🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <cos.718131871@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu> cos@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Ofer Inbar) writes:
>jnaro@nic.near.net writes:
>>We do not fully understand the legal liabilities of allowing children
>>onto a network which would provide them access to information which is
>>inappropriate, e.g., pornographic. We have been working with MIT legal
>>counsel and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) to delineate the
>>legal and social ramifications of allowing K-12 schools unlimited
>>access to the Internet.
>
>  Any child can walk up to Out of Town News at Harvard Square and
>browse through Playboy, Penthouse, Hustler, etc.  The same is true at
>countless other stores and newsstands.  Who is responsible?  Who is
>liable?

Cos,
  
  Sorry I did not reply earlier...  I check the newsgroup infrequently.

  By no means does NEARnet (or its members) want to exercise control over
  what k-12 students have access to.  That is a decision that the schools,
  students, and parents have to make for themselves.  
 
  The difficult part is insuring that these same groups (schools, students,
  and parents) understand and accept that NEARnet has no liability in this
  manner.  The problem is that our current laws are rather agressive in 
  these areas, and that legal actions are generally targeted at the largest
  organization with liability.  Unlike a stray magazine (which could have
  come from any newsstand), material arriving through an Internet connection
  is assured of having passed through NEARnet.
 
  At this time, we cannot provide direct and open K-12 connections without 
  risking NEARnet itself.  This is an unfortunate situation, but necessary
  until we have determined how to both socially and legally protect our 
  members interests.  In the interim, members are free to provide access to
  K-12 via host accounts.  Many educators have indicated that simply having 
  email can make all the difference in the classroom.  If you want to get 
  involved in this, please send email to myself (jcurran@nic.near.net) or
  Jim Naro (jnaro@nic.near.net) and we'll match you up with a local school 
  that's interested.

  /John