Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!usc!apple!arc!arc!steve From: steve@Advansoft.COM (Steve Savitzky) Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk Subject: Re: EFF and Prodigy Message-ID: Date: 18 Dec 90 01:02:03 GMT References: <1990Dec10.211625.9536@eff.org> <1990Dec17.195846.6364@looking.on.ca> Sender: @advansoft.com Organization: Advansoft Research Corp, Santa Clara, CA Lines: 37 In-Reply-To: brad@looking.on.ca's message of 17 Dec 90 19:58:46 GMT In article <1990Dec17.195846.6364@looking.on.ca> brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton) writes: In article <1990Dec10.211625.9536@eff.org> mkapor@eff.org (Mitch Kapor) writes: > Although EFF is not involved at the moment in any activities >directly relating to the Prodigy dispute, we believe that the dispute >touches some basic issues with which we are very concerned, and that it >illustrates the potential dangers of allowing private entities such as >large corporations to try and dictate the market for online electronic >services. > My personal opinion is that the EFF can do little but stand (almost) wholly behind Prodigy on this one, as distasteful as that may sound to some. ... Prodigy has made it clear from day 1 that they view themselves as an edited publication. I feel it goes against what I feel are the EFF's principles to even suggest to them what they should or should not publish. The EFF should be fighting for their right to publish and operate as they see fit. Only the market and the will of Prodigy's owners should influence it. BUT: Prodigy claims to be offering an electronic *mail* service as well. There have been some claims that private email is being read; this ought to be considered illegal, if true. And adding a surcharge for mail onto what they advertise as a flat-rate service could certainly be considered a bait-and-switch scam. It is also not clear what the legal status of something that gives the appearance of a public-access forum *ought* to be. For example, even though shopping malls are private property, they are considered to be sufficiently "public" that they are not permitted to restrict free- speech activities. Since Prodigy is presenting itself as a kind of electronic shopping mall, the same kind of rule should perhaps apply. -- \ --Steve Savitzky-- \ ADVANsoft Research Corp \ REAL hackers use an AXE! \ \ steve@advansoft.COM \ 4301 Great America Pkwy \ #include \ \ arc!steve@apple.COM \ Santa Clara, CA 95954 \ 408-727-3357 \ \__ steve@arc.UUCP _________________________________________________________