Re: Free speech debate on MSN Encarta

["Mark M." <markm@voicenet.com>]

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On Sat, 23 Mar 1996, Joe Block wrote:

> This is easily done from a technical standpoint.  There is a set of patches
> for the CERN server that lets you have it automatically delete
> advertisments from certain prominent sites (used to be called NoShit, I
> heard they changed the name) when you're running in proxy mode.  You can
> even have it change profanity into "EXON EXON" on the fly.  Running
> something like this is probably a good thing for the ISP as running a cache
> will allow them to get more mileage out of their net connection.
> 
> However, I don't think it likely that many ISPs will go this route from a
> liability point of view - if some parent is paying them to filter out smut,
> and little Zippy finds a brand new x-rated site, chances are some irate
> parent will sue them.  With the proliferation of new pages, it is
> impossible for anyone to keep up, unless the authors voluntarily include
> some smutscan codes in their pages.

Couldn't the proxy be configured to deny access to all "unrated" pages?
Of course, this would mean that some kind of standardized web page rating
system be devised; however, I think there are already several proposals for
rating schemes.  BTW, does anyone know how such a proxy system could be
used in all Internet traffic, not just the web.  It is not very difficult
to get a gopher client or telnet client to communicate with a web server,
bypassing any access restrictions.

ObCrypto: The next step would be a rating system using digital signatures
and the proxy software being setup to trust certain signatures more than
others.

- --Mark

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"The concept of normalcy is just a conspiracy of the majority" -me


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