Re: V-chip?

[Jon Lasser <jlasser@rwd.goucher.edu>]

On 25 Jan 1996, Jeff Williams wrote:

> Tim May writes:
> 
> > Anyone telling me I have to rate my work, or submit it to a ratings agency,
> > is aggressing against me. Now, if others rate my work (which is already
> > happening with digest services such as "CP-Lite"), this is their business,
> > not mine. But the V-Chip precedent is a precedent for the government to
> > insist that all sorts of content be rated. This should be fought in a free
> > society.
> 
> But what if they *ask* you nicely to label your work?
> 
>   "If you think your message is offensive, violent, or racist,
>    would you please consider labelling it?"
> 
> I don't think I'd mind.  In fact, *optional* labels would make me more likely
> to post such material, because I'd have some confidence that it would only be
> read by people who want to read it. (And they could even find it more
> quickly!)
[...commentary on labeling deleted...]

The problem is that labeling which begins as voluntary often has other 
consequences... for example, the voluntary labeling in the music 
industry. Although it's voluntary labeling, one state (Washington, I 
believe) at one point nearly passed (or possibly did pass - I can't 
remember) legislation making it illegal to sell labeled albums to minors.

The label itself, of course, was still voluntary.

I'm not opposed to *truly* and *permanantly* voluntary labeling; I'm just 
afraid of such labeling becoming permanant and mandatory...

Jon
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jon Lasser                <jlasser@rwd.goucher.edu>            (410)494-3072 
          Visit my home page at http://www.goucher.edu/~jlasser/
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