[LINK] Newsletter - No 110 - October 5, 2001
by way of Tony Barry
D.Ziyasheva@unesco.org
Fri, 5 Oct 2001 21:31:36 +1000
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UNESCO OBSERVATORY ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/observatory
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Newsletter - No 110 - October 5, 2001
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!!! REMINDER !!!
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* NOW ONLINE...... *
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* International Recommendations on *
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* "Promotion and Use of Multilingualism and Universal Access to Cyberspace" *
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* See them and make your comments at: *
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* http://www.unesco.org/webworld/mul_recom/index.shtml *
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The Briefs selection (below), is ordered into the major themes of the
Observatory:
- Action Plans and Policies
- Privacy and Confidentiallity
- Content Regulation
- Access to Public Domain
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Action Plans, Policies: international, regional and national levels
[APA, EGO - 05.10.2001] New Philippine Government Portal Goes Online
(Newsbytes)
Without much noise, a new government portal went online late last
month, placing under one roof all the Web sites of government
agencies, financial institutions and corporations. The site was
presented to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Tuesday but will be
launched on Friday at the Heroes Hall in Malacanang.
http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/170816.html
[EUR, CON - 05.10.2001] Ireland launches Internet Safety Initiatives
(Europemedia.net)
On Tuesday, the Irish Minister for Children launched a number of
Internet Safety Initiatives on behalf of the government appointed
Internet Advisory Board, designed to improve internet safety,
especially for children. Irelandís government has launched these
initiatives in an attempt to minimise internet dangers, but still
fully and productively exploit internet resources.
http://www.europemedia.net/shownews.asp?ArticleID=5897
[NAM, PRI - 04.10.2001] FTC does about-face on privacy (Cnet)
The Federal Trade Commission, under a new Republican-appointed
chairman, plans to reverse its earlier support for new privacy
legislation and instead emphasize enforcement of existing laws,
government and industry sources said Wednesday. FTC Chairman Timothy
Muris is expected to say Thursday in a long-anticipated speech...
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-7398312.html?tag=cd_mh
[EUR, INF - 03.10.2001] Ukrainian president orders state
organizations to get online access (Europemedia.net)
Last week, the Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma signed a decree "on
some measures on security of the governmental information resources
in data transmission networks". The UAtop portal reported that the
decree's aim is "to raise the security level of the governmental
information... http://www.europemedia.net/shownews.asp?ArticleID=5826
[NAM, PRI - 03.10.2001] Eavesdrop Now, Reassess Later? (Wirednews)
House negotiators have drafted anti-terrorism legislation to grant
police unprecedented eavesdropping powers that would automatically
expire in two years. Leaders of the House Judiciary committee have
crafted a new anti-terrorism bill, called the Patriot Act, that
includes nearly all the surveillance abilities requested by President
Bush - but with a sunset date of Dec. 31, 2003. A vote on the bill is
expected this week.
http://www.wired.com/news/conflict/0,2100,47230,00.html
[EUR, PRI - 03.10.2001] EU to allow law officers access to electronic
personal data (Europemedia.net)
Following the US terrorist attacks on September 11, the European
Union has ordered the European Commission to draft a law allowing law
enforcement professionals access to electronic personal data, which
before was protected from the prying eyes of the law.
http://www.europemedia.net/shownews.asp?ArticleID=5833
[AFR, INF - 02.10.2001] Glimmer of Hope Over Disputed Bill, Parties
to Redraft Telecoms Amendment (Allafrica.com)
The highly controversial Telecommunications Amendment Bill would be
redrafted to take into account the concerns of all operators
particularly providers of internet and value-added network services
(Vans), chairman of Parliament's communications committee Nkenke
Kekana said at the weekend.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200110010326.html
[EUR, ECO - 01.10.2001] EC to help develope SMEs e-commerce
involvement (Europemedia.net)
The European Commission has developed an initiative called GoDigital
to support business involvement in e-commerce in 18 European
countries. The initiative will allow small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) to have access to information, advice and other
types of assistance to help them integrate the internet into their
business operations.
http://www.europemedia.net/shownews.asp?ArticleID=5795
[APA, CRM, IPR - 01.10.2001] 722 officials mobilized in M'sia's
piracy crackdown (ZDnetasia)
The government's nationwide crackdown on illegal software use will
involve 722 enforcement officers spread out across the country, with
the first phase of the operation ending in January. Domestic Trade
and Consumer Affairs enforcement division head Mohd Roslan Mahayudin
was quoted...
