Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site dalcs.UUCP
Path: utzoo!utcsri!dalcs!thompson
From: thompson@dalcs.UUCP (Michael A. Thompson)
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: Re: Gary Perlman leaves the net in disgust
Message-ID: <1444@dalcs.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 14-Feb-85 16:14:05 EST
Article-I.D.: dalcs.1444
Posted: Thu Feb 14 16:14:05 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 15-Feb-85 05:46:13 EST
References: <156@wanginst.UUCP> <356@scc.UUCP> <437@down.FUN> <44@daisy.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S., Canada
Lines: 31


	 I was saddened to hear of Gary's leaving the net. The net as a
    social entity has it's share of abusers and criminals and although
    I do not know Gary personally or the exact nature of the "HATE
    MAIL" I feel it must be of a particularly vile and offensive nature
    to cause this reaction in Gary. It is unfortunate that the net is
    so illequipped to deal with this kind of offence, unlike other
    social groups we have no disciplinary body to deal with crimes
    against the net and in most(all?) cases it would be impossible to
    prove an offence against someone by someone in particular due to
    the inherent insecurity of the net. Because of this I have two
    fears:

	 1) That a vigilante movement will start where individuals or
    even whole sites would be ostracized or inundated with hate mail,
    this would be unacceptable as it would be very easy to arrange for
    such vigilante groups attention to be focused on an innocent user.

	 2) That as things are now it is very likely that these
    criminal acts will become more and more common.

	 It's cold outside and the wolves are at the door, I wish I had
    a useful suggestion but I can't think of anything to correct this,
    I do know however that the ostrich act is not a solution.
-- 

Signed:                   Michael A. Thompson
             (ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies)
Net address:      ...{utcsrgv,dartvax}!dalcs!thompson
Where in the world:      Dalhousie University
                         Halifax, Nova Scotia