From: Bill Stewart <stewarts@ix.netcom.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 1996 18:38:52 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: V-chip?
Message-ID: <199601260940.BAA26366@ix7.ix.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


This message rated FZ.

At 08:33 PM 1/24/96 -0800, mpd@netcom.com (Mike Duvos) wrote:
>As I understand it, the basic concept behind the V-Chip is to
>allow selective blocking of material a particular viewer might
>find offensive based on content information transmitted along
>with the program.  As long as the program material itself is
>transmitted unaltered, and there are multiple non-governmental
>providers of content descriptions catering to the spectrum of
>human likes and dislikes, this sounds like ideal Cypherpunk
>technology.

No, it's to allow selective blocking of material that
a government-approved panel has described as deserving
blocking for children.  It's rabidly unnecessary,
and also too simplistic to be really useful.  For instance,
it's unlikely to block "COPS" and "The War In Bosnia"
under any available settings, and "Speeches of President Exon" 
will probably be required viewing because there isn't a "no lies"
setting.  Selective blocking, using VCRplus codes or some similar
technology, would be far more useful, support multiple rating
services, and give your VCR something to do other than flash 12:00.

...
>What are the dangers of this new technology?
>First, the government might want only one description of content,
>which it controls.  My notion of what is offensive probably
>differs greatly from that of Jesse Helms, for instance.
Yup.  However, _you_ won't be the one doing the description...
#--
#				Thanks;  Bill
# Bill Stewart, stewarts@ix.netcom.com, Pager/Voicemail 1-408-787-1281
#
# "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty" used to mean us watching
# the government, not the other way around....