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/computing/story/0,2000024386,38020403,00.htm
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Privacy & Confidentiality: transborder privacy, global e-commerce, cryptography
[ECO - 05.10.2001] Expert Blames E-Commerce Implementation On High
Access Cost (Wirednews)
AN IT expert, Mr. Chima Onyekwere who is also the chief executive
officer of Linkserve limited has attributed the problems of
E-commerce implementation in Nigeria on high access cost for
E-business technologies in Nigeria. Onyekwere who delivered a paper
titled "Hurdles and Challenges of E-Commerce Implementation in
Nigeria" during the just concluded Nigerian E-Business & Internet
Conference... http://allafrica.com/stories/200110040264.html
[CON, CRM - 05.10.2001] England Closes Extremist Site (Wirednews)
A website offering young Muslims the chance to learn all about
explosives and the "art of bone breaking" was shut down this week
under a new British crackdown on Islamic extremists. Police sources
told Reuters on Thursday that the closure of the London-based...
http://www.wired.com/news/conflict/0,2100,47307,00.html
[IPR - 05.10.2001] Suit hits popular post-Napster network (Cnet)
Adding a new challenge to their list of legal attacks, the record
industry and Hollywood studios have joined forces to sue MusicCity,
Kazaa and Grokster, which together form one of the most popular
file-trading networks to spring up in Napster's wake.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-7389552.html?tag=cd_pr
[ECO - 04.10.2001] Major E-Business Exhibition Kicks Off At the Dome
(Allafrica.com)
The exhibitions feature four major e-business technologies that
industry commentators say will dramatically change global wealth
creation in time to come. Running until Friday this week, the
exhibitions feature a combined array of software displays, product
demos and service offerings.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200110030498.html
CRY - 03.10.2001] FBI, SANS Institute: Internet 'not ready' for
attack (IDG.net)
The FBI and the SANS Institute today released a list of the 20 top
vulnerabilities of Internet-connected systems and urged companies to
close dangerous holes while warning again of virulent cyberattacks to
come. "The Internet is simply not ready because of these
vulnerabilities; we're not ready to withstand a major attack," said
Alan Paller, the SANS Institute director, at a press briefing today.
http://www.idg.net/ic_702982_1794_9-10000.html
[CRY - 02.10.2001] Security Firm Warns Of Bogus Nimda 'Fix' (Newsbytes)
Computer security company SecurityFocus is telling network
administrators that it has nothing to do with an e- mail and file
attachment that claims to be a fix for the recent Nimda worm.
Instead, the attachment appears to be repackaged version of a older
Trojan program designed to spy on those who run the software, says
the San Mateo, Calif., clearinghouse for information on such security
threats.. http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/170691.html
[ECO - 02.10.2001] 46.3% of Slovakian internet users have shopped
online (Europemedia.net)
46.3 per cent of active internet users in Slovakia have had
experiences with on-line purchase according to the last Taylor Nelson
Sofres survey. The most popular commodities are CDs, books, software,
hardware and mobile accessories.
http://www.europemedia.net/shownews.asp?ArticleID=5815
[CRY - 01.10.2001] Worm-Bait (SA.internet.com)
A new security tool promises to trap worms in ëdecoy-computersí that
mimic normal machines on a network. Dubbed ìLaBrea,î the open-source
tool was originally created to combat Code Red II but has done well
snaring Redís hybrid cousin Nimda.
