From: ichudov@algebra.com (Igor Chudov @ home)
Date: Mon, 6 Jan 1997 21:54:55 -0800 (PST)
To: demo@offshore.com.ai (Vince)
Subject: Re: Cypherpunks moderator robot
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.91.970106234758.17290B-100000@offshore>
Message-ID: <199701070549.XAA02730@manifold.algebra.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text


Vince wrote:
> Lucky Green:
> > At 09:02 PM 1/5/97 -0600, Igor Chudov @ home wrote:
> > >With STUMP robomoderator, the great majority of posts are autoapproved,
> > >because they come from preapproved posters. In the newsgroups moderated
> > >by STUMP, moderators review only a small fraction of incoming messages.
> > 
> > I like this. Seems that list moderating technology has made some progress.
> 
> The cypherpunks moderator robot should check PGP signatures for the
> "preapproved posters" - it is just too easy to forge email.  And the human
> moderator should be willing to put any regular posters onto the list of
> "preapproved posters".  Any preapproved who mutated into a flamer would be
> removed from the list.  Newbies would have to be around for a bit to get
> on. 
> 
> Should work well enough.
> 

A good note.

Checking PGP signatures for all messages from preapproved posters is one
of the possible modes of running STUMP (you have to define
WHITELIST_MUST_SIGN=YES). This may be appropriate on cypherpunks, but
for regular newsgroups it is rarely practical, because the users are dumb
and clueless. On Cypherpunks that may work well and even add some cool
flavor to the whole process, as well as help popularize PGP.

Another advantage of robo-verification of signatures is that people
reading cpunks will know that PGP signed messages really are signed,
without the need to keep PGP keys of everyone. That is, of course, if
you trust the robomoderator.

This is all described at STUMP page. STUMP means Secure Team-based
USENET Moderation Program, by the way.

	- Igor.