Re: Web caching liability

["Paul R.D. LANtinga" <planting () blrp28 verifone com>]

nbastin () mail-2 wtic net wrote:
> On Fri, 2 Jan 1998, Turnando Fuad wrote:
>
> > On a related note.
> >
> > I would be curious to the liability issues surrounding the use of web
> > proxy servers and Cisco Cache engines. ISP/NSPs traditionally only
> > forwards packets or are at least responsible to a certain degree for
> > resolution of IP addresses from DNS and routers. The use of these web
> > cache technologies allows ISP/NSPs to now *intelligently determine* what
> > data the requesting client receives. With web proxy server, at least the
> > client is aware(we hope) that data is being cached but the Cisco Cache
> > engine makes that process transparent. As we are all well aware, these
> > intelligent implementations don't always work. It seems that we are on
> > slippery grounds making content decisions for end user requests. And
> > doesn't it become even messier with the suggested/proposed web caching at
> > the MAEs or at the NSP level?
>
> I think I would have to categorize this 3 ways.  No 1, caching in
> principle and, working properly, is probably not breaching any lines of
> legality, even as they stand now, and commen sense tells us that's it's a
> good thing (not to say that common sense would help you in, at least an
> american, court of law.)  No 2, what AOL has is what I refer to as
> 'caching negligence'.  They run a cache because it's good idea, but they
> run it poorly, and fail to notice or respond when it screws up.  Probably
> the only people who have any legal recourse here are the AOL members,
> and not web site operators, since it's due to the negligence of AOL that
> the service for the members suffers.  No 3 would be 'caching with

So, go and get an aol account and start bitching.  That's done easily
enough and is a small price to pay to ensure that the kajilions of
aol'ers see one's site properly.  Granted, it's still hard not to
envision aolusers as ebola victims on a bus on the info super duper
highway.
-- 
Paul R.D. Lantinga Sr. Network Engineer
Verifone India Pvt. Ltd.   Bangalore