Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 01:42:29 -0400
From: freematt@coil.com (Matthew Gaylor)
Subject: Activist request- Censorware
To: freematt@coil.com (Matthew Gaylor)

Hi,

Does anyone know of any RKBA/conservative/libertarian groups who might be willing to take a public stand against filtering [censorware] software? See http://www.onlinepolicy.org/network/statement.htm

The issue of filtering software is one that I've been covering in my mailing list (Freematt's Alerts) for some time. As ou may be aware this software is being mandated by the federal government via the Children's Online Protection Act (CHIPA) for schools and libraries who take federal monies.

I'm pretty sure the Act will be found unconstitutional, but in the meantime this software will be used to block RKBA/pro-gun information.

If you're interested in helping or need more information please contact me.

Regards, Matt-

At 2:46 AM -0500 3/21/01, Matthew Gaylor wrote: >X-Sender: freematt@bronze.coil.com
>Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 02:46:37 -0500
>To: Matthew Gaylor <freematt@coil.com>
>From: Matthew Gaylor <freematt@coil.com>
>Subject: Gun Activists Have A Stake Against Filtering Software [Censorware]
>
>Both the American Civil Liberties Union and The American Library
>Association filed suit 3-20-2001 in Federal court to stop the
>Children's Internet Protection Act (CHIPA). This is the act that
>forces libraries and schools to use filtering software (censorware).
>You can read both complaints here:
>
>ACLU http://www.aclu.org/court/multnomah.pdf
>
>ALA http://www.ala.org/cipa/cipacomplaint.pdf
>
>Filtering software has been pushed as the solution to stopping
>children from viewing inappropriate materials, like pornography, on
>the Internet. However, the software has numerous flaws, the most
>basic being that it doesn't stop all of the pornography. More
>ominously, and more of a threat to our long term liberty is the fact
>that the software in many cases "blacklists" political and other
>material incorrectly. Seth Finkelstein, who just won the Electronic
>Freedom Foundation's Pioneer Award, details a few gun related sites
>that are blacklisted. If a school or library had the SmartFilter
>program installed, students would be blocked from viewing those
>sites. As a point of information- http://www.ayoob.com which is
>listed as "extreme" is the site run by the noted Police firearm's
>Instructor Massad Ayoob. The site is His Lethal Force Institute,
>which trains qualified citizens and police in armed self defnse
>techniques. The other sites, are listed under the category of
>criminal skills. http://www.springfield-armory.com is the site for
>Springfield Armory an American producer of fine firearms. My
>recommendation is that everyone enter their favorite site's url at:
>http://www.securecomputing.com/cgi-bin/filter_whereV3.cgi and see
>if their site or company is blocked. Then I'd take whatever action,
>including the courts to have the incorrect designation removed.
>
>Regards, Matthew Gaylor-
>
>[Please post this to other RKBA forums and elsewhere if relevant.]
>
>
>Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 01:25:52 -0500 (EST)
>From: Seth Finkelstein <sethf@sethf.com>
>To: Matthew Gaylor <freematt@coil.com>
>Subject: Gun activists have a stake against censorware
>
>[Feel free to forward to your list]
>
> As you know, the groups ACLU/ALA/PFAW will be filing a
>lawsuit against the Federal censorware law (CIPA). It's important to
>understand that the reach of censorware extends to far more than sex.
>Anyone who can be the target of a secret blacklist has a stake. As a
>small illustration, a quick check shows the censorware program
>SmartFilter blacklists many gun-related sites under the category of
>"Criminal Skills":
>
>http://www.gun-room.com
>http://www.gungarage.com
>http://www.gun-tests.com
>http://www.guns.com
>http://www.gunsamerica.com
>http://www.ncggasgun.com
>http://www.championfirearms.com
>http://www.springfield-armory.com
>
>And http://www.ayoob.com is considered "Extreme" (that's akin to obscene)
>
> These can be verified by testing the URLs using the web-form at
>http://www.securecomputing.com/cgi-bin/filter_whereV3.cgi
>[It would be a good idea to do such a check before you send out this
>message, because the blacklist may be changed after this is publicized]
>
>__
>Seth Finkelstein Consulting Programmer sethf@sethf.com http://sethf.com
>EFF Pioneer: http://www.eff.org/awards/20010305_pioneer_press_release.html
>Anticensorware Investigations: http://sethf.com/anticensorware/
>


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