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From: kremen@aero.ARPA (Gary Kremen )
Newsgroups: net.news,net.news.group
Subject: Net censorship (PLEASE READ)
Message-ID: <530@aero.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 7-Nov-85 11:01:19 EST
Article-I.D.: aero.530
Posted: Thu Nov  7 11:01:19 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 11-Nov-85 05:16:04 EST
References: Upon request
Reply-To: kremen@aero.UUCP (Gary Kremen (5731))
Organization: The Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, CA
Lines: 97
Keywords: censor, censorship, usenet, mod.computers.ibm-pc
Xref: watmath net.news:4316 net.news.group:4429

During the recent net discussion on the conversion of many groups from
net.* to mod.*, the specter of moderator censorship was raised.  Well,
censorship seems to have started already.

A new moderated group mod.computer.ibm-pc has filtered its way to sites.
Close examination of the group's welcoming message reveals the
moderators of this group will and do censor out all information with
respect to copy-protection. They state:
> Two topics are taboo and are routinely edited out:
> (1) .....
> (2) anything about copy-protection

I am not posting this to debate the merits of copy-protection. It is not
the issue. The issue is whether the moderators of any USENET moderated
group have the right to censor at will.

With the conversion of many (and since many sites will most likely drop
the unmoderated groups) groups from net.* to mod.*, you could have bet
that the issue of censorship would have come up anyway in the future. It
is always easier to discuss issues of this type before a full blown
controversy erupts. So, what I am proposing this this statement should
be made USENET policy:

 "Moderators are expressedly prohibited from making ANY changes on
 submitted articles except for the following:
  i)   To eliminate spelling or grammer errors.
  ii)  To format an article's text in a physically different form.
  iii) To combine repetitive questions, requests, or replies into a
       single question, request, or reply."

What should be done now to stop net censorship, you ask? 

1a) Discussion of this and all future censorship acts in the proper news
group(s) following USENET practices and policy. I believe the proper
groups in this case are net.news, net.news.group and because emotions
may run high, net.flame. Do not send send your comment to me.

1b) Ask the moderators to change their censorship policies by sending
them (and any other moderators who censor) this or a similar message:

  "The censorship of this newsgroup is wrong and contradictory to the
spirit and policies of USENET. Please refrain from actions of this type
now and in the future."

In the mod.computers.ibm-pc case, you should send your comments on the
censorship move to:

Name				Username
Billy Brackenridge  	        BRACKENRIDGE
Eliot Moore			ELMO
Richard Nelson		        NELSON
Koji Okataki		        KOJI
Richard Gillmann		GILLMANN

All the above moderators are at a site on the ARPA Internet called
usc-isib.ARPA. Through UUCP I believe they can be reached by:
{}!decvax!decwrl!ucbvcax!usc-isib.arpa!username, where username is one
of the above username. In case these addresses do not work, use the
pathname from any censored mod.computers.ibm-pc news item. But PLEASE
everyone send a message protesting this censorship to the above
moderators in every way you can.

PLEASE, EVERYONE DO THIS!!!

2) If moderators do not stop censorship in a reasonable amount of
time:

a) A discussion should be held in the proper newsgroups, following USENET
practices and poles to discuss the moderators actions. Possible actions
on our part might include, but not be limited to:

i) replace the moderators.
ii) RMGROUP the group(s).
iii) send comments to those who submit to the offending group(s) asking
them not to do so until the censorship has ended.
iv) send comments to those who are upsite (and backbone sites) to the
offending group, asking them not to forward the group's mail until the
censorship stops.
v) Other reasonable actions.

I think it is VERY IMPORTANT to make a netwide policy regarding
censorship NOW. I think there are advantages to moderated groups
including a better signal/noise ratio, less repeat messages, and most
important (to the systems administrators) saving on phone bills. But to
insure the moderated group concept works in the long run,
anti-censorship guidelines should be implemented now.

Thank you for your time.
-- 
Name: Gary Kremen
Address 1: kremen@aerospace.ARPA
Address 2: {sdcdcf,trwba,randvax}!aero!kremen
Quote:"Everybody loves to see justice done...on someone else" - Bruce Cockburn
Theory: "Computers suck, but they pay the bills"
Contrapositive: "To Live and Die to live and die in LA"
Disclaimer 1: "The company does not know what I am doing"
Disclaimer 2: "Both the company and I have great lawyers"