Newsletter (Mar – Apr 2006)

Next Meeting
The next meeting for APTLD will be held in Hong Kong, around 20 June 2006. More details will be provided shortly.

General Manager
The Recruitment Panel is still deliberating on the matter of the APTLD General Manager. An announcement will be made immediately a decision is reached.

TLDs to be released on 21 May 2006
Under auDA’s Reserved List Policy (2002-30), it is not possible to register a domain name that matches an existing gTLD (eg. net.com.au or com.net.au) or ccTLD (eg. au.com.au or uk.net.au).
http://auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-21042006/

Domain regulator restrains SiteGeneral
Web hosting services company SiteGeneral.com has been slapped over the wrist by the nation’s domain regulator for unauthorised transfer of domain names between registrars.
http://zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Domain_regulator_restrains_SiteGeneral/0,2000061791,39249559,00.htm
http://www.optusnet.com.au/news/story/zdnet/20060405/09/tech/0,2000061791,39249559,00.inp

SiteGeneral.com breaches transfers policy (news release)
auDA has found that Publish Media Pty Ltd (trading as SiteGeneral.com) has breached the Transfers Policy (2003-03).
http://auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-04042006/

Domain administrator criticised over consultation
NetRegistry has called on the Australian domain regulator to change its public consultation processes to get more input from domain name purchasers.
http://zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Domain_administrator_criticised_over_consultation/0,2000061791,39247829,00.htm

.au Considers Click-Through Advertising
Australia’s domain name administrator .au Domain Administration (auda.org.au) announced last week it has called for public comment on domain monetization–the practice of registering numerous domain names in an effort to sell click-through advertising.
http://www.thewhir.com/marketwatch/032706_au_Considers_Click-Through_Advertising.cfm

auDA establishes .au Community Domains Trust
auDA has established .au Community Domains Pty Ltd (auCD), a not-for-profit company to act as trustee of the .au Community Domains Trust.
http://auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-20032006/

auDA seeks public’s opinion on domain monetisation (news release)
auDA announces the release of an issues paper that asks for public comment on whether or not domain monetisation should be included within the meaning of auDA’s “close and substantial connection” rule.
http://auda.org.au/news.php?newsid=54

auDA wants input on domain rules
Australia’s domain name administrator today called for public comment on the practice of registering large numbers of domain names for the purpose of selling click-through advertising.
http://zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/auDA_wants_input_on_domain_rules/0,2000061791,39247511,00.htm
http://smh.com.au/news/breaking/howard-spoof-site-caught-in-crossfire/2006/03/22/1142703433900.html
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/20/oz_satire_site/

auDA seeks comment on ‘monetisation’ of .au domains
The Australian domain name regulator, au Domain Administration (auDA), has released an issues paper seeking comment on whether it should issue .au domain names to organisations whose sole aim is to raise advertising revenue from people accessing those domains, and not to provide any meaningful content.
http://www.webhostdir.com/news/articles/shownews.asp?id=15136
http://www.optusnet.com.au/news/story/zdnet/20060324/09/tech/0,2000061791,39247511,00.inp
http://domaintimes.net/newseng.php?mhnews_id=306&mhnews;_newsid=7934&mhnews;_page=1

Government orders spoof site shut
A spoof John Howard website that featured a soul searching “apology” speech for the Iraq war has been shut down under orders from the Australian Government.
http://smh.com.au/articles/2006/03/17/1142098638843.html
http://smh.com.au/news/breaking/howard-spoof-site-vanishes/2006/03/16/1142098589270.html

Censorship in cyberspace?
Social commentator and author of satirical hoax website www.johnhowardpm.org, Richard Neville, circulated this update earlier today: It’s funny; I’m about as much threat to the state as smelly socks. And yet something happened at 8pm on Tuesday night, Sydney time, that gave me the shivers. Maybe it’s a technical problem, I kept telling myself, which is why I’ve waited 36 hours before making it public. As most of you who received my email on Monday now realise, JOHN HOWARD’S SPEECH (a pdf of the disappeared page has been posted on richardneville.com — let’s see how long it lasts) was an act of satire and culture jamming.
http://crikey.com.au/articles/2006/03/16-1514-115.html

