977 lines
37 KiB
Plaintext
977 lines
37 KiB
Plaintext
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Computer underground Digest Wed Jan 3, 1996 Volume 8 : Issue 01
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ISSN 1004-042X
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Editors: Jim Thomas and Gordon Meyer (TK0JUT2@MVS.CSO.NIU.EDU
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Archivist: Brendan Kehoe
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Shadow Master: Stanton McCandlish
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Field Agent Extraordinaire: David Smith
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Shadow-Archivists: Dan Carosone / Paul Southworth
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Ralph Sims / Jyrki Kuoppala
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Ian Dickinson
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Cu Digest Homepage: http://www.soci.niu.edu/~cudigest
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CONTENTS, #8.01 (Wed, Jan 3, 1996)
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File 1--REMINDER - CuD is Changing Servers - RESUBS ARE NECESSARY
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File 2-- The CI$ press release
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File 3-- List of CIS banned newsgroups
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File 4--Compuserve: Adam Dershowitz on Censorship
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File 5--Compuserve: Brad Templeton on ClariNet censorship
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File 6--WP: Germany Pulls the Shade On CompuServe, Internet
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File 7--Fwd: ALERT: Password Security
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File 8--Reuters: Telecom Bill Nixed Until Budget Fixed
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File 9--(fwd) Postcard to Briberspace (fwd)
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File 10--Cu Digest Header Info (unchanged since 16 Dec, 1995)
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CuD ADMINISTRATIVE, EDITORIAL, AND SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION APPEARS IN
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THE CONCLUDING FILE AT THE END OF EACH ISSUE.
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---------------------------------------------------------------------
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Date: Sun, 16 Dec, 1995 16:19:32 CST
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From: CuD Moderators <tk0jut2@mvs.cso.niu.edu>
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Subject: File 1--REMINDER - CuD is Changing Servers - RESUBS ARE NECESSARY
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*** CuD IS CHANGING SERVERS *** RE-SUB NOW
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In about mid-January, Cu Digest will be moving to a new server
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at weber.ucsd.edu. We're following the strong consensus of
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readers and requiring that, to continue to receive CuD after
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mid-January, you must RE-SUBSCRIBE.
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Although the move will not take place for a few weeks, you can enter
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your subscribtion before then, so WE STRONGLY URGE YOU TO SUB NOW.
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Re-subbing is easy. Just send a message with this in the
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"Subject:" line
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SUBSCRIBE CU-DIGEST
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send it to:
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cu-digest-request@weber.ucsd.edu
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Issues will still be sent out from the older server for a few weeks,
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so the strategy is to collect the resubs first, and then make the
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transition.
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If you prefer to access CuD from Usenet, use
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comp.society.cu-digest
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If you prefer archives, you can use the ftp/www site at
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ftp.eff.org (or www.eff.org) or the CuD archives at:
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http://www.soci.niu.edu/~cudigest.
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We also hope to have a mail archive set up soon as well.
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You can still contact the moderators at:
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cudigest@sun.soci.niu.edu
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or tk0jut2@mvs.cso.niu.edu
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Please *DO NOT* send inquiries to the server at UIUC.
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Jim and Gordon
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------------------------------
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Date: Sat, 30 Dec 1995 09:58:30 -0600
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From: Stephen Smith <libertas@COMP.UARK.EDU>
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Subject: File 2-- The CI$ press release
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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CONTACT: William Giles Russ Robinson
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CompuServe Incorporated CompuServe Incorporated
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614/ 538-4388 614/ 538-4274
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COMPUSERVE(R) SUSPENDS ACCESS TO SPECIFIC INTERNET NEWSGROUPS
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COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 28, 1995 -- During the past week, CompuServe
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Incorporated temporarily suspended access to more than 200 Internet
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newsgroups in response to a direct mandate from the prosecutor s office in
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Germany. Each of the newsgroups that was suspended was specifically
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identified to CompuServe by the German authorities as illegal under German
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criminal law. CompuServe did not select any groups or determine the
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nature of the newsgroups that have been impacted by this action.
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German government officials, as part of an investigation of
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illegal material on the Internet, ordered CompuServe to do what was
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necessary with respect to specified newsgroups in order to comply with
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German law. German authorities are investigating newsgroups and other
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Internet content that may contain child pornography, other pornographic
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material illegal for adults, as well as content that although not illegal
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for adults is of such an explicit nature that it is illegal for minors.
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While access has been suspended, CompuServe continues to work with
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German authorities to resolve this matter. CompuServe cannot alter the
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content on the Internet in any way and has only suspended access to the
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disputed newsgroups through CIS. The issues being investigated in
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Germany, like those being addressed across the industry, need to remain
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focused on the individuals and groups placing content on the Internet.
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CompuServe, as an access provider, is not responsible for the origination
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or nature of content on the Internet over which it has no creative or
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editorial control.
