The NY AG’s Anti-Free-Speech Shakedown Racket

Jim Harper

Here’s a good article by Declan McCullagh on New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s outrageous vendetta against Usenet. The article is good not only because yours truly is quoted.

I’ve been looking, and haven’t found a single advocate from the left or critic of Comcast’s network management practices that has said a word of support for Comcast on this subject. This is where Internet freedom is really in peril - and nothing?

July 23, 2008 | Comments |

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Jack 4 months ago 1 point
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Comcast helped --or took the lead in-- crafting the "historic agreement" among National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA), the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG).

http://www.ncmec.org/missingkids/servlet/NewsEv...

The NCMEC is a quasi-government agency established by Congress in 1984. It receives the bulk of its funds from the federal government. The NCMEC authorized federal funding was just increased by Public Law 110-240 (signed 3 June 2008) to $40 million.

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc....

The censorship scheme that Comcast helped bring about is extremely suspect in light of Bantam Books, Inc. v. Sullivan, 372 U.S. 58 (1963).

http://supreme.justia.com/us/372/58/case.html

Comcast's resistance to further state action by the NY AG doesn't clean their hands.

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Jim Harper 4 months ago 1 point
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These are worthwhile points as to the NCMEC agreement. Should all praise and support for Comcast on other speech-related issues be withheld because of it? How would that be productive?

I suspect that the left (not you, Jack) is cutting off its free speech nose to spite its net neutrality face. Or something.

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Gary McGath 4 months ago 1 point
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I've criticized Comcast's network management on my blog (while making it clear that I don't support regulatory responses) and have blasted Cuomo for his anti-Usenet campaign. This is the first I've heard of Cuomo's threat against Comcast.

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http://mcgath.blogspot.com