@Home Censorship Issues
Eric Payne
on... for the last few weeks, the number of new headers in the gay
"adult" newsgroups to which I subscribe have been getting fewer and
fewer... and then limited to text messages only.
At the same time, I subscribe to nine gay yahoo groups, receiving
daily emails from five of them.
On August 12, the emails from those groups simply ceased.
I just got off both an online chat, and a telephone conversation with
ATT @Home. Apparently, a "censorship rule" was quietly put in place on
August 13th (at midnight). According to the tech people with whom I
spoke, this was to effect newsgroups, only, as was to eliminate access
to "illegal material" such as warez, mp3s and movies.
My lover is addicted to MP3s. The newsgroups to which he subscribes,
all clearly identified as MP3 newsgroups, have not been affected by
this censoring... the average number of headers/binaries to the groups
has not changed.
I like warez; the same there - no change in content.
But alt.mag.playgirl? There has not been a new binary pulled since
August 12; there have been continuous binary postings.
ATT is telling me the yahoo problem is on yahoo's side; the
listmasters have provided me with the kickback messages they received:
ATT @Home's server refused them.
When asked to be provided a hard copy of ATT's new policy in re:
censorship, the request is simply denied. When questioned as to why it
is effecting e-mail, they claim it's not, that the problem is on
yahoo's side, and the cessation of adult emails on the same date the
new censorship policy went into effect is simply an amazing
coincidence.
I've given them until Monday morning to correct this issue; at that
time, I intend on contacting the ACLU if the problem has not been
resolved.
Eric Payne
Livermore, CA
--
This is message #143.
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Chief Thracian
wrote:
>I've given them until Monday morning to correct this issue; at that
>time, I intend on contacting the ACLU if the problem has not been
>resolved.
The pogrom against gays has just begun. You are witnessing the first
wave of it...and the mildest as history will some day prove.
---
Hail Athenia, brave new gay nation!
Zeke Krahlin, Chief Thracian
http://surf.to/gaybible
--
This is message #149.
Walter Bell
affiliate, I don't think this is an issue that they will get involved in.
@Home and AT&T are private companies, just as QueerNet is a private
organization that can choose what materials they want on their system. This
also is applicable for YahooGroups.
The ACLU is involved with censorship issues where the government is
violating your First Amendment rights.
I suggest contacting one of the AT&T GLBT employee groups and seeing if they
can help with finding out what AT&T new policies are if you can't get them
otherwise. If it can be determined that they are censoring gay related
materials, a campaign could be started against them to have that changed.
Walter
Eric Payne
Livermore, CA
--
This is message #150.
GIA Campaign
see if they were being censored and they do not appear to be censored to me
at all.
Just my 2 cents.
-Robert
--
This is message #151.
GIA Campaign
@Home's email server that has nothing to do with whether its gay or not.
I belong to two discussion groups for gay Mormons and also a group for a Web
site which sends updates about Mormon temples under construction. I am not
receiving emails from any of those groups, but if one visits the Yahoo
groups Web site, there are messages being sent out.
I checked with a friend who is also on the Mormon Temple group, but has them
sent to his hotmail acct. He has been regularly receiving the posted
messages sent to his email, while I have not.
I've had @Home service for about 15 months and I constantly have weird
problems with my email. I think it's more likely some sort of @Home email
server problem than a censorship problem.
I just checked alt.mag.playgirl and I see on there "binary" posts as recent
as August 28.
-Robert
> alt.mag.playgirl has not had a new binary posting pulled since August 12. I am
> a member of nine yahoo groups, which send out pics daily; I've not received a
> pic from any of the groups since August 12th; checking with the Yahoo site,
> they've all been sending at least ten a day.
>
> Eric
--
This is message #152.
Robert A Jones
see if they were being censored and they do not appear to be censored to me
at all.
Just my 2 cents.
-Robert
> I'm an @Home subsriber, and have been noticing something weird going
--
This is message #155.
Bob Russell
Spam trap by your ISP. There are various blacklists of ISPs which allow
spamming (whether intentionally or not). Other ISPs subscribe to these
lists, and accept _no_ mail from those sites on the blacklist. Not every
ISP subscribes to every blacklist, and some are much more aggressive than
others in adding offenders to the list (some will contact the offender, to
give them a chance to fix the problem, others blacklist the offender
immediately, with no warning).
Some of the worst sites for spamming, and the best for spammers, are the
ones that provide free email accounts, such as hotmail and yahoo.
It's easy to get on a blacklist, even for sites which have no intention of
allowing Spam. Some mail transfer agents allow relaying of mail from
another site, such that it appears to have originated on the relay host.
This hole needs to be closed. Other sites have web servers which include
mailing scripts which are in the public domain, well known in the spamming
community, and easy to invoke from anywhere in the world.