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The global market is vital to CompuServe. We currently have
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500,000 members in Western Europe and anticipate doubling that number in
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the next year. As the leading global service, CompuServe must comply with
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the laws of the many countries in which we operate. However, laws in
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different countries are often in conflict, and this creates new challenges
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unique to the emerging online industry. CompuServe is investigating ways
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in which we can restrict user access to selected newsgroups by
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geographical location.
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------------------------------
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Date: Sat, 30 Dec 1995 10:04:16 -0600
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From: Stephen Smith <libertas@COMP.UARK.EDU>
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Subject: File 3-- List of CIS banned newsgroups
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I must admit that I am not familiar with _all_ of these newsgroups, but
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this is reported to be an accurate list of the groups blocked by
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CompuServe at the request of the Bavarian prosecutors.
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.teen
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alt.binaries.erotic.senior-citizens
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alt.binaries.multimedia.erotica
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alt.binaries.pictures.black.erotic.females
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotic.anime
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotic.centerfolds
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotic.senior-citizens
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.amateur.d
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.amateur.female
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.amateur.male
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.animals
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.anime
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.art.pin-up
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.balls
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.bears
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.bestiality
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.black.females
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.black.male
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.blondes
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.bondage
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.breasts
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.butts
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.cartoons
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.cheerleaders
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.d
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.disney
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.female
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.female.anal
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.fetish
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.fetish.feet
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.fetish.hair
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.fetish.latex
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.fetish.leather
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.furry
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.gaymen
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.latina
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.male
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.male.anal
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.midgets
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.oral
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.orientals
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.plushies
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.pornstar
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.pornstars
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.pre-teen
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.pregnant
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.redheads
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.spanking
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.tasteless
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.teen
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.teen.d
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.teen.female
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.teen.fuckTeens
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.teen.maleTeens
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.terry.agar
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.transvestites
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.uncut
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.urine
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.voyeurism
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alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.young
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alt.binaries.pictures.groupsex
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alt.binaries.pictures.lesbians
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alt.binaries.pictures.lolita.misc
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alt.binaries.pictures.nude.celebrities
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alt.binaries.sounds.erotica
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alt.homosexual
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alt.magick.sex
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alt.magick.sex.angst
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alt.motss.bisexua-l
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alt.politics.sex
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alt.recovery.addiction.sexual
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alt.recovery.sexual-addiction
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alt.religion.sexuality
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alt.sex
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alt.sex.aliens
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alt.sex.anal
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alt.sex.animals
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alt.sex.asphyx
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alt.sex.balls
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alt.sex.bears
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alt.sex.bestiality
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alt.sex.bestiality.barney
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alt.sex.bestiality.hamster.duct-tape
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alt.sex.bondage
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alt.sex.bondage.furtoonia
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alt.sex.bondage.sco.unix
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alt.sex.boredom
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alt.sex.boys
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alt.sex.breast
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alt.sex.brothels
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alt.sex.carasso
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alt.sex.children
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alt.sex.cthulhu
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alt.sex.disney
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alt.sex.doom.with-sound
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alt.sex.dylan
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alt.sex.enemas
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alt.sex.erotica.market.place
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alt.sex.erotica.marketplace
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alt.sex.escorts.ads
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alt.sex.escorts.ads.d
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alt.sex.exhibitionism
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alt.sex.extropians
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alt.sex.fat
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alt.sex.femdom
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alt.sex.fencing
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alt.sex.fetish.amputee
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alt.sex.fetish.diapers
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alt.sex.fetish.drew-barrymore
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alt.sex.fetish.fa
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alt.sex.fetish.fashion
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alt.sex.fetish.feet
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alt.sex.fetish.hair
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alt.sex.fetish.jello
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alt.sex.fetish.motorcycles
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alt.sex.fetish.orientals
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alt.sex.fetish.peterds.momma
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alt.sex.fetish.power-rangers.kimberly.tight-spandex
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alt.sex.fetish.robots
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alt.sex.fetish.scat
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alt.sex.fetish.size
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alt.sex.fetish.smoking
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alt.sex.fetish.sportswear
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alt.sex.fetish.startrek
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alt.sex.fetish.the-bob
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alt.sex.fetish.tickling
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alt.sex.fetish.tinygirls
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alt.sex.fetish.trent-reznor
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alt.sex.fetish.waifs
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alt.sex.fetish.watersports
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alt.sex.fetish.wet-and-messy
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alt.sex.fetish.white-mommas
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alt.sex.fetish.wrestling
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alt.sex.first-time
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alt.sex.fish
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alt.sex.furry
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alt.sex.gangbang
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alt.sex.girl.watchers
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alt.sex.girls
