Development Matters More than Domains

The advance teams are already gathered in Tunisia ahead of next week's second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society, and those of us on the press list are being deluged with announcements, releases, notices and invitations to meetings. The meeting, which runs from 15-18 November, is an opportunity to look at the progress that has been made since December 2003, when representatives and heads of state gathered in Geneva. more

Nominations Now Open for Public Interest Registry (PIR, Operator of .ORG) Board of Directors

Would you be interested in helping guide the future of the Public Interest Registry (PIR), the non-profit operator of the .ORG, .NGO and .ONG domains? If so, the Internet Society is seeking nominations for three positions on the PIR Board of Directors. The nominations deadline is Monday, November 30, 2015. Find out more information about the positions and the required qualifications. more

Facebook Enters Wholesale Fiber Business, Plans to Sell Unused Capacity on New Fiber Routes

Facebooks says it intends to allow third parties - including local and regional providers - to purchase excess capacity on its fiber. more

Cyber Diplomacy History at Foggy Bottom: The Latest Chapter

Foggy Bottom is the local affectionate name for the U.S. State Department -- because of its location near a former low-lying Potomac River lagoon in Washington DC. It recently announced the appointment of Nate Fick as the head of its "Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy," pending Congressional approval because it is wrapped up with ambassadorial status. The term "cyber" in this international diplomacy context has come to include all manner of electronic communication and information systems and services, i.e., ICT. more

ICANN Says Amazon Inc’s Application for .AMAZON TLD Can Proceed Following 30 Days of Public Comment

The giant online retailer Amazon Inc is one step away from winning the .AMAZON top-level domain name after a 7-year battle with the eight Latin American countries. more

How to Protect Your Brand in Web3

In 2014, computer scientist Gavin Wood coined the term "Web 3.0." The phrase, which has now been shortened to "Web3", refers to the third generation of the internet that's designed to be truly decentralised and free from a central authority. Web3 has the potential to add real-world value for businesses by creating additional avenues to reach consumers. However, owing to its less regulated nature, brands also have the potential to be taken advantage of both by users and by the providers in the space. more

Our New Infrastructure

Today, there is demand for more broadband as people realize the importance of being connected to the Internet, whether to access websites, stream entertainment, attend school, attend family events, work remotely, and so much more. This demand has been driven by the success of today's Internet. It is now time to recognize the Internet as infrastructure. The Internet's best-effort approach has allowed us to share the abundant capacity latent in the existing facilities by converting all traffic into packets. more

Two New Sites Launched for Commentary Internet Governance Forum

Two new sites for commentary on the Internet Governance Forum have launched ahead of its inaugural meeting in Athens which is due to take place from 30 October to 2 November 2006. The first is an official forum, at which the only topic presently available for discussion is the important one of how to best enable remote participation in the IGF's deliberations... more

Why Understanding Bandwidth is Essential for Improving Subscriber QoE

Measuring and managing subscriber bandwidth can be an easy and cost-efficient way to improve subscriber quality of experience (QoE). In a HFC cable network, bandwidth is shared among users in the same fiber-node. Even though improvements in DOCSIS technology has allowed a substantial increase of bandwidth availability per fiber-node, a few heavy users - as well as new 4K video content - can quickly kill recently-made network investments and leave subscribers with an impression that they are not receiving the quality they deserve. more

AI in Academia: Tool or Trap? Balancing Innovation and Intellectual Honesty in the Digital Age

AI has revolutionized how we process information, optimize tasks, and conduct research. However, its integration into academia sparks ethical and practical debates. Should we limit its use? How can we assess a student's true knowledge if they employ these tools? This text explores these questions from the perspective of a technology expert who argues that banning AI is as absurd as rejecting calculators or spreadsheets in the past. more

Google Building 600 Million Euro Data Center in Denmark Powered by Renewable Energy

Google will invest 600 million euro (roughly $700 million USD) to construct its first Danish datacenter. The company says the site will be matching its energy use with 100 percent carbon-free energy. more

Large Open-Source Data Set Released to Help Train Algorithms Spot Malware

For the first time, a large dataset has been released by a security firm to help AI research and training of machine learning models that statically detect malware. more

Oracle’s Larry Ellison Downplays Cloud Computing: But Is It Any Surprise?

At a financial analyst meeting held by Oracle yesterday, the company was asked about its plans with regards to cloud computing. Oracle's chief executive and founder, Larry Ellison had the following to say in response: "We've redefined 'cloud computing' to include everything we currently do. So it has already achieved dominance in the industry. I can't think of anything that isn't cloud computing. The computer industry is the only industry that is more fashion-driven than women's fashion. Cloud Computing. I remember I was reading W and I read that orange is the new pink..." am Johnston, Strategic Consultant Specializing in Cloud Computing, however wonders if it is any surprise that Oracle would be out badmouthing cloud computing when it has the potential to disrupt their entire business? more

Predicting Domain Name Trademark Infringement

Legal trademark issues related to domain names will take a long time to resolve. Meanwhile, using a statistical model to determine infringement benefits all parties. The legal system has not yet established comprehensive and easy to understand rules under which a domain name is considered to infringe on a third party's trademark. The vacuum allows trademark owners and their agents, such as the Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse (CADNA), to sue domain name owners pretty much at will, but doing so is not always in the best interest of trademark holders. more

Defining Broadband

The FCC is seeking public comments to help create a better definition of "broadband". The effort is in relation to its development of a National Broadband Plan by February 2010 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Accurately noting that "broadband can be defined in myriad ways" and "tends to center on download and upload throughput," the FCC seeks a more robust definition. The definition will be part of the governance over those receiving funding for broadband development as part of the Recovery Act. This could get interesting. more