Computer underground Digest Tue Jun 6, 1995 Volume 7 : Issue 46
ISSN 1004-042X
Editors: Jim Thomas and Gordon Meyer (TK0JUT2@MVS.CSO.NIU.EDU
Archivist: Brendan Kehoe
Shadow Master: Stanton McCandlish
Field Agent Extraordinaire: David Smith
Shadow-Archivists: Dan Carosone / Paul Southworth
Ralph Sims / Jyrki Kuoppala
Ian Dickinson
Tibia Editor: Who built the Seven Towers of Thebes?
(Answer still pending)
CONTENTS, #7.45 (Tue, Jun 6, 1995)
File 1--A Seduction In Cyberspace?
File 2--Re: Protecting kids from porn on Web -- html enhancement
File 3--Illinois Legislater "Discovers" Net Porn (news excerpt)
File 4--Canadian Police Chiefs Ponder Crime on the Infobahn (fwd)
File 5--GovAccess.120: Christian Coalition urges net censorship (fwd)
File 6--Voice System Up-Date
File 7--Cu Digest Header Info (unchanged since 19 Apr, 1995)
CuD ADMINISTRATIVE, EDITORIAL, AND SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION APPEARS IN
THE CONCLUDING FILE AT THE END OF EACH ISSUE.
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Date: 03 Jun 95 04:03:33 EDT
From: Walter Scott <74276.3616@compuserve.com>
Subject: File 1--A Seduction In Cyberspace?
On May 18th, Daniel Montgomery left Seattle for an as yet unknown
location. His departure has caused, in its wake, a frenzy of media
coverage. And that magic word -- "INTERNET" -- is attached to this
story.
Daniel Montgomery is 15 years-old and potentially gay. Until May
of this year, he was what Tahoma High School Assistant Principal Rob
Morrow would call a "nice young man." More than being a "nice young
man," Daniel Montgomery was a teenager exploring cyberspace via
America Online. Through a chat room on America Online, Daniel met
someone calling himself "Damien Starr." Eventually, Starr may have
enticed Daniel to leave his Maple Valley home.
According to a published report in the 6-2-95 edition of the
Seattle Post Intelligencer, Starr's user profile on America Online
indicates Starr is 18 years-old, gay, and resides somewhere on Nob
Hill in San Fransisco. Starr and Daniel Montgomery apparently
communicated, for a period of time, on America Online and by way of a
password-protected 1-800 phone number. According to the Seattle Post
Intelligencer and Bill Montgomery -- Daniel's father -- Starr had
suggested that, if Daniel was discovering he is gay, and revealed such
to his parents, they probably would kick him out of his home. Bill
Montgomery believes this may have played a role in why Daniel
Montgomery left -- ostensibly because Daniel had not discussed his
sexual orientation with his parents, and Daniel's mother had stated
negative feelings about gays in the past. Thus, Bill Montgomery
asserts Daniel may have been particularly open to another suggestion --
that Daniel come join Starr.
When Daniel left, he apparently did so after receiving a bus
ticket in the mail from Starr. Since then, Daniel has sent 2 E-Mail
messages to his father stating that he's doing OK while making more
money than his parents, according to reports from several broadcast
news organizations here in Seattle. Bill Montgomery doesn't KNOW if
this is true but states that, if what Daniel had claimed is true, at
least part of it is temporary. Soundbites aired on TV news (KOMO-TV
and KING-TV - 6-2-95) illustrate Bill Montgomery suspects his son is
being groomed for sex. According to the Seattle Post Intelligencer,
that assessment may, in part, be drawn from Daniel's sister. She lives
in Southern California and has informed Bill Montgomery of reports
she's seen on TV about groups that seduce young gay males by offering
protection from parents who might not be supportive of a homosexual
orientation in their children. The Seattle Post Intelligencer
summarizes Montgomery's description of the "group's" method of
operation as enticement to run away followed by provision of food and
money for a short time, and then culminating in requests for sexual
favors in return. The Seattle Post Intelligencer, and broadcast news
organizations in Seattle, are not, however, reporting confirmation of
this notion.
