Xref: utzoo comp.org.eff.talk:2297 alt.privacy:510 alt.censorship:2139
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!apple!cep
From: cep@Apple.COM (Christopher Pettus)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk,alt.privacy,alt.censorship
Subject: Re: Prodigy charged with invading users' privacy
Keywords: Prodigy, STAGE.DAT, testing
Message-ID: <52328@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 2 May 91 19:42:23 GMT
References: <1991May1.051734.24594@pcserver2.naitc.com> <1991May1.215612.2978@ruacad.ac.runet.edu> <1991May2.160352.8928@craycos.com>
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.
Lines: 37

In article <1991May2.160352.8928@craycos.com> jrbd@craycos.com (James Davies) writes:
>Now that there is some more reliable data on the STAGE.DAT "controversy",
>I hope that everyone will settle down and stop accusing Prodigy of
>spying on them.  It appears that the "stolen personal data" in the
>file was, as several people have speculated, just leftover pieces of
>deleted files.

[...]

>There is a lot of trust necessary to use any network software -- for all I
>know, "rn" could be browsing through my files right this minute.  However,
>there is no reason for me to suspect this, and if it did happen and I 
>discovered it, I'm sure there would be hell to pay for the person responsible.

What I found interesting about this discussion is that people were
very, very willing to believe the worst about Prodigy's motives.  It's
quite true that I have no particular reason to believe that 'rn' is
doing anything behind my back ... yet I found it very plausible that
Prodigy was doing something slimey.

Why?  Prodigy's public image has been something of a nightmare of
private control of communication.  "We own the system, we own the
e-mail, we can do whatever it pleases us to do."  There is essentially
no privacy of any kind on Prodigy, and Prodigy hasn't been shy about
using its system administrator powers to censor.  Consider what the
outcry would be if uunet: (a) implemented a keyword scanner that
replaced any "naughty" word with asterix; (b) refused to forward any
news or mail which was critical of this or any other uunet policy; (c)
stated that if you don't like it, find your own news forwarder.

Until electronic mail is made into a common carrier, with the same
restrictions and rights that other common carriers have, this problem
will continue.
-- 
Christopher Pettus -- Object-Based Systems -- Apple Computer, Inc.
MS 3-PK -- (408) 974-0004 -- cep@apple.com -- Link CHRISTOPHE
"Etiquette does not recognize competitive bereavement." -- Miss Manners