http://southafrica.internet.com/technews/01/09/11.htm
[ECO, EGO - 01.10.2001] Net house buying (The Guardian)
Up to six weeks could be knocked off the time it takes to buy a house
in England and Wales if Land Registry and Law Society proposals to
introduce online conveyancing go ahead. The proposed system - which
would involve solicitors signing up to a customised electronic method
of exchanging documents and contracts linked to a Land Registry
central database - could be introduced by 2010.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/internetnews/story/0,7369,559499,00.html
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Content Regulation: intellectual property rights, copyright, freedom
of expression
[CON, CRM - 05.10.2001] England Closes Extremist Site (Wirednews)
A website offering young Muslims the chance to learn all about
explosives and the "art of bone breaking" was shut down this week
under a new British crackdown on Islamic extremists. Police sources
told Reuters on Thursday that the closure of the London-based...
http://www.wired.com/news/conflict/0,2100,47307,00.html
[IPR - 05.10.2001] Suit hits popular post-Napster network (Cnet)
Adding a new challenge to their list of legal attacks, the record
industry and Hollywood studios have joined forces to sue MusicCity,
Kazaa and Grokster, which together form one of the most popular
file-trading networks to spring up in Napster's wake.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-7389552.html?tag=cd_pr
[CON - 04.10.2001] Minister Cautions On Internet Use (Allafrica.com)
The Minister of Education, Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Ekumfi, last
weekend cautioned users of Information Technology (IT) to be
circumspect on its use, the absence of which he said can have
negative effects on the country. He said, "technology is neutral,
neither good nor bad. It is the way we use technology that produces
benefits or problems." http://allafrica.com/stories/200110030476.html
[CRM - 04.10.2001] Piracy climbs as Asian economies slide (ZDnetasia)
Efforts to clamp down on the illegal use of software in Asia could
prove futile, as businesses become increasingly cash-strapped with
the current downturn. A pirated copy of Microsoft XP, for example,
sells for as low as US$1.50 in Malaysia, compared with the original
price tag of US$199 for the home version and US$299 for the
professional version.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/computing/story/0,2000024386,38021872,00.htm
[CON - 04.10.2001] French Judge Now Mulling U.S. Hate Site Block (Newsbytes)
Final courtroom arguments have wrapped up and a judge must now decide
if French Internet service providers (ISPs) will be forced to block
access to an American portal that hosts so-called "hate Web sites."
http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/170786.html
[CON - 03.10.2001] San Francisco bans filters in libraries (Cnet)
San Francisco officials have voted to ban Internet filters on
computers in local public libraries, risking the loss of some $20,000
in federal funds. San Francisco's Board of Supervisors on Monday
unanimously prohibited Internet filters on city-owned computers used
by the public for Web access. But an amendment to the legislation
excludes Internet terminals designated exclusively for individuals
under the age of 13.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-7385747.html?tag=cd_mh
[CRM, IPR - 03.10.2001] US chases domain name schemer (BBCnews)
US legal authorities are appealing for help in tracking down John
Zuccarini who they say is making more than a million dollars a year
from a collection of mis-spelled domain names. Mr Zuccarini is
accused of using misnamed domain names to divert browsers to sites
that bombard web surfers with pop-up adverts for gambling and porn.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1575000/1575060.stm
[IPR, INF - 03.10.2001] Web patent plan sparks concern (ZDnetasia)
A new and controversial proposal under consideration by the World
Wide Web Consortium could open the way for companies to claim patent
rights - and demand royalties - on standards authorized by that body.