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alt.sex.guns
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alt.sex.hello-kitty
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alt.sex.historical
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alt.sex.homosexual
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alt.sex.incest
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alt.sex.intergen
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alt.sex.jesus
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alt.sex.jp
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alt.sex.magazines
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alt.sex.marsha-clark
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alt.sex.masturbation
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alt.sex.midgets
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alt.sex.modem-kamikaze
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alt.sex.motss
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alt.sex.movies
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alt.sex.necrophilia
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alt.sex.nudels.me.too
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alt.sex.oral
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alt.sex.orgy
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alt.sex.pedophilia
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alt.sex.pedophilia.boys
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alt.sex.pedophilia.girls
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alt.sex.pedophilia.pictures
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alt.sex.pedophilia.swaps
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alt.sex.pictures
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alt.sex.pictures.d
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alt.sex.pictures.female
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alt.sex.pictures.male
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alt.sex.plushies
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alt.sex.pre-teens
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alt.sex.prostitution
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alt.sex.reptiles
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alt.sex.safe
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alt.sex.services
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alt.sex.sgml
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alt.sex.sm.fig
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alt.sex.snakes
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alt.sex.sounds
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alt.sex.spanking
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alt.sex.stories
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alt.sex.stories.d
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alt.sex.stories.gay
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alt.sex.stories.hetero
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alt.sex.stories.moderated
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alt.sex.stories.tg
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alt.sex.strip-clubs
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alt.sex.super-size
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alt.sex.swingers
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alt.sex.tasteless
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alt.sex.telephone
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alt.sex.toons
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alt.sex.trans
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alt.sex.ugly
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alt.sex.uncut
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alt.sex.video-swap
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alt.sex.voxmeet
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alt.sex.voyeurism
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alt.sex.wanted
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alt.sex.wanted.escorts.ads
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alt.sex.watersports
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alt.sex.weight-gain
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alt.sex.wizards
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alt.sex.young
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alt.sex.zoophile
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alt.sexy.bald.captains
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alt.stories.erotic
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alt.support.disabled.sexuality
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alt.tv.tiny-toon.sex
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clari.news.crime.sex
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clari.news.gays
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clari.news.sex
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aus.sex
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de.talk.sex
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es.alt.sexo
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fido.ger.sex
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fido.sex-ger
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fido7.ru-sex
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fido7.ru-sex.adv
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fido7.russian-sex
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finet.sex
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fiod7.other.russian.sex
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fiod7.ru.sex
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gay-net.behinderte
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gay-net.btx-ecke
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gay-net.coming-out
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gay-net.dfue
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gay-net.erotic-stories
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gay-net.gruppen.general
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gay-net.guide.bundesweit
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gay-net.guide.weltweit
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gay-net.haushalt
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gay-net.international
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gay-net.kontakte
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gay-net.labern
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gay-net.lederecke
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gay-net.spiele
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gay-net.test
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rec.arts.erotica
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shamash.gayjews
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slo.sex
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soc.support.youth.gay-lesbian-bi
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t-netz.sex
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t-netz.sex-stories
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tw.bbs.sci.sex
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ucb.erotica.sensual
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uw.alt.sex.beastiality
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uw.alt.sex.bestiality
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uw.alt.sex.bondage
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uw.alt.sex.stories
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uw.alt.sex.stories.d
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zer.t-netz.sex
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------------------------------
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Date: Sun, 31 Dec 1995 01:36:22 -0500 (EST)
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From: "Declan B. McCullagh" <declan+@CMU.EDU>
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Subject: File 4--Compuserve: Adam Dershowitz on Censorship
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---------- Forwarded message begins here ----------
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From--Adam Dershowitz <dersh@mit.edu>
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Subject--Stop the Censorship!
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Date--30 Dec 1995 23:51:35 GMT
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Feel free to distribute or post the following letter where ever you see
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fit:
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Germany is setting the standards of free speech for the entire world,
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and Compuserve is going along. This is the first major case of
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censorship on the internet, and it is important that it is also the
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last. The eyes of every internet provider, of the US Congress and other
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governments are on this case to see how it develops.
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German prosecutors threatened Compuserve for allowing access to Usenet
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groups that they deemed to be unacceptable. Compuserve responded by
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censoring it's users over the whole world, by banning these newsgroups.
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If Germany tried to threaten a US phone company for allowing people to
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use dirty words on an international phone call the phone company would
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refuse to comply. Compuserve, given this same choice, chose to censor.
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They have chosen to take responsibility for the content of everything
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that crosses through their system, and to reject some of it.
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One way to prevent such things from happening again is to make sure that
|
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this censorship is not in the economic best interest of Compuserve, and
|
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Germany. If they want to interfere with First Amendment rights, then we
|
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should exercise our First Amendment rights to not communicate with them.
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A boycott can be a very effective tool, that can work even if you are
|
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not a Compuserve user. They have made a decision about community
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standards for the world, if you agree that they do not have that right,
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then do not accept their standards. If you are a Compuserve subscriber
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then cancel your account.