Starr has contacted the Montgomery family four times, again,
according to the Seattle Post Intelligencer, to assure them Daniel is
not in any danger. As stated previously, Montgomery doesn't doubt this
for the time being. But, Montgomery also told the Seattle Post
Intelligencer that Starr is probably a recruiter who might have been
recruited into the "group" not so long ago.
Bill Montgomery is not saying whether he will ask America
Online to provide Starr's real name and/or other information on Starr
retained by America Online. The Seattle Post Intelligencer, though,
reports that the FBI won't deny they are interested in asking America
Online to reveal information on Starr. And "sources" are stated by the
Seattle Post Intelligencer as indicating that the FBI continues to
investigate the case.
There are several interesting factors in this turn of events.
Some of those factors can be appreciated more easily by people who
live in Washington state and in the Puget Sound in particular.
1. Washington state's Legislature just finished a regular
session and special session -- back-to-back. Those sessions
provided high political drama -- even for the online
community. Until late last month, we were faced with a
"harmful to minors" bill addressing, among other things,
availability of sexual material to minors via online
services. The bill easily passed the Legislature but was
vetoed by Governor Lowry. A veto-override attempt did not
fall so short that people here -- who were and are opposed
to the legislation -- can breathe a sigh of relief; the
issue WILL come back another day -- possibly quite soon.
2. The Legislature also passed legislation which would
change Washington state's laws dealing with run-aways.
This legislation was partially vetoed. The result is a
firestorm of resentment among a significant number of
parents. They feel as though long-awaited relief has been
stolen by a Governor who doesn't appreciate parenting
issues in this state. For example: Laws existing through
this Spring required that a child at the age of 13 could
legally run away from home. Parents were powerless to do
anything about such behavior unless the child was acting
under the coercion of others in very strict
circumstances. The new law is only slightly more
restrictive on whether minors can run away -- certainly NOT
restrictive enough to make Daniel Montgomery's act of
running away an illegal act. Such laws, as those existing
prior to the most recent regular session of the Washington
state Legislature, have been in place for several years
to provide abused children with the means to escape parental
abuse if running away would accomplish that goal.
3. A local TV station (KIRO) recently ran a series of
reports called "Net Sex." Those reports were
sensationally promoted with language that implied
children can and do access sexually explicit sections of
the INTERNET -- something which might be a threat to
children if unsuspecting parents aren't watching what
their kids are doing online. The actual reports, however,
were reasonably balanced. But, the reports left Seattle
sensitized to the existence of sexually explicit materials
on the INTERNET.
4. We have the copious and invalid use of the word
"INTERNET" in broadcast reporting of the Montgomery
run-away. We also have a case in which a 15-year-old
ran away to circumstances the father of that 15-year-old
asserts are probably sexual in nature. All four of the
factors listed here may eventually come together as a
dangerous brew is or will be created.
In the current social and political climate, the Montgomery
run-away; the Baker case; the incidents where children download
instructions on how to make pipe bombs and then construct them; an
incident where a young girl seduces an adult male into a sexual
encounter after online meetings; incidents where online pedophiles do
there thing, and so much more seem to draw us headlong toward events
we may regret some years from now. I wonder if there is no other way
to see what is out there to be seen.
Politicians revel in such events as those referred to above. I
believe it is no strange coincidence that Senator Exon's legislation
(Communications Decency Act) moved into the fast lane of Congressional
action at around the same time as news broke on the Baker case. It is
not novel for politicians to orchestrate their policies and agendas
around politically favorable current events. I expect more instances
of perceived or actual online abuse, and for politicians to take
advantage in the ways only politicians can.
Whether it's Washington state, New York state, Alabama or
Washington, DC, I'm finding it more and more difficult to believe
there is any room left to assume reason will necessarily prevail over
emotion built to a fever-pitch. I see emotion more places than I
don't, and rancorous emotion at that. I also see associated and
ever-growing polarization. It actually frightens me because I think I
know what all that HIGH emotion will promulgate.
=========== UPDATE ==================
On Sunday [6-4-95] Seattle area teenager Daniel Montgomery -- who
had run away from home in mid-May at the possible coaxing of an AOL
subscriber -- met with his parents at a San Francisco airport.