The W3C works with developers, software makers and others to come up
with standards for the Web, which can then be used by just about
anyone to build Web software, free of charge.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/internet/story/0,2000024714,38021473,00.htm
[CON - 02.10.2001] Coke acts to combat spoof internet ads (The Guardian)
Coca-Cola has taken the unprecedented step of defending itself
against spoof adverts that were circulated on the internet, showing
the Coke logo plastered across holy sites in the Middle East. The
bogus ads could not have come at a worse time for the US drinks
giant...
http://media.guardian.co.uk/newmedia/story/0,7496,560043,00.html
[CON - 02.10.2001] FTC shutters thousands of Web sites (Cnet)
A U.S. court shut down thousands of Web sites after it determined
that they diverted Web surfers and held them captive while bombarding
them with ads for pornography and gambling, the U.S. government said
on Monday. According to the Federal Trade Commission...
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-7371736.html?tag=cd_mh
[CRM - 02.10.2001] Another Thing to Fear: ID Theft (Wirednews)
It's the largest police investigation in history, with a few thousand
sleuths hot on the trail of just 19 suspected hijackers, and about
500 people already in jail. But the FBI said in a statement on
Thursday that "attempts to confirm the true identities of these
individuals are still under way."
http://www.wired.com/news/conflict/0,2100,47201,00.html
[IPR, ECO - 02.10.2001] Music industry 'fights' download plan (BBCnews)
The US entertainment industry is trying to block a new law that would
force record companies to let all internet download services have
equal access to music, reports say. Trade newspaper Variety said
record companies would not be allowed to favour their own planned
download sites over independent services if the proposals became law.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/new_media/newsid_1573000/1573195.stm
[CON - 01.10.2001] China's Web Dissidents Await Fate (Wirednews)
Four Chinese intellectuals accused of subversion for their links to a
pro-democracy forum active on the Internet were tried on Friday, but
a lawyer for the accused said it could be a month before the verdict
is known. http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,47165,00.html
[IPR - 01.10.2001] Internet ranges in new domains (BBCnews)
Almost without anyone noticing, the internet has got a tiny bit
bigger. Some of the sites registered under the new .info and .biz
domain names can already be viewed. Few hold any useful information.
Many are just temporary
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1569000/1569222.stm
[IPR - 01.10.2001] Judge lets .biz take first step online (Cnet)
Web surfers will be able to reach most new Internet addresses ending
in .biz next Monday, but some other names could be held up if a Los
Angeles judge decides the process of allocating the names is illegal.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-7323763.html?tag=ch_mh
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Universal Access - Public Domain: access for all, on-line governance,
virtual libraries, multilingualism
[ACC, EQU - 05.10.2001] Wonderful Gbenga Sesan Emerges Winner of Web
Designing Competition (Allafrica.com)
THE Promising Web Designer Competition organized by the Lagos
Executive Cyberschuul, produced a winner in a 24 year-old Electronics
and Electrical graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife,
Mr. 'Gbegan Sesan who clinched the top position that will also earn
him a N100,000 price money and other goodies.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200110040265.html
[ACC, CON - 05.10.2001] Agencies Scrub Web Sites Of Sensitive
Chemical Data (Newsbytes)
Some federal agencies have been removing documents from Internet
sites to keep them away from terrorists, rekindling concerns that
important information is being withheld from communities at risk from
hazardous chemicals. http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/170825.html
[EQU, INF - 05.10.2001] Wireless net strides mountains (BBCnews)
There is a proverb in Bulgaria, "zgovorna druzhina planina povdiga",
roughly translatable as unity moves mountains. An example of this is
about to happen in Bulgaria's central Rhodope mountains. With the
combined efforts and resources of Luki's businesses, school, and
municipality, a Peace Corps grant and friends and family in the US,
we are installing wireless equipment and raising a radio tower to
complete an internet link over the mountaintops.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1575000/1575638.stm
[MUL, ECO - 05.10.2001] Top sites limited by lack of languages
(ZDnetaustralia)
Less than five percent of the world's top Internet sites are able to
respond to email messages in languages other than English, according
to a new study by IDC and the online translation company Worldlingo.
