---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 11 Sep 1997 14:51:57 -0700 (PDT) From: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com> To: fight-censorship-announce@vorlon.mit.edu Subject: RSAC shelves news rating, bowing to criticism from journalists --- http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,14139,00.html RSAC shelves news rating By Tim Clark and Courtney Macavinta September 10, 1997, 5:55 p.m. PT WASHINGTON, D.C.--The Recreational Software Advisory Council, which has created an Internet ratings system for Web sites, has put its controversial plan to create a special label for news-oriented sites on hold. RSAC's decision came after resistance from news organizations, particularly from established players in offline media, which raised First Amendment concerns about the so-called "N" label. "We are not aggressively pursuing the 'N' label at this time," RSAC executive director Stephen Balkam told CNET's NEWS.COM. Earlier this year, RSAC asked the Internet Content Coalition (ICC)--whose members include technology, entertainment, and online news companies--to develop guidelines outlining who should be able to use the label, which was designed to circumvent browsers that screen violent or sexual Net sites by "reading" the voluntary ratings. (See related story) But during an August 28 meeting organized by the ICC, most news sites declared that they wouldn't rate their content or use a news label. With the ICC votes in, RSAC essentially lost its market for the label. "We will pursue discussions with other potential partners," Balkam said. "We might talk to mainstream press, we might talk to international press. We are conducting a thorough review of the issue." [...]