Re: "This post is G-Rated"

... Discussion of rating systems elided.

Does anyone have suggestions for achieving the goals of the V-Chip with
many non-govermental rating agencies?  It seems to me that empowering
parents would head off the TV/Internet censors.  Any parent who was
interested in acting as a censor for their children's TV/Internet would be
happy to pay an extra $20 or so for the technical means to achieve that
goal.  The big problem is how are the labels attached to the programs.  I
agree with Tim that it is probably imposible for individual Usenet
postings.  However is should be possible for TV programs, and whole
newsgroups.

BTW - I think that such hardware/software is a wonderful way train hackers.
 Most of the teenagers I know, know more about their home electronics than
their parents do.  And the teenagers RTFM.

Bill

Bill Frantz writes:
 > However is should be possible for TV programs

Maybe, until it becomes common for "TV programs" to be accessible by
URL...

 > and whole newsgroups.

Since nobody "owns" newsgroups, and nobody controls what's posted to
them, I don't see how that's possible at all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| Nobody's going to listen to you if you just | Mike McNally (m5@tivoli.com) |
| stand there and flap your arms like a fish. | Tivoli Systems, Austin TX    |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Thu, 25 Jan 1996, Bill Frantz wrote:

> ... Discussion of rating systems elided.
> 
> Does anyone have suggestions for achieving the goals of the V-Chip with
> many non-govermental rating agencies?  It seems to me that empowering
> parents would head off the TV/Internet censors.  Any parent who was

THere are several schemes being put about that work along those lines,
with message formats being standardised, but not the actual values - you
should then pick your favourite rating agency, and they determine what is
rated and how.  This system creates a new market for rating agencies, and
it also helps parents to determine more precisely what *they* think is fit
for their children. 

There are pros and cons for both the single set of standard codes, and 
the niche model - a single set is likely to be just a little above the 
lowest common denominator; with niches kids whose parents who pick the CC 
rating agency aren't going to be getting talk.origins in their newsrc 
anytime soon.

On Thu, 25 Jan 1996, Simon Spero wrote:

> THere are several schemes being put about that work along those lines,
> with message formats being standardised, but not the actual values - you
> should then pick your favourite rating agency, and they determine what is
> rated and how.  This system creates a new market for rating agencies, and
> it also helps parents to determine more precisely what *they* think is fit
> for their children. 

This would allow to emerge a free market 'ecology' of ratings agencies, 
similar to the system that has emerged in the PC technology 
market for product reviews.  

Presently, I obtain a great deal of market exposure by promoting my 
product (I'm a marketing geek at a Silicon Valley networking vendor) in  
competitive reviews done by both specialist companies (e.g., LANQuest Labs) 
and print magazines (PC World,  Communications Week, etc.)

Everyone has their own opinions about the accuracy, testing methodology, 
review philosophy, and veracity of these 'ratings agencies', and there is a 
large market segment that does buy product on little more than what they read 
in these trade rags.

The analogy with Web pages is fairly direct.  As a Web content provider, 
I would be incentivized to have my pages reviewed by those agencies whom 
I felt attracted the right target audience for my content, and whose 
reputation in that audience was good.

As a Web surfer, or parent, or whomever, I could choose (or not) to 
consult with a ratings agency whose criteria and reputation I trust.

As a ratings agency, my reputation would be based on how closely I follow 
the criteria I publish for my rating service.

I can forsee the development of competing 'ratings servers', which 
contain a database of reviewed URL's.  My browser would query one with a 
URL (for a small fee) prior to retrieving the actual page.

With an evolved form of e-cash, this could become a profitable 
business.  Ratings aren't necessarily strictly value judgements; they can 
act as a classification system as well. 

Of course, this is an entirely free market, voluntary, no coercion 
involved, non-legislated solution, so I wouldn't expect it to fly in today's 
political climate.

--
Johnathan M. Corgan
jcorgan@aeinet.com
http://www.aeinet.com/jcorgan.htm