From: bladex@wixer.uucp (David Smith)
Subject: FidoNet News -- Ask EFF! column by Shari Steele
Originator: riddle@aahsa.tic.com
X-Submissions: eff-austin@tic.com
Organization: none
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 05:57:26 GMT

Fido News is the electronic newsletter for FIDO BBS networks created by Tom
Jennings and Tim Polzar.  A new feature, mentioned below, is Ask EFF! in
which Shari Steele of the EFF-Washington office answers questions sysops
might have concerning their legal rights and responsibilities.

Fido News is regularly distributed via the comp.org.fidonet Usenet newsgroup.
It is also distributed via the Fido BBS network system, though I am unsure of
the details. [Ask your local friendly fido sysop].

Either way, this is a pointer to information that you might not otherwise
know about.

Th...


> >
> > F I D O  N E W S --         |         Vol. 9 No. 49 (7 December 1992)
> >   A newsletter of the       |
> >   FidoNet BBS community     |         Published by:
> >           _                 |
> >          /  \               |        "FidoNews" BBS
> >         /|oo \              |         +1-415-863-2739
> >        (_|  /_)             | NEW!--> 1:1/23@FidoNet
> >         _`@/_ \    _        |         editor@fidonews.fidonet.org
> >        |     | \   \\       |
> >        | (*) |  \   ))      |         Editors:
> >        |__U__| /  \//       |          Tom Jennings
> >         _//|| _\   /        |          Tim Pozar
> >        (_/(_|(____/         |
> >              (jm)           |         Newspapers should have no friends.
> >                             |                         -- JOSEPH PULITZER
> > ----------------------------+---------------------------------------
> >
> > /*********************************************************************
> > * IMPORTANT NOTE: The FidoNet address for FidoNews has been changed. *
> > * The new address is:                                                *
> > *                                                                    *
> > *                     FidoNews  =  1:1/23                            *
> > *                                                                    *
> > * Starting January 1993 email sent to the old address will not be    *
> > * forwarded! You were warned!                                        *
> > *********************************************************************/
> >
> > For information, copyrights, article submissions, obtaining copies and
> > other boring but important details, please refer to the end of this
> > file.
> >
> >
> >                           Table of Contents
> > 1. EDITORIAL  .....................................................  1
> >    Editorial: Shut up it's good for you  ..........................  1
> > 2. ARTICLES  ......................................................  2
> >    Ask EFF!  ......................................................  2
> >    Routed NetMail Privacy  ........................................  3
> >    Say no to Squeeze-It  ..........................................  6
> >    A short 'YAP' reflection  ......................................  6
> >    DuckNet: Asylum From Usual Network Politics  ...................  7
> >    An Invitation to Visit The In_Country Echo  ....................  8
> >    (ORH) Operation Restore Hope - Somalia  ........................  8
> >    PC-MOS/386 echo local, maybe on the backbone ?  ................  9
> >    International RACISM Forum!  ................................... 10
> > 3. FIDONEWS INFORMATION  .......................................... 13
> > FidoNews 9-49                  Page 1                       7 Dec 1992
> >
> >
> > ======================================================================
> >                               EDITORIAL
> > ======================================================================
> >
> > Editorial: Shut up it's good for you
> >
> > by Tom Jennings (1:1/23)
> >
> > Slowly, ever so slowly I get around to things.
> >
> > With this issue starts a new regular column, "Ask EFF!", devoted to
> > answering questions about online rights for sysops. It will hopefully
> > run at least monthly. Please send any questions you have about online
> > rights to "Ask EFF" at the FidoNews address (like it sez in the
> > column), and I'll forward them on to Shari Steele at EFF. How the
> > process works somewhat depends on the number of questions received.
> >
> > If you don't know what or who the EFF is, the Electronic Frontier
> > Foundation was formed by some people concerned about preserving and
> > extending our communication rights into the electronic world(s). They
> > have defended a number of cases such as Steve Jackson games, and
> > pioneered some interesting stuff in Washington DC. While I hope the
> > EFF will occasionally send me some propaganda I mean articles to run,
> > you can see some of their work in a filearea on the FidoNews BBS. If
> > you have Internet access, you can contact them at eff@eff.org, or FTP
> > files directly from them. (They don't run a BBS or have direct FidoNet
> > access.)
> >
> >
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > FidoNews 9-49                  Page 2                       7 Dec 1992
> >
> >
> > ======================================================================
> >                                ARTICLES
> > ======================================================================
> >
> >
> >       +------------------------------------------------------+
> >       | Ask EFF!                                             |
> >       |                                                      |
> >       |    Ask EFF! is a monthly column devoted to answering |
> >       | sysops questions about their online rights. Answers  |
> >       | to "Ask EFF!" are provided by Shari Steele, a Staff  |
> >       | Attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation. EFF |
> >       | is a nonprofit, membership organization dedicated to |
> >       | advancing freedom and openness in computer-based     |
> >       | communications.                                      |
> >       |    Send your questions to "Ask EFF!" c/o FidoNews,   |
> >       | 1:1/23 in FidoNet, or to ask.eff@fidonews.fidonet.org|
> >       +------------------------------------------------------+
> >
> > Dear EFF,
> > There is a long message on a Fido echo about some New Jersey tv station's
> > "expose" on, horrors, porno GIF images on BBSs.  Enclosed in the message
> > are a couple of statements that the U.S. Senate is looking at a bill that
> > would require BBSs to register with the government.  Naturally, no bill
> > number or sponsor was named.  But have you heard of any such proposal?
> > Thanks!
> > Adam
> >
> >
> > Hi Adam.
> > The thought of the government making such a requirement of BBSs is pretty
> > scary stuff.  Fortunately, however, there was no such bill introduced in
> > the Senate last term (or the House, for that matter), and I don't
> > anticipate one being introduced next term either.
> >
> >
> >
> > Dear EFF,
> > I am the sysop of a Public BBS system that supports files and the general
> > chit chat found on most BBS systems.  However I would like to start
> > networking message areas that deal with phone/computer system topics.  The
> > messages will be checked before any of the user-posted messages can be read

