In a capitulation to censorship, the world's leading online service, Compuserve, has suspended access to 200 Internet "newsgroups". Though it affects all Compuserve users around the globe, the ban was initiated at the request of just one country, Germany. According to a company spokesperson, "German government officials ... ordered Compuserve to do what was necessary with respect to specified newsgroups in order to comply with German law". "Newsgroups" are specialised forums that allow Internet users to read or post information. By one estimate, there are currently more than 16,000 active newsgroups, dedicated to everything from baseball to bondage. Most of the newsgroups banned by Compuserve addressed, or simply appeared to address, an erotic or sex-related theme. The company deleted a number of lesbian, gay and bisexual groups, including groups that had no erotic focus. Compuserve banned newsgroups dedicated to resources for young queers, lesbian/gay journalism and information about coming out. The San Francisco-based Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation said that the lumping of all lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender subjects under the heading "sexually explicit" is both inaccurate and discriminatory. However, GLAAD added, even if Compuserve had just banned sexually explicit newsgroups, such censorship would still be "equally retarded and regressive". "As queer communities know, sex negativity goes hand in hand with homophobia. Prohibitions against `pornography' and `obscenity' lead inevitably to prohibitions against homosexual communication of any kind", a GLAAD spokesperson said. GLAAD is asking people to inform Compuserve of their opposition to its moves to censor the Internet. Compuserve can be contacted by writing to: Robert Massey, President, Compuserve, Inc., 5000 Arlington Center Boulevard, Columbus, Ohio 43220, USA. Ph 614-457-0802 or e-mail 70006,101@compuserve.com. Compuserve members can also complain directly to customer service, via "GO FEEDBACK".
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