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Germany and Compuserve have chosen to selectively cut themselves off
|
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from the rest of the internet community, let's make it a complete
|
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separation. Do not send any E-mail to Compuserve or Germany. Do not
|
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reply to any newsgroup posts, and do not access any of their web pages.
|
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If you receive E-mail, then simply ignore it, send a copy of this
|
|
letter, or your own explanation that you will no longer use a system
|
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that censors. If both Germany and Compuserve can be made into the
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pariahs of the internet world then perhaps others will get the message
|
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that censorship of the 'net is not acceptable and will only succeed in
|
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destroying the 'net.
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The World Wide Web should allow the exchange of any ideas around the
|
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world. It should not be limited to the minimum acceptable ideas that
|
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are allowed in any one of the countries or companies. If the
|
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information that is available on the 'net is allowed to be only that
|
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which is acceptable to people in Germany, Iran, Iraq, China and the US
|
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Congress, then the net will be useless. If any one government, company
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or entity, large or small, is allowed that much control of expression
|
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then the freedom on the internet is lost to everyone.
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Adam Dershowitz
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dersh@mit.edu
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218 Thorndike St
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Apt 104 Cambridge MA 02141
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------------------------------
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Date: Sat, 30 Dec 1995 23:33:34 -0800 (PST)
|
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From: Declan McCullagh <declan@EFF.ORG>
|
|
Subject: File 5--Compuserve: Brad Templeton on ClariNet censorship
|
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|
|
From Dave Farber's IP list. A good example of a sex panic on the part of
|
|
Compuserve -- banning newsgroups they don't even provide...
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-Declan
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// declan@eff.org // My opinions are not in any way those of the EFF //
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
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|
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To--Dave Farber <farber@central.cis.upenn.edu>
|
|
Date--Sat, 30 Dec 1995 15:38:27 -0800 (PST)
|
|
From--Brad Templeton <brad@alto.clari.net>
|
|
|
|
Alas, we were also pretty shocked to see some ClariNet e.news newsgroups
|
|
listed in the set that Compuserve announced it was banning from their
|
|
servers in fear of German censorship laws -- but mostly because Compuserve
|
|
isn't one of our subscribers, and they don't have any of our groups.
|
|
|
|
We've asked them why they listed them, and not yet heard back, but I
|
|
think this is actually a very good example of how capricious and dangerous
|
|
such laws are. They send people into panics, banning anything that
|
|
looks dangerous, even things they don't even have! If anybody needs a
|
|
lesson on why laws like the German laws (and the upcoming U.S. decency
|
|
act) have a chilling effect far beyond even their broad intent, this is it.
|
|
|
|
Had Compuserve carried our electronic newspaper newsgroups, banning these
|
|
ones would have been silly. Here are the "lurid" headlines from the last
|
|
few days of clari.news.sex, a newsgroup that contains only professional
|
|
reporting on sex-related issues...
|
|
|
|
Vatican: Sex education not okay
|
|
Suspended Teacher To Return
|
|
Australian Govt Porn Committee Calls For Action
|
|
Beijing seizes one million porn, illegal books
|
|
Time for the annual best and worst lists
|
|
China customs crack down on pornography imports
|
|
CompuServe suspends online sex topics
|
|
CompuServe bans sex groups, sparking free-speech row
|
|
|
|
The most recent headlines from clari.news.gays as you can see are
|
|
equally non-lurid
|
|
|
|
Failed Robbery Led To Gay Slay
|
|
Killer To Sell Story
|
|
Gays In Military Judge Quits
|
|
Lesbian Wins Job Bias Suit
|
|
|
|
I wonder if the Germans thought this was worth banning or CIS made up
|
|
the list on their own. Either way, the the idea that anybody might,
|
|
in fear of such laws or under the orders of such laws, ban legitimate
|
|
professional (and entirely non-lurid) coverage of issues like these
|
|
is really scary, and we hope our many legitimate subsribers in Germany
|
|
don't fall prey to this. While the fact that CIS didn't actually have
|
|
our material makes this less interesting, a big part of the story is
|
|
that somebody was driven to remove stuff without even knowing what they
|
|
were removing.
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: Mon, 1 Jan 1996 15:25:18 -0500 (EST)
|
|
From: "Declan B. McCullagh" <declan+@CMU.EDU>
|
|
Subject: File 6--WP: Germany Pulls the Shade On CompuServe, Internet
|
|
|
|
Attached are excerpts from today's article in the Washington Post.
|
|
Compuserve is weaseling, implying German law forced them to censor not
|
|
just alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.*, but text-only political discussion
|
|
groups. And the Christian Coalition is supporting them, of course.
|
|
|
|
"CompuServe must comply with the laws of the many countries in which
|
|
we operate," said CompuServe spokesman William Giles. "However, laws
|
|
in different countries are often in conflict, and this creates new
|
|
challenges unique to the emerging on-line industry."
|
|
|
|
"What CompuServe decided to do is a healthy thing," said Heidi
|
|
Stirrup, [The Christian Coalition's] director of government relations.