As for one Yahoo (or ATT, etc.) subscriber finding lots of postings in a
Usenet news group, and another not, it could be because they are using
different news servers. One may be receiving more posts than the other.
Usenet is pretty notorious for not reliably posting all submissions.
Bob Russell
Bob Russell rs...@pge.com
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
San Francisco, California
I speak not for PG&E, PG&E speaketh not for me.
--
This is message #157.
Soren Wolf
this, however, this is a real issue. I have started to see companies
doing self censorship like this because they fear government
retaliation. As such, the largest, most accessible sites are becoming
more and more puritanical. What concerns me is considering we all must
pay *someone* for our ISP connection (unless we happen to be extremely
wealthy) and so it makes me nervous to hear of @Home restricting
access. It means that the ACLU will probably *not* get involved because
the government isn't legislating these things.
However, there has been a lot of political chain rattling going on and
in this world of ISPs and .coms going belly up, are we going to see them
start to implement censorship rules pro-actively to avoid government
scrutiny or public outcry? The government can't control internet
content, but they can certainly make ISPs liable for content which means
they will effectively block our access to all sorts of information they
deem inappropriate.
don't like it a bit....
Soren
This is message #158.
Eric Payne
I was told by two different @Home techs that on August 13th, at midnight, they began
censoring the UseNET newsgroups they make available to their customers on their
newservers. Some of the newsgroups have been immediately effected, some will be in the
future. One of the first newsgroups they started cesnoring was alt.mag.playgirl. They
are not censoring alt.mag.playboy. The only binary posting to that group since August
13th were two multi-group spam postings.
In addition, I subscribe to 9 adult email groups, with four I receive a daily digest,
with five, I receive individual mailings.
On August 13th, those mailing lists began getting "kickbacks" from @Home's mail server
saying their server would not accept the email. The @Home techs have tried to convince
me the spontanaity of the e-mails no longer getting through, and the inception of a
UseNET censorship (which they freely admit to putting in place) both beginning on the
same date is simply an amazing coincidence.
I contend there is no "coincidence" about it. I've since heard from other @Home users
who've agreed with me... and been WARNED by @Home the content of their email and
UseNET postings was inappropriated, and could lead to account cancellations.
And, yes, those warnings were given AFTER August 13th.
Eric Payne
Livermore, CA
--
This is message #159.
Roger B.A. Klorese
> I was told by two different @Home techs that on August 13th, at midnight, they began
> censoring the UseNET newsgroups they make available to their customers on their
> newservers. Some of the newsgroups have been immediately effected, some will be in the
> future. One of the first newsgroups they started cesnoring was alt.mag.playgirl. They
> are not censoring alt.mag.playboy. The only binary posting to that group since August
> 13th were two multi-group spam postings.
It's likely that the copyright-holders for Playgirl objected to them and
those for Playboy did not.
> In addition, I subscribe to 9 adult email groups, with four I receive
> a daily digest, with five, I receive individual mailings.
>
> On August 13th, those mailing lists began getting "kickbacks" from @Home's mail server
> saying their server would not accept the email.
Surely the error message was more specific than simply that they would not
be accepted. What exactly do they say?
--
ROGER B.A. KLORESE rog...@QueerNet.ORG
PO Box 14309 San Francisco, CA 94114
"Go without hate. But not without rage. Heal the world." -- Paul Monette
--
This is message #160.
GIA Campaign
issues.
> On Thu, 30 Aug 2001, Eric Payne wrote:
>> I was told by two different @Home techs that on August 13th, at midnight,
>> they began
>> censoring the UseNET newsgroups they make available to their customers on
>> their
>> newservers. Some of the newsgroups have been immediately effected, some will
>> be in the
>> future. One of the first newsgroups they started cesnoring was
>> alt.mag.playgirl. They
>> are not censoring alt.mag.playboy. The only binary posting to that group
>> since August
>> 13th were two multi-group spam postings.
>
> It's likely that the copyright-holders for Playgirl objected to them and
> those for Playboy did not.
>
>> In addition, I subscribe to 9 adult email groups, with four I receive
>> a daily digest, with five, I receive individual mailings.
>>
>> On August 13th, those mailing lists began getting "kickbacks" from @Home's
>> mail server
>> saying their server would not accept the email.
>
> Surely the error message was more specific than simply that they would not
> be accepted. What exactly do they say?
--
This is message #161.
Chief Thracian
wrote:
>Personally, I think there are technical issues going
>on here, not censorship issues.
It is VERY EASY for large, Internet services to manipulate any and all
data, and make it look like a mere "technical issue". What an
interesting technical glitch, if this problem tends to wipe out
gay-related material, and no other!
What...did they invent some sort of anti-gay virus that will spread to
the entire 'Net, and even into our own PC's?
