[ih] Free Speech and ARPAnet?

[Vint Cerf]

The Internet and its predecessor, the ARPANET, were shaped in academic
settings where free exchange of information was the coin of the realm. On
the other hand, there was consternation when a job offer appeared on an
ARPANET mailing list, leading to a major warning about abuse of the
research facility. Once we had commercial Internet service and, especially,
once the WWW appeared, the feeling for freedom to express one's self was
far more evident.

vint cerf


On Thu, Jul 16, 2015 at 6:49 PM, Belin, Daniel <dbelin at dbelin.net> wrote:

> Hello, all!
>
> Today, the Washington Post published an editorial by Ellen Pao
> <http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/we-cannot-let-the-internet-trolls-win/2015/07/16/91b1a2d2-2b17-11e5-bd33-395c05608059_story.html>,
> in which she asserted, "The Internet started as a bastion for free
> expression."
>
> This piqued my interest, as I felt it was an inaccurate characterization.
> My understanding was always that the early research focused on improving
> network facilities for research collaboration, and that these issues of
> free speech really didn't start to come to the forefront until the 1990s
> when the Internet began to take root in society. However, I wasn't there,
> so I respectfully pose these questions to you all:
>
> What were the attitudes towards speech/appropriate conduct early in the
> ARPAnet project? Was an environment of collegiality and respect generally
> expected?
>
> Were there any incidents that led to either a written or *de facto* content
> policy on ARPAnet? Were there individual policies enacted by the
> institutions that were connected to ARPAnet?
>
> When *did* the Internet emerge as a "bastion for free expression"? Was
> this area of the Internet's societal impact explored before the Internet
> became broadly publicly available?
>
> I'd be really honored to hear your perspectives on this, and would
> appreciate any you could provide.
>
> With cordial thanks,
>
> Dan Belin
>
> *_______________________________________*
> +1(703) 209-9608 | @dfbelin <https://twitter.com/dfbelin> | danielbel.in
>
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