[659] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: taking the net private [common carrier status]
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Kent W. England)
Mon May 6 09:17:11 1991
From: "Kent W. England" <kwe2@BBN.COM>
To: marc@athena.mit.edu
Cc: com-priv@psi.com
In-Reply-To: <9105060701.AA02203@portnoy.MIT.EDU>
Date: Mon, 6 May 91 09:09:44 EDT
>From: Marc Horowitz <marc@ATHENA.MIT.EDU>
>
>... Can anybody give me any information on efforts to give the
>various network providers common carrier status? It seems that
>without this, any private network will either be forced to remain
>restrictive on content, or will be forever in conflict with the
>government over what they carry.
>
> Marc
What constitutes common carrier status today?
Whatever it may be, I'm not aware of anyone seeking to have
(inter)network service providers gain common carrier status.
I think it would be excellent if there was an understanding that network
service providers were not responsible for content, but the BBS sysops
know what can happen with that issue.
As for wanting the necessity of filing tariffs heaped on, I don't think
anyone seems eager to require that. Especially the current crop of
common carriers and the political administration.
What else comes with the privilege of common carrier status?
--Kent
