Search: The Web or BeYoND-THe-iLLuSioN Only 
From: lindat@surf-ici.com (Linda Thompson, American Justice Federation)
      (by way of Charles Zeps )
Subject: Snooping AOL, calling it "Internet" Porn
Message-ID: <9509181139.AA13847@icis.on.ca>
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 1995 07:35:00 -0400

                 BOYCOTT AOL -- the FBI front network!


An AEN reader passes this along for us all:


Bob Seidman's In, Around and Online, Issue 2.36, Part I emailed 09 17 
95 discusses AOL's fronting for the FBI: 
 
 
Last week, America Online got on the front page again in association 
with an ongoing 2 year FBI investigation regarding child pornography.  
The 2 year investigation was capped off by raids of 120 homes and 
dozens of arrests.  More arrests are expected. 

"We are not going to permit exciting new technology to be misused to 
exploit and injure children," Attorney General Janet Reno said. 

America Online has given its full cooperation to the FBI. 
 
                           *** 
 
AOL reached out to their customer base again, this time with a 
"community update" on 9/13.  The purpose was to update members on the 
illegal activity, call for their support in notifying the AOL Terms of 
Service staff and to advise them that they do pass along information 
to the authorities, but only when information regarding such illegal 
activities comes their way. 
 
"Our policy is clear:  all private communications --including 
electronic mail, instant messages and private chat rooms-- are 
strictly private and we do not and will not monitor any private 
communications.  But if we are alerted to a potential offense by a 
member we will act swiftly to enforce the AOL Terms of Service and 
comply with federal and state laws. When material is forwarded to us 
which we believe is illegal, we notify law enforcement and upon 
receipt of a court order or subpoena, we cooperate fully," said the 
community update etter. 
 
The letter is unsigned, but from the use of the first person in the 
letter, I'm assuming it either comes from or is supposed to come from 
Steve Case.  The letter also includes this strong message: 
 
"While it is important for our community to recognize the serious 
nature of this situation, it is also important to keep it in 
perspective.  Although it is disheartening, the fact is that any 
community with more than 3.5 million citizens will have its share of 
illegal activity.  To those using AOL for illegal purposes, let the 
message be heard:  we will terminate the accounts of those 
participating and we will notify the proper authorities of any illegal 
activity that is brought to our attention." 
 
 
Definitely, of course! 
 
Earlier in his newsletter, Seidman, who works for IBM, noted: 
 
The AOHell program was written by someone we only know as Da Chronic.  
According to Da Chronic (based on information passed along by my 
sources), he created AOHell because he was tired of all the sexually 
oriented member rooms, especially rooms catering to homosexuals and 
pedophiles.  According to Da Chronic he found it ironic that rooms 
about hacking were closed while rooms about kiddy porn were left upon.  
When Da Chronic asked TOS Advisor about this, allegedly, his account 
was terminated. 
 
 
Of course.  Definitely! 
 
 
Cordially, 

AEN Reader
 
PS: The Reno quote is THE definition of sociopath. 
 
 

Linda Thompson
American Justice Federation
Home of AEN News and "Waco, the Big Lie" "America Under Siege"
3850 S. Emerson Ave.
Indianapolis, IN  46203
Telephone:  (317) 780-5200
Fax:  (317) 780-5209

BOYCOTT AMERICA ON LINE -- THE FED SNOOP SERVICE

Internet:  lindat@iquest.net

"When even one American -- who has done nothing wrong -- is forced by 
fear to shut his mind and close his mouth, then all Americans are in 
peril." Harry Truman 

---SnetMgr 0.60 [r0001]
 * Origin: snet-l@world.std.com <-> FidoNet (114:1/0)

Disclaimer: The file contained in the box above or displayed in a separate window from a link in the box above is NOT owned nor implied to be owned by BeYoND THe iLLuSioN. Most files at BeYoND THe iLLuSioN are originally from public Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) which were popular in the days before the Internet or from gopher, web, and FTP sites from the early days of the Internet which no longer exist today. Essentially, all files were acquired from the public domain in one for or another.

However, there have been occasions when copyright protected material has appeared on BeYoND THe iLLuSIoN without permission of the copyright holder. In these instances, we have and will continue to remove the copyright protected file as soon as it is brought to our attention. This can now be done using our Report Copyright Material form. Fill out the form, and the webmaster will be notified of the situation.

There are also times when files found on BeYoND THe iLLuSioN have a real home somewhere else on the Internet. In these instances, we will gladly replace the file with a link to its true home whenever it is brought to our attention. If you know of the true home of any of these files, you can use our Report Original URL form to bring it yo our attention.