On Tue, 14 Jan 2003, Paul Wouters wrote:
This is exactly why ISP's should not be allowed to have these "we will disconnect you at our sole discretion" clauses.
You can't forbid them. Private enterprises have (and should have) every right to manage their own business as they want. Just as it would be both
That's not true at all - private enterprises are subject to a myriad of laws and regulations. This is why ISPs should be treated as common carriers - just like telcos. The primary characteristic of common carriers is that they HAVE TO serve all customers except under very tightly controlled circumstance, like a court order against on obscene caller. Everyone is protected - the telcos can't tell you who you can and can't call or what you can say on a phone conversation, and at the same time the telcos are not liable for what you say. Common carrier status is typically associated with heavy regulation, but it need not be. ************************************************************************** The Center for Civic Networking PO Box 600618 Miles R. Fidelman, President & Newtonville, MA 02460-0006 Director, Municipal Telecommunications Strategies Program 617-558-3698 fax: 617-630-8946 mfidelman@civicnet.org http://civic.net/ccn.html Information Infrastructure: Public Spaces for the 21st Century Let's Start With: Internet Wall-Plugs Everywhere Say It Often, Say It Loud: "I Want My Internet!" **************************************************************************