Re: i don't know if it's been signed yet but pass this on

[cbullard@HiWAAY.net (Len Bullard)]

A proposal for enabling rating of Internet content
has been assembled by the WWW gurus at
the W3C.  A lot of good folks have worked on this
with consideration for the technical, social,
and political problems.  Something is being
done, a bit late, but nonetheless a positive
move.  I don't have the URL handy, but
the project is called PICS.  On the VRML
mail list the issue of adding a simple
infoNode to the language to enable author's
to self-rate is being discussed.  No it won't
solve the problem, but it let's the honest
folks identify themselves and that's a start.

There are no easy solutions as the technology
(the Internet) is old and not designed for
what we are doing with it.  The techies have
been late catching up to the requirements,
and unfortunately, the issue got out of hand
before it could be covered.  Each community
has different laws, and they CAN enforce them.
If you doubt this, you aren't keeping up.  In
some countries, the local authorities have
raided and taken the servers.  In others,
parts of the Internet were shut off to local
access.  In China, it's censored to the hilt.
You break US laws, don't try to visit.
The same technology that makes it easy
post makes it easy to trace.

So, have a care and be patient.  A lot of
us do have kids and some of us elect not
to let them have access.  Others restrict
that access.  Yes, the offensive(you choose)
material is easy to find and access.  Just
go to any search service and type in a few
suggestive words.  Yes, the freedom of
speech does not equal the right to transmit.
Yes, there are legitimate concerns.  Yes,
people are working to overturn the Telcom Act
and probably will.

Now, on the Net one can also find many hate
groups, lunatics, and even instructions for
making explosives.  There are terrorist organizations
with Web pages.  Chasing down nudes really
seems trivial by contrast, but this is what an
open and universal communications system
enables.  You get to see, if you want to see, 
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (with or without
Clint).

You also get to visit here and talk about Kate.  I like it!

With freedom comes responsibility.  Don't
give up big freedoms for little securities.  Don't
think the *geeks* have it all under control.  I do
some of this for a living and all I can say is
what the fellow quoted Pablo Picasso as saying,
"Computers aren't interesting.  They only know answers."

Get involved.

Now me, I'm sitting here wondering about Karen's
state of zafigness and whether its worth the risk
to see her collections.  ;-)  Can you reprint the
poem here for those of us who don't see the
Paris magazine?  Please!  and congrats!!

len
Len Bullard