🚀 go-pugleaf

eric@geology.tn.cornell.edu (Eric Fielding) writes:

>   I am a part-time sysadmin, and got some complaints a while ago from
>someone who received rude mail messages from one of the users of our
>system. My attitude was that I didn't think that it was any of my
>business to tell people what they could write in their mail messages.
>This particular situation seemed to be two people arguing with one
>another, one using ruder language than the other. 
> 
>   The post office doesn't check what kind of mail they get in the mail
>boxes. They only investigate in cases of mail fraud as far as I know.
>What is supposed to be the situation on computer networks? Do we shut
>down "alt.flame"?

You should regard yourself as a 'common carrier' in this case.  Your
job is to deliver the mail, not censor it.  You provide connectivity
service to users, not behavioural control.  If somone doesn't like
the contact of another person, they should take it to the people who
have authority over that person, not the sysadmin.  If you got a rude
letter from your banker, who would you complain to -- the post office
or the president of the bank?

As for dealing with the offended party, inform him that you have no
authority over your users and suggest that he contact someone at your
site who has such authority.
-- 
"SPAM is a registered trademark of a pork product
 packed only by Geo. A Hormel & Co. Corp."
     -- Sun Technical Bulletin, March 1991, pg ii