67 lines
3.4 KiB
Prolog
67 lines
3.4 KiB
Prolog
<1> N*Y*S*A Ethics statement
|
||
|
||
|
||
Telecommunications, and, more particularly, computer to computer
|
||
telecommunications, has experienced major growth in the last two years. We
|
||
expect that growth to continue in the years to come.
|
||
|
||
Of particular interest is the growth of computer-based "bulletin boards."
|
||
These systems have proliferated within the last few years, parallelling the
|
||
growth in distribution of home computers.
|
||
|
||
This has led to the development of a new form of communication between
|
||
individuals who may never meet, but who can and do communicate with regularity,
|
||
utilizing the medium of computer bulletin boards. These boards, provided as a
|
||
public access service by their respective system owner/operators, have had the
|
||
unique effect of facilitating communication between individuals at the very time
|
||
when one hears cries that the modern, computerized, highly technological society
|
||
is destroying the links between individuals and groups, links which are valuable
|
||
to the health and functioning of that society.
|
||
|
||
What is unclear to both observers and participants, however, is the "governing
|
||
etiquette" which should be operative in this new format. System operators
|
||
voluntarily provide a forum for users at their own cost, and each for his/her
|
||
own reasons. Issues of concern which have been raised within this new
|
||
"electronic community" center on the type of messages, various legalities, the
|
||
obligations of system operators and users to each other and the development of a
|
||
broadly based code to guide both system operators and users in the future growth
|
||
and development of the medium.
|
||
|
||
The Ethics Committee of the New York Sysops Association proposes the following
|
||
Code of Ethics to the membership:
|
||
|
||
The Association recognizes that the existence of any bulletin board system is
|
||
based on the voluntary co-operation of the system operator. This code of ethics
|
||
is based on the assumption of the mutual goodwill of the member systems and
|
||
their users.
|
||
|
||
Whenever the term "system" is used herein, it shall be construed to include
|
||
the owner of the system and any persons to whom the owner has extended operator
|
||
privileges.
|
||
|
||
Wherever the term "user" is used herein, it shall mean any person who avails
|
||
him/herself of access to a system.
|
||
|
||
1. Nothing illegal is allowed on the system. This includes messages about
|
||
pirating/trading, allowing the downloading of pirated software, and the
|
||
sharing of illegal phone access codes for "phreaking".
|
||
|
||
2. Nothing offensive to the users, either by way of language or ethnic
|
||
references is allowed to remain on the system, and is actively discouraged by
|
||
the Sysops.
|
||
|
||
3. N*Y*S*A and its member boards promote, respect, and support the free and
|
||
uncensored sharing of information, opinions, ideas, and communication in general
|
||
through their message bases and text-file sections (bulletins, news, etc.) for
|
||
all users within the limits described above.
|
||
|
||
4. The member boards agree to continue to be mutually supportive in the
|
||
running of their boards and maintaining the standards described above.
|
||
|
||
5. Member boards shall indicate their membership in N*Y*S*A on their system
|
||
by both displaying the N*Y*S*A code of ethics AND adhering to it.
|
||
|
||
6. Sysops may join N*Y*S*A by applying for membership at any BBS already a
|
||
member, and upon acceptance, will be admitted to membership by having their
|
||
board included on the official list displayed on the member boards.
|
||
|