|
|
"I don't see that the Internet is going to be a lesser place" because
|
|
access to hard-core sexually explicit material has been reduced.
|
|
|
|
-Declan
|
|
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
The Washington Post
|
|
January 1, 1996
|
|
|
|
Cyberporn Debate Goes International
|
|
|
|
|
|
Germany Pulls the Shade On CompuServe, Internet
|
|
|
|
By Kara Swisher
|
|
Washington Post Staff Writer
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's often been said that the Internet is a frontier where no one's
|
|
laws apply. But last week, on one portion of the global computer
|
|
network, German law took hold.
|
|
|
|
CompuServe Inc., one of the largest on-line service providers in the
|
|
United States, announced that it would temporarily ban access by all
|
|
its customers worldwide to some sexually oriented material on the
|
|
Internet in response to a request from prosecutors in Germany that the
|
|
material be banned there.
|
|
|
|
For technological reasons, CompuServe cannot block the access of just
|
|
its 220,000 customers in Germany.
|
|
|
|
"CompuServe must comply with the laws of the many countries in which
|
|
we operate," said CompuServe spokesman William Giles. "However, laws
|
|
in different countries are often in conflict, and this creates new
|
|
challenges unique to the emerging on-line industry."
|
|
|
|
The Christian Coalition, a church organization that has campaigned
|
|
against pornography on-line, praised the service's move.
|
|
|
|
"What CompuServe decided to do is a healthy thing," said Heidi
|
|
Stirrup, the coalition's director of government relations. "I don't
|
|
see that the Internet is going to be a lesser place" because access to
|
|
hard-core sexually explicit material has been reduced...
|
|
|
|
How far the restrictions will spread remains unclear.
|
|
|
|
Margaret Ryan, a spokeswoman for America Online Inc., the Vienna
|
|
on-line service that also operates in Germany, said her Virginia-based
|
|
service had received no request to block the material to its German
|
|
customers. She would not comment on what the service would do if asked
|
|
to comply with such a demand. "We are investigating the situation,"
|
|
she said. "But we have no ban."
|
|
|
|
A spokesman for Microsoft Corp.'s Microsoft Network said it had
|
|
received no request either, but noted that its network had built-in
|
|
technology that allows parents to control what their children can
|
|
reach.
|
|
|
|
Both services said that unlike CompuServe, they have the technological
|
|
means to block just in Germany. That way, U.S. customers' access would
|
|
not be affected...
|
|
|
|
The German government request is aimed at about 200 of the Internet's
|
|
15,000 newsgroups, which are message boards covering topics as diverse
|
|
as sailing, chess and the jokes of late-night TV show host David
|
|
Letterman.
|
|
|
|
The ones targeted by Germany in an ongoing investigation are sexually
|
|
graphic and explicit in nature and include child pornography in a
|
|
manner that German prosecutors consider illegal under their criminal
|
|
law.
|
|
|
|
If other countries follow Germany's lead, it could mean that on-line
|
|
services might have to create a different offering for each country or
|
|
only offer something to everyone that boils down to the lowest common
|
|
denominator...
|
|
|
|
Questions of which rules apply have been debated for decades
|
|
concerning the print and broadcast media. "This is not unexpected,
|
|
this conflict of laws, because it has gone on for all important
|
|
emerging mediums," said Tony Rutkowski, executive director of the
|
|
Internet Society, the Alexandria-based advisory body involved with
|
|
Internet policy...
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: Sun, 31 Dec 1995 15:20:24 -0500
|
|
From: ZMacGordon@aol.com
|
|
Subject: File 7--Fwd: ALERT: Password Security
|
|
|
|
Below is the latest news from AOL. Old trick, old news, but people still
|
|
fall for it, eh?
|
|
---------------------
|
|
Forwarded message:
|
|
Subj: ALERT: Password Security
|
|
Date: 95-12-31 07:40:09 EST
|
|
From: Steve Case
|
|
To: ZMacGordon
|
|
|
|
Dear Friend of America Online,
|
|
|
|
I want to raise your awareness about an issue that affects us all: the
|
|
importance of never revealing your password.
|
|
|
|
Recently there have been a few incidents where computer hackers have tried to
|
|
gain access to passwords by soliciting individuals online. These hackers
|
|
have increased their level of sophistication so much that they have begun to
|
|
correspond in a style to make you believe they are representing America
|
|
Online. Here's an edited excerpt from a recent e-mail attempt:
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Dear AOL Community Member:
|
|
AOL is experiencing major problems...Due to a virus that was recently
|
|
loaded...onto our main user database, containing most of our member
|
|
registration information, we are currently experiencing widespread system
|
|
failure. The problem originated...when our system was illegally breached by a
|
|
former AOL employee.
|
|
We believe the employee, who is currently being questioned by authorities,
|
|
loaded a virus into our database. Because we identified the problem quickly,
|
|
we were able to stop the problem before the entire database was deleted.
