From: kadie@eff.org (Carl M. Kadie)
Subject: Abstract of CAF-News 02.34
Originator: kadie@eff.org
Organization: The Electronic Frontier Foundation
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 19:28:30 GMT

This is an abstract for the most recent "Computers and Academic
Freedom News" (CAF-News). Information about CAF-News follows the
abstract. The full CAF-News is available via anonymous ftp or by
email. For ftp access, do an anonymous ftp to ftp.eff.org
(192.88.144.4). Get file "pub/academic/news/cafv02n34".
The full CAF-News is also available via email. Send email to
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--- begin abstract ---
[Week ending July 12, 1992

  [This week's guest editor is is John F. Nixon. A critique
   of the Virginia policy given in article 12 is available
   via anonymous ftp from
          ftp.eff.org:pub/policies/virginia.pen.edu.critique.
    - Carl]

========================== KEY ================================
The words after the numbers are a short PARAPHRASES of the
articles, or QUOTES from them, NOT AN OBJECTIVE SUMMARY and
not necessarily my opinion.
===============================================================

Notes 1-3 are about a broadcast on CITY-TV (an independent Toronto television
station) concerning pornography on Usenet.

1. This is a transcript of a portion of a CITY-TV broadcast from 6
July.  A reporter and a student (?) explore the alt.sex newsgroup. A
system administrator (?) states the University is not taking the
position of censor, and does not control the information an individual
may seek out. One female states that this material is harmful to
women, and a different female says that, although offensive, nothing
should be done to restrict the information.
    <1992Jul7.150830.27316@ccu.umanitoba.ca>

2. The lack of a central control within Usenet may prove surprising to
reporters.  "This lack of control is something that, in my mind, would
be very difficult for those in conventional media to grasp." Usenet
mechanisms may replace conventional media, and we should be aware this
may affect the behavior of the press towards Usenet.
    <2A5A5D2D.32D7@telly.on.ca>

3. The misunderstanding of the Canadian background (political and
historical) to the CITY-TV broadcast is debated. "Most Canadians also
seem to support laws restricting certain materials which we deem
pornographic. I dare say that few Canadians perceive any significant
clash between these values and their fundamental rights." Most
Canadians support the "hate literature laws".
    <1992Jul12.152040.9493@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca>

Notes 4-9 are about sexual harassment on Usenet.

4. "Have there ever been any cases in the U.S. of sexual harassment
charges related to postings on Usenet?"
    <9207082121.AA11628@framsparc.ocf.llnl.gov.ocf>

5. "If some women find Usenet (or some other medium) hostile, what
should be done?  Should they be protected by some authority?" "I think
'protection' from offsensive ideas is paternalism."
    <1992Jul10.010025.6972@eff.org>

6. "...I think most mem do not understand the climate of fear in which
women live in this country. And that fear restricts their freedom of
expression."  Men feel free to post notes requesting rides, for
example, while women do not. "I'm not saying we have to delete the
alt.sex groups from Usenet, but I would like to make men aware of how
I feel ... when attending lecture[s where] gratuitous references [to]
alt.sex.pictures [are made]."
    <Br6H6x.AsL@news.cso.uiuc.edu>

7. "I have never seen any indication that women are subject to
violence for things which they say in a public forum." There is a
disparity between rates of violence for men and women, with men
subject to greater violence.  "I find the assumption that violence
against women should receive some special attention not given to
violence against men rather sexist."
    <1992Jul10.224407.23105@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu>

8. (Lars Bader:) "Sorry, my last post was too harsh. Patt Leonard's
remarks were a statement of frustration... not a demand for
censorship." [Ed. - I have included this in fairness to Lars]
    <1992Jul11.020445.1227@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu>

9. "...the conputer-mediated environment is proving no more
enlightened than its analog counterpart." The majority of Usenet posts
are by men, and the majority of posts on women's issues are also by
men. "It is obvious that the rule-makers are going by the same old
rules."
    <Br9GBv.5E@news.cso.uiuc.edu>

Note 10 concerns a study by Syracuse University on the role of public libraries
in determining Internet/NREN policy.

10. "Syracuse University's School of information Studies announces the
availability of a year long study inventigating the role of public
libraries in developing and exploiting the next generation of national
networks embodied in the Internet/NREN."
    <199207101342.AA16960@eff.org>

Note 11 presents Virginia's Public Education Network Acceptable Use Policy.

11. The "Acceptable Use Policy" for Virginia's Public Education
Network is presented, with guidelines and policy statements.
"Acceptance of the policies are automatic upon use of the network."
The Public Education Network is accessable to K-12 teachers and
students.
    <199207071841.AA17968@eff.org>

Note 12 is about the Email policy of the State of Washington

12. "The state of Washington has an E-mail policy that divides email
records into 3 catagories: calendars, policy and non-policy
correspondence."
    <199207081837.AA06941@eff.org>

- John F. Nixon]

--- end   abstract ---

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Disclaimer: This CAF-News abstract was compiled by a guest editor or a
regular editor (Paul Joslin, Elizabeth M. Reid, Adam C. Gross, Mark C.
Sheehan or Carl M. Kadie). It is not an EFF publication. The views an
editor expresses and editorial decisions he or she makes are his or
her own.

-- 
Carl Kadie -- I do not represent EFF; this is just me.
 =kadie@eff.org, kadie@cs.uiuc.edu =
Newsgroups: alt.comp.acad-freedom.talk