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From: bch@ecsvax.UUCP (Byron C. Howes)
Newsgroups: net.mail
Subject: Re: Reading other peoples' mail
Message-ID: <1452@ecsvax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 21-Apr-86 12:11:29 EST
Article-I.D.: ecsvax.1452
Posted: Mon Apr 21 12:11:29 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 24-Apr-86 06:20:31 EST
References: <1921@decwrl.DEC.COM> <197@valid.UUCP>
Reply-To: bch@ecsvax.UUCP (Byron C. Howes)
Organization: N C Educational Computing Service
Lines: 29

In article <105@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP> grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) writes:
>
>Perhaps the best course is to look at a parallel service - handling third party
>traffic in radio service.
>
>The essence is that you may read the messages, but may not divulge them, or use
>the information for your own benefit.  You are also responsible for checking
>that the messages you retransmit do not violate appropriate regulations - i.e.
>obscenity or illegal content.

>As a system/mail administrator it is perfectly reasonable to monitor the mail
>through your site, however one should do so in the role of a dispassionate
>observer.  You are not interested in who the messages are from or why the were
>sent - just that the content is allowable and that the use of your system is not
>abusive.

I both agree and have problems with this.  I agree that the role of the
systems administrator with respect to others' mail that must be read should
be that of a dispassionate observer.  I think also, however, that one should
*avoid* reading others' mail unless it is unavoidable.  With respect to
abuse of the system, it would take considerable probable cause for me to
want to regularly monitor mail (yuck -- distasteful!)  Obscenity is
somthing I'm not qualified to judge on.
-- 

  	  Byron Howes
     Systems Manager -- NCECS
usenet/bitnet address:  bch@ecsvax