|
|
The files that were deleted, however, happened to be the database link
|
|
files...that link a user's password and screen name to the rest of their
|
|
account. We are currently...working with McAfee Associates (Anti-Virus), to
|
|
replace the lost files...
|
|
...Some of the effects as a result of not having the database link files
|
|
include: random log-off's, AOLnet runs slower, and Email may accidentally be
|
|
deleted. These problems are MAJOR inconveniences to our users, so we need
|
|
your help to fix the problem."
|
|
|
|
|
|
The letter continues, outlining the steps you must take to keep your account
|
|
active, and awarding you free online hours for your troubles.
|
|
|
|
Sending e-mail is just one tactic. Another approach is by using IMs (Instant
|
|
Messages), where a hacker will notice you are online and try to pass himself
|
|
off as an employee. Hackers sometimes scan chat areas and the member
|
|
directory for screen names.
|
|
|
|
Simply put, your passwords are like items in your safety deposit box.
|
|
They're confidential. YOU are the only person who should know your
|
|
password. Giving someone (even unintentionally) your password -- especially
|
|
online -- is like handing over your wallet, keys, and other valuables to
|
|
complete strangers.
|
|
|
|
There is absolutely no reason why America Online would ever ask you for your
|
|
password! Be aware: NO EMPLOYEE OR REPRESENTATIVE OF AMERICA ONLINE WILL EVER
|
|
ASK YOU FOR YOUR PASSWORD, YOUR CREDIT CARD NUMBER, OR TO VERIFY YOUR BILLING
|
|
INFORMATION ONLINE. IF THEY DO, BE SUSPICIOUS AND TAKE ACTION--REPORT IT
|
|
IMMEDIATELY.
|
|
|
|
Here are some quick steps to keep your passwords secure:
|
|
|
|
1) Immediately change your passwords (at keyword PASSWORD) to at least 6
|
|
alphanumeric characters -- combination of letters and numbers -- for all of
|
|
your sub-accounts. Delete unused sub-accounts.
|
|
2) NEVER use your screen name, first or last name, town, street, etc. as a
|
|
password. Do not use a common word. Add a few digits to a word, or misspell
|
|
it. Hackers use all kinds of programs that search for common words.
|
|
3) Inform spouses, children, and others who have access to your account to
|
|
take the same safety measures, and to NEVER give out passwords.
|
|
4) Report suspicious behavior at keyword STAFFPAGER immediately.
|
|
|
|
Computer hacking on America Online is not widespread. But it's an activity
|
|
-- and an illegal act -- which hinders our ability to conduct business and
|
|
ensure a safe online community.
|
|
|
|
AOL will pursue all legal action and law enforcement protection within our
|
|
right to protect the security of our service.
|
|
|
|
We also rely on our members, partners, remote community leaders, and others
|
|
with overhead accounts much like a neighborhood watch program -- to help
|
|
crush hacking, to maintain confidentiality of the simplest personal belonging
|
|
(your password), and to report activity of this kind to AOL immediately.
|
|
|
|
If you have any questions, please discuss them with your contact at AOL.
|
|
|
|
Thank you, and have a Happy New Year.
|
|
|
|
Regards,
|
|
|
|
Steve Case
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 12:46:00 -0800 (PST)
|
|
From: Declan McCullagh <declan@WELL.COM>
|
|
Subject: File 8--Reuters: Telecom Bill Nixed Until Budget Fixed
|
|
|
|
Earlier this afternoon, Reuters reported that Newt Gingrich says no
|
|
work will be done on the telecom bill until the budget mess is over:
|
|
|
|
In response to a question about whether the telecommunications
|
|
bill was on the table in talks with Senate leaders, Gingrich
|
|
said there will be ''nothing on the telecom bill until we
|
|
have a budget.''
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: Mon, 1 Jan 1996 21:40:57 -0600 (CST)
|
|
From: David Smith <bladex@BGA.COM>
|
|
Subject: File 9--(fwd) Postcard to Briberspace (fwd)
|
|
|
|
---------- Forwarded message ----------
|
|
|
|
Tom Klemesrud
|
|
Cyberspace
|
|
North Hollywood, CA 91601
|
|
|
|
December 12, 1995
|
|
Congressman Howard Berman
|
|
Briberspace
|
|
Washington D.C.
|
|
|
|
FROM CYBERSPACE TO BRIBERSPACE
|
|
|
|
"Religion: The last refuge of scoundrels and politicians."
|
|
-Mark Twain
|
|
|
|
I am taking this opportunity to write you from cyberspace in
|
|
vehement protest on this day--National Electronic Communications
|
|
Censorship Protest day.
|
|
|
|
Americans have fought and died for our guaranteed Constitutional
|
|
rights of freedom of speech, and now this Congress has decided
|
|
those sacrifices where made in vain--"we'll just wipe those away
|
|
... we'll do it for the kids." The implication is--by some
|
|
perverse notion--that the kids will benefit with all americans'
|
|
free speech rights stripped away. Someone's gone nuts in
|
|
briberspace.
