domain name news - 29 June

[David Goldstein <goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au>]

**********************************************************
Sponsored by the Singapore Internet Research Centre
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

http://www.ntu.edu.sg/sci/sirc/
Internet in Asia blog:
http://internetinasia.typepad.com/
**********************************************************

Talk dull but deep for Icann
http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3711089a28,00.html

Property boom shifts online
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/06/26/1151174111335.html

The Internet's CEO signs up for three more years
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/06/26/twomey_new_contract/

FTC Issues Statement on Whois Databases (news release)
http://ftc.gov/opa/2006/06/icann.htm

Whois data a key weapon in fraud fight, FTC says
http://news.com.com/2100-7348_3-6088651.html
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6088651.html

Germany registers 10 millionth .de domain
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/06/28/denic_ten_million_domains/

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DOMAIN NAMES
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ICANN Opens 26th International Meeting in Marrakech,
Morocco
The ICANN announcement lists some of the highlights of
the meeting in Morocco including Developments in the
area of IDNs, A public meeting of the Security,
Stability and Advisory Committee (SSAC) to discuss the
consequences of domain name registration lapses in
situations where another person registers a lapsed
domain, and a workshop on the committee's ongoing work
to ensure the DNS is protected from certain types of
attacks and Several meetings of ICANN's Governmental
Advisory Committee (GAC), including a meeting to
discuss government perspectives on the public policy
aspects of the WHOIS database and an open plenary
session during which the GAC and ICANN Board members
will participate in open dialogue on current issues.
http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-25jun06.htm

Talk dull but deep for Icann
With a web domain for pornography effectively off the
agenda, next week's meeting of the Internet's
governing body, Icann, will deal with drier but
meatier issues such as the future of the organisation.
http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3711089a28,00.html

Property boom shifts online
The real estate boom isn't over - it has simply
shifted online with market speculators now buying,
selling and renting virtual properties. The practise
of "domaining" may not be new, but it has recently
evolved in such a dramatic fashion that it will form
one of the key discussions points at a high-level
internet conference in Marrakesh this week.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/06/26/1151174111335.html

The Internet's CEO signs up for three more years
Paul Twomey has signed a three-year extension to his
employment contract it was announced this morning in
Marrakech.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/06/26/twomey_new_contract/

FTC Issues Statement on Whois Databases (news release)
The Federal Trade Commission today told a meeting of
ICANN that access to the Whois databases is ?critical
to the agency?s consumer protection laws, to other law
enforcement agencies around the world, and to
consumers.? Whois databases are online information
directories that contain contact information about
website operators. Access to the databases is in
question because one of ICANN?s advisory bodies
recommended limiting access to Whois data to
?technical purposes only.?
http://ftc.gov/opa/2006/06/icann.htm

FTC Issues Statement on Whois Databases
A recent statement released by the U.S. Federal Trade
Commission emphasized that the Whois databases should
be kept ?open, transparent, and accessible,? allowing
agencies like the FTC to protect consumers and
consumers to protect themselves.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/ftc_issues_statement_whois_databases/

Whois data a key weapon in fraud fight, FTC says
The Federal Trade Commission has made a pitch for open
access to Whois, saying the databases are a key weapon
in its fight against spyware and other Internet fraud.
http://news.com.com/2100-7348_3-6088651.html
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6088651.html

Anti-ICANN Groups Spam The US Department of Commerce
Spam Groups who despise ICANN have organized an email
campaign to let the US National Telecommunications and
Information Administration (NTIA) know what they think
of its continuing effort to privatize coordination and
management of Internet Domain Names and DNS. So how's
it going? Email Battles shows how the mysterious power
of the Web reveals all.
http://www.osopinion.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=7870&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

nz: Driver refuses to talk after deadly crash
A driver involved in a two-car crash in Lower Hutt on
Friday night that killed three members of the same
family and a family friend has refused to talk to
police about the incident.
http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3711559a11,00.html
http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3711619a10,00.html
http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3711786a10,00.html
http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3711559a10,00.html
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&ObjectID=10388345
http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-1-24jun06.htm

Germany registers 10 millionth .de domain
Germany has registered its 10 millionth domain name,
making the .de top-level domain the second largest in
the world following dotcom.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/06/28/denic_ten_million_domains/
http://webhosting.info/news/1/denic-registers-ten-millionth-.de-domain-name_0627064826.htm

