In Defense of Myself
Acolyte
rancid emails, after I *incorrectly* maintained that Netcom, my employer,
did not maintain site names on their logs, I have been accused of being
some sort of agent or informant or at the very least, a threat or
danger. In an email sent to me earlier today, the author states:
> and you are OBVIOUSLY some kind of informent for the FBI or CIA becouse
> no one who is not would put PORN on theyre site and then put it on a
NEWSGROUP
> that is meant for girls but where men like to get gifs of boys. I like
> to look at boys too but i dont download from a site because of people like
> YOU who would turn me in. im glad the guy finally EXPOSED you and told
> us taht you LIED and dont work for netcom, because now we can KNOW who
> you realy are.
> DIE, FBI FUCKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is *really* unfortunate. I'm going to address a few things here that
have been asked most often of late (in email, mostly):
1. Who am I?
I am 19 years old. My name is Jason Bentley. I work at Netcom, an inter-
net service provider. I live in Los Gatos, California. I think that
teen idols are attractive. I have gobs of ftp space. I thought I'd
provide a service to others who like teen idols as much as I do.
2. Who do I work for?
I work as a technical support grunt thingie person at Netcom. I do not
work nor do I inform for any government agency. My employment affords
me gobs of ftp space to devote to however I please. To think that
someone (anonymously) "exposed" me is pretty immature and cheap.
3. Does Netcom log ftp transactions?
Yes. In my previous rebuttal, I was immature in my statement before I
checked with my supervisors. I spoke with Bruce Woodcock, systems analyst
here at Netcom and I learned that the site names as entered in the pass-
word field are logged and made public in the xferlog directory on
ftp.netcom.com. This is where Web Communications, the service that
provides me with my transfer log, get's their info. My apologies to all
for being wrong and insisting that they weren't logged.
4. Do *you* keep your transfer logs?
I log my totals and delete them. I really have no use for site names.
5. Do government agencies cul information from Netcom's filesystems?
No. Netcom is very security consious (almost to the point of being
ridiculous), and is very specific when it comes to user information.
User information is only released upon the formal presentation of a
warrant signed by a US Judge. Netcom does not, as the same guy who
wrote the tirade above put it:
> with your buddies. I know for A FACT that Netcom provides the FBI with
> an office in california at the main hq to keep tabs on people. So when
To think that Netcom would actually give office space to someone from
the government to make lists is ludicrous.
6. Do you have *special* pictures, personally or in hidden direcories?
You'd be amazed at how many times I've been asked in emails or on IRC if
I collect or keep kiddie porn. No, I don't. I don't even have *nudes*
of boys (or girls). I understand the social climate of America today,
and to keep such things, let alone *offer* them to others, is something
that I am not willing to risk the rest of my life in jail for. Now, if
the guy above thinks that video captures of Jonathen Taylor Thomas
and Zachary Ty Bryan playing air guitar is kiddie porn, than so be it.
People, *STOP* asking me for this stuff. I do not have nor do I dis-
tribute it. I am not an illegal connection. I keep legal pictures
on a publically accessable ftp site. Also, *STOP* uploading nudes or
X-rated pictures to my ftp site.
The bottom line: I would like to hear from people publically here,
people who know me to vouch for me, and people who think I'm something
other than I am to say so and to tell me why. Maintaining this site is
a bitch, but I like providing the service. If it is not wanted, or is
not apprecited, I will simply take it away. All of what I have told you
is true and can be verified. So this is my position, and it's in the group's
ballpark now. Do with it what you will.
Jase
11.12.94
BTW, on the site there are more Noah Hathaway pictures, a new Chad Allen
directory, and the home.improvement directory has been split up into the
three stars. More later. I'm going to bed. Zzzzzzzzzzz...
K.W. Curry
: To think that Netcom would actually give office space to someone from
: the government to make lists is ludicrous.
: 6. Do you have *special* pictures, personally or in hidden direcories?
: You'd be amazed at how many times I've been asked in emails or on IRC if
: I collect or keep kiddie porn. No, I don't. I don't even have *nudes*
: of boys (or girls). I understand the social climate of America today,
: and to keep such things, let alone *offer* them to others, is something
: that I am not willing to risk the rest of my life in jail for. Now, if
: the guy above thinks that video captures of Jonathen Taylor Thomas
: and Zachary Ty Bryan playing air guitar is kiddie porn, than so be it.
This is begining to be JOKE, Jase is doing nothing illegal, and he shouldn't
have to defend himself this way. ALL of the pics in his ftp dir are perfectly
legal, think about it, don't you people think that if he was trying to trap
people into getting kiddie pron then he'd put some there and THEN log who was getting it? The pics he has there are nothing more then studio shots and video
captures!!