According to various Seattle news media reports, Montgomery told his
parents, at that time, he was doing ok and had not been harmed.
Subsequently, reports from local media have exhibited an amazing
cacophony of inaccurate or incomplete information. For example: Even
on the day that Daniel Montgomery met with his parents, the Seattle
Post Intelligencer reported that Montgomery had been seen by a Seattle
Metro bus driver. According the the Seattle Post Intelligencer,
Montgomery had told the bus driver he was on his way out of town, and
Montgomery had shown the bus driver what the bus driver thought to be
a bus ticket to Florida.
Once it was clear that Montgomery had met with his parents in
San Francisco, local news media issued conflicting stories as to
whether Montgomery would stay with his parents or grandparents. More
than one news organization implied a strained relationship between
Montgomery and his parents
In the past two days, some news media organizations have stated
AOL was under some pressure to reveal information on a subscriber
using the alias "Damien Starr." However, other news media
organizations were stating that AOL was resolute in its policy not to
reveal information about subscribers. Even so, today, [6-6-95] several
broadcast organizations (KING-TV, KIRO-TV, KIRO radio, and KOMO radio)
now report that AOL has terminated the person who used the Damien
Starr alias. KOMO radio broadcast the following in a news program this
morning.
America Online says it's complying with a subpoena
and giving investigators information about the
account of Damien Starr. That's the name used by a
man suspected of luring a teenaged boy to San Francisco.
The computer service has also terminated the man's
account. The boy's now back with his family in
Maple Valley. [Maple Valley is a small community
in the Seattle area]
KING-TV takes us a step further with a report that Damien Starr
is under investigation by the FBI for a possible violation of the Man
Act. KIRO-TV states that AOL terminated Damien Starr because Starr
allegedly solicited a minor in violation of AOL's policies.
It's rather difficult to know what is truth, what is perception,
and what is true at one moment and not in the next moment, hour, or day in
this case. What seems certain, though, is that events pertaining to
the running away and/or seduction of Daniel Montgomery are not
finished.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 22 May 1995 15:53:32 GMT
From: subhas@CS.WM.EDU
Subject: File 2--Re: Protecting kids from porn on Web -- html enhancement
Source: comp-academic-freedom-talk@EFF.ORG
Can the parents prevent their children from viewing
--------------------------------------------------
unwanted Web pages?
-------------------
Yes. There is a simple solution.
The senate's Communication Decency Bill is ultimately harmful and
moreover it won't work because Internet does not know any country
boundaries. Nevertheless, the politicians are making impassioned
arguments that the children must be protected from the pornographic
materials and other unwanted materials (like how to make a bomb). Do
they have a valid point? Well, let me rephrase the question :
If you have a simple way to prevent your kids from viewing some adult
materials or other unwanted stuff available on the Web, would you use
it to control their access? Particularly if that objective can be
accomplished without any censorship laws or any inconvenience? Also
free of cost too? I suppose most parents probably would.
Below the proposed solution is introduced in a question answer form.
Q1. Why is this fuss? I don't see any problem. Therefore no solution
is necessary.
A. Actually, there is a problem. Do you want your 10-year old kid to
read Hustler magazine? There are actually lots of adult materials on
the Web (and there are going to be more in the future) which are even
more unsuitable for young children. Concerned parents want to protect
their kids from viewing such materials available on the Web. Also,
adult page authors don't want any kids to view their stuff. Its apparent
that the Internet is going to be so useful that kids should be
encouraged to surf the Net. Currently there is no good solution to
this dilemma.
If something is not done by the net-citizens themselves, the
politicians can generate enough public support to curtail freedom of
expression on the Net. Despite all the hype, only a small percentage
of the general population are on the Net and thus netters are powerless
to the law-makers majority of whom are not friends of the Net.
Q2. Can anything be done? How?
A. Yes. Concerned parents and educators can control access on Web. All
it needs is a little cooperation from the Web browser designers (like
people at Netscape and NCSA Mosaic) and also from the adult Web page
authors.
In the next version of the Web navigators, just introduce a new HTML
tag
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