Ten Million .de Domains Registered at DENIC (news
release)
On Monday, June 26, 2006, DENIC, the German domain
administrator, processed the ten millionth application
for a .de domain. This makes .de the second Top Level
Domain, after .com, to pass the hurdle of ten million
registered domains. The holder of the jubilee domain,
huettenberger-case-fabrik.de, is a manufacturer of
transport cases from Linden, a small town in the
vicinity of Frankfurt.
http://www.denic.de/en/denic/presse/press_77.html

French registrar signs up 37,000 personal .fr domain
names (sub req'd)
http://www.telecom.paper.nl/news/article.aspx?id=132815&nr=

ICANN: .BIZ, .INFO and .ORG Proposed Agreements Posted
for Public Information
Following the receipt of letters from Afilias, NeuStar
and PIR earlier today, ICANN Chairman Vint Cerf
requested the posting of the proposed agreements for
public information. The ICANN Board has not yet
reviewed these proposed agreements, and will consider
posting these agreements for a public comment period
of no less than 21 days at an upcoming Board Meeting.
http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-1-27jun06.htm

ICANN: gTLD Registries Request Posting of Proposed
Agreements
Afilias (.INFO), NeuLevel (.BIZ) and PIR (.ORG) have
formally requested that proposed renewal registry
agreements be posted for public review and comment.
Their letters are posted.
http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-27jun06.htm

ICANN Nominating Committee Holds Workshop in Marrakech
The Nominating Committee needs your help finding the
best people to serve ICANN. For answers to your
questions about the Nominating Committee process,
please view the webcast of the Marrakech workshop on
Thursday 29 June 2006 at 14:00-15:00 UTC. For
information on the webcast, see Webcast and Remote
Participation Information at
http://www.icann.org/meetings/marrakech/ .
http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-1-25jun06.htm

ICANN Calls for Proposals to Host 2007 Meetings
ICANN is actively soliciting proposals from
organizations seeking to host ICANN Meetings in 2007. 
http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-25jun06.htm

rw: Country to Get Internet Domain
Rwanda is going to be among the few countries in the
world that will be offering free registration for an
Internet Domain name to her citizens, The New Times
has established. According to Dr. Raphael Mmasi, the
Director of National Computing Centre in the Rwanda
Information Technology Authority (RITA), the Country
Code Top Level Domain (CCTLD) is still managed by an
individual, Fredrick Gregory
http://allafrica.com/stories/200606260297.html

Sedo Introduces Financing Programs for High-Value
Domain Name Purchases (news release)
World's Largest Domain Name Marketplace Partners with
Domain Capital to Deliver Domain Financing for
Purchases of more than $10,000
http://www.webhostdir.com/news/articles/shownews.asp?id=16144

Challenges to gripe Web sites produce inconsistent
results
The answer depends upon what you put on your Web site.
Unfortunately, because court decisions in this area
are contradictory, it also depends on what court tries
your case.
http://timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149188743293

UK snapping up .eu domain names
The UK has the second highest uptake of the new .eu
domain name suffix in Europe, according to new
research with 19% of all .eu registrations in Europe
to date.
http://www.bl4london.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=news.viewItem&intItemID=4837

ICANN Opens 26th International Meeting in Marrakech,
Morocco (news release)
ICANN?s 26th International meeting officially opens in
Marrakech, Morocco today. The meeting, which runs
until June 30th, sees stakeholders from the technical
community, business and government and civil society,
participate in over 30 meetings and workshops. They
will discuss the most important issues relating to the
ongoing stability, security and growth of the
Internet. These meetings constitute an essential part
of ICANN?s global consensus-development and outreach
efforts.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/icann_meeting_in_marrakech_morocco/
http://www.webhostdir.com/news/articles/shownews.asp?id=16311

Verisign Receives Subpoena Relating to Stock Option
Backdating By George Kirikos  	
VeriSign has reported that they are cooperating with a
grand jury subpoena and a SEC inquiry into their
historical stock option grants. More can be found
here. Backdating of options is essentially a fraud
against existing shareholders, as noted in the press
or simply searching Google for "backdating fraud".
Under the existing 2001 .com Registry Agreement,
section 16.C would allow for termination of the
agreement by ICANN in the event that VeriSign "is
convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction of a
felony or other serious offense related to financial
activities... ???
http://www.circleid.com/posts/verisign_receives_subpoena/