14 Chinese Websites Advocate Civilized Online Behavior
Fourteen websites in China have together put forward proposals regarding the healthy management of their online domains.
http://chinatechnews.com/index.php?action=show&type;=news&id;=3794

China domain tampering feared
INTERNET experts have warned that China is “manipulating” the domain name system in an attempt to censor its citizens’ access to the web.
http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,18914802%5e15306%5e%5enbv%5e,00.html

ICANN Says China Not Transferring Domain Names Onto Single Root
ICANN will start the trial testing of IDNs in the TLD system, in the third quarter of 2006, Paul Twomey, President and CEO of ICANN says.
http://chinatechnews.com/index.php?action=show&type;=news&id;=3699

China.com sells sub domains
China.com is to franchise part of its web domain to brands, countries and cities as part of a move to get people to publish more information in Chinese.
http://networks.silicon.com/webwatch/0,39024667,39157286,00.htm
http://www.interfax.cn/showfeature.asp?aid=11025&slug;=INTERNET

China and the break-up of the net
Chinese ideas about the setting up its own domain name system could change the global nature of the internet, argues internet law professor Michael Geist.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4779660.stm

Hot domain name registration refer to legislative sessions
As China’s two annual legislative and advisory sessions proceed in full swing this week there seems to be a race to register internet domain names relating to the meetings
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/08/content_4275993.htm

China will not break away from global internet
In response to media reports that China might create its own TLDs to create its own intranet, a spokesperson from CNNIC clarifies that China will not create its own root servers.
http://domaintimes.net/newseng.php?mhnews_id=306&mhnews;_newsid=7798&mhnews;_page=1

China seeks a US-free web full of new characters
Internet authorities in China have set up a new family of Chineselanguage alternatives to .com and other popular internet address domains. It’s a move that bypasses the US-sponsored organisation that controls address information for the global internet, and some analysts fear it could enhance China’s ability to censor its citizens’ access to the internet.
http://smh.com.au/news/breaking/china-seeks-a-usfree-web/2006/03/05/1141493547626.html

Chinese walls: China threatens to fracture the internet
THE internet is supposed to be strong enough to survive a nuclear war, but nothing can protect it from politics. Since its inception, its technical underpinning (the handling of addresses such as .com or .org) has been based on an informal consensus among (mainly American) engineers. Yet as governments have come to appreciate the importance of the internet, those delicate agreements are starting to unravel.
http://economist.com/business/displayStory.cfm?story_id=5582257

ICANN disputes China domain report
A report on an official Chinese news site that China’s government has established its own Internet top-level domain names is not true, says ICANN.
http://infoworld.com/article/06/03/01/76004_030106HNicannchina_1.html
http://news.com.com/2061-10796_3-6045396.html

China denies creating its own TLDs
China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) as the registry of .CN ccTLD has issued a statement on recent report that China had created its own Top Level Domains, and might be planning to break away from ICANN and the DNS.
http://english.people.com.cn/200603/03/eng20060303_247684.html
http://english.eastday.com/eastday/englishedition/business/userobject1ai1890762.html

Chinese control of domain names
It is rumored that China has recently created its own top-level domain root servers for .cn, .com and .net extensions, ostensibly in order to avoid having to “surf the Web via the servers under the management of ICANN of the U.S.” I somehow doubt that is the real reason. China is not known for its respect for a free press, and it occurs to me that “American control” is a useful fig leaf to hide an attempt to grab even more control over where a link takes you.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/carroll/index.php?p=1546

China sets up system for Internet domains
The Internet authorities in China have set up a new family of Chinese-language alternatives to .com and other popular Internet address domains. It is a move that bypasses the U.S.-sponsored organization that controls address information for the global Internet, and some analysts fear that it could enhance China’s ability to censor its citizens’ access to the Internet.
http://iht.com/articles/2006/03/01/business/chinet.php

China adds top-level domain names
China’s Ministry of Information Industry (MII) has made adjustment to China’s Internet domain name system in accordance with Article 6 of China Internet Domain Names Regulations. After the adjustment, “.MIL” will be added under the top-level domain (TLD) name of “CN”.
http://english.people.com.cn/200602/28/eng20060228_246712.html
http://domaintimes.net/newseng.php?mhnews_id=306&mhnews;_newsid=7709&mhnews;_page=1

