Time: Thu Jul 31 07:27:30 1997 by primenet.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with ESMTP id GAA09144; Thu, 31 Jul 1997 06:56:52 -0700 (MST) by usr02.primenet.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id GAA24442; Thu, 31 Jul 1997 06:56:06 -0700 (MST) Date: Thu, 31 Jul 1997 06:55:20 -0700 To: (Recipient list suppressed) From: Paul Andrew Mitchell [address in tool bar] Subject: SLS: methods of attacking Internet activists Internet activists are now being attacked by filing bogus complaints with their ISP's. /s/ Paul Mitchell http://www.supremelaw.com At 12:01 AM 7/31/97 -0400, you wrote: > >Dear Jodi and Paul: > >A friend of mine recently got a list of people with "Christian" and "Atlanta" >in their AOL member profile. I believe that she sent two e-mails. One was >on "Save Our Babies,,," and the other was on ABC/Disney, etc.. > >She got the following from AOL tonight: > >=========================================== > >Subj: Terms of Service >Date: 97-07-30 18:24:20 EDT >From: TOSEmail4 >To: Oct7 > >Dear Member: > >Since this letter has been sent to each of the screen names on your account, >you may already have read it. If so, please disregard this copy. > >America Online has a Terms of Service agreement which provides community >guidelines for online conduct. I need to let you know that we received a >report regarding a violation of those guidelines. Details have been sent to >the primary screen name. > >Our Terms of Service agreement, which was presented during the sign up >process, allows America Online to be informative, entertaining and, above >all, fun for all of our Members. You can review that agreement by using >keyword <A HREF="aol://1391:41-4688">TOS</A>. This area also has information >and tools you can use to help protect your account. > >Thanks for taking the time to read this letter. If you have any questions or >comments, please feel free to write to us at TOSGeneral. > >Regards, >Annette >Community Action Team >America Online, Inc. >=========================================== > >She got NO DETAILS on any of her screen names. We believe that one of the >people she sent the e-mails to is probably a gay person or group objecting to >the Disney boycott info. She sent me the following response for my review: > >==================================== > > > Hello, > Could you please explain to me what is going on with this email being >sent to me? Please be specific as to what has happened to generate the TOS >warning I have received. I am at a loss as to what I've done???? > > This letter will be copied to my lawyer also. Please be advised that the >2nd Amendment is still in the Constitution and I only forward emails I've >received that involve the current news and happenings in the world. This is >public news that I forward. > >============================ > >I sent her the following response: > >============================ > >I would drop the last paragraph. First, according to the TOS, we have no >rights. We can be terminated for anything. Second, you mean the First >amendment I am sure. The second has to do with GUN OWNERSHIP. So if you >send that as is, it sounds like you are threatening them with a gun! > >I am going to forward this for an "expert opinion". > > >Terry > >====================================== > >If you read the THREE PART Terms of Service agreement, they can terminate >someone for anything anyone finds offensive. Here is an exerpt from the >TOS on this subject (Part I, 4. C.): > >=== > You may not use, or allow others to use, your AOL account, either directly >or indirectly, to: > >(1) post, transmit, or promote any unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, >harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, hateful, racially, ethnically or >otherwise objectionable Content; >(2) harass, threaten, embarrass, or cause distress, unwanted attention or >discomfort upon another Member or user of AOL or other person or entity; >(3) post, transmit, promote, link, or facilitate the distribution of sexually >explicit or other Content which is deemed by AOL, Inc. to be offensive; > >=== > >If they can kick her off, they can kick everyone on my list who remails for >causing someone "discomfort". Half the words in that section of the TOS >could give them cause to kick anyone off the service. > >If they kick me off for example, my e-mail address is gone, my Web Site is >gone, etc.. This would be extremely damaging and costly to fix since I am on >countless mailing lists, Web Site Links, etc.. > >I fear that this is not an isolated issue. I have already had one associate >being given a "FINAL WARNING" for "advertising" because he bought a new >computer and recommended it highly! > >The Internet has proven to be an incredibly powerful tool for all of us. If >we don't do something about this NOW, we may all find ourselves without a >voice. > >Any advise would be highly appreciated. If they find they can silence one of >us, you can bet your bottom dollar they will mount a campaign to silence ALL >OF US! > >HELP! > > Thanks, > > > Terry W. Stough > <A HREF="http://members.aol.com/TWStough/main.htm">The American Resistance Mo >vement</A> > > ======================================================================== Paul Andrew Mitchell : Counselor at Law, federal witness B.A., Political Science, UCLA; M.S., Public Administration, U.C. Irvine tel: (520) 320-1514: machine; fax: (520) 320-1256: 24-hour/day-night email: [address in tool bar] : using Eudora Pro 3.0.3 on 586 CPU website: http://www.supremelaw.com : visit the Supreme Law Library now ship to: c/o 2509 N. Campbell, #1776 : this is free speech, at its best Tucson, Arizona state : state zone, not the federal zone Postal Zone 85719/tdc : USPS delays first class w/o this As agents of the Most High, we came here to establish justice. We shall not leave, until our mission is accomplished and justice reigns eternal. ======================================================================== [This text formatted on-screen in Courier 11, non-proportional spacing.]
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