Court Affirms Seizure of Poker Domain Names
A Kentucky Circuit Court judge has dismissed all objections brought by representatives of as many as 141 Internet domain names subject to seizure and forfeiture to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the result of an order issued by the same court late last month. Many of the domain names listed as being subject to seizure are connected with major US-facing poker sites, including PokerStars, Full Tilt, UltimateBet, Doyle's Room, Absolute Poker and others.
www.pokernews.com/news/2008/10/kentucky-domain-seizure-upheld.htm
Kentucky Judge Rules: Forfeit Gambling Domains
WebProNew has just received the 44-page order and opinion from Franklin County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wingate regarding the seizure of 141 online gambling domain names. Like China, Kentucky is now trampling on the freedoms of the citizens of the Commonwealth by blocking domains that are legal in most parts of the world.
www.webpronews.com/topnews/2008/10/16/kentucky-judge-affirms-forfeiture-of-gambling-domain-names
Kentucky Judge Upholds State's Right to Seize Gambling Sites
A Kentucky judge today moved not to deny the state the right to seize the domain names of 141 Internet gambling sites, despite motions filed by gambling associations, gaming websites, and even individual poker players to block the move.
www.cardplayer.com/poker-law/article/5308/kentucky-judge-upholds-states-right-to-seize-gambling-sites
Opinion and Order in Kentucky Online Gambling Domain Case (In Its Entirety)
Edward Leyden, President of The Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association, on Thursday declared "We are going to fight like Hell". He referred to the appeals that will be filed in both a Federal and Kentucky state court related to a dangerous decision handed down in a Frankfort Circuit Court Thursday.
www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/opinion-and-order-kentucky-online-gambling-domain-case-its-entirety-101608.html
Kentucky Online Gambling Domain Case Pushes on After Judge's Ruling
Online gambling operators will have to wait longer to find out if they will be allowed to retain their domain names. Judge Thomas Wingate ruled against various requests that the case be dismissed.
www.casinogamblingweb.com/gambling-news/gambling-law/kentucky_online_gambling_domain_case_pushes_on_after_judge_s_ruling_49356.html
Kentucky Judge Does not Dismiss Internet Gambling Case
The long-awaiting internet gambling ruling in Kentucky was passed down on Thursday. The case pits the owners of 141 internet gambling domain names against the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Around 4:30pm ET on Thursday, Judge Thomas Wingate issued a ruling denying motions filed by the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC) and Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA) to dismiss the case. Instead, a final forfeiture hearing was scheduled for November 17th at 10:00am.
www.pokernewsdaily.com/kentucky-judge-does-not-dismiss-internet-gambling-case-565/
ICA Issues Statement on Kentucky Court Ruling
Internet Commerce Association blasts court decision. If you haven’t already heard, the case brought by Kentucky against owners of domain names related to gambling will proceed. The judge announced today that he will not throw out the case.
domainnamewire.com/2008/10/17/ica-issues-statement-on-kentucky-court-ruling/
Cyberwar between Sunnis and Shi'ites
A cyberwar is raging between Sunni and Shi'ite hackers. The Arab television transmitter Al-Arabiya reports that some 1200 web sites have been targeted by attacks over the last three weeks. They include the web site of Al-Arabiya itself, up to now the most prominent victim of these cyberattacks, which are evidently motivated by tensions between the two Islamic religious sects.
www.heise.de/english/newsticker/news/117462
'MLS' name dispute lands in court
A dispute over a Realtor's use of "MLS" in his Web site address, which already has been reviewed by two arbitration panels, has erupted into a lawsuit in federal court.
www.inman.com/news/2008/10/16/mls-name-dispute-lands-in-court
Mxit.co.za is transfered
Recently an SAIIPL adjudicator made a decision that the disputed mixit.co.za domain name be transferred to Mxit Lifestyle (Pty) Ltd.
zadna.org.za/documents/Decision_ZA2008_0020_0ct13.pdf [decision]
zadna.org.za/documents/Decision_Notification_oct13.pdf [decision notification]
**********************
- MISCELLANEOUS
**********************
Al-Qaeda Web Forums Abruptly Taken Offline
Four of the five main online forums that al-Qaeda's media wing uses to distribute statements by Osama bin Laden and other extremists have been disabled since mid-September, monitors of the Web sites say. ... Rapid changes in domain-registration information and in servers suggested that the sites' webmasters were working intently to bring the forums back up, according to a statement from the SITE Intelligence Group, a leading private monitor of Web sites of extremist groups.
