nettime's_indigestive_system on Sat, 5 Jun 1999 22:36:21 +0200 (CEST)


[Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

<nettime> Demon UK forced to censor usenet feed (wouters, NTKnow)


     Paul Wouters <paul@xtdnet.nl> (courtesy of patrice riemens)
          Demon UK (had to) censor
     NTKnow
          excerpt from 4 june issue (courtesy of t byfield)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

From: Paul Wouters <paul@xtdnet.nl>
To: discussion@hippiesfromhell.org
Subject: Demon UK (had to) censor

It was to be expected,

Demon UK was found responsible for the content of an article on their 
newsserver made by a US citizen on a US news server that propagated to
them through the Usenet a while ago (And Scientology hasn't even found out
about this and used it as an argument in their favour :)

As such, they are now more or less forced to censor articles on their
news server, and are blocking a few people that posted references to the
articles. Apparently even quoting a newsarticle that mentions the URL is
something they can be hold liable for (and as such they now have to forbid).

I guess this could also mean that the entire alt.binaries.*.erotica.* is 
illegal in the UK as soon as someone blames the indecency on the ISP. In fact,
go sell your Demon UK shares, they won't have any money left after a zillion
people worldwide will sue them for every penny they have left for contributing
to slander by means of Usenet.

*sigh* It's going quite well with the Internet lately. I think I'll start 
breeding some pigeons now.....

References (through slashdot):

http://x32.deja.com/getdoc.xp?AN=484559175
http://www.dispatches.demon.net/pr/1999/pr1999-03-26a.html

Paul

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 _   _ _____ _  __ <*the* weekly high-tech sarcastic update for the uk>
| \ | |_   _| |/ / _ __   __1999-06-04_ o join! mail 'subscribe ntknow'
|  \| | | | | ' / | '_ \ / _ \ \ /\ / / o  to majordomo@lists.ntk.net
| |\  | | | | . \ | | | | (_) \ v  v /  o website (+ archive) lives at:
|_| \_| |_| |_|\_\|_| |_|\___/ \_/\_/   o     http://www.ntk.net/

     <...>

         Boo, Demon, boo! Boo for denying USENET access to anyone
         posting links to the infamous LAURENCE GODFREY fake postings
         [NTK 1999-03-12] - archived by, ahem, "a popular discussion
         group search engine". Of course, we'd feel a lot happier
         laying into this craven spinelessness if we hadn't done
         more or less the same thing, and heeded Laurence's sensible
         encouragement to remove all our links to defamatory
         postings about him three months ago. Our sympathies, then,
         lie with Demon. Unless it really is impossible for them to
         keep these links off the newsfeed: if indeed, attempting
         to cancel these messages just makes them spread further...
         http://www.courtservice.gov.uk/godfrey3.htm
                             - hmm. well, *maybe* we can link to this
         http://www.ntk.net/index.cgi?back=a99/now0312.txt&l=46#l
                                              - anyone for a Webring?

     <...>

                               >> SMALL PRINT <<

       Need to Know is a useful and interesting UK digest of things that
         happened last week or might happen next week. You can read it
       on Friday afternoon or print it out then take it home if you have
     nothing better to do. It is compiled by NTK from stuff they get sent.
          It is registered at the Post Office as "never on a Sunday"
                        ( http://www.unmetered.org.uk/ )

                                 NEED TO KNOW
            THEY STOLE OUR REVOLUTION. NOW WE'RE STEALING IT BACK.
                         Archive - http://www.ntk.net/
                      Excuses - http://www.spesh.com/ntk/
     Unsubscribe? Mail majordomo@lists.ntk.net with 'unsubscribe ntknow'.
       Subscribe? Mail majordomo@lists.ntk.net with 'subscribe ntknow'.
NTK now is supported by UNFORTU.NET, and by you: http://www.ntk.net/books/

                          (K) 1999 Special Projects.
             Copying is fine, but include URL: http://www.ntk.net/

            Tips, news and gossip to tips@spesh.com - remember your
          work email may be monitored if sending sensitive material.
  Remember: Sending >500KB attachments is forbidden by the Geneva Convention.
              Your country may be at risk if you fail to comply.

---
#  distributed via nettime-l : no commercial use without permission
#  <nettime> is a closed moderated mailinglist for net criticism,
#  collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets
#  more info: majordomo@desk.nl and "info nettime-l" in the msg body
#  URL: http://www.desk.nl/~nettime/  contact: nettime-owner@desk.nl