Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!att!linac!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!ucsd!ucselx!bionet!arisia!roo!janssen From: janssen@parc.xerox.com (Bill Janssen) Newsgroups: comp.society.futures Subject: Databases and comm channels: future trends? Message-ID: Date: 5 Nov 90 07:26:52 GMT Sender: news@parc.xerox.com Organization: Xerox PARC, Palo Alto, CA Lines: 130 RISKS Digest 10.58 has a couple of particularly fascinating articles. Though I can't imagine someone reading FUTURES without reading RISKS, I nonetheless repeat the two articles below: Date: Wed, 31 Oct 90 16:20:13 -0800 From: Cindy Tittle Subject: Chilling Advertisement I just saw a rather chilling advertisement in this week's edition of Newsweek (November 5, 1990). It features a computer monitor/keyboard with a Sherlockian cap hung on one corner. The bold type says "Information is your company's best protection from liability." OK so far, then I read on: "Get it fast -- without leaving your desk. Think about it. Know your potential employees. Verify the business credits of new accounts. Or, check out your new vendors. Just hit a few keystrokes on your personal computer and you've got it. Information from UCC, civil and criminal record filings, Secretary of State, and more, allow you to uncover bankrupticies, pending litigation and a wealth of information that may protect your company from liability -- or even loss. All you need is a personal computer and existing software. That's right. View it -- Print it -- Store it. CDB Infotek's Investigative Information System is an on-line database designed to proved access to public record information for company security, credit, personnel and management departments. Not only is CDB Infotek's on line service one of the most comprehensive in the industry, it's easy to use. And it's fast. Before you make a decision -- check the records -- check with CDB Infotek. [...]" Eek. --Cindy ------------------------------ Date: 04 Nov 90 11:53:27 EST From: Dave King <71270.450@compuserve.com> Subject: Prodigy Censors Users Apparently, Prodigy is evicting users who are voicing their opposition to a new Prodigy policy which will implement charges for EMAIL messages within the Prodigy service. In 1991 Prodigy will implement a policy which charges users 25 cents for every EMAIL message they send after the first 30 every month. Prodigy users who have been vocal in their displeasure, and who have used the facilities of Prodigy to attempt to recruit others to their cause, have found themselves booted from the service. According to a story by Evelyn Richards, a Washington Post staff writer: ... This week [Prodigy] unplugged about a dozen outspoken dissidents whom it says were pestering innocent users with the electronic equivalent of junk mail. But what Prodigy sees as a way to stop needless harassment seems to others as a blatant example of censorship. That's because the people bumped from the Prodigy system included the most active critics of a planned price increase for Prodigy's electronic mail service. Using electronic mail on the network, the dissidents had urged other subscribers to join the revolt by boycotting the advertisers that buy time on Prodigy's network. "Prodigy is arguing they don't want people harassing their users," said Gary Arlen, editor of Interactivity Report, a Bethesda newsletter that follows the on-line industry. I think that's a stretch. It's a way to keep their advertisers pleased." The incident is the latest to spotlight the difficulties society faces as it struggles to adapt old laws and customs to emerging electronic networks. ... Some people say on-line services should protect the right of all expression, as a phone system does, while Prodigy argues it is more similar to a newspaper, which is free to publish what it chooses. Prodigy's troubles began two months ago when it announced that households would be able to send their first 30 electronic mail messages free but would get charged 25 cents for each additional message. A core of angry subscribers first protested by posting notices to Prodigy's on-line bulletin boards, the computer equivalent of neighborhood kiosks. Prodigy said it posted thousands of such complaints for others to read - but it didn't publish them all. When the writers urged a boycott of Prodigy advertisers - firms selling products on the network - Prodigy's editors returned the messages to the senders. "We're not going to post something designed to destroy our business," said Geoffrey Moore, Prodigy's director of market programs and communications. Moore likened the decision to a newspaper rejecting a letter to the editor, or rejecting an advertisement that criticizes the newspaper's largest advertisers. This week Prodigy decided enough is enough and refused to post any more messages about the rate increase. But what especially angered officials was when the dissidents innundated other users with electronic chain letters urging them to join the protest and boycott. Moore said users complained, so Prodigy bumped the offenders. And now the protestors say that's unfair. "We're not being abusive. We're not being vulgar. All we're doing is making our (opinions) known," said Larry Wienner, 22, a Prodigy user from Randallstown, Md. Wienner said the bumped dissidents are so hooked on Prodigy that they may try to re-subscribe under assumed names. Dave Some interesting thoughts here... Can we realistically prevent nosy people from amassing large databases on us? With mega-computing power available, won't most semi-public things we do be available for scrutiny? Perhaps our best bet is to establish a policy (tradition?) of being able to *buy* our way off of large databases... Or perhaps a public utility commission watchdog system would suffice? But how would that stop, say, Brazilian data companies? And with a phone connection, who cares what what country the data company resides in? To eliminate hidden biases, shouldn't data companies be operated by a disinterested party? And how does one find such a party? Would *you* trust a data company run by the government? How many phone companies reserve the right to evict customers for making too many phone calls? Are these "chain letters" the equivalent of obscene or crank calls? Can I get the Postal Service to stop delivering junk advertising supplements? Is there a difference in common carrier status between bboards on Prodigy and e-mail on Prodigy? Bill -- Bill Janssen janssen@parc.xerox.com (415) 494-4763 Xerox Palo Alto Research Center 3333 Coyote Hill Road, Palo Alto, California 94304