From: nelson@crynwr.com (Russell Nelson)
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 95 06:26:46 PST
To: craig@passport.ca
Subject: Re: Reefer madness
In-Reply-To: <m0rSIt6-0002GZC@forged.passport.ca>
Message-ID: <m0rSQc8-0008ZFC@crynwr.crynwr.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


   From: craig@passport.ca (Craig Hubley)
   Date: Thu, 12 Jan 1995 01:20:00 -0500 (EST)
   Cc: efc-talk@insight.dcss.mcmaster.ca

   Seems to me I have seen something like this cybersmut hype
   before... wasn't it called 'Reefer Madness'?

The threat is no doubt overblown, but it's not all foolishness.  My NY
State Senator is proposing to make a felony out of initiating contact
with a minor for sexual purposes.  It's illegal now, but it's only a
misdemeanor.  I spoke to Bob Penna, the legislative aide who
researched and wrote up the bill for Bill Sears.  He realizes that the
Internet cannot reasonably be censored, and that the solution is to be
able to punish people who do it (hence the felony) and to educate
parents and teachers to supervise children's online dealings (hence
the travelling road show to do just that).

No mention of "watch out if your child starts using encryption
programs" as a sign of online abuse.  Bob Penna admitted to having no
online access, so I'm sure he knows nothing about encryption.

-- 
-russ <nelson@crynwr.com>    http://www.crynwr.com/crynwr/nelson.html
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