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AT&T Issues Formal 'Censorship' Apology

Posted by samzenpus on from the just-kidding dept.

netbuzz writes "AT&T this evening has issued new terms of use language that it hopes will cap a firestorm of protest over the original version that appeared to give the company freedom to pull the plug on anyone who had the temerity to criticize AT&T or its affiliates. Whether you believed that threat to be real or overblown, the new language would seem to put the issue to rest."

5 of 98 comments (clear)

  1. Pearl Jam webcast was censored by AT+T by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    FYI...

    http://pearljam.com/news/index.php?what=News#195

  2. Re:AT&T respects your right to free speech by brunes69 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The OP's point is the law is supposed to be enfoced by the courts, not by AT&T.

    When a law starts being enforced by private companies, the citizen no longer has any recourse to violate a law that they feel unjust.

    The ability to violate unjust laws and get them overruled through jury nullification is one of the cornerstones of the legal system - despite what some judges nowadays instruct their jurys.

  3. Re:But... but... what about the children?!? by transporter_ii · · Score: 2, Interesting

    No, they had the TOS, not to stop the exploitation of children, but to stop people criticizing AT&T's exploitation of children. As it turns out, they provide the phone service to the most heinous, blatant, and vile exploitation of children on the planet...Disneyland .

    --
    Doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy knowledge, religion destroys spirituality
  4. Read it carefully... by Peter+Simpson · · Score: 2, Interesting

    They can still terminate you for bashing AT&T:

    "AT&T will not terminate, disconnect or suspend service because of the views you or we express on public policy matters, political issues or political campaigns."

    If you wanted to interpret that language in the strictest sense, they've reserved the right to terminate you for expressing any views that *don't* concern public policy or politics.

    Now, maybe I'm reading too much into this, but why be so specific about what they *won't* terminate you for talking about? Why not say something like "We'll terminate you if you slander or libel someone, but just expressing an opinion is fair game"?

  5. Re:AT&T respects your right to free speech by The_Mystic_For_Real · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Nobody's born a techie, but some people are too stubborn to evolve/learn. Usually we call them Jehova's Witnesses or bible thumpers.

    So that's the solution? Let most human beings fall victim to the predatory few? What about people who don't have access to technological education? What about people whose only offense was having a credit card?

    Furthermore, what about the artists and programmers whose only crime was releasing their work to the public?

    Look I don't think corporations should act as police, as the mods and responders seem to think I do, what I am saying is that while we all have benefited from the Internet being a modern day Wild West, we are benefiting off the backs of the rest of humanity.

    What if it was the physically strong exploiting the mentally strong, as opposed to the other way around?

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    Thank you.