ICANN Beta Testing for Automated Registrar Onboarding System (AROS) to Begin in January 2014

In an effort to prepare for the upcoming launch of a new Registry/Registrar accreditation tool, ICANN is inviting Registries and Registrars to participate in a Beta Test session of Automated Registrar Onboarding System (AROS). This session will allow users to explore the various accreditation functionalities of the system and provide valuable feedback to ICANN for …

Whither Global Internet Commerce? It’s Time to Give Internet-enabled Trade the Attention it Deserves

Two Senators released a bill last week that could have major implications for the U.S. approach to economic diplomacy in the 21st century.  Between budget fights, NSA hearings and the ongoing health care website saga, it is not surprising you might have missed it. Senator Wyden (D-OR) and Senator Thune (R-SD) came together to sponsor …

EU’s patience is running out, as massive antitrust fines loom over Google

Summary: The European antitrust chief is tapping is foot. He’s still not at all happy with Google. Google’s latest settlement package from October still isn’t enough to appease regulators, who are eyeing a $5 billion fine or a partial block of its business in the 28 member state bloc as a backup last resort. EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia …

Banned! New gTLD Commercials Misleading, UK’s Advertising Standards Authority tells 1and1.com

1&1 Internet Ltd’s new gTLD TV Ads promoting pre-registration services  have been banned from the UK’s airwaves for being “likely to mislead” by the Advertising Standards Authority. The ads were part of probably the biggest new gTLD marketing outreach to date, a worldwide campaign I’ve heard is costing 1&1 up to $80 million A television commercial …

Rewiring Internet Governance: Will U.S. Government Likely Be Forced to Jettison ICANN?

Writen By Frederick Harris for CircleID The survival thesis mentioned in Part 2 goes like this. ICANN’s imaginary mandate is global. But the mind set is provincial. The latter is defensive; focused on keeping power and therefore control over internet policy. But the evidence points to policy actions that contradict policy rhetoric. Discrepancies disclose the …

The Best Hope Left For Americans’ Privacy Is This 2012 Supreme Court Opinion

The best hope for combatting the NSA’s bulk collection of phone records may lie in Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s concurring opinion in a huge 2012 privacy case. In United States v. Jones, the nation’s highest court heard how police installed a GPS tracking device on drug suspect Antoine Jones’ Jeep without a valid warrant …