About 40 million Americans were browsing the web just for fun or to pass the time on a typical day in December 2005.
Worldwide Internet Users Top 1 Billion in 2005
Worldwide Internet Users Top 1 Billion in 2005
The worldwide number of Internet users surpassed 1 billion in 2005 — up from only 45M in 1995 and 420M in 2000.
http://c-i-a.com/pr0106.htm
The problem in China isn’t with Google
The problem in China isn’t with Google
The uncomfortable truth is that the Chinese government is not progressing as fast towards democracy as a growth-hungry West has let itself believe, argues Tom Rotherham. … While one may well wish that the Chinese government recognised that free access to information is in its people’s interests, it is wrong-headed in the extreme to suggest that any company is doing the right thing by ignoring the government in a country in which it operates.
http://www.ethicalcorp.com/content.asp?ContentID=4081
China defends internet regulation
China defends internet regulation
China has responded to international criticism of its internet regulations by saying its rules are “fully in line” with the rest of the world.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4715044.stm
China’s old guard warns censors of ‘social disaster’
China’s old guard warns censors of ‘social disaster’
A group of retired senior officials and academics, including Mao Zedong’s former secretary, yesterday called for more openness, warning China’s propaganda department that the media crackdown “could sow the seeds of disaster for political and social transition”.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,,1710025,00.html
cn: Yahoo! appeals for support in censorship row
cn: Yahoo! appeals for support in censorship row
Yahoo! yesterday sought to blunt criticism of its business practices in China in advance of what is expected to be a gruelling hearing in Washington on Wednesday.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,,1709154,00.html
us: Measuring Broadband’s Economic Impact by William H. Lehr, Carlos A. Osorio, Sharon E. Gillett (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Does broadband matter to the economy? Numerous studies have focused on whether there is a digital divide, on regulatory impacts and investment incentives, and on the factors influencing where broadband is available. However, given how recently broadband has been adopted, little empirical research has investigated its economic impact. This paper presents estimates of the effect of broadband on a number of indicators of economic activity, including employment, wages, and industry mix, using a cross-sectional panel data set of communities (by zip code) across the United States.
uk: Spam watchdog calls for more powers
uk: Spam watchdog calls for more powers
Government inaction is hampering attempts to prosecute people who send spam emails, according to reports.
http://technology.guardian.co.uk/online/spam/story/0,,1705829,00.html
European Commission to assess filters
European Commission to assess filters
The Safer Internet Programme has initiated a study aiming at an independent assessment of the filtering software and services.
http://www.saferinternet.org/ww/en/pub/insafe/news/articles/0206/ec.htm
Yahoo! accused over jailing of Chinese dissident
Yahoo! accused over jailing of Chinese dissident (Guardian)Campaigners for free speech in China accused the US internet company Yahoo! of providing information that allowed Chinese police to jail a cyber-dissident two years ago. The charge by Reporters Without Borders is likely to provide further ammunition to US congressional members, less than two weeks after Google said it would bend to Beijing’s wish to censor politically sensitive content.http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1706736,00.html