internet news - 29 Nov

Domain space authority due by February
A new regulator for the .za domain space is expected to be
active by February, but the panel tasked with selecting its
board says much depends on the quality of the nominations
it receives.

http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/internet/2002/0211221230.asp

Update on Domain Names In Brazil (reg req'd)
Foreign companies can register ".br" domain names in Brazil
either directly in their own names or indirectly through a
Brazilian subsidiary, licensee, or distributor.

http://www.mondaq.com/article_preview.asp?a=18579&p=5&c=1463&e=on

Lack of support for '.bank.nz'
The proposal to create a new second level internet domain,
'.bank.nz', failed at the second stage of the public
consultation process yesterday. 
 http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2114830a1896,00.html

Confusing Similarity Under ICANN's Uniform Dispute
Resolution Policy
ICANN's UDRP has allowed a fast and efficient system of
domain name dispute resolution, the most common ground for
complaint and transfer being that the domain name in
question is confusingly similar to a registered or common
law trademark of the Complainant. Unfortunately, UDRP
Panellists have not been sufficiently rigorous in their
consideration of confusing similarity and the
non-distinctiveness of domain names to justify many such
conclusions. Furthermore, in seeking to avoid
trans-jurisdictional conflicts of law, their application of
confusingly similarity may be conveniently general, but it
results in outcomes which would be unacceptable to many
common law jurisdictions.
 http://elj.warwick.ac.uk/jilt/02-2/mcmahon.html

From Quicklinks
Alternative Dispute Resolution report (Shidler Center) 
The ABA Task Force for E-commerce and Alternative Dispute
Resolution, in cooperation with the Shidler Center, has
released its final report and a set of recommended best
practices for ODR Service Providers.

http://www.law.washington.edu/ABA-eADR/documentation/2002.09.05doc.html

Response to Jonathan Cohen in Wired: ICANN Needs Another
Long Trip - comment
I would like to respond to Jonathan Cohen's totally
irresponsible tirade about the failure of ICANN and the
resulting ICANN-bashing in Wired's Rants & Raves. There are
a number of factual errors in his world viewpoint.

http://www.icannwatch.org/article.php?sid=1030&mode=thread&order=0

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China accused of jailing net users
Human rights group Amnesty International says Beijing has
created a new form of political prisoner - those who
express their views online.
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2517647.stm

http://www.nandotimes.com/technology/story/646811p-4876883c.html

http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/11/27/china.amnesty/index.html

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=internetNews&storyID=1811986

China: Internet users at risk of arbitrary detention,
torture and even execution
Amnesty International called today on the Chinese
authorities to release all those currently detained or
jailed for using the Internet to peacefully express their
views or share information.
 http://web.amnesty.org/ai.nsf/recent/ASA170562002
 http://www.web.amnesty.org/ai.nsf/recent/asa170072002


Feds Fail to Pass Child Porn Laws
Despite efforts by senior members of both the House and
Senate to crack down on Internet child pornography, two
proposed bills failed to become law this year.
 http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,107414,00.asp

Heated debate on free speech - Australia
RACISTS have always existed but their opponents fear the
internet has fostered an explosion in their numbers and
power.

http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,5555935%5E15841%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html

California Justices Find Web Site Is out of Reach
The California Supreme Court ruled 4-3 on Monday that a
former Purdue University student now living in Texas cannot
be forced to answer in California for posting computer code
on the Web that unscrambles DVD encryption technology.
Though Justice Janice Rogers Brown shot down a suit in
California, she said the DVD Copy Control Association Inc.
could still seek recourse in other states.

http://www.law.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/View&c=LawArticle&cid=1036630493596&t=LawArticleTech

Cyber-Rights Activists Log a Win
A small group of Spanish cyberpunks may have saved their
country's Internet cafes from being branded as gambling
dens.
 http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,56577,00.html

Discussion Paper "eSafe Directions for 2003-2004" now
online 
The Discussion Paper "eSafe Directions for 2003-2004" is
now online at http://www.saferinternet.org. It is possible
to make comments online until Tuesday 7 January 2003.
 http://www.saferinternet.org

Burning the Village to Roast the Pig - Censorship of Online
Media
A paper for the OSCE workshop 'Freedom of the media and the
internet' by Felipe Rodriguez - 30 November 2002
 http://www.xs4all.nl/~felipe/OSCE_paper.pdf

Listening to the internet reveals best connections
The speed and reliability of an internet connection can be
heard by simulating the plucking of a guitar string
 http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993112

California Firm to Settle Net Porn Scam
A California billing firm has agreed to give up $1.6
million to settle charges that it improperly billed
thousands for Internet pornography, the Federal Trade
Commission said on Tuesday.

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/technology/tech-tech-fraud.html

Internet dumping burning unsuspecting consumers
Unsuspecting consumers are being charged thousands of
dollars more than they should be on their phone bill,
sometimes without being told the reason for the excess
charges. However, few consumers burnt by the sting are
prepared to talk about it.

http://www.zdnet.com.au/newstech/communications/story/0,2000024993,20270212,00.htm


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Sources include Quicklinks (www.qlinks.net), Moreover
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(www.bna.com/ilaw)".


=====
David Goldstein
 email: Goldstein_David-/[email protected]
 phone: +61 418 228 605 - mobile; +61 2 9665 0015 - home

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