[8998] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: sleaze
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Bob Blackmun)
Tue Dec 14 16:39:40 1993
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 93 16:33:35 EST
From: "Bob Blackmun" <rrb@pcfs1.uncc.edu>
Reply-To: "Bob Blackmun" <rrb@pcfs1.uncc.edu>
To: rmholt@u.washington.edu
Cc: com-priv@psi.com
In message <Pine.3.87.9312141225.B2790-0100000@stein3.u.washington.edu> Rose
Marie Holt writes:
>
> My $.02, as a mere consumer with kids. Is there any reason why people
> with net access should NOT have a origination address posted with their
> postings. Then that would change the problem to tracing fake origins; is
> that manageable? Also, once we know the origin of an offensive post,
> what do we do? How about enforcing existing laws, adapted to the net,
> re: porn, crossing state lines for immortable porpoises, etc. to start.
> How about also requiring special coding, a la 900 and 976 numbers for
> legit "adult" material, allowing blocking? As to stuff whose legitimacy
> is debatable, how about leaving it to the parents.
Unfortunately, it is trivially easy to send e-mail, post to newsgroups, etc.
with a fake address. Creating a 'safe environment' for young children is going
to be a real challenge, especially in the face of people who want to escape from
the 'safe envrionment'.
In case anyone thinks that this is a new problem. see the article titled
'cybersex' in Wired magazine -- available from Wired's gopher (at
gopher.wired.com). In summary, the article demonstrates that new technology has
almost always been used to disseminate sexual material first! As in the past,
the answer must ultimately be found in supervision and education, not regulation
or even in the technology itself.
Bob Blackmun,
Director, Computing Services
UNC Charlotte
Charlotte NC 28223
Internet: rrb@unccsun.uncc.edu
Phone: (704) 547-2283/Fax (704) 547-3134
