From: Ed Carp <ecarp@netcom.com>
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 94 14:19:09 PDT
To: Philippe Nave <pdn@dwroll.dw.att.com>
Subject: Re: Remailer Musings
In-Reply-To: <9404192107.AA19456@ig1.att.att.com>
Message-ID: <Pine.3.85.9404191444.A24408-0100000@netcom3>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


I understand your objections, but think about it this way: nothing in the 
world says that you have to put a return address on the envelope.  
Nothing in the world says that you have to present any form of ID in 
order to drop a letter into a postal box.  Sure, the postal inspectors 
have to "cooperate", but if you drop a letter with no return address into 
a box, how could they trace it back to you?  Are people going to say to 
the US postal folks, "hey, it's *your* fault that they didn't put a 
return address on their envelope!"  I think not.

Similarly, I think that anonymous remailers, like the post office, ma 
bell, etc., are common carriers.  You can't have it both ways - either 
you are a common carrier and exercise no editorial control over what goes 
through your remailer, or you are a publisher, and are held to a certain 
degree of legal responsibility.

Ed Carp, N7EKG/VE3		ecarp@netcom.com		519/824-3307
	             	      an88744@anon.penet.fi
If you want magic, let go of your armor.  Magic is so much stronger than
steel!        -- Richard Bach, "The Bridge Across Forever"