From declanm@netcom.com Tue Aug 8 09:59:47 1995 Return-Path: Received: from po4.andrew.cmu.edu by mail5.netcom.com (8.6.12/Netcom) id XAA18735; Mon, 7 Aug 1995 23:07:35 -0700 Received: (from postman@localhost) by po4.andrew.cmu.edu (8.6.12/8.6.12) id BAA03227; Tue, 8 Aug 1995 01:47:36 -0400 Received: via switchmail for fight-censorship+@andrew.cmu.edu; Tue, 8 Aug 1995 01:47:23 -0400 (EDT) Received: from po3.andrew.cmu.edu via qmail ID ; Tue, 8 Aug 1995 01:44:06 -0400 (EDT) Received: from netcom.netcom.com (netcom.netcom.com [192.100.81.100]) by po3.andrew.cmu.edu (8.6.12/8.6.12) with ESMTP id BAA25636 for ; Tue, 8 Aug 1995 01:43:58 -0400 Received: by netcom.netcom.com (8.6.12/Netcom) id WAA05019; Mon, 7 Aug 1995 22:41:58 -0700 Date: Mon, 7 Aug 1995 22:41:58 -0700 (PDT) From: D B McCullagh Subject: Sirbu's Mail to CMU To: fight-censorship@andrew.cmu.edu Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Status: RO X-Status: Sirbu sent this mail September 27 and Carnegie Mellon University's Usenet censorship wasn't implemented until November 8. At the time, we thought that the decision was rushed through. This message suggests otherwise. It also suggests that: * Sirbu knew the details of Rimm's research, including his apparently unethical relationship with adult BBS operators -- even though he's distanced himself from the study now, after the criticism hit. * Rimm, Sirbu, and the administration knew, almost a year ago, that the report would be embraced by everyone from "Jerry Falwell to Andrea Dworkin." * Rimm transferred to Carnegie Mellon in Fall 1993. By the next semester, he was meeting regularly with one of the most senior professors at the university (three joint appointments, chair of information networking institute) about studying pornography in cyberspace. That's quick work. * Rimm lied when he claimed in posts, mail to me, mail to Seth, and so on that he and his research had nothing to do with the Usenet censorship beyond email he sent to Mehrabian. He and Sirbu apparently were "included in any meetings that" might be arranged. -Declan -------- Date: Tue, 27 Sep 1994 23:11:43 -0400 (EDT) From: Marvin Sirbu X-Andrew-Message-Size: 2217+0 Content-Type: X-BE2; 12 If-