At 2:01 PM -0700 7/30/97, Kurt Starsinic wrote:
I'm in favor of a ratings system; not one which indicates for whom a given page is suitable, but rather one which identifies the subject matter. The Dewey Decimal System is a primitive example of such a system.
It seems to me that, if the USG is in the business of encouraging or endorsing morally normative ratings systems (which, of course, they've done for years), they're discouraging free discourse regarding child-rearing.
It's important that parents can protect their children from content which _they_ believe to be inappropriate, but providing boilerplate (such as "adult"/"non-adult") turns parents into sheeple.
I could write a book, but I think I've made my point.
But not convincingly. By all means, label, categorize, rate, spindle, fold, or mutilate your own material. But don't demand that others do so. Any requirement that words, writings, Web pages, or other utterances be labled, categorized, or rated is an unconstitutional interference in the practice of free speech. I don't expect to convince you. You and other censors will likely pass some law requiring labeling, then a test case will be found, and, if the Supreme Court adheres to the Constitution, the law will be struck down. --Tim May Voluntary Mandatory Self-Rating of this Article (U.S. Statute 43-666-970719). Warning: Failure to Correctly and Completely Label any Article or Utterance is a Felony under the "Children's Internet Safety Act of 1997," punishable by 6 months for the first offense, two years for each additional offense, and a $100,000 fine per offense. Reminder: The PICS/RSACi label must itself not contain material in violation of the Act. ** PICS/RSACi Voluntary Self-Rating (Text Form) ** : Suitable for Children: yes Age Rating: 5 years and up. Suitable for Christians: No Suitable for Moslems: No Hindus: Yes Pacifists: No Government Officials: No Nihilists: Yes Anarchists: Yes Vegetarians: Yes Vegans: No Homosexuals: No Atheists: Yes Caucasoids: Yes Negroids: No Mongoloids: Yes Bipolar Disorder: No MPD: Yes and No Attention Deficit Disorder:Huh? --Contains discussions of sexuality, rebellion, anarchy, chaos,torture, regicide, presicide, suicide, aptical foddering. --Contains references hurtful to persons of poundage and people of color.Sensitive persons are advised to skip this article. **SUMMARY** Estimated number of readers qualified to read this: 1 Composite Age Rating: 45 years