From: Tim May <tcmay@got.net>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 03:26:36 +0800
To: cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
Subject: Re: Advertising Creepiness
In-Reply-To: <199811091403.GAA27556@smtp.well.com>
Message-ID: <v03130307b26ce801b2ef@[209.66.101.228]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



At 9:50 AM -0800 11/9/98, Tim May wrote:

>Seems to me there are numerous variants and angles:
>
>* If the adbuster is user-controlled, it's like handing a copy of "Time" to
>a butler and saying "Please clip out the articles and throw away all the
>ads."
>
>* And "clipping services" do this and redistribute the results to clients,
>perhaps with some "copyright remuneration" to the publisher (I just don't
>know). The ads are obviously not retained.

By the way, the White House and Pentagon are major forwarders of clipped
material. The daily intelligence briefing, for example, clips from
newspapers, magazines, wire services, etc.

I can understand Declan trying to be a loyal reporter by urging people to
buy the magazine or go to the ad-laden site, but clearly a lot of folks are
already bouncing stuff around cyberspace, including the White House.

It is _remotely_ possible that the gov't. is paying some token amount to
Time Warner, CNN, WSJ, etc., but I doubt it.

Speaking of the gov't. conveniently ignoring what it expects private
players to do, a few days before the California election I got a telephone
phone solicitation from a male voice identifying himself as the Calif.
Secretary of State. Ordinary advertising, right?

Well, it was a) left on my answering machine, and b) was itself a recording.

California officials not subject to the "robot's rules of order" laws,
which forbid the practices above, especially in combination. You can bet
that if J. Random Corporation was using robot dialers and leaving recorded
messages on answering machines there would be the threat of prosecution.
(Actually, most threats to corporations are just shakedowns, and are
considered discharged when the corporation makes the appropriate campaign
contribution.)

Of course, in a system where the Chief Executive can perjure himself with
impunity, can suborn perjury, can tamper with evidence, and can use public
monies to cause his subordinates to suborn perjury and perjure and tamper
with evidence....

(Not to mention violating the export laws and committing high treason by
supplying the Red Chinese with ICBM technology....and kiling Vince Foster
for his attack of conscience and his plans to meet with a reporter....)

Ah, Amerika.

--Tim May

Y2K: A good chance to reformat America's hard drive and empty the trash.
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
ComSec 3DES:   831-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Licensed Ontologist         | black markets, collapse of governments.