Archive/File: orgs/american/oregon/banished.cpu netcom.msg
Last-Modified: 1995/03/12

From: nc0022@netcom.com (Margaret)
Message-Id: <199503110101.RAA02511@office.netcom.com>
Subject: Re: Gannon claims to be illegally cut off
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 1995 17:01:26 -0800 (PST)

The account "Banished CPU" was terminated for repeated violations of
the Terms and Conditions that govern all Netcom accounts. The views of
the account holder, and the content of his posts, were not considered in
this decision. Netcom has many users whose views are controversial, and
we support their right to express them as long as they do not conflict with
the rights of other network users. 

Our rules for newsgroup posting are taken from established Usenet
Netiquette; one of these rules prohibits postings that are irrelevant
to the subject of a newsgroup. There are currently over 10,000 Usenet
groups, most with very specific topics. No article is appropriate for more
than a handful of groups. 

After repeated warnings, Mr. Gannon agreed to restrict posts on the subject
of revisionist Jewish history to a list of groups we determined was appropriate.
The list was:

talk.politics.misc
soc.culture.german
soc.culture.jewish
soc.rights.human
alt.discrimination
alt.conspiracy
alt.illuminati
alt.individualism
alt.mindcontrol
alt.politics.correct
alt.politics.reform
alt.censorship
alt.revisionism

When the user posted again to groups outside this list (sci.logic), we
terminated his account, as we would terminate the account of someone
repeatedly sending articles about automobiles to alt.sewing.

Netcom does not agree with censorship, and we are always reluctant to cancel
an account.  As a provider, however, we have a responsibility to the
Internet as well as to our users. Each site must pay to store and
download the groups it chooses to carry; an off-topic post is the
equivalent of an fax advertisement sent without the consent of the
receiver.

Netcom's written terms clearly state this rule, and also that we do not      
forward mail from closed UUCP accounts. Mr. Gannon agreed to our rules when
he acquired an account with Netcom.  

I hope this reassures you that Netcom does not practice censorship; if you 
have any further doubts or questions, please don't hesitate to ask. 

Margaret

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