a message to Japan re our censorship bill

[Dave Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

I sent the following message to some Japanese friends. I hope you find it
interesting


Dave


Date: Wed, 20 Dec 1995 11:25:48 -0500
To: japan friends
From: Dave Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>
Subject: the right is winning
Cc: farber () central cis upenn edu


I am sorry that you guys did not get to hear all my talk at the Frontiers in
Telecom. That final part of the speech was focused on the impact of the
"Exon" bill and its descendants on the growth of the NII/GII. It talked
about the catastrophe that bill could be for the evolution of the network.
It was the first time I have managed to get a Japanese audience to stir and
ask real questions. 


I believe that such a bill, if passed as part of the Telecom reform bill,
will cause a shock wave that will leave debris in its path. For example, the
Universities will have to face what to do when 25% of it's students are
under the age of 18. Commercial services will, in my mind, have to severely
restrain the free acting type of interaction that is currently encouraged.
ECommerce will get stalled since at this time the major market for it is
pornography and that is certainly indecent communications. Just how they can
operate and how any carrier can allow them to operate is a problem.


Will the law be constitutional? Who knows. Most likely no but... If the
opponents cannot get a restraining order (must show servere irreversible
impact) then things will start unraveling.


How will that impact the GII. It will encourage the passing of similar bills
in other nations. It, due to the belief on the part of the USA that it has
extra-territorial reach, slow and stop the use of facilities that might be
used to carry such indecent material for fear that the US will seize their
US property and even arrest their executives when they land in the US. 


Sound scifi?


I wish it was. The spectacular growth of the network outside the commercial
arena is due to the freedom and adventure it offers. If that is limited and
regulated and if the model for the network becomes the broadcast/AOL model
-- controlled, then I believe it will loose the drive it has and will be
like many other fads that peak and die.


My bet is 50/50 on this one. Those are damn poor odds given the importance
of the net to the future prosperity of the planet.


I for one intend to contimue to speak and warn in front of any audience that
will listen.


Dave