Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!cs.utexas.edu!romp!auschs!awdprime!testsys.austin.ibm.com!mbrown From: mbrown@testsys.austin.ibm.com (Mark Brown) Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk Subject: Re: ANS Acceptable Use Policy Message-ID: <6388@awdprime.UUCP> Date: 3 Apr 91 22:15:58 GMT References: <1991Mar29.151152.22304@ima.isc.com> <1991Apr3.181019.21621@eff.org> Sender: news@awdprime.UUCP Distribution: na Lines: 35 |kadie@eff.org (Carl Kadie) writes: |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. A side note: who is paying for this stuff? Doesn't whoever pays become the "publisher", in effect? Haven't we agreed here, earlier, that publishers should be free to publish (or not) what they please? I'm *not* coming down in favor of "censorship", just putting things in a little perspective. I'm of the opinion that the People can still change The State. |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: [lots of statements from groups I agree with (heh, I agree with the statements, too :-)] Question: Has ANS actually *done* anything, other than state that they don't want people using the Internet to send things purposely offensive? -- Mark Brown IBM PSP Austin, TX. (512) 823-3741 VNET: MBROWN@AUSVMQ MAIL: mbrown@testsys.austin.ibm.com OR uunet!testsys.austin.ibm.com!mbrown Which came first: The Chicken or the Legba? DISCLAIMER: Any personal opinions stated here are just that.