At 5:23 PM -0600 3/26/97, Valencia King Nelson wrote:
>I own/operate an unmoderated genealogy list with an average 500
>subscribers and about 40 messages daily. I am hosted as a public
>service from the ListProc@MsState.Edu
>
>In the past 6 months I have had several disruptive/diagreeable
> people to complain about being placed on the "ignored" list.
>The complaint is that their right to free speech is being violasted
>followed up with a threat "to sue".
>
>Any and all consultation will be MUCHO appreciated.
Here is the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of
America, in its entirety:
AMENDMENT I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,
or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to
petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Basicly, First Amendment applies to government restriction of free speech.
Unless you're the government, First Amendment isn't relevant here.
A list manager is more like a publisher than anything else. Publishers
have the right to print or not print whatever they please, subject to such
laws as concern libel, slander, national security secrets, and so forth.
In general, you do not have to publish anything you don't want to; you can
refuse to publish their material for any reason.
Let 'em sue, if they can find a lawyer foolish enough to take the case.
It'll be entertaining.
-Brent
--
Brent Chapman Internet/intranet training and consulting,
Brent@GreatCircle.COM specializing in network design and security.
Great Circle Associates,Inc. Visit us at http://www.greatcircle.com/
References:
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