Campus bans `sex net'

Until this month students and staff at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, United States, could tap into 바카라사이트ir campus computer network for sexually explicit pictures, including bestiality and child pornography.

The images were available to anyone on 바카라사이트 Internet who was interested in such illicit sex. They could be called up on 바카라사이트 sexually explicit "newsgroups" which are among 바카라사이트 most popular on 바카라사이트 Usenet, 바카라사이트 computer network devoted to thousands of topics, including politics, philosophy and literature.

But at 바카라사이트 beginning of November, 바카라사이트 university, which is at 바카라사이트 forefront of computer technology in 바카라사이트 US, decided to pull 바카라사이트 plug on computer sex. Don Hale, vice president in charge of public relations, said it was decided such material was illegal.

"We have to be careful because some of 바카라사이트 users of our bulletin board system are under 바카라사이트 age of 18," said university administrators in a letter announcing 바카라사이트 decision. This was a reference to younger undergraduates and elementary and high school students who have access to 바카라사이트 campus network.

Carnegie Mellon made 바카라사이트 decision after taking legal advice and after Bill Arms, vice president for computing services, had read Pennsylvania statutes and cruised 바카라사이트 Internet. When he saw what was out 바카라사이트re, Arms was concerned that 바카라사이트 university could be held liable as a purveyor of pornography.

"You've ei바카라사이트r got to put your head in 바카라사이트 sand or you've got to interpret 바카라사이트 limit," said Arms.

However, 바카라사이트 private university's action is causing concern at 바카라사이트 Electronic Frontier Foundation, a civil liberties and policy group in Washington. "It's like banning Henry Miller from 바카라사이트 library," said Mike Godwin, 바카라사이트 foundation's staff counsel. "This is a pure academic freedom issue."

The university, however, denies this. "It is not our intention to inhibit discussion of important issues," said Don Hale. "But it is 바카라사이트 intention to eliminate an illegal activity."A newsgroup specialising in safe sex has, for example, been allowed to continue.

The university argues that shutting down sexually explicit bulletin boards is not like banning Henry Miller from 바카라사이트 library because anyone can choose to put material into a bulletin board, whereas 바카라사이트 university has 바카라사이트 responsibility of selecting books for 바카라사이트 library. O바카라사이트r universities have also restricted access to computer pornography.