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Release of geographic names in com.au and net.au

auDA is lifting the restriction on the use of geographic names as domain
names in com.au and net.au.

auDA has determined that the fairest and most effective way of releasing
the geographic names will be by way of individual ballots.

auDA intends to launch the ballot process in June 2005.

For more information please refer to the announcement at
http://www.auda.org.au/news.php?newsid=37

Too much IT jargon?

"It says something of the times that the latest great hoax has not been foisted upon the art and literary world but the jargon-laden internet industry." To read the rest of the article and discover the hoax, visit The Australian.

More cybercrime

LexisNexis has disclosed that criminals may have breached computer files containing the personal information of 310,000 people. The personal information was apparently accessed by unauthorised individuals using stolen passwords and IDs.

Read more here.

Euthanasia and a proposed internet ban

The Criminal Code Amendment (Suicide Related Material Offences) Bill 2005 aims to stop use of the Internet, the telephone and faxes for communication that "counsels or incites suicide." (More information is contained in The Explanatory Memorandum to the Bill.)

Critics have contended that this would threaten Australia's freedom of political communication, as well as freedom of the press and rational adults' right to have access to information. Electronic Frontiers Australia has made a submission to the Senate Committee inquiry.

Dr Philip Nitschke has also suggested that banning the spread of information on voluntary euthanasia over the Internet could boost the number of people who commit suicide. Read more here.

Should the internet be regulated in this way?

Another way to deal with content regulation

Another solution to the content regulation issue may be for parents to make an internet use agreement with their child. That's one option presnted by GetNetWise.

What do you think of this approach?

E-tendering

In Monday's class we will be looking at a case study of e-commerce implementation: e-tendering. The discussion will be informed by a recent report of Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation (CRC CI) .

The report was the result of collaboration between project members, researchers and affiliates from the CRC CI, QUT (Law, IT/Security and BEE), University of Newcastle, Queensland Crown Law, Queensland Department of Public Works, Queensland Department of Main Roads, and Brisbane City Council.

The report can be accessed here. (You will need your QUT Access usernsame and password to open the file.) Although an overview of the report will be presented in class, if you are interested it may be useful to have a browse through the report before class.

Parents use of internet filtering software

Another report updating some of the issues we discussed in our class on content regulation.

In the United States, more and more parents are using internet filtering software, according to a report by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. Robert MacMillan of the Washington provides a summary here, and the full report is available here.

Content Regulation in China

In class a few weeks ago, we considered content regulation in China. Now, a study by the OpenNet Initiative has found that the Chinese government's Internet controls have kept pace with rapid changes in technology and are buttressed by self-censorship.

For a summary of the findings, click here.

How should damages be assessed for privacy and cybersecurity breaches

Listen to this podcast where I discuss how damages should be assessed in privacy and cybersecurity lawsuits. The Lawyers Weekly Show host J...