Microsoft Choking Domain Parking Business Practices?
In a follow up to Microsoft's Strider URL Tracer tool
released a few months ago, SecurityFocus is running an
article which takes a closer look at how Microsoft's
free Strider URL Tracer with Typo-Patrol is aimed at
fighting typo-squatters and domain parking abuse. From
the article: "In most cases, the typo domain is not
even selling a product or service itself. The typo
domain makes its money from syndicated advertising
such as Google's AdSense program. The typo-squatter
simply parks the domain and the only content on the
site ends up being the ads served from a syndicated
advertising program.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/microsoft_on_domain_parking_business_practices/

Twomey
The Register reports ICANN has extended Dr. Paul
Twomey's contract for two years with a third year
option
http://www.icannwatch.org/article.pl?sid=06/06/26/1840202&mode=flat

Blackjack.de Rakes in $300,000 Pot in Week's Biggest
Domain Sale 
Blackjack.de sold for a whopping $300,000 this week at
NameDrive.com (the biggest sale to date in that
company's Park & Sell program) to easily top our new
Top 20 chart. That was one of three impressive .de
sales that hit the top half of the Big Board
http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2006/domainsales06_27_06.htm

Six Figure Sale of CreditCare.com and Highest .US Sale
Ever Reported Headline Continuing Surge in Domain
Business 
Business is supposed to slow down in the summer, but
you wouldn't know it from the ongoing boom in the
domain market. Still another six-figure sale headlines
our latest Top 20 chart, this one coming from
GreatDomains where CreditCare.com commanded $125,000.
The same venue also posted the second biggest .net
sale of the year, ringing up $56,500 for Bingo.net.
Only Sex.net was higher, going for $454,500 last
month.
http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2006/domainsales07_04_06.htm

Domain Roundtable: Highlights From a Landmark
Gathering of Industry Leaders in the Pacific Northwest
The organizers of the 2006 Domain Roundtable
Conference (held in Bellevue, Washington April 19-21)
faced a difficult challenge when they started putting
together a sequel to the successful debut show they
staged last year in Seattle. In business, it has been
said that if you are not growing you are dying. With
that in mind, executives from conference host Name
Intelligence, Inc. knew they would have to pull out
all of the stops to surpass the level of excellence
they reached last year.
http://www.dnjournal.com/cover/2006/may-drt.htm

Stick 'em Up! Self Defense Against Reverse Domain Name
Hijacking
Many people and / or small organizations create
websites strictly to share information, to advertise
their non-profit services, to advertise their small
craft projects, or to voice their political or
religious ideas. They will agonize over choosing the
most appropriate domain name that accurately defines
their small company, or they may merely register their
current name or nick-name, or an acronym of their
company?s trade name or a shortened version a trade
name. However the process, they may register a domain
that causes a representative of a corporate entity to
send a demand letter advising them to cease and desist
using this prized domain name.
http://www.dnjournal.com/legal/sl_reverse_hijacking.htm

Domain Names, Trademarks and the Dispute
Domain names and trademarks are related, but the
rights derived from each are very different. Trademark
rights flow from use of a mark for goods or services
in interstate commerce or within a state?s boundary. 
Domain name rights are derived by way of a domain name
owner?s contract with a registrar. Although a
trademark owner has common law, federal or state
rights to particular terms that constitutes their mark
or trade name, it does not necessarily translate that
this owner, above all others, have rights to a domain
name consisting of the trademark owners terms.
http://www.dnjournal.com/legal/sl_domains_trademarks.htm

10 Millionen .de-Domains angemeldet
In der Nacht zum 27. Juni 2006 ging die zehnmillionste
Domain mit der Endung .de ans Netz. Damit ist die
deutsche Länderkennung im Internet nach .com die am
häufigsten genutzte Top-Level-Domain.
http://golem.de/0606/46132.html

ICANN kündigt Konsultation zur Zukunft der privaten
Netzverwaltung an
Nach der Ankündigung einer Konsultation zur Zukunft
der privaten Netzverwaltung durch das
US-Handelsministerium (Department of Commerce, DoC)
hat nun auch die ICANN nachgezogen. ICANNs Präsident
Paul Twomey kündigte heute beim Treffen in Marrakesch
eine eigene Konsultation an, mit der das ICANN-Modell
weiter gestärkt werden soll. Behandelt werden sollen
Themen wie ICANNs juristischer Status, ihre Verfahren
und die Verantwortung gegenüber Branche und Nutzern,
sagte ICANNs Präsident und CEO Paul Twomey. Die bis
zum 21. Juli gesammelten Stellungnahmen sollen dann
auch in die öffentliche Anhörung beim DoC fließen,
sagte Twomey.
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/74783

