Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!decwrl!world!eff!kadie From: kadie@eff.org (Carl Kadie) Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk Subject: Re: ANS Acceptable Use Policy Message-ID: <1991Apr3.181019.21621@eff.org> Date: 3 Apr 91 18:10:19 GMT References: <1991Mar29.151152.22304@ima.isc.com> Organization: The Electronic Frontier Foundation Lines: 52 lear@turbo.bio.net (Eliot) writes: [....] >Only the government can enact censorship. ANS is not the government. >You can get alternate services. The ANS is (according to the first note) "the recent IBM/Merit/MCI conglomeration that runs the NSFnet backbone." It is thus an agent of the U.S. Federal Government. As to the proposition that by definition only governments can censor. Everyone is free to define "censorship" as they wish. Several groups, however, define censorship is such a way private censorship is possible: * The "Freedom to Read Statement" of the the American Library Association and Association of American Publishers says: 'Private groups and public authorities in various parts of the country are working to remove books from sale, to censor textbooks, to label "controversial" books, to distribute lists of "objectionable" books or authors, and to purge libraries.' 'The censors, public and private, assume that they should determine what is good and what is bad for their fellow citizens.' * At Stanford University (a private insitution), the Computer Science Department faculty unanimously passed a statement titled: 'Statement of Protest about the AIR Censorship of rec.humor.funny.' It said in part: '... we consider it contrary to the function of a university to censor the presence of newsgroups in University computers.' And, 'The Computer Science Department has also decided not to censor Department Computers.' * Finally, the "Joint Statement on Rights and Freedoms of Students" is the primary statement of student academic freedom at both private and public institutions. It is endorsed by the American Association of University Professors, U. S. National Student Association, Association of American College, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, and National Association of Woman Deans and Counselors. It says: 'The institutional control of campus facilities should not be used as a device of censorship.' 'The student press should be free of censorship and advance approval of copy, and its editors and managers should be free to develop their own editorial policies and news coverage.' -- Carl Kadie -- kadie@eff.org