IP: Germany admits probe; claims CompuServe blocked voluntarily

[Dave Farber <farber@central.cis.upenn.edu>]

From: Jack Rieley <ranjak@interport.net>
To: "'Dave Farber'" <farber@central.cis.upenn.edu>
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 1995 10:36:29 -0500


Dave,


Germany has finally reacted publicly to the rise tide of global disgust at
its actions against CompuServe. But neither the German prosecutor's
statement nor dispatches from the government-friendly DPA news agency even
touch upon the ban on Clarinet's gay news feed, several gay discussion
groups and a newsgroup dealing with the handicapped and sex.


A statement by the prosecutor's office in Munich confirmed that it has
launched a criminal investigation of CompuServe in connection with the
dissemination of child pornography. But the statement also claims that
CompuServe voluntarily blocked 200 newsgroups after discussions with the
government.


It is only proper now to ask, "Who's lying?"  Either CompuServe was ordered
to block the newsgroups, as it asserts, or it did so voluntarily, as the
German government says.


Best,
Jack Rieley