From: IN%"tcmay@got.net" 8-MAY-1996 16:30:16.71

Then we'll see what happens. (This is an old debate, here and on the Cyberia-l list, to wit, what happens when people/perverts/libertarians choose to subvert the voluntary ratings by deliberately mis-rating their stuff? Or what if they genuinely believe, a la NAMBLA, that youngsters should be exposed to certain things?)

I don't agree with NAMBLA, BTW, in case anyone is wondering...

I say it's a waste of our time to even be thinking or worrying about how to implement an infrastructure for ratings. In fact, building such an infrastructure could make later imposition of "mandatory voluntary ratings" (Orwell would be unsurprised) a greater likelihood.

Quite. There's also the misuse of it by other countries to do filtration (Chinese firewall et al). While this isn't an argument that having it is something that shouldn't be permitted, it's a consideration that those constructing some such system should keep in mind. I haven't seen any evidence that either RCIS (sp?) or SafeSurf have done so. -Allen