Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!know!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!ohstpy!miavx1!miamiu!jahayes From: JAHAYES@MIAMIU.BITNET (Josh Hayes) Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk Subject: Re: Censorship on the USENET Message-ID: <90309.154620JAHAYES@MIAMIU.BITNET> Date: 5 Nov 90 20:46:19 GMT References: <1990Nov01.064916.19218@looking.on.ca> <1990Nov02.044428.2834@looking.on.ca> <1990Nov05.032855.21385@ddsw1.MCS.COM> <1990Nov05.083311.5648@looking.on.ca> Distribution: na Organization: Miami University - Academic Computer Service Lines: 41 This is certainly a thorny issue. Let me describe a rather minor case of "censorship" going on here at Miami University. We have some local-limited newsgroups, beginning mu., thus mu.important.dates, and so forth. One group created was called mu.mcug.etc, intended to replace the CoSy newsgroup 'etc', which contained material that some might find objectionable. In other words, gross and disgusting jokes, sexist jokes, racist jokes, and the like. Well, the Computer Center administrators were a bit peeved to see some especially nasty sexist stuff posted there, and suggested that the posters might wish to tone down their stuff. Cries of "Censorship!" filled the air. As of now, the group still exists, stuff posted there is rot13'ed, and we've had no problems because nobody posts or reads it except the two or three infantile types who find that kind of stuff entertaining. The administration argued that it was letting itself in for bigtime lawsuits (agh! No! not lawsuits in this thread, too! :-)), along the lines of sexual harassment cases. Some unsuspecting person logs in, gets on netnews, reads something on .etc, even un-rot13's it, and we are informed by legal counsel we are open for a suit. It seems to me that if you put signs all over the group saying things along the lines of "don't read this if you don't want to risk being offended" and rotate your text and all that stuff, you've made a good faith effort to prevent offense and should not be liable....but what do I know.... Anyway, this is just an example. Does the admin have a right to rmgroup .etc? Does it constitute censorship? Is it bad even if it ain't "censorship" per se? I don't really know the answers to these questions, but perhaps this will provide some focus for the discussion. Right. Carry on. ------- Josh Hayes, Zoology Department, Miami University, Oxford OH 45056 voice: 513-529-1679 fax: 513-529-6900 jahayes@miamiu.bitnet, or jahayes@miamiu.acs.muohio.edu "It is always wise to remember that it was the gods who put nipples on men, seeds in pomegranates, and priests in temples."