China’s New Domain Names: Lost in Translation
This morning Rebecca MacKinnon got a bunch of alarmist messages from friends asking about this English-language People’s Daily article titled: China adds top-level domain names.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/chinas_new_domain_names_lost_in_translation/

Chinese Alternate Root as a New Beginning and Real Internet Governance
I suppose not many have been listening to Paul Vixie or surfing from China, I have done both. The Chinese “alternate root” has been going on for a while. China is creating an alternate root, which it can control while using the Chinese language. I doubt I need to tell any of you about ICANN, VeriSign, Internet Governance, alternate roots or the history of these issues. Everyone else will. Unlike most of my colleagues, I hold a different opinion on the subject and have for some time. China launches an alternate root? It’s about time they do, too!
http://www.circleid.com/posts/chinese_alternate_root_as_a_new_beginning_and_real_internet_governance/

IANA Report on the Redelegation of the .CX Top-Level Domain
This report gives the findings and conclusions of the IANA on its investigation of various requests for redelegation of .CX, the ccTLD for Christmas Islands’ an external territory of Australia.
http://www.iana.org/reports/cx-report-07mar06.pdf

JPRS Expands CO.JP Eligibility Coverage (news release)
JPRS will modify JP Domain Name regisrtration services, expanding CO.JP eligibility coverage to include a new form of Japanese company, “Godo Gaisya” which is defined in the new Japanese Corporate Law. The new service will become effective on May 1, 2006, in line with enforcement of the law on the same date.
http://jprs.co.jp/en/topics/060419-2.html

JPRS Implemented Shortening of Processing Time for JP DNS Updates (news release)
As announced in February, JPRS implemented shortening of processing time for JP DNS updates from April 3, 2006.
http://jprs.co.jp/en/topics/060419-1.html

Total Number of JP Domain Name Registration Reaches 800,000 (news release)
On March 2, 2006, JPRS announced that the accumulated total of registered JP domain name as of March 1, 2006 exceeded 800,000, marking 801,997. The number of registered Japanese JP domain name reached 118,450, hitting a record high. This number of Japanese JP domain name, which accounts for 15% of whole JP domain name, is the second largest number of registered IDN among the 248 ccTLDs worldwide next to .de (Germany), tying for second place with .tw (Taiwan).
http://jprs.co.jp/en/topics/060303.html

.KR domain names to be forced to 2-nd level
Starting September, all Korean 2LD, such as .CO.KR, .OR.KR, .GO.KR and others will be covered by .KR names.
http://domaintimes.net/newseng.php?mhnews_id=306&mhnews;_newsid=7867&mhnews;_page=1

Domain Name Registrations in Malaysia – Coherent With Or Dismisses Intellectual Property Rights?
In Malaysia, the Internet commenced with the inception of the first internet service provider that in turn gave rise to the inception of the Malaysian Domain Name Registrar being the Malaysian Network Information Centre (MYNIC). This entity was entrusted with the primary purpose of regulation and subscription of domain names unique to Malaysia or better known as “Country Code Top Level Domain Name” (ccTLD) bearing the domain name extensions “.com.my”, “.gov.my”, “.net.my”, “.org.my”, “.edu.my”, “.mil.my” and the impending “.my” Second Level Domain Names. Todate, more than 30 million domain names has been registered worldwide, including those in Malaysia.
http://www.mirandah.com

Local registry service provider to operate Congo’s ccTLD
Qinetics Solutions Bhd has been appointed the Registry Service outsourcing provider by the Democractic Republic of Congo.
http://star-techcentral.com/tech/story.asp?file=/2006/3/24/technology/13769434&sec;=technology

On a tiny island, catchy Web name sparks a battle
The arrival of the Internet brought a rare bit of good fortune to Niue, a tiny, impoverished island in the South Pacific. Its national Internet suffix, dot-nu, has become a big hit in Sweden, as “nu” means “now” in Swedish. An entrepreneur in Medfield, Mass., named Bill Semich, who acquired the rights to operate and sell the dot-nu domain name in the late 1990s, has plowed some of the profits from Sweden into making Niue (pronounced New-Ay) the world’s first nation with free wireless Internet for all of its citizens, about 1,200 people.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06088/677770-96.stm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/04/02/wisland02.xml