No doubt. They have the money to hire the best hackers.
---
Hail Athenia, brave new gay nation!
Zeke Krahlin, Chief Thracian
http://surf.to/gaybible
--
This is message #170.
Chief Thracian
<sono...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>I have started to see companies
>doing self censorship like this because they fear government
>retaliation.
Well, they don't fear "government" as much as they do the Religious
Reich. (But since it has now usurped our gov't, it's almost down to
the same difference.) What they truly FEAR is being identified with
supporting any known gay group...for then they could wind up on the
LIST of unAmerikans, and wind up in a concentration camp.
So, in order to avoid any controversy in the gay matter
whatsoever...the ISP's will simply eliminate them through their
anti-gay filters (called anti-"pornography", to make it all sound so
fair).
>The government can't control internet
>content, but they can certainly make ISPs liable for content which means
>they will effectively block our access to all sorts of information they
>deem inappropriate.
As I first predicted over two years ago, that all gay presence on the
Internet will eventually be banned. It's happening now. Very soon,
Ashcroft will officially declare homosexual material of any sort, to
be pornography...and such a statement will become part of a new,
Internet porn law. Than, a couple weeks later, Bush will declare gay
people a danger to our Amerikan Family Values.
That's when the anti-gay holocaust starts, spreading beyond our shores
to envelope the entire globe; with even little Holland collapsing (for
she shirked when The Beast came to judge).
During this cataclysm, riots will break out in Vermont, then in
Florida...and spread out to neighboring states, and further. The U.S.
Military will be hard pressed to staunch the increasing number of
reactionary outbursts across the nation. They won't have the manpower
or preparedness to deal with the secession of Northern California:
world's first gay nation "Athenia".
And Athenia will become the ONLY safe haven for gays in the entire
world, during this period of global transition. Much more will occur
during these end times, including my ascendency to become President of
Athenia, as well as a respected leader of our globabl community.
Of course, there will others who rapidly ascend to world power in
favor of gay liberation. This includes our own Tom Keske, presently
residing in the Boston area.
And I guess Roger Klorese will play some sort of underground
networking role, seeing as he is already so adept at running group
communique via cyberspace. We need some sort of powerful information
scrambler, with decoding ability for all loyal participants.
---
Hail Athenia, brave new gay nation!
Zeke Krahlin, Chief Thracian
http://surf.to/gaybible
--
This is message #171.
Chief Thracian
wrote:
>I think you're too reactionary.
Yes, I'd say the constant villification and bashing of gay people in
our society has, perhaps, made me a bit paranoid; hence reactionary.
Mea culpa.
---
Hail Athenia, brave new gay nation!
Zeke Krahlin, Chief Thracian
http://surf.to/gaybible
--
This is message #172.
Chief Thracian
wrote:
>Not that it doesn't happen in our society, but you seem
>to see gay bashing everywhere, even where it does not exist.
Gay bashing IS just about everywhere. I have yet to delude myself into
thinking it exists, where it does not. Aren't you aware of the hate
talk radio show on KSFO, right here in Gay Mecca? I could go on with a
long list of homophobic attitudes, even in the most "gay friendly"
area of the U.S.
But I don't accept being put into defensive positions any more. I am
way beyond that. Offensive tactics are the only useful ones any more;
the rest is a waste of time, and lives.
---
Hail Athenia, brave new gay nation!
Zeke Krahlin, Chief Thracian
http://surf.to/gaybible
--
This is message #173.
Roger B.A. Klorese
> What concerns me is considering we all must
> pay *someone* for our ISP connection (unless we happen to be extremely
> wealthy) and so it makes me nervous to hear of @Home restricting
> access.
@Home isn't restricting access, other than possibly overaggressively
applying anti-mass-mailing policies. I've never had a filtering problem
with a national ISP that couldn't be solved by explaining what we do and
how we do it.
What they *are* doing is refusing to be a publisher of this content from
their servers. I think that's not only their right, but a good thing, in
that it leaves the business of prividing publishing services to
publishers.
If you want USENET access, use a USENET provider -- don't expect your
national ISP to do a good job of it.
--
ROGER B.A. KLORESE rog...@QueerNet.ORG
PO Box 14309 San Francisco, CA 94114
"Go without hate. But not without rage. Heal the world." -- Paul Monette
--
This is message #176.
Eric Bohlman
>I was told by two different @Home techs that on August 13th, at midnight, they began
>censoring the UseNET newsgroups they make available to their customers on their
>newservers. Some of the newsgroups have been immediately effected, some will be in the
>future. One of the first newsgroups they started cesnoring was alt.mag.playgirl. They
>are not censoring alt.mag.playboy. The only binary posting to that group since August
>13th were two multi-group spam postings.
