« Dell opens stores, doesn't carry product? | Main | AMD releases socket AM2 »
May 25, 2006
Compare and Contrast
We've talked quite a bit about internet free speech around here I'd like to compare and contrast two examples of home grown issue via Glenn:
#1. Post on your own time, get detention:
A school district in Illinois said that kids who post images of themselves engaged in lewd, inappropriate or illegal behavior — even off school grounds — are subject to disciplinary action. School officials say they are not trying to censor students but to protect them.
Now I'd have no problems with the school letting the parent know and letting them take action but I can't see how a school has the right to punish a kid for posting something via a non school computer on non school time. Now if they decimated it at school or used a school machine for it that would be different. In addition who decides what is and what is not appropriate? My kids Catholic Schools might have a different idea than a public school in San Francisco?
#2 Critique literary agents; lose your ISP:
It seems that a site called Absolute Write decided to reprint a list called the 20 worst literary Agents. Somebody on that list took exception and apparently pressured the ISP to drop the site.
Now I know nothing on this subject and won't pretend to but it seems to me that this is the free market at work. A business has the right to listen to somebody's complaint and act (or not act) upon it. Likewise the customer base has the right to decide not to do business with that business because of said decision. The free market will work it out here as it does with the Dixie Chicks and country music fans.
Thus I would have to disagree with Glenn's label for this item (crushing of dissent). It might not be fair but life isn't fair and no ISP has an obligation to carry anybody they don't want to. Absolute Write has already moved and a lot more people have seen that list who would have never cared one fig about it. Everybody will deal with the fallout but life will go on. That is the way things work in a free society.
Posted by Peter at May 25, 2006 11:31 AM