Personaly I think who ever sharted all this horse shit about Jase's ftp site is
just trying to stir the group up, this used to be THE ONLY newsgroup that
didn't always have this type of bickering. If I remeber right the original
poster was doing it from behind an anonymous-poster, that right there should
tell you something.
Now get off of Jase's back, he's doing the internet community a HUGE favor,
regulars to this group know that there have been a ton of requests for
reposts, because someone missed a part of a pic, so he set up his ftp site so
you could get the pics from there. And besides does ANYONE know how much time
it takes to mantain an ftp site? I do, and thats why mine is no longer up,
because of ungreatful SOBs like these guys flaming Jase!
: People, *STOP* asking me for this stuff. I do not have nor do I dis-
: tribute it. I am not an illegal connection. I keep legal pictures
: on a publically accessable ftp site. Also, *STOP* uploading nudes or
: X-rated pictures to my ftp site.
: The bottom line: I would like to hear from people publically here,
: people who know me to vouch for me, and people who think I'm something
: other than I am to say so and to tell me why. Maintaining this site is
: a bitch, but I like providing the service. If it is not wanted, or is
: not apprecited, I will simply take it away. All of what I have told you
: is true and can be verified. So this is my position, and it's in the group's
: ballpark now. Do with it what you will.
: Jase
: 11.12.94
: BTW, on the site there are more Noah Hathaway pictures, a new Chad Allen
: directory, and the home.improvement directory has been split up into the
: three stars. More later. I'm going to bed. Zzzzzzzzzzz...
--
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___|| | The night prowler strikes again! | -----
//_||| | K.W. Curry | ----
,-----'| ~||| | <kevi...@netcom.com> | --
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Ti...@timmy.erinet.com
In article <acolyteC...@netcom.com>, <aco...@netcom.com>
writes:
Lines: 93
> 1. Who am I?
>
> I am 19 years old. My name is Jason Bentley. I work at Netcom,
an inter-
> net service provider. I live in Los Gatos, California. I think
that
> teen idols are attractive. I have gobs of ftp space. I thought
I'd
> provide a service to others who like teen idols as much as I do.
> 6. Do you have *special* pictures, personally or in hidden
I have spoken with several people who "know" Jasen to be as he
claims. He is a 19 - get that 19 - year old employee of netcom. He
has attempted to do NOTHING MORE THAN provide electronically what
many, many teen mags provide. That is, good, wholesome pics of our
favorite teen stars or star wanna-be's of interest. He personally
screens all pics to insure that not only are there no possible
X-rated pics, but not even what could be considered PG-13 by movie
rating standards.
While netcom may maintain logs of who ftp-connects to their servers (
who in their right mind wouldn't? - think about it), they have
adopted and endorsed a strong ethical standard regarding privacy if
for no other reason than the impact on the "bottom line" were they to
carelessly ignore the privacy of their user community.
Jason has gone to great lengths to provide a clean, wholesome site,
suitable for teens and others alike to feel assured that no one of
other than extreme convictions would be offended.
I commend Jason in his effort and accomplishment and suggest that
others of similar conviction let him know that we support and commend
his efforts.
True, there may be some "pervs" who browse his site, but, they will
find nothing to feed on.
Thanks Jason.
MAW10733
I personally like your FTP site. There is certainly nothing illegal on the
site. Further, it is idiotic to assume that the government has the time to keep
track of people who download pictures of television kids. Why in the world
would they care. If p
eople who are downloading these pictures are also keeping Illegal images, they
need to be much more concerned about other things than your ftp site.
Now, a question. Why am I being denied access to your ftp site? Have you
shut it down? Last night and today I logged onto netcom through ftp and was
denied access to /pub/acolyte/idols even though I could get access to many
other /pub subdirectories.
Please let me know what the deal is. Thanks for all your hard work. Don't let
the jerks get you down.
an4...@anon.penet.fi
Ti...@timmy.erinet.com writes:
>While netcom may maintain logs of who ftp-connects to their servers (
>who in their right mind wouldn't? - think about it), they have
>adopted and endorsed a strong ethical standard regarding privacy if
>for no other reason than the impact on the "bottom line" were they to
>carelessly ignore the privacy of their user community.
Oh, really? Are you aware of the following?
Also, note that the challange to the conviction in the Knox case was
just dropped, wherein images of fully-clothed children were deemed
to be pornographic.
From: cra...@netcom.com
Date: Wed, 7 Sep 1994 16:58:35 GMT
Newsgroups: alt.sex.pedophile.mike-labbe,alt.sex.intergen
Subject: Beware! Big Brother is upon us
This is cross-posted as a courtesy to other netcom users.