InternetNZ considers certification authority role
InternetNZ may seek additional income streams to complement its main revenue from the dividend on domain-name fees, at a time when it is under pressure for a fee reduction.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/UNID/F20C031020719945CC25714E0081837D

Hacked: 33 .nz websites per month
On average 33 .nz websites are hacked every month, says Ken Low, senior security manager of 3Com Asia Pacific, secure networks vendor.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/UNID/7243E0AF730DA0A9CC25713B00003AD1
http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3616112a28,00.html

Expert Panel appointed to resolve .nz domain name disputes

Expert Panel appointed to resolve .nz domain name disputes
Eight people, including three former High Court judges, have been appointed to the Expert Panel which will, from 1 June, determine disputes over .nz domain name registrations.
http://dnc.org.nz/story/30252.html

Not a money settlement, PLDT says on domain name case
THE PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) said it has decided to drop its six-year domain and trade name dispute against Gerry Kaimo, owner of the “pldt.com” domain name, in exchange for the latter’s agreement to turn over several domain names he owns.
http://news.inq7.net/infotech/index.php?index=1&story;_id=73156

Testing time for tiny Tuvalu
The South Pacific country of Tuvalu is perhaps best known for its internet domain name – .tv – which it leases out for several million dollars a year. But who can blame them when, as Nick Squires explains, the tiny country’s distinctive way of life is under threat because of climate change.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4864748.stm

ICANN Chooses Privacy for Whois
ICANN has voted to adopt a policy protecting the privacy of domain holders’ personal information.
http://epic.org/privacy/whois/
http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois-privacy/prelim-tf-rpt-18jan06.htm
http://gnso.icann.org/mailing-lists/archives/council/msg02393.html

ICANN ALAC Announcement
Members of the ALAC created a new website — www.icannalac.org — for the At-Large community. It is intended to help inform and encourage a dialogue among members of ICANN’s At-Large community about domain name system issues that affect the world’s Internet users. At-Large community members are encouraged to register and share thoughts, announcements, news and commentary relating to ICANN and the interests of individual Internet users. (Note: this website is not part of www.icann.org and is not operated by ICANN. It is run by members of the ALAC.
http://alac.icann.org/announcements/announcement-30mar06.htm

Vint Cerf’s Keynote at Domain Roundtable
I had the pleasure of eating breakfast with Vint Cerf, chairman of ICANN’s board and Chief Internet Evangelist at Google, prior to his keynote address this morning. It was great to discuss some of the issues domainers are facing with regards to registrar practices, expiring domains, etc. directly with Cerf.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/vint_cerf_keynote_domain_roundtable/

ICANN consultation process could learn from InternetNZ
ICANN and other bodies concerned with internet governance could learn from InternetNZ’s model of consultation, says Marilyn Cade, of ICANN’s business and commercial constituency.
http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/UNID/4EAF276785A2F142CC25714900015134

Icann gives Verisign the nod
The board of ICANN has approved a controversial contract under which Verisign will manage the “.com” domain, with the board’s Kiwi member dissenting. Peter Dengate Thrush, a former New Zealand barrister who has been involved in Icann since it was created in 1998, joined four other board members in opposing the contract with domain registrar Verisign.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3593297a28,00.html

ICANN board approves settlement, price hikes
In a rare show of internal discord, the group that sets domain name regulation has approved a controversial proposal extending VeriSign’s lucrative .com monopoly and allowing for price increases for those domains.

http://news.com.com/2100-1030_3-6044587.html

NeuStar Announces Agreement to Acquire UltraDNS, a Recognized Industry Leader of DNS and Directory Services
NeuStar, Inc. , a leading provider of essential communications services to the global communications and Internet industry, announced today that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire UltraDNS Corporation of Reston, Virginia, for $61.8 million in cash, subject to customary closing conditions.
http://www.neustar.biz/pressroom/announcements/press_release.cfm?press_id=554