|
|
|
|
Congressman, if you were an active Internet user, you would know
|
|
that Exon and his cronies have mis-characterized the perils of
|
|
cyberspace. I have yet to find on thing obscene on the Net. If
|
|
cyberspace can't be free, and parents don't feel inclined to use
|
|
filtering technology or supervise their children, then the
|
|
Internet is not for those children--they are most likely lost
|
|
anyway through parental neglect. The Internet, or government,
|
|
should not and cannot take the place of parents and teachers. The
|
|
government cannot censor information content. You may know, we
|
|
already have laws against pornography and child abuse. You know
|
|
it, I know it, the American People know it. Don't think you're
|
|
going to get a extra vote from gutting the Constitution. You saw
|
|
the front page of yesterday's Los Angeles Times I hope. No
|
|
politician is going to spin this on into the "fighting
|
|
pornography" or "preventing Society's collapse." The people are
|
|
brighter that this and you know it--by the 30% approval rating
|
|
Congress got two days ago.
|
|
|
|
I asked Senator Exon's office for a couple URL addresses for what
|
|
was in his blue book, and the address did not exist. Perhaps the
|
|
Senator's staff put that stuff up? Did you ask him where he got
|
|
the smut he was shocking everybody with? Perhaps he got his
|
|
information from Martin Rimm--the one who embarrassed Senator
|
|
Grassley?
|
|
|
|
There are kids killing each other in the streets of California,
|
|
and you want to send the BBS Sysop to prison for 2 years for
|
|
running a BBS that can possibly free people from their
|
|
hopelessness; because they might see an "indecent" word like
|
|
"tits" on a computer BBS, or by some fluke of filtering
|
|
technology, glimpse a picture of a naked woman. I would have
|
|
hoped you efforts might have been a little less silly, and a
|
|
little more real-world productive--California kids are killing
|
|
each other in the streets, joining street gangs, engaged in
|
|
drive-by shootings, selling and using drugs. But perhaps, during
|
|
the course of these activities, they are not hearing "indecent"
|
|
words, or aren't exposed to a picture of a naked woman?
|
|
|
|
The priorities in briberspace are upside-down.
|
|
|
|
I am talking about your support for Senator Exon's Communications
|
|
Decency Act. There is nothing decent about this act--it is a
|
|
dark-ages political attempt at depriving your constituents of the
|
|
freedom of speech rights guaranteed them in the First Amendment
|
|
of the Constitution.
|
|
|
|
It amazes me how public servants in our secular government--with
|
|
its separation of church and state--can so easily embrace the
|
|
extremist political agenda of right wing religion zealots, hell
|
|
bend on lording-over speech and communications in the country,
|
|
like the Christian Coalition, and the Church of Scientology. I
|
|
can only hope you did it for the PAC money, for any other
|
|
motivations for supporting unconstitutional law that I can think
|
|
of, is far worse.
|
|
|
|
Thus, I coin the space you work in--the halls of Congress--as
|
|
"briberspace:" That space where seemingly corrupt politicians
|
|
snidely ignore the people they are supposed to represent, and
|
|
meet in smoke-filed back rooms with the scoundrel political
|
|
action committees, taking bribes in return for their powerful
|
|
vote.
|
|
|
|
Make no mistake: this IS the general scorn for Congress most
|
|
Americans feel. In a recent poll only 30% of the public
|
|
gave Congress an approval rating.
|
|
|
|
The People are afraid of politicians like you--uninspired,
|
|
unthinking politicians--who think they are Kings or Queens meant
|
|
to lord-over the People of the land, protecting them from the
|
|
evils of information and thoughts that aren't government
|
|
approved: Politicians who at every turn, take yet another stab at
|
|
trying to take away that which the People have left--of any
|
|
value--their freedoms.
|
|
|
|
President Clinton said, "I can't understand how People can say
|
|
they love their country and hate their government."
|
|
|
|
It is the scoundrels and politicians held in deep scorn that the
|
|
People cannot stomach--I puked last Sunday night watching a scene
|
|
from the Movie "The Distinguished Gentleman" as the Congressman
|
|
took a PAC bribe. (I just wanted to share that with you.) Yet,
|
|
the scoundrels and politicians seem to keep coming up with new
|
|
and innovative ways of stealing our liberty, at every turn, in
|
|
almost every back-room committee meeting. Is it some new version
|
|
of fascism we're trying to secretly install?
|
|
|
|
Please think again, before you vote on the Communications Decency
|
|
Act that attempts to unconstitutionally deprive Americans (only)
|
|
of their free speech rights, with its "indecent speech"
|
|
provisions. Government does not have the business trying to
|
|
regulate content in communications. And, I don't think your
|
|
going to be willing to build a communications wall around the
|
|
borders. Have you ever thought of off-shore Internet Service
|
|
Providers? Have you ever thought you might be destroying a
|
|
multi-billion dollar service industry that this country has the
|
|
lead in right now?
