Date: Fri, 29 Dec 1995 10:25:10 -0800
From: glaad@glaad.org (GLAAD)
Subject: CompuServe Censorship

GLAAD Press Release

GLAAD Critizes CompuServe for Censoring Gay Newsgroups

NEW YORK, NY, December 29, 1995 -- The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against
Defamation (GLAAD) strongly condemned the actions of online service provider
CompuServe, which deleted more than 200 Internet newsgroups from its
worldwide system.  "CompuServe has caved into threats from a German
prosecutor, creating havoc for lesbian and gay newsgroups around the world,"
said GLAAD's managing director, William Waybourn in a strong letter of
protest to CompuServe.

	"CompuServe is a commercial enterprise caving into overzealous government
agents.  The net effect of censoring the newsgroups worldwide is chilling,
especially given the recent debate in the U.S. about the right to free
expression on the Internet," Waybourn said.  "It is very disturbing that
non-sexually oriented gay and lesbian newsgroups were lumped in with
newsgroups that German authorities alleged contained child pornography and
other pornographic material for adults, as well as content that although not
illegal for adults, is of such explicit nature that it is illegal for
minors," he said.  "If sexual explicitness is the issue, then it should be
dealt with separately from gay and lesbian issues.  Compuserve's blocking of
legitimate newsgroups is reprehensible, and no matter how they coat it, is
nothing more than wholesale censorship, period," Waybourn said.
	
	Usenet groups or newsgroups are message boards where one Internet user
posts a comment and others respond later.  There is no live interaction and
although there are over 16,000 Usenet newsgroups, only a few carry erotic
stories or photos.  "The Internet has become an essential link for lesbians,
gay men, bisexuals and transgendered individuals all over the world.
Denying access to or deleting these newsgroups merely leads to ignorance and
prevents people from getting information or help when they need it,"
Waybourn said.

	Waybourn said GLAAD would investigate Compuserve's action and questioned
the real intent behind the removal of the newsgroups, especially since any
Compuserve member with a modest knowledge of the Internet can view the
newsgroups elsewhere or can ask that the messages be posted to alternate
sites.  Newsgroups that were deleted without warnings from members' accounts
included all groups identified as "alt.sex" as well as specific groups such
as soc.support.youth.gay-lesbian-bi, clari.news.gays, alt.homosexual,
alt.motss.bisexual-l, gay-net.coming out, gay-net.international,
shamash.gayjews, alt.recovery.addiction.sexual, alt.religion. sexuality,
alt.support.disabled.sexuality, clari.news.crime.sex.

	GLAAD is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate and inclusive
representation of individuals and events in all media as a means of
combating homophobia and all forms of discrimination based on sexual
orientation or identity.  In November of this year, GLAAD worked closely
with Microsystems Software, Inc., the manufacturer of a blocking software
known as "Cyber Patrol" to make certain that gay and lesbian web sites were
not targeted as "offensive" and that web sites chosen to be blocked fell
within certain "criteria of 12-well defined sections."  SurfWatch, another
web-blocking software has also reconsidered its decision and lifted its
indiscriminate blocking of gay and lesbian resource sites."   

	GLAAD encourages you express your opinion on this matter.  Please address
your concerns to:
	
		Robert Massey, President
		CompuServe, Inc.
		5000 Arlington Center Boulevard
		Columbus, Ohio  43220

CompuServe members may address customer service by contacting them via GO
FEEDBACK; non-CompuServe members may send email directly to John Latham,
CompuServe Feedback at 70006,101@compuserve.com (John Latham).

For more information contact Chiqui Cartagena, GLAAD's News Media Director
at Cartagena@glaad.org or via phone at 212 807-1700

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Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
GLAAD
glaad@glaad.org
http://www.glaad.org

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is a national
organization that promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation of
individuals and events in the media as a means of combatting homophobia and
all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation or idenity.

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