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From: COK@PSUVMA.BITNET (R. W. Clark, K. S. C.)
Newsgroups: news.admin
Subject: Legal responsibility?  (And a procedure query) (was Re:  Defending. .)
Message-ID: <25319COK@PSUVMA>
Date: Tue, 17-Nov-87 12:08:40 EST
Article-I.D.: PSUVMA.25319COK
Posted: Tue Nov 17 12:08:40 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 20-Nov-87 02:57:22 EST
References: <1043@pbhyd.UUCP> <25092COK@PSUVMA> <6851@ut-ngp.UUCP> <1377@pinney.munsell.UUCP>
Organization: The Pennsylvania State University - Computation Center
Lines: 35

>As a news administrator I feel personally responsible (not legally
>responsible) for all articles that leave this site.  I don't agree
>with all of them, and I wouldn't have posted some of them, but I want
>all of them to be "good"* articles.  I have never had to cancel an
>article and I hope never to do so.
     
I note that you are newsadmin for a corporate entity.  I suppose you would
have rather more mature news submitters than those who post from universities.
This would reduce the likelihood of having a poster as absurdly immature as
Eric Mading.  However, even if you were to deal with an Eric Mading, the
situations would be somewhat different.
     
A corporation would likely be held responsible for employee actions upon its
computer systems (you would know much more about this than I).  A university
would probably be responsible to a lesser degree.  I have heard of cases
in which corporations have been sued for independent employee actions.  I have
yet to hear of similar cases in which a university is sued for student actions.
Therefore, you would be justified in keeping tighter controls upon employees
than a university.  Censorship would be justified.
     
I would not think that a university newsadmin would find it necessary to
impose such restrictions.
     
---
     
Beyond this, however, I would like to raise a question.
     
As a newsadmin, what would your procedures be for controlling a poster?
Would you take any action against said individual beyond USENET access?
Please post, or respond in email if you feel this is more appropriate.
-------
cok%psuvma@psuvax1.uucp.bitnet  "I'd love to, m'lad, but this fine Havana
cok%psuvma.bitnet@psuvax1.uucp   magic wand is a bit too short to grant
cok%psuvma@psuvax1.psu.edu       wishes with."  Jackeen J. O'Malley