> > by another user to make sure people are not posting long distance carrier
> > codes or system accounts, but I would also like to have a legal disclaimer.

> >  Is there any way you could help me with this?  Thanks.
> > Rob
> >
> >
> > Hi Rob.
> > It's a good idea to include a disclaimer if you intend to read and edit
> > user messages.  There is no standard disclaimer, but you could try
> > something like this:
> >
> > FidoNews 9-49                  Page 3                       7 Dec 1992
> >
> >
> > ***NOTICE***  Illegal activity is not permitted on this board.  Users may
> > not use this BBS to post any illegal messages, such as those containing
> > codes for gaining unauthorized access to computer or telephone systems.  To

> > ensure legality, all messages will be read by the sysop prior to posting.
> > The sysop will edit and/or delete messages that he believes contain illegal

> > information.  Do not leave messages you do not wish to be read, edited
> > and/or deleted by the sysop.
> >
> > Note that with this disclaimer you are only giving yourself permission to
> > edit/delete potentially illegal messages.  If you want to be able to also
> > edit/delete other messages (i.e., ones that are tasteless, or irrelevant to

> > the current flow of conversation, or repetitive, etc.), modify the
> > disclaimer to include this.  Also, feel free to adjust the disclaimer for
> > other specifics to your board.
> >
> >
> >
> > Dear EFF,
> > Is there an easy way for a sysop to recognize copyrighted GIFs that should
> > not be online?  I've had a couple I KNEW could not be kept in a BBS
> > collection, but with the enormous numbers of GIFs available....
> > Joyce
> >
> >
> > Hi Joyce.
> > The simple answer to your question is no.  Unfortunately, it is often
> > difficult for a sysop to know if something on his or her board is illegal.
> > The sysop's best bet is to contact the person making the upload if there is

> > any question.
> >
> > Incidently, it is very unlikely that a sysop would ever be held liable for
> > something on his or her board that was not obviously illegal, unless there
> > was some reason the sysop should have suspected illegal activity and did
> > nothing to avoid it.  In the recent case where Playboy sued a sysop for
> > carrying copyrighted GIF files on his board, Playboy had given him notice
> > and had requested that he remove the illegal files before filing suit.
> > (The Playboy case was settled out of court.)
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
>



Newsgroups: austin.eff