anonymous@extropia.wimsey.com writes:
Anyway, the ECPA is basically irrelevant in the BBS world, as 1] almost every BBS states at log-on that there is no such thing as truly "private" e-mail on the system as the sysop can, will and does see messages in all areas, and 2] he is personally _liable_ for any illegal activity on his BBS, so he can reasonably be expected to keep an eye on e-mail for anything that will put his ass in a sling.
Ok, this is really getting bizarre. Why is it so hard to accept that the ECPA---federal law of the land---applies to BBS operators in the United States? It may be a pain in the butt, and it may be an insult to the noble souls who operate FIDOnet nodes out of the goodness of their hearts, but that's Life In The Big City. Perhaps some of the confusion stems from ignorance on my (and, perhaps, other Internet weenies') part about the topology and operation of FIDOnet. As I understand it, ECPA applies if private third party communications are routed through some FIDOnet agent. Does this ever happen? -- Mike McNally