[SCA-CHR] Re: Electronic publications...

[Margo Lynn Hablutzel]

I'll weigh in a bit, from a computer law standpoint.

First, I hardly think that the SCA wants to recognize as official any
mailing list that argues about the stupidity of dachsunds, discusses the
historical accuracy of certain junk TV shows, jokes about peers and
vegetation, or votes on the most popular major-league sports team in the
geographic region.

As for the question of moderation the courts have pretty well established
that if the discussion is moderated by the sponsoring entity, it is
responsible; if it is not, then it is not.  This is the underpinning for
the very different results in cases involving AOL and CompuServe and
Prodigy: Did the communications service, in the contract with the
sub-organizer, reserve the right to control content?

I think this is where the lists differ from the web pages.  The lists are
started by whomever, and have no official control (except the sensibilities
of the moderator, if any).  They are no way under the ageis of the SCA, and
merely using the name is not enough to, under law, bring them under
control.

The Web pages are another matter.  These are generally considered to be
elecronic publications in the Greater Real World/Web as well as by the SCA.
 Publication generally consists of putting infomational content out for
people to see, not random discussions on a variety of topics.  This would
be similar to an electronic newsletter emailed weekly or bimonthly or
whatever to everybody in a group who has email.

>> Btw, I probably am being anal about this. Unfortunately we are in the
>> middle of a new era, as well as area, here.

Yep, yep, and yep!  <G>

                                        ---= Morgan


           |\     THIS is the cutting edge of technology! 
 8+%%%%%%%%I=================================================---
           |/   Morgan Cely Cain * Hablutzel at compuserve.com

         "I think the reason so many people don't believe in evolution
               is because they haven't tried it yet." -- James Clay.
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From: Margo Lynn Hablutzel <72672.2312 at compuserve.com>
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