Newsgroups: soc.motss,misc.news.internet.discuss,alt.journalism,alt.wired From: modemac@netcom.com (Modemac) Subject: Indecency, Usenet, and Queer Youth Message-ID: Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest) Date: Fri, 22 Dec 1995 11:11:17 GMT Lines: 69 Sender: modemac@netcom11.netcom.com I read in yesterday's newspaper that in spite of the actions of the EFF and the thousands of people who called and faxed Congress, the "indecency" clause of the so-called Communications Decency Act has been approved. The US Government is now trying to restrict the content of the Internet so as to make it a crime to knowingly transmit "indecent" material through electronic communications to anyone under 18. A Congressional spokesman stated that the same standards used by the FCC to govern radio and TV will now be applied to the Internet: namely, that "community standards" will be used to determine "indecency." Unfortunately, it is now very possible that these so-called "community standards" will be used to prevent a certain segment of our youth from engaging in communication over the Net, because some communities may decide that the material in their communication is "indecency." I'm referring to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youths, many of whom are under 18 and thus affected by the Communications Decency Act. The Usenet newsgroup soc.support.youth.gay-lesbian-bi was created to allow these young people to communicate with each other on a personal basis, in a public forum that is free from flames, gay-bashing, and holier-than-thou types who would prefer to let these young people live in fear and shame rather than back away from their stance that the gay community is somehow "recruiting" young people and turning them away from the so-called "normal" lifestyle. In the year since its creation, soc.support.youth.gay-lesbian-bi has been a huge success. Many young people have stated that interaction on the newsgroup gave them the courage to come out of the closet and tell their families and friends the truth about themselves. I personally believe that the newsgroup is directly responsible for saving the life of more than one young person, by making people realize that they are alone and that there is an alternative to suicide. But now, under the guise of "protecting the children" from so-called "indecency" on the Internet, the flow of communication between sexual-minority youths may now be threatened because some people may consider it to be "indecent." So far, no action has been taken to shut down the newsgroup or its companion mailing list. However, this state of existence is not permanent. I am concerned, as I feel that an opportunity now exists for someone, such as the Christian Coalition or Reverend Wildmon, to attempt to use this new legislation to attack the Internet, and this segment of its users in particular. These people don't care about the lives they are hurting in their unending crusade against "indecency" and "perversion." All they care about is their holy war. I fear that someone may be hurt in the upcoming battle. For more information about the soc.support.youth.gay-lesbian-bi newsgroup, you can read the newsgroup itself or look at its own home page at: http://www.youth.org/ssyglb/ In addition, I have my own Web page for the newsgroup. It includes a link to the soc.support.youth.gay-lesbian-bi home page, in addition to pointers to the stories that have been written about the newsgroup in Wired magazine and the New York Times, as well as instructions on how to subscribe to the gay youth mailing list. My page is: http://www.tiac.net/users/modemac/ssyglb.html -- Reverend Modemac (modemac@netcom.com) First Online Church of "Bob" "There is no black and white." PGP Key Fingerprint: 47 90 41 70 B4 5B 06 90 7B 38 4E 11 8A ED 80 DF URL: http://www.tiac.net/users/modemac/ (FINGER modemac@netcom.com for a FREE SubGenius Pamphlet!) From: grendel@netaxs.com (Michael Handler) Newsgroups: soc.motss,misc.news.internet.discuss,alt.journalism,alt.wired Subject: Re: Indecency, Usenet, and Queer Youth Date: 23 Dec 1995 03:45:10 GMT Organization: >>Network XXIII LIVE<< Lines: 24 Message-ID: <4bfu06$i09@netaxs.com> References: <1747CA036S86.SLF@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU> In article <1747CA036S86.SLF@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU>, Sammie L. Foss (SLF@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU) wrote: > As many have painstakingly pointed out Usenet is *not* the Internet, > and visa-versa. > > So, does this act apply to *USENET*? The laws in question are old telecomm laws, that govern the transmission of materials via cables or wireless transport. Considering that USENET is transmitted almost entirely over the Internet, UUCP (phone lines), satellite and microwave repeater, I'd say, yes, these laws have a pretty big effect on Usenet. I suspect if Usenet was entirely transmitted via disks, tape, or CD-ROM over SneakerNet, the laws wouldn't apply. But that kind of defeats the purpose, no? Michael, soc.support.youth.gay-lesbian-bi co-mod, currently unworried -- Michael Handler Philadelphia, PA there's an oriented public whose magnetic force does pull / but away from the potential of the individual