U.S. presidential debate: URLs, V-Chip, huge databases

[Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 6 Oct 1996 20:53:38 -0700 (PDT)
From: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
To: fight-censorship@vorlon.mit.edu
Subject: U.S. presidential debate: URLs, V-Chip, huge databases

Tonight's U.S. presidential debate highlighted no embarrassing
missteps by either participant. Like the 1992 debate in Richmond,
Virginia, it spotlighted the issues. It was classy, not memorable.

Except for one sentence that will go down in Net.history -- Bob Dole
ended the 90-minute session with what he framed as an appeal to
younger voters: "If you really want to get involved, tap into my home
page at www.dolekemp96.org. Thank you."

Ain't it hip to be a netizen?

I didn't hear any other Net-references or mentions of encryption,
terrorism legislation, or the CDA during the debate, except for
Clinton's continued support of the V-Chip and universal service for
schools. He said, "Let's make education our priority... so that every
12-year old can log onto the Internet," adding later that he wanted to
wire "all of our classrooms to the Internet by the year 2000."

Not one to let an opportunity to preach censorship pass him by,
Clinton added: "I supported the V-Chip so parents can control what
their kids see... along with rating systems for TV programs." What?
Parents can't control their kids, so government must?

(I fear what the CDA Round II may bring next summer after the Supreme
Court rules, especially if the second try has Congressional backing
and support from a Clinton White House. We may see a law demanding
"voluntary" ratings of web sites with RSACi in exchange for immunity
from prosecution.)

Dole called the use of illegal drugs a heinous crime, accusing Clinton
of being a "liberal." Then, responding to a get-tough-on-guns
challenge from his opponent, Dole suggested a database system that
would check your identity and background before allowing you to buy a
gun: "You put your card in there and if it says 'tilt' you get
nothing. No guns. Zippo."

These are hardly the words of someone who gives a rat's ass about
privacy. What's worse, elephantine government databases or V-chip
style censorship? All I know is that neither of 'em has my vote.

-Declan