Staatliche Spamjäger fordern offenen Whois-Zugang
Vertreter der US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), der
niederländischen Regulierungsbehörde Opta und der
japanischen Telecommunications Consumer Policy Divison
beim Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
(MIC) haben vor Einschränkungen beim Zugang zu
persönlichen Daten in Whois-Datenbanken gewarnt. Beim
Treffen der ICANN in Marrakesch äußerten sie sich
besorgt über Bemühungen einer Arbeitsgruppe der für
generische Domains zuständige Interessengruppen
(Generic Name Supporting Organisation GNSO),
persönliche Daten von Domaininhabern nicht mehr
grundsätzlich im Whois zu veröffentlichen.
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/74744
http://www.golem.de/0606/46143.html
http://www.pressetext.com/pte.mc?pte=060627050
http://de.news.yahoo.com/27062006/295/diskussion-oeffentliche-whois-daten.html
http://www.pc-magazin.de/common/nws/einemeldung.php?id=46143

ETH-Symposium zur Regulierung des Internets: Aufbruch
Richtung UNO
Ende Oktober startet das von UNO-Generalsekretär Kofi
Annan eingesetzte Internet Governance Forum. Es soll
die Tätigkeiten der Internet-Regulierungsbehörde ICANN
diskutieren und überwachen. Ein Symposium an der ETH
Zürich will Themen, Schwerpunkte und Positionen
erarbeiten, welche die Schweiz zur Entwicklung des
Internets beitragen kann.
http://www.newsbyte.ch/de/news/nws137346,,.htm

at: NIC.AT - Das persönliche Domainschutzprogramm
Sicherheit hört nicht bei der Hard- und Software auf.
Die Absicherung der eigenen Domain ist genauso zu
beachten!
http://derstandard.at/?id=2488506

Whois-Daten: Behörden warnen vor
Zugriffsbeschränkungen
Überlegungen der ICANN, den Zugriff auf Whois-Daten zu
beschränken, stoßen unter anderem bei der
US-Handelskammer (FTC) auf Ablehnung. Der freie
Zugriff auf Whois-Daten sei für die Durchsetzung von
Verbraucherrechten unabdingbar.
http://golem.de/0606/46143.html

at: Über eine halbe Million .at-Domains
Im WWW haben derzeit 530.589 Websites und
E-Mail-Domains die Internet-Endung .at.
http://futurezone.orf.at/it/stories/118890/
http://www.nic.at/en/uebernic/current_issues/nicat_news/news_view/period/1151489666///article/81/at-domains-auf-hoehenflug-500000-registrierte-domains/
(related news release in English)

ICANN-Regierungsbeirat debattiert über
Whois-Datenschutz und neue Domains
Der Regierungsbeirat (Government Advisory Committee,
GAC) der ICANN arbeitet an zwei Grundsatzpapieren zur
Einführung neuer Internetadresszonen und zum
Dauerbrenner-Thema "Veröffentlichung von
Domaininhaber-Daten" im Whois-Verzeichnis. Im Whois
werden Informationen zu den Domaininhabern, den
Ansprechpartnern und den zuständigen
Technikadministratoren festgehalten. Der Streit darum,
wie viel Information in der Whois-Datenbank eines
Domainregistrars stehen soll, tobt nun schon einige
Zeit, ohne dass bislang wirklich eine Lösung in Sicht
wäre.
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/74691

Paul Twomey reste PDG de l'ICANN
L'australien Paul Twomey a signé un nouveau contrat de
deux ans pour présider l'organisme de régulation du
nommage sur Internet, avec une option pour une
troisième année.
http://domaines.info/article.php?art_id=957

WHOIS, la nouvelle ingérence américaine ?
Comment concilier protection des données personnelles
et efficacité du WHOIS ? Le débat fait rage au sein de
la réunion de l'ICANN à Marrakech. Certains y voient
même le signe d'une nouvelle ingérence potentielle des
américains.
http://domaines.info/article.php?art_id=956

Nom de domaine : la région Bretagne soutient le .Bzh
bretagne bzh breizhL'initiative créée en faveur de la
création d'une extension  dédiée à la Bretagne porte
ses fruits. L'association pointBZH s'était constituée
pour récolter des fonds destinés à déposer un dossier
de candidature à l'ICANN. Un coût administratif de
40.000? non négligeable pour les finances d'une petite
structure. La pétition ouverte en ligne a récolté à ce
jour près de 10200 signatures depuis le 15 mars 2006.
La culture catalane avait obtenu une extension propre
: le ".cat". La Martinique, la Guadeloupe, la Réunion
et la Guyane profitent des .mq, .gp, .re et .gf.
Pourquoi pas la Bretagne?
http://www.pcinpact.com/actu/news/29690-Nom-de-domaine-la-region-Bretagne-soutient-l.htm