I neither condone nor disaprove of the activity in this newsgroup however I
do believe in free speech and freedom of information so here ya go.
pgp key available at ftp.netcom.com /pub/crafty/
[begin extract]
Sneak preview from Full Disclosure #32:
Some of you may be aware of the FBI subpeona for email transactions of
le...@netcom.com.
I called Netcom Communications to ask them about it. They had me talk to
Kathy Thompson with a PR firm representing Netcom Communications.
She wouldn't discuss the particulars of le...@netcom.com, and said they
were "not open to talking about it."
However, in general she said that it was "business as usual," and that
they have an ongoing program to "track and pursue any people breaking the
law using internet." The implication was this was an ongoing program between
netcom and the FBI. Additionally, she indicated that it was very "common
place" and likened it to monitoring telephone networks for illegal activity
(court ordered wiretaps are of course extremely rare).
She took back an offer for the President of Netcom to appear on Full
Disclosure Live.
I have no reason to believe that le...@netcom.com is, or has violated any
laws. I believe that the FBI has a pie-in-the-sky idea that by reading his
email they can track down Kevin Mitnick. (My conclusion from his postings
on the net).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Knaben 12
writes:
>>The bottom line: I would like to hear from people publically here,
>>people who know me to vouch for me
Well, I know you from IRC, and know that your are a good guy, and
want to thank you for providing the service you do.
Again thanks,
Ender12
Troy A Rutter
I was REALLY waiting for this to happen...
>
>I have no reason to believe that le...@netcom.com is, or has violated any
>laws. I believe that the FBI has a pie-in-the-sky idea that by reading his
>email they can track down Kevin Mitnick. (My conclusion from his postings
>on the net).
Does EVERY SINGLE GOSH-DARN Internet/FBI/Netcom conspiracy theory >HAVE<
to involve the infamous Kevin Mitnick? C'Mon... leave the guy alone
already... surely he can't be responsible for every little thing that
happens on the Internet. It's been a while since I read about his
exploits but I simply cant believe that he is involved with EVERYTHING
illegal on the Internet. Why not go after Pengo again as well? Yes,
I've read Cyberpunk: Heroes and Hackers on the Computer Frontier or
whatever the heck it is. Conspiracy or no conspiracy... there is
nothing illegal at the acolyte ftp directory.
I fail to see why people think they have to post anonymously to this
group. Again.. NOTHING illegal goes through here... short of
copyrighted pictures from magazines (which happens in just about every
other binaries group as well). Oh well. Mitnick? I think not. If
so... then paranoia does run deep.
--
"So long as you have hope, there's ALWAYS a chance."
-"The War"
pschneider on BIX
Hi!
I just wanted to show my support of Jason and his ftp site. I think
it is a great idea to maintain such a site, and I am by no means
ashamed to be featured in the ftp log. I would be very disappointed
if the site would shut down due to fear on the users' part or due
to the pressure of some self-appointed keeper of good moral.
I feel that everybody should have the right to delight in looking
at whatever he or she pleases. By accessing the idols site one
declares nothing more or less than that one shares this view. Should
anybody fear that more information is contained in a log entry,
why don't they just refrain from downloading anything?
There is more to human nature than can be said or written in any
religious or legal publication. I stand by my right to be human
in ways that I myself have chosen.
Peter
R. Hahn
>From: aco...@netcom.com (Acolyte)
>Subject: In Defense of Myself
>Date: Sat, 12 Nov 1994 10:22:44 GMT
[big clip]
I don't understand what all the commotion is about. Don't you know that ALL
anonymous FTP sites keep logs? Doesn't it seem imprudent that sysadmins
would allow the whole Inet world to rummage through their machines and not
keep records of it? Think about it! Netcom is doing nothing new or different
that other sites don't also do.
As far as Jason's dedication to providing a valuable service, you people that
are bitching simply don't have to use it. If you are so paranoid that the
thought of getting on some kind of *list* merely for d/l LEGAL pictures is
hard to swallow. I for one think Jason is doing a terrific job and deserves
our thanks rather than all the flames and bitching.
Wise up people, don't kill the goose that laying the golden eggs!
Finally, since some of you seem so paranoid about lists, were you aware that
there is a listing kept from everyone that u/l and d/l to Usenews? Yup! Sure
as God made green apples. It's publically available and is one way that you
can *find* a person or address you've misplaced. And the nice part about it
is that you don't need to know the exact name or address. It has scanning
capabilities that allow you to search for patterns and *close matches*.
My $.02 worth.
CaL