This was sent to me on another mailing list. I am on a number of smaller and or community mailing lists who feel very threatend by this. Nicole -- Hi, I just signed an important online petition because the very existence of online civic participation and the free Internet as we know it are under attack by America Online, and we need to fight back quickly. The petition's at: http://civic.moveon.org/emailtax/ AOL recently announced what amounts to an "email tax." Under this pay- to-send system, large emailers willing to pay an "email tax" can bypass spam filters and get guaranteed access to people's inboxes-- with their messages having a preferential high-priority designation. Charities, small businesses, civic organizing groups, and even families with mailing lists will inevitably be left with inferior Internet service unless they are willing to pay the "email tax" to AOL. The petition says: "AOL, don't auction off preferential access to people's inboxes to giant emailers, while leaving people's friends, families, and favorite causes wondering if their emails are being delivered at all. The Internet is a force for democracy and economic innovation only because it is open to all Internet users equally--we must not let it become an unlevel playing field." AOL's proposed pay-to-send system is the first step down the slippery slope toward dividing the Internet into two classes of users--those who get preferential treatment and those who are left behind. We must preserve the Internet for everybody. Can you sign this emergency petition to America Online? http://civic.moveon.org/emailtax/ Thanks! -- |\ __ /| (`\ | o_o |__ ) ) // \\ - nmh@daemontech.com - Powered by FreeBSD - ------------------------------------------------------ "The term "daemons" is a Judeo-Christian pejorative. Such processes will now be known as "spiritual guides" - Politicaly Correct UNIX Page