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1990-02-13
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2KB
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57 lines
<Date>
To: <State Representative, State Senator, Governor
Federal Senator, Federal Representative,
Telephone Company, Public Service Commission>
<Address>
Re: Private Computer Bulletin Board Services
Levying Commercial Telephone Rates
Dear <Name>:
It has come to my attention that the telephone company is
renewing, on a state by state basis, its attempt to levy
commercial rates for telephone service on private computer
bulleting boards. The "logic" used by telephone company
representatives is that no one invests "thousands" of dollars in
computer equipment to operate a computer bulleting board as a
hobby. Obviously, this is a fallacy.
There are thousands of computer bulletin boards operated in this
country as hobbies. They are used for a variety of reasons
including the exchange of information and views. The information
exchanged may be about sports, politics, religion or any other
subject of interest to users. The computer bulletin board has
become, to many citizens, a sounding board for exchange of
differing views on many issues. In essence, the computer
bulletin board is becoming today what the soap box and
information pamphlets were in the past. The exchange of such
information goes to the heart of our Constitution. The computer
industry estimates that 31 percent of the homes in this country
have computers and modems for communications. Based upon these
statistics, it is estimated that approximately 600 million
people's first amendment right to exchange views will be
immediately affected. Permitting the telephone company to levy
commercial charges on private, non-profit hobby computer
bulleting boards will chill their exercise of this fundamental
right by forcing many (most?) hobby users to close down their
bulletin boards due to increased cost of operation.
The private individual is without sufficient resources to
effectively oppose the sheer power of the telephone company.
Therefore, I am writing this letter to express my displeasure
concerning and my active opposition to the telephone company's
attempt to chill the exercise of my rights. Further, I am urging
my political representatives to propose legislation to prohibit
the telephone company from limiting the exercise of my rights.
Sincerely,
<Your Name>