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/17/AR2008101703367.html
Google Profiting From Typo Squatting, Report Charges
Google is profiting from millions of typo-squatting websites that earn advertising from Google's Adsense advertising program, Harvard University professor Ben Edelman says.
blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/10/google-profitin.html
Software provides uniform domain registry
French open source software house Dot and Co has just released version 0.92 of Net::DRI. Net::DRI offers a uniform interface for numerous domain registries and registrars, making the connection to the various registration systems slightly more practical – whether they use the old Registry Registrar Protocol (RRP) or its successor Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP). The company itself also acts as a registrar for such domains as .fr, .eu or .ws.
www.heise-online.co.uk/open/Software-provides-uniform-domain-registry--/news/111729
Mailbox name in Chinese will come into effect
Recently, the Internet international standard-setting organization IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) officially issued three core criteria of the international e-mail address (E-mail name of the mother tongue): RFC5335, RFC5336 and RFC5337.
english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/6516241.html
Coming in 2009: Yourname@somewhere.??
The era of online domination by the Roman alphabet will come one step closer to its end next year when a new top-level domain for China, .??, is deployed.
news.cnet.com/8301-13908_3-10068081-59.html
RIPE NCC Membership Surveys
The RIPE NCC regularly conducts member surveys to get feedback from members about the organisation's services and activities. The information gathered enables us to evaluate our current operations and plan for future services and developments. Member surveys are conducted by a third party to ensure anonymity.
ripe.net/membership/survey/
**********************
- DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET
**********************
Joetheplumber.com the Buzz of the Day
It seems a rule of thumb in this day and age is when you have your 15 minutes of fame, make sure you have the relevant domain name registered. This would have been a great idea for "Joe the Plumber" (aka Joe Wurzelbacher) who now quite infamously questioned Barack Obama on the campaign trail about his tax policies this week and subsequently mentioned more than 20 times in the latest presidential debate.
technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=6233
www.domainnews.com/en/general/joetheplumber.com-the-buzz-of-the-day.html
www.domainpulse.com/2008/10/16/joetheplumbercom-the-buzz-of-the-day/
Internet abuzz with Joe the plumber
Joe the plumber from Ohio may have been the real star of the final US presidential debate, but it was an unrelated Texan who might yet reap the major financial dividends.One of the first links in search results leads to joetheplumber.com, but the site is not connected with Wurzelbacher in any way. Instead, the page is owned by Joe Francis of Amarillo, Texas. The Dallas Morning News reported that Francis was out elk hunting this week but his office manager, Ronnie Bishop, had been swamped with calls all day. Francis was reportedly considering one offer of $US800,000 to buy the joetheplumber.com domain name.
www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/10/17/1223750299721.html
www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/10/17/1223750299721.html
Domain name suddenly worth $900,000
JoethePlumber.com — a Web address that had not gotten a single hit during the previous six months — logged nearly 400,000 in the 24 hours following this week’s presidential debate.
www.northjersey.com/news/nationalpolitics/Domain_name_suddenly_worth_900000.html
Counting Clicks: Now A Mainstay - Visitor Data May Be Key To Surviving Downturn
In 1999, eyeballs were all the rage. It was the height of the frothy dot-com days, when start-up business models hinged on luring enough people to a free Web site to someday sell advertising on it. Measuring those eyeballs, no matter how much they were worth, looked like an obvious gold mine. "A 10 percent jump in traffic would cause stock prices to skyrocket," said Magid Abraham, who took that cue and started Web-measurement firm ComScore.
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/19/AR2008101901390.html
Weak Week in the Aftermarket - The Question is Why?
The past week in the domain aftermarket was the slowest we've seen this year. At first glance one might quickly conclude that the reason for that was the shocking meltdown in the general economy that led the U.S. Congress to pass a $700 billion bailout package for Wall Street. However at the same time that was going on, domain buyers at the T.R.A.F.F.I.C. conference in New York were spending almost $4 million in live auctions and nearly $1 million more in a Moniker online auction associated with the show. That is a lot of money to suck out of the market in one week so it wouldn't be surprising if a lot of those buyers entered this week tapped out.
dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2008/domainsales10-14-08.htm
Cold.Com Domain Name To Be Auctioned, US$1 Million Minimum Bid [news release]
Cold.com will be auctioned in late November with a minimum acceptable bid of US$1 million, announced Patent Kinetics, LLC, an intellectual property strategy, evaluation, and brokerage company.
cold.com/pmwiki.php
UD.com Top of the List for Sedo Last Week
UD.com was the biggest Sedo sale last week selling for a very cool US$99,000. Other .com $50K+ sales were machineryzone.com ($52K) and breaks.com ($50K). On the ccTLD front, gay.nl was the big seller this week selling for €15,000 (~$20,000) followed by basketball.fr (€12,000/~$16,300) and then a .my (Malaysia) domain, with domain.my selling for $16,000.
www.domainpulse.com/2008/10/16/udcom-top-of-the-list-for-sedo-last-week/
www.domainnews.com/en/general/ud.com-top-of-the-list-for-sedo-last-week.html
Overseeing the Domain Name World
A visit with domain giant Oversee.net in its L.A. headquarters shows how the domain world is growing up.
domainnamewire.com/2008/10/17/overseeing-the-domain-name-world/
