Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!munnari.oz.au!uniwa!DIALix!metapro!bernie From: bernie@metapro.DIALix.oz.au (Bernd Felsche) Newsgroups: comp.admin.policy Subject: Re: Canceling someone else's article Message-ID: <1991Jun3.130045.9733@metapro.DIALix.oz.au> Date: 3 Jun 91 13:00:45 GMT References: <1991May30.181628.2931@tygra.Michigan.COM> <1991Jun1.171636.6232@herald.usask.ca> Organization: MetaPro Systems, Perth, Western Australia Lines: 30 In <1991Jun1.171636.6232@herald.usask.ca> lowey@herald.usask.ca (Kevin Lowey) writes: >I have to admit I didn't see the original messages in this theme. It appears >that a System Administrator killed a message that he knew violated Usenet >policies. If that is the case, then I think he had every right to do so. If >not, then he risks being cut of from Usenet for violating Usenet policy. If the Sysadmin had alerted the posted, and requested him to cancel it himself, then it would have been an educational exercise. If _anybody_ notices something of an illegal nature being posted, they should immediately request the _originator_ to cancel it. Sysadmins are not omnipotent deities (except maybe jp@tygra :-)). You cannot reasonably expect them to control every byte of information flowing through their system. >Thus, if I saw a chain-letter or some other illegal message, or message that >I know violates policy, you can be sure I'll delete it before it leaves my >board (if I catch it in time) and leave a stern warning to the user envolved. If that is the agreed policy on your system, so be it. However, you are setting a dangerous precedent by taking responsibility for what users post. Who owns the article? -- Bernd Felsche, _--_|\ #include Metapro Systems, / sold \ Fax: +61 9 472 3337 328 Albany Highway, \_.--._/ Phone: +61 9 362 9355 Victoria Park, Western Australia v Email: bernie@metapro.DIALix.oz.au