Egenie Afrique 2006 : un apéritif pour la réunion de
l?Icann
Marrakech est devenu un lieu de pèlerinage pour les
quadras et les Sages de l?Internet. Venue des quatre
coins du globe, la communauté du Web y est en conclave
tout au long de la semaine du 26 au 30 juin 2006.
http://www.menara.ma/infos/includes/detail.asp?lmodule=technologie&article_id=11540

TIC: Signature à Rabat de deux protocoles d'accord de
coopération
Deux protocoles d'accord de coopération dans le
domaine des technologies de l'information et de la
communication (TIC) ont été signés, mardi à Rabat,
entre le ministère délégué chargé des affaires
économiques et générales et la société américaine
Intel Corporation.
http://www.menara.ma/Infos/includes/detail.asp?article_id=11544&lmodule=Technologie

40 000 noms de plus en .FR
L'ouverture aux particuliers du .FR est conforme aux
prévisions de l'AFNIC. Il n'y a pas eu de ruée, mais
un nombre d'enregistrement soutenu. Ainsi la zone .FR
frôle aujourd'hui les 550 000 noms.
http://www.domainesinfo.fr/vie_extensions.php?vde_id=955

L'Internet, un vecteur essentiel pour le développement
individuel et communautaire
L'Internet ne doit plus être perçu par les Etats comme
une source supplémentaire de revenus, mais bien comme
un vecteur essentiel pour le développement individuel
et communautaire, a affirmé le week-end dernier à
Marrakech, Abdelaziz Hilali, président de Morrocan
Internet Society.
http://www.lematin.ma/Journal/Article.asp?id=soc&ida=62503

Jettou : L'ambition du Maroc est de mettre les TIC au
service de l'égalité des chances
S'exprimant lors de la séance d'ouverture d'une
réunion de l'Internet Corporation for Assigned Names
and Numbers (ICANN) dont les travaux se poursuivront
jusqu'au 30 courant, Jettou a souligné que l'un des
objectifs essentiels du gouvernement est d'oeuvrer à
l'ancrage du Maroc à la société et à l'économie de
l'information et du savoir.
http://www.emarrakech.info/Jettou-L-ambition-du-Maroc-est-de-mettre-les-TIC-au-service-de-l-egalite-des-chances_a8716.html

Grand-messe de l?Internet à Marrakech
Régisseur international des noms de domaines Internet
(.org, .com), et plus exactement de la délégation de
ces noms à des entités responsables, l?Icann (Internet
Corporation For Assigned Names and Numbers)est invité
à Marrakech, du 26 au 30 juin, pour une rencontre
internationale. L?organisation y dressera, à
l?invitation de l?ANRT (Agence nationale de
réglementation des télécommunications), un état des
lieux mondial du nommage sur Internet. Et c?est le
président du conseil de l?Icann, Dr Vint Cerf,
considéré comme l?un des manitous de l?Internet, qui
interviendra.
http://www.yabiladi.com/article-economie-826.html

Internet au Maroc sous haute surveillance ?
Dérapage. La censure du site du mouvement islamiste Al
Adl Wa Ilhsane et ses leaders, Cheik Yassine et sa
fille Nadia Yassine marque un nouveau tournant dans
l?attitude des pouvoirs publics vis-à-vis de la
liberté d?expression et de publication sur internet au
Maroc.
http://www.yabiladi.com/article-societe-1313.html

Entrevista a Patricio Poblete sobre la firma del
"Accountability Framework" por parte del ccTLD .cl
Patricio Poblete nos ha brindado una entrevista sobre
lo que representa la firma del "Accountability
Framework" para el cctld .cl. Patricio Poblete es el
Contacto Administrativo del ccTLD .CL.
http://www.latinoamericann.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1299&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

ccTLD .cl firma Accountability framework con el ICANN
En una escueta nota de prensa fue anunciado en el
website del ICANN la firma del "Accountability
framework" con el cctld .cl, siendo de esta manera el
primer cctld de America Latina y el Caribe en firmar
este "acuerdo marco".
http://www.latinoamericann.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1298&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

Story on .ua in Russian
http://lenta.ru/news/2006/06/26/ua/


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(c) David Goldstein 2006

David Goldstein
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