Not allowing binary postings in groups outside of certain Usenet hierarchies (such as
alt.binaries.*) is a legitimate technical decision on the part of a news administrator. Because
binary postings are so much bigger than text postings, there are implications for things like
expiration times and even filesystem choice. I don't regard it as content-based censorship. If
they were refusing to pick up proper binaries groups based on objections to the groups' content,
then I'd sympathize with you.
--
This is message #192.
Chief Thracian
wrote:
>People ought to be proactive and not reactionary.
>"Offensive" is a good word you use to describe
>yourself.
You couldn't debate your way out of a paper bag.
---
Hail Athenia, brave new gay nation!
Zeke Krahlin, Chief Thracian
http://surf.to/gaybible
--
This is message #195.
Roger B.A. Klorese
> >People ought to be proactive and not reactionary.
> >"Offensive" is a good word you use to describe
> >yourself.
>
> You couldn't debate your way out of a paper bag.
And, OK, without pushing into the formal-warning space, this is the end of
this name-calling-and-ad-hominem-attack season.
Stick to the issues, all of you.
--
ROGER B.A. KLORESE rog...@QueerNet.ORG
PO Box 14309 San Francisco, CA 94114
"Go without hate. But not without rage. Heal the world." -- Paul Monette
--
This is message #196.
Chief Thracian
<rog...@QueerNet.ORG> wrote:
>And, OK, without pushing into the formal-warning space, this is the end of
>this name-calling-and-ad-hominem-attack season.
Look, if you don't assume the responsibility of telling nasty bitches
to back off, then I am all too glad to do this for you. I know how
busy you are with other irons in the fire. But knowing this, does not
mean I should tolerate lower standards when applied to me, than for
everyone else on your list.
What do you guys think I am: the local GayNet whore?
---
Hail Athenia, brave new gay nation!
Zeke Krahlin, Chief Thracian
http://surf.to/gaybible
--
This is message #199.
Chief Thracian
<eboh...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>If they were refusing to pick up proper binaries groups
>based on objections to the groups' content,
>then I'd sympathize with you.
But that was his point exactly: that gay binaries are being censored,
while the ones for heteros are not. Here is his quote:
>>"One of the first newsgroups they started cesnoring was
>>alt.mag.playgirl. They are not censoring alt.mag.playboy."
---
Hail Athenia, brave new gay nation!
Zeke Krahlin, Chief Thracian
http://surf.to/gaybible
--
This is message #208.
Cheopys
On Thu, 30 Aug 2001 20:33:19 -0500, Eric Bohlman
<eboh...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>If they were refusing to pick up proper binaries groups
>based on objections to the groups' content,
>then I'd sympathize with you.
But that was his point exactly: that gay binaries are being censored,
while the ones for heteros are not. Here is his quote:
>>"One of the first newsgroups they started cesnoring was
>>alt.mag.playgirl. They are not censoring alt.mag.playboy."
I've seen you on APH. You are a complete jerk and I think you're psychotic to boot. Not to mention a drooling and piss-stained bigot.
Chief Thracian
>So find another port to newsgroups and just deal.
My, no compassion in your department, is there? So, a bunch of silly
faggots get censored, not your problem, eh?
>I've seen you on APH. You are a complete jerk and I think you're psychotic
>to boot.
Well, isn't that rather subjective on your part, dearest? After all,
I'm sure you couldn't help but notice those posters who wrote
FAVORABLY of my comments, and are quite supportive. Of course,
mentioning that little tidbit of truth would sabotage your little web
of maliciousness, now wouldn't it?
> Not to mention a drooling and piss-stained bigot.
Now why is it that Roger Klorese allows GayNet members to verbally
bash me, yet when I strike back, it's a big no-no? Again, I register
my complaint against Roger for permitting a double standard when it
comes to how I am treated in this group.
---
Hail Athenia, brave new gay nation!
Zeke Krahlin, Chief Thracian
http://surf.to/gaybible
--
This is message #228.
Cheopys
> Not to mention a drooling and piss-stained bigot.
Now why is it that Roger Klorese allows GayNet members to verbally
bash me, yet when I strike back, it's a big no-no? Again, I register
my complaint against Roger for permitting a double standard when it
comes to how I am treated in this group.
A bigot is a bigot, and whether it's gays or blacks or "people who are not queer like me" who are the targets, I've no use for any of them. If you don't want to be treated harshly then try acting like an adult. In the years I've read your hate-crazed and twisted writing you have shown not a glimmer of maturity.
We have to live with heterosexuals and we also have to live with heterosexuals whose regard for us falls somewhat short of dancing in the streets to celebrate diversity. Maybe you think that a posture of eternal and unrelenting belligerence is a good way to make progress. I know it isn't. Good day.