The self-proclaimed "child protectors" are at it again. This time, an ex-police officer with far too much time on his hands has declared war on all so-called "boylover" web sites on the Internet. This includes not only sites where legal issues surrounding youthful sexuality are discussed, but virtually every site in which the word "boy" appears, including photography web sites, young celebrity sites, and any sites such sites link to. We're not talking about porn here, but material which is perfectly legal, the vast majority of which would attract little attention aside from the fact that a bunch of Christian wankers have unilaterally decided for all of us that they do not want it on the Net. They have sworn to harrass each and every ISP carrying material on their "hit list," until the material is removed. Tactics include intimidating snail mail spams and phone calls by people claiming to be associated with law enforcement, as well as late night phone calls threatening bodily harm to ISP management and their families. The rantings of this individual and his similarly minded friends can be found at... http://mavrick-bbs.com/cyranch/sewer2.htm and http://www.thecpac.com/net-safety.html The latest organization to be attacked by Officer Friendly and his contingent of jackbooted thugs is XtatiX.com, a small provider which until recently had hosted a number of web resources which CPAC didn't like. The nature and content of these web sites were clearly discussed with XtatiX before they were chosen to host them, and assurances were given that no problem existed. XtatiX.com states explicitly on their home page, and I quote... "XtatiX supports the concept of an open Internet. Xtatix does not censor accounts or content in any form. We encourage our users to exercise sound and responsible judgement when creating their web pages." "We also understand that some internet sites may have content that some find objectionable. Software products exist which give the individual the ability to limit unwanted material. This software does not interfere with the rights of others to surf as they wish." So one might think that anything legal and resonably tasteful goes at XtatiX, right? Well, that's the way it was until the CPAC contingent hurled a few threats in their direction. In response to the harrassment, XtatiX is now sending a letter to web customers whose pages are, according to XtatiX, "too controversial." XtatiX says in part... "We regret to inform you that we can no longer host your website, due to many local and national pressures on us, to get rid" of sites of the nature of yours, and also a few more sites with other natures that could be considered controversial." "We sincerely apologize, because we _DO NOT_ like censorship, nor do we endorse its use. We have had to practice it of late, though, because of many law enforcement and other officials emailing us, and or calling us in regards to some of the sites we are now hosting." "Again, if it were based soley upon our choice, then we would not change our censorship policies, and would not have to do things such as these, which pain us very much. We would appreciate it very much if you would please copy the files you need to host your site off the server within 48 hours, and delete the copies on the server." "This does not mean that we do not still want you on as an XtatiX customer, but we can no longer deal with as many hate mails, phone calls, and emails from law enforcement officials and users on other systems. Please bear with us." Now XtatiX is certainly welcome to accept or turn away business as they see fit, although it seems somewhat disingenuous of them to loudly advertise their service as one that "does not censor accounts or content in any form," while at the same time, crawling all over themselves to get rid of customers they consider "too controversial," based on harrassment orchestrated by a single pressure group. Now to some Cypherpunk issues this case illustrates... "Information Wants To Be Free" Our working model of information services has always been comprised of three things. First, a dynamic collection of information service providers with complete discretion as to whom they choose to do business with. Second, a Net which regards censorship as damage and routes around it. And third, market forces that ensure that any legal information has a home where others may access it. Providers that censor lose customers, who give their money to providers who don't. The CPAC/XtatiX case study demonstrates another reality. First, a dynamic collection of information service providers in a mad race to see who can come in second to last when the awards for "Enemy of the State" are handed out. Second, a Net in which almost nothing is multi-homed which cannot even regard damage as damage and route around it. And third, market forces which ensure that censorship is frequent, silent, and never publicly spoken of in policy statements. Whether it's CPAC wanting to nuke all web sites containing the word "boy," Sen. Swinestein wanting to nuke all web sites containing the word "bomb," or Sen. Hatch wanting to nuke all web sites containing the word "sex," the optimal strategy for service providers has turned out to be to quietly remove any material some squeeky wheel is uncomfortable with, keep proclaiming themselves to be the strongest supporters of free speech in the entire Net community, and stonewall when asked questions which might suggest anything to the contrary. This behavior of the Net mirrors the behavior of the other so-called "free" market-driven media. There are issues and points of view you will never see discussed on the evening news, or in Time and Newsweek. There are books that disappear from your local library and bookstores and are not replaced. The Net is starting to look a lot more like just another "self-regulated" media outlet, where the individual citizen has access only through a company whose principals are well versed in whose feathers must not be ruffled. The CPAC/XtatiX dance is being repeated each and every day, with providers like Tripod and Geocities, and with search engines quietly removing Horsemen-related articles from their databases, all while proudly displaying their Blue Ribbon Campaign icons for Free Speech on the Net. What's happening now is that a lot of sites are moving offshore, but it probably won't be long before "The Attorney General's List of Horseman-Related Offshore IPs" is dutifully prepared for Congress each year, and Router-Blocked at our borders under threat of criminal penalties. "Information Laundering" will undoubtedly become the Fifth Horseman shortly thereafter. All of this represents a big shoe in the clockwork of Crypto-Anarchy, and a problem needing a technological solution post haste. Suggestions and discussion are welcome. -- Mike Duvos $ PGP 2.6 Public Key available $ enoch@zipcon.com $ via Finger $ {Free Cypherpunk Political Prisoner Jim Bell}