N.Y. attorney general forces ISPs to curb Usenet access

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kim - 12 Jun 2008 00:18 GMT

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-9964895-38.html?tag=nefd.lede

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truehawk - 12 Jun 2008 21:14 GMT

> http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-9964895-38.html?tag=nefd.lede

I don't know exactly what this means, but it looks like censorship
thousands of innocent conversations with the fig leaf of stopping
child pronography.

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MS - 14 Jun 2008 07:22 GMT

> http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-9964895-38.html?tag=nefd.lede

On reading the article, my thoughts:

1) not a bad idea to try to crack down on child pornography, as it is a
scourge. I don't fault Governor Cuomo for doing this at all.

2) However, the reaction of the ISPs mentioned is ridiculous--to prevent
their users from newsgroup access completely (Time-Warner) (hope they lose a
lot of customers as a result), eliminating access to all alt. newsgroups
(which would include this one) (Sprint), not sure what Verizon is doing.

Why not just eliminate access to newsgroups that are clearly dealing with
child porn?

Absurd to cut off Usenet completely, or all alt newsgroups, etc.

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MS - 07 Jul 2008 00:53 GMT

>......................... not sure what Verizon is doing.

Now I have heard from Verizon.

They are cutting off access to all newsgroups that do not fit into what they
call the "big 8 hierarchy", or something like that.That also means cutting
off access to all .alt newsgroups, including this one.

I suspect that these ISPs are just using the NY Att Gen thing as an excuse,
to cut down on their newsgroup service, to save themselves money.

I would suggest that anyone whose ISP is cutting off a major portion of
Usenet like that, write your ISP and complain. And--vote with your
money--switch carriers. Even if you are in a contract, this sudden change of
service could be a good reason to get out of a contract, without penalty.

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