From: "E. ALLEN SMITH" <EALLENSMITH@ocelot.Rutgers.EDU>
Date: Sun, 5 May 1996 12:21:44 +0800
To: vznuri@netcom.com
Subject: Re: PICS & CyberAngels
Message-ID: <01I4BHSBIAK08Y53GG@mbcl.rutgers.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


From:	IN%"vznuri@netcom.com"  "Vladimir Z. Nuri"  4-MAY-1996 11:59:26.15

>this seems to suggest a misunderstanding of PICS either by you or
>the "CyberAngels". PICS does not require any particular action by page owners
>and is entirely based on that principle (there is a pretty good
>argument it would be unconstitutional, impractical, idiotic, etc. if
>it didn't). it defines a standard by
>which ratings servers and queries are constructed and formatted.
>anyone can rate any information. if the CyberAngels want to rate
>all kinds of pages in cyberspace and set up their own rating service,
>more power to them. the ratings do not restrict those who do not
>choose the restrictions.

	The instructions in question, at
http://www.safesurf.com/cyberangels/#look, are for their "volunteers" to report
- including to both the page's ISP and to government - any page with sexual
content that doesn't have a PICS such that it can be censored. In other words,
they want to try to kick off systems - including potentially via legal action
such as nonsense like "corrupting a minor" or whatever - any pages that don't
set themselves up to be censored. That would include by government such as
China, as well as by fundamentalist parents.
	Given their approval of Detweiler, you're making it more and more
likely that you're him....
	-Allen