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FC: Michigan moves to make anonymous ISPs illegal

------- Forwarded message follows ------- Date sent: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 11:10:16 -0500 To: politech@politechbot.com From: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com> Subject: FC: Michigan moves to make anonymous ISPs illegal Send reply to: declan@well.com

[Thanks to James Tyre for the second article. --Declan]

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http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,41740,00.html

Would Pedophile Law Go Too Far? by Julia Scheeres

2:00 a.m. Feb. 10, 2001 PST

Proposed legislation in Michigan designed to help prosecute pedophiles would rip the anonymity out of free Internet service providers nationwide. That would have a deleterious effect on free speech, privacy advocates say.

The Michigan Internet Minimal Identifiers Act, drafted by the Wayne County Sheriff's Department, would require all free ISPs operating in Michigan to identify their subscribers by verifying customers' phone numbers or credit card information. The department says it needs the information to prosecute pedophiles.

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http://freep.com/money/tech/mwend8_20010208.htm

Mike Wendland: Proposed law [in Michigan] would erase free Web users' anonymity

Cops say criminals go incognito on the Net

February 8, 2001

Child pornographers are hiding behind untraceable free Internet e-mail accounts, frustrating law enforcement agents and prompting new legislation that would require free Internet service providers to collect more information about subscribers.

BlueLight.com (www.bluelight.com), the 6-million subscriber service run by Kmart Corp., has already changed its policies in response to a request from Wayne County Sheriff Robert Ficano's Internet crime task force.

Most of the free providers, however, are ignoring requests to do more to identify their subscribers. And online privacy-rights groups are soundly criticizing such requests.

"BlueLight recognized the problem and has acted responsibly," Ficano said Wednesday. "Unfortunately, we're not having as much success with other providers. These free services can be a haven for child pornographers."

State Rep. Bob Brown, D-Dearborn Heights, is proposing legislation to mandate that free services operating in Michigan collect more reliable and identifiable user data.

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