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Date:      Wed, 23 Apr 1997 15:08:06 +0100
From:      Robin Melville <robmel@nadt.org.uk>
To:        Michael Dillon <michael@memra.com>, isp@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: How many customers read news (was Re: News...)
Message-ID:  <1.5.4.32.19970423140806.00705a0c@wrcmail>

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At 14:06 22/04/97 -0700, Michael Dillon wrote:
>... Now, is an ISP a
>distributor and thus liable under the law? Or are they merely the operator
>of a communications channel and therefore exempt from the law like telcos
>and trucking companies. So far this has not been fully decided, but one
>thing is for sure. USENET looks a lot more like distributing than beiong a
>comm channel and that's where the danger lies...

Well a trucker has the good in their possession until it is finally
delivered, surely this is the same for ISPs. Technically there is no
distinction in the UK in the case of drugs, for example. It is however, a
case of "natural justice". I guess there are problems with some of the
a.b.p.e groups in the same way there would be if a trucker was distributing
packages marked "Crack Cocaine, please handle carefully".

Robin.
--------------------------------------------------------
Robin Melville, Addiction & Forensic Information Service
Nottingham Alcohol & Drug Team (Extn. 49178)
Vox: +44 (0)115 952 9478  Fax: +44 (0)115 952 9421 
Email: robmel@nadt.org.uk
WWW:   http://www.innotts.co.uk/nadt/
---------------------------------------------------------




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