On Internet and social responsibility

Sat Sep 15 21:00:00 UTC 2001

On Sat, 15 Sep 2001 measl at mfn.org wrote:

> > It's
> > restricing free speech of crackers, you know?  Where's your williness to
> > give them "every right to speak"?
> 
> I'm honestly not certain, but I _think_ you are making the "argument" that
> if I have a firewall in place, that I am engaging in the hypocritical act
> of _censorship based on content_?

Yes, you do.  The whole point of firewalls is not to let the specifically
defined content in.  I can just as well have an argument that an attempt
to break into your system is a valid form of expression (and, in fact,
that argument was made in courts).

The fact, that this kind of message can be in many cases detected and
prevented automatically does not change the point that you are restricting
free speech (i.e. unlimited exchange of information) to some other
parties.

Absolute free speech is an oxymoron.  And so is claiming that hosting a
terrorist website is legal in US or protected by First Amendment.

--vadim