Interesting People mailing list archives
IP: a personal statement re the CDA and the Telecommunications
From: Dave Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>
Date: Sat, 03 Feb 1996 12:06:14 -0500
Several people have questioned my focus on the computer decency act (CDA) of the Telecommunications Reform Act in IP mailings as opposed to issues relating to control of the airwaves, regulation etc. My concern with the CDA is it is a direct and dangerous attack on both the First Amendment and upon the Network as a vehicle for exercising the right granted under the Bill of Rights. I really believe that there could be a dramatic decline in the power of the network to act as a vehicle for the exchange of ideas given the CDA and thus a slowdown in the growth of the network business How you may ask? Take the Universities on the net. A significant percentage of the undergraduates are legally minors. Exposing them to indecent language would expose the Universities to legal action. Will they chance it? I think many, if not all, will choose to screen out any newsgroups which could be deemed to contain such language not only from minors but from the whole campus community. Note that may include a whole range of items besides recreational pictures. Discussion of sexuality, abortion, history, art etc. What ISP will chance fighting letters from irate well organized people complaining about indecent discussions that they have seen on the net that pass through the ISP or are presented in AOL/Compuserve or even accessed via those services (notice the explosive case in Penn). Not many I doubt. We will slowly slide toward a broadcaste model of the net and 500000 channels and nothing to watch. Will the courts save us? Maybe soon enough but realize the answer may just be that they equate the Net to TV and radio and allow such regulation. The other parts of the Bill will be subject to court challenges, endless hearing before regulatory commissions etc. They do not immediately challenge our freedom to speak, write, listen and look.. The CDA does and is a basic attack on the Bill or Rights in the Information Age. Dave Wear a Blue Ribbon
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