Aalice.275
net.news
utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!ARPAVAX:mhtsa!alice!ark
Fri Dec 18 20:18:05 1981
Freedom of the Netnews
I can think of several good reasons why the content of netnews should
be as close to totally uncensored as possible.  Let me first dispose of
a non-reason that probably comes frequently to mind: that this is an
issue of freedom of the press.  It is NOT, because the Government isn't
trying to control anything!  The important question is whether whoever
pays the computer and phone bills has the right to dictate the use of
those resources, and the answer there is clearly YES.

Let me then say why I think it is in the interests of an employer or
other bill-payer to restrict the content of network news as little as
possible.

First, censorship won't work.  For instance, if too many sites start
shutting off net.jokes.q, that stuff will start to creep back into
other newsgroups, making it harder to control.  Trying to control that
sort of stuff by fiat just makes the cheating become more inventive.

Second, if you leave it alone it will die down.  I firmly believe that
a major reason pornography is popular is that it is (perceived as
being) illegal.  If it were merely ignored, I think it would be much
less lucrative.

Third, you are really shooting at a moving target.  I perceive the
norms of taste in electronic mail being much different from either
speech or paper writing.  I also see them changing rapidly.  If you
react strongly and quickly to every new thing that comes along, how
will you react to those you think are really important?  And who will
believe you after you have repeatedly cried wolf?


For now, let me suggest that you should not send anything out by
electronic mail that you would be afraid to sign.




                                       Andrew Koenig
                                       Bell Laboratories
                                       Murray Hill NJ

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