Date: Fri, 17 Apr 92 16:31:12 CST From: mike.riddle@inns.omahug.org@ivgate.omahug.org Subject: File 7--SUMMARY AND UPDATE: alt.* Removal at UNL As of April 17, 1992, when I write this summary and update, the noise on the nets has abated somewhat. But those readers of the CuD who have access to Usenet news have almost certainly seen and remember the brouhaha over the deletion of the alt.* hierarchy at the University of Nebraska. The following is the story, as I understand it, pieced together from several sources and personal inquiries. It is only as accurate as the information I was able to obtain, and if anyone has corrections or additions, please submit them to the CuD. The furor started on March 2nd, 1992, when the alt.* hierarchy was eliminated by the UNL Computing Resource Center (CRC). The termination was so abrupt that some downstream sites did not know in advance, and had to immediately scramble for alternate feeds. The decision was supposedly resource-based, and supported by a February 27th recommendation by the UNL Academic Senate Computational Services and Facilities Committee. Almost immediately, however, it became obvious that content-control had played a major part. Leo Chouinard, the "Academic Senate representative on the Computational Committee" [sic], reportedly said the committee discussed several considerations before making a decision about the alt groups, including possible violations of state pornography laws and concerns about computer resources being used for non-educational purposes. The memorandum announcing the termination read as follows: CRC Policy on Providing Information Resources 2/27/92 The Computing Resource Center provides information resources to the UNL community in support of the University's mission of research, instruction, and service. These resources commonly take the form of databases, archives, and bulletin boards. The Computing Resource Center makes available those information resources that are requested by faculty at UNL and approved by the Computing Resource Center in consultation the Academic Senate Computational Committee as useful in supporting the University's mission. If a user desires information resources not provided by the Computing Resource Center, they are free to acquire that information elsewhere, subject only to the requirements of the information provider, relevant federal and state laws, and applicable University policies. Adopted UNL Academic Senate, 2/27/92 The UNL Academic Senate Computational Services and Facilities Committee is chaired by Professor (of English) Les Whipp. He told me that, in hindsight, he felt his committee did not have all the facts before them when they concurred in the CRC recommendation that the following Usenet newsfeeds (and only these newsgroups) be made available: bionet, bit, biz, ci, comp, general, gnu, misc, news, rec, sci, soc, talk, unix-pc, unl, and vmsnet. In particular, he was not aware of the connotations of censorship that could (and did) become attached to the wholesale removal of the alt.* hierarchy, and as of the date I talked with him, felt that someone at the CRC had a hidden agenda to remove certain "objectionable" groups. Professor Whipp did not claim to be expert on the management of hardware resources, and sounded disturbed that a decision officially based on "limited resources" was so open to question on its basis. (The debate about the percentage, cost, etc., of carrying the alt.* groups went on at length in comp.org.eff.talk and other newsgroups. It is not my purpose to reiterate that discussion). Mr. Kent Landfield (kent@imd.sterling.com), a UNL alumnus, systems manager at a major software contractor, and moderator of comp.sources.misc, posted a thoughtful "Open Letter to UNL CRC" regarding the alt.* group removal. As a result of my own feelings, and encouraged by Mr. Landfield's letter, I contacted several individuals at UNL. Acting at approximately the same time, a number of UNL students formed the "Nebraska Students for Electronic Freedom (NUSEF)." The thrust of our comments was if resources were at issue, tell us what was needed and we would lobby to get them. If content was actually at issue, admit it openly, apply generally accepted educational/library standards, and bring back at least those alt.* groups with recognized value. As a result of the lobbying efforts, including telephone call from Mike Godwin at the Cambridge office of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the involvement of librarians both knowledgeable regarding computer services and resource allocation and selection criteria, and the general education several of the faculty participants received during the discussions, the UNL Academic Senate Executive Committee, meeting on April 6th, voted to request restoration of the majority of the alt.* groups. Their minutes reflect: 7.0 ALT Network Disconnect Wise and McShane indicated they had been contacted regarding CRC discontinuing the ALT network because of the potential for transmitting erotic pictures via the network. Users have indicated these pictures can be blocked under copyright law restrictions and the general network be continued. The committee requested the ALT network be added back with the designated restrictions. When I discussed the committee recommendation with one of its members, I came away with the feeling that the digitized pictures would be removed due to copyright concerns, and that the rest of the group would be evaluated using American Library Association criteria (as often advocated and explained by Carl Kadie, kadie@cs.uiuc.edu). I also came away with the feeling that similar decisions will, in the future, be conducted substantially more in the open. To use a trite saying, "time will tell." In Nebraska we are still waiting and watching for the return of the alt.* groups, will work to obtain legislative support if additional resources are in fact needed, and will continue to support resource allocation decisions based on academic criteria, as opposed to censorship. Downloaded From P-80 International Information Systems 304-744-2253