Subject: ACTION ALERT: CyberPatrol Software
From: ACTION ALERT Moderator
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 21:30:25 -0600 (CST)

[ submitted by [email-masked] (GLAAD) ]

*** SUMMARY ***

Gay Sites Netted in Cyber Patrol Sting

Cyber Patrol, a leading Internet filtering software being used in homes,
schools and libraries across the country, has recently been blocking the
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender area of one of the Internet's most
popular communities, a "neighborhood" called "WestHollywood" on Geocities.
Geocities is a company that provides free Web space and archives sites into
specific "neighborhoods" based on common interests. WestHollywood houses
approximately 23,000 Web sites devoted to lesbian and gay interests
(including sites such as Gay Hockey and the National Black Lesbian & Gay
Leadership Forum's Young Adult Program). Microsystems Software, Inc, Cyber
Patrol's manufacturer, said that the decision was made due to WestHollywood
containing a large number of sites that displayed "nudity" or "pornographic
images."  Cyber Patrol is used by Internet giant America Online, Compuserve
and the Boston Library, whose users will no longer be able to access the
area.  Bob Parker, Geocities' WestHollywood Community Leader Liaison,
however, noted Geocities' clear guidelines to creating a Web page in the
community.  Those who use Geocities are prohibited from: "Displaying
material containing nudity or pornographic material of any kind; Providing
material that is grossly offensive to the online community, including
blatant expressions of bigotry, prejudice, racism, hatred, or profanity;
Displaying material that exploits children under 18 years of age."

When GLAAD ran a spot check of 100 sites on Geocities, it found that 2/3 of
the sites contained nothing that could even be perceived as nudity.  The
other 1/3 of the sites contained photos that had partial nudity (example -
a shirtless man).  GLAAD also noted that WestHollywood was rich with
important informational and support resources. When GLAAD approached Dick
Gorgens, CEO of Microsystems Software, last week he admitted, "Upon my
review, you were absolutely correct in your assessment that the
subdirectory block on WestHollywood is prejudicial to the Gay and Lesbian
Geocities community. We took the 'easier' approach to blocking the small
number of actionable non-nudity publishers in that area rather than
individually sanctioning them.  Taking that technique to the limit would
have us pull the plug on the entire Internet which is obviously not our
plan."  Gorgens also pledged that, "Over the next week the problem will be
corrected."

*** ACTION ***

A week later, however, the blocks still remain in place.  Please write
Microsystems Software and let them know how you feel about this
discriminatory move and urge them to lift the block.

Contact:  Dick Gorgens, CEO, Microsystems Software, Inc., 600 Worcester
Road, Framington, Massachusetts 01701, e-mail: [email-masked]; Cyber
Patrol's Web page is located at http://www.cyberpatrol.com.

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