Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!convex.csd.uwm.edu!jgd From: jgd@convex.csd.uwm.edu (John G Dobnick) Newsgroups: comp.admin.policy Subject: Re: Canceling someone else's article Message-ID: <12571@uwm.edu> Date: 29 May 91 01:44:12 GMT References: <28.May.91.165820.60@cogsci.cog.jhu.edu> Sender: news@uwm.edu Reply-To: jgd@convex.csd.uwm.edu Lines: 36 Originator: jgd@convex.csd.uwm.edu When should someone else's article be cancelled? From article <28.May.91.165820.60@cogsci.cog.jhu.edu>, by : > 1. When you are the administrator of the site on which the posting > originated, and you believe it to be illegal or a forgery for some > reason. Preferably you would contact the original author and have > them do so. [Which is what happened in this case -- contacted user and had him cancel his own stuff. An "educational" procedure, if you will.] > Basically, I don't think you should ever cancel someone else's article. In > particular, the content (unless illegal) is not germane. Even when you > think it is illegal, I'm not sure that you should cancel it. Removing it > from your system and making sure that you don't forward it on should > (hopefully) eliminate any liability that you might be concerned about. You > may not know the circumstances of the posting and it may in fact be legal. > If you leave the entry in your history file, it will be discarded if you > receive it again from another newsfeed. Of course, flaming er, "contacting" > the original author is a time honored USENET tradition... [Which was more than upheld in this instance. :-) :-)] > Bill Bogstad > > BTW, Postings from "thor@valhalla.mil" are not "forgeries"... -- John G Dobnick (JGD2) -- News Janitor Computing Services Division @ University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee INTERNET: jgd@uwm.edu ATTnet: (414) 229-5727 UUCP: uunet!uwm!jgd "Knowing how things work is the basis for appreciation, and is thus a source of civilized delight." -- William Safire