|
|
|
|
A recent A. C. Nielson survey found that there are now some 20
|
|
million americans now communicating on-line on the Internet. I
|
|
predict that if this draconian dark-ages legislative agenda
|
|
you've backed, is forwarded; these millions from cyberspace may
|
|
materialize into briberspace--like the million man march--to help
|
|
the scoundrels of the PAC's and politicians beholding to the PAC
|
|
scoundrels--see the light of the errors of their ways. And, if
|
|
they can't be shown the light, make them feel the heat.
|
|
|
|
You've offended a great many people with this proposed
|
|
legislation, and perhaps gotten some political gain with it--like
|
|
so many times before--from the ignorance of the unfortunate.
|
|
But, the People will ultimately not allow their communications to
|
|
be "dumbed-down" to a happy-face 5th grade level. They will
|
|
fight for their rights to speak and think freely.
|
|
|
|
The ACLU will immediately challenge your CDA. There is also
|
|
promised civil disobedience, in on instance, by a Texas judge to
|
|
protest the law. This law is a cruel joke that will backfire on
|
|
Congress. Please rethink it.
|
|
|
|
Please work to solve our real problems. Don't destroy the one
|
|
good think this country has. You won't be able to spin-doctor
|
|
this travesty of legislation to your political advantage.
|
|
|
|
Sincerely yours,
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tom Klemesrud
|
|
|
|
PS: You know I run a BBS with over 4,000 voters right in your
|
|
congressional district. Yet, we haven't heard that you have an E-mail
|
|
address. I'll be posting this letter to the public bulletin board
|
|
section.
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: Sun, 16 Dec 1995 22:51:01 CDT
|
|
From: CuD Moderators <cudigest@sun.soci.niu.edu>
|
|
Subject: File 10--Cu Digest Header Info (unchanged since 16 Dec, 1995)
|
|
|
|
Cu-Digest is a weekly electronic journal/newsletter. Subscriptions are
|
|
available at no cost electronically.
|
|
|
|
CuD is available as a Usenet newsgroup: comp.society.cu-digest
|
|
|
|
Or, to subscribe, send post with this in the "Subject:: line:
|
|
|
|
SUBSCRIBE CU-DIGEST
|
|
Send the message to: cu-digest-request@weber.ucsd.edu
|
|
|
|
DO NOT SEND SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE MODERATORS.
|
|
|
|
The editors may be contacted by voice (815-753-0303), fax (815-753-6302)
|
|
or U.S. mail at: Jim Thomas, Department of Sociology, NIU, DeKalb, IL
|
|
60115, USA.
|
|
|
|
To UNSUB, send a one-line message: UNSUB CU-DIGEST
|
|
Send it to CU-DIGEST-REQUEST@WEBER.UCSD.EDU
|
|
(NOTE: The address you unsub must correspond to your From: line)
|
|
|
|
Issues of CuD can also be found in the Usenet comp.society.cu-digest
|
|
news group; on CompuServe in DL0 and DL4 of the IBMBBS SIG, DL1 of
|
|
LAWSIG, and DL1 of TELECOM; on GEnie in the PF*NPC RT
|
|
libraries and in the VIRUS/SECURITY library; from America Online in
|
|
the PC Telecom forum under "computing newsletters;"
|
|
On Delphi in the General Discussion database of the Internet SIG;
|
|
on RIPCO BBS (312) 528-5020 (and via Ripco on internet);
|
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and on Rune Stone BBS (IIRGWHQ) (203) 832-8441.
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CuD is also available via Fidonet File Request from
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1:11/70; unlisted nodes and points welcome.
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EUROPE: In BELGIUM: Virtual Access BBS: +32-69-844-019 (ringdown)
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In LUXEMBOURG: ComNet BBS: +352-466893
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UNITED STATES: etext.archive.umich.edu (192.131.22.8) in /pub/CuD/
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ftp.eff.org (192.88.144.4) in /pub/Publications/CuD/
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aql.gatech.edu (128.61.10.53) in /pub/eff/cud/
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world.std.com in /src/wuarchive/doc/EFF/Publications/CuD/
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wuarchive.wustl.edu in /doc/EFF/Publications/CuD/
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EUROPE: nic.funet.fi in pub/doc/cud/ (Finland)
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ftp.warwick.ac.uk in pub/cud/ (United Kingdom)
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The most recent issues of CuD can be obtained from the
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Cu Digest WWW site at:
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URL: http://www.soci.niu.edu/~cudigest/
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COMPUTER UNDERGROUND DIGEST is an open forum dedicated to sharing
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DISCLAIMER: The views represented herein do not necessarily represent
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------------------------------
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End of Computer Underground Digest #7.01
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************************************
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