Only 4.45 percent of the top 50 Web sites ranked by Media Metrix
could respond accurately to a non-English email when they were
contacted in September 2001.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/newstech/ebusiness/story/0,2000024981,20260913,00.htm
[ACC - 04.10.2001] Sweden and Denmark lead in European household
broadband access (Europemedia.net)
Sweden and Denmark are the leading countries which report the most
households with broadband internet connections in Europe, according
to internet measurement firm NetValue. Of the eight countries
included in the report, Sweden and Denmark lead with 13.8 per cent
and 13.2 per cent of households, respectively.
http://www.europemedia.net/shownews.asp?ArticleID=5859
[ACC, ECO - 04.10.2001] Argentina: Land of Free ISPs (Wirednews)
Remember free ISPs? They were popular once, in the United States and
the rest of the world. That was before the dot-com crash, right when
banners and online sales were seen as the ideal solution. But it
didn't work out. Cash didn't flow as expected, and most ISPs started
asking for usage fees.
http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,47079,00.html
[MUL - 04.10.2001] Yahoo Comes Available In India's Languages (Newsbytes)
Keeping in mind the wide linguistic variations in the country,
Yahoo.co.in, the India-specific Web site of Yahoo.com, is planning to
localize and host content in the nation's vernacular languages. Yahoo
Web Services India Pvt. Ltd has also drawn up plans wherein messages
using Yahoo messenger and e-mail can be sent in Indian languages.
http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/170773.html
[ACC - 03.10.2001] Aussie ISP Numbers Shrink While Downloads Increase
(Newsbytes)
The numbers of Australia's Internet service providers, points of
presence and Internet access lines are all shrinking, but subscribers
and data downloads are increasing, the latest figures from the
Australian Bureau of Statistics reveal.
http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/170710.html
[ACC - 03.10.2001] Cubans Slow to Get an Internet Window on World (Yahoo)
In a cool room in a post office in Havana's Vedado district, a row of
seven young Cubans lean over computers that let them send e-mail,
enter a single Cuban-run chat room and surf a small corner of the
Internet. The center, which opened last month, is one of four such
facilities in Havana, and the plan is for them to spread to post
offices across the communist-ruled island
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011002/wr/cuba_internet_dc_1.html
[ACC - 02.10.2001] Sípore broadband players should emulate Korea (ZDnetasia)
Internet service providers (ISPs) in Singapore should emulate their
Korean counterparts, and bundle innovative applications and content
with high-speed Internet access service to help attract subscribers.
According to Frost & Sullivan analyst Manoj Menon, the slow rate of
broadband adoption here is due to a lack of ìexcitementî in the
content.
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/internet/story/0,2000024714,38021294,00.htm
[EQU - 02.10.2001] Ghana - Rapid Growth in Internet Use Despite Cost
Constraints (Allafrica.com)
The Internet, which has had the most significant impact on Humanity
within the shortest possible time turned 32 years yesterday and the
20th of this same month, is the third International Internet Day. The
genesis of the internet in Ghana was in the early nineties (1989/90)
with the initiation of a pilot project by the Pan African Development
Information system (PADIS)...
http://allafrica.com/stories/200110010429.html
[ACC - 01.10.2001] Charting Virtual Worlds (Wirednews)
Everyone who surfs the Internet should be able to identify with the
Spanish conquistadors. The early Spanish conquerors blundered blindly
around the New World in their quest for El Dorado. These days, Web
surfers searching for gold must also travel without maps.
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,46412,00.html
[EGO - 01.10.2001] Philippine Govt. ICT Project May Breed National ID
System (Newsbytes)
Already "killed" several times since it was proposed during the reign
of former president Fidel Ramos, the "controversial" national ID
system seems to have been resurrected with President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo backing up the idea due to the looming threat of
terrorists flowing into the country after the deadly terrorist blasts
on the United States. http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/170647.html
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UNESCO Observatory on the Information Society mirrors:
Japan (by the United Nations University):
http://mirror-japan.unesco.org/webworld/observatory/index.html
United States (by the University of Nebraska):
http://mirror-us.unesco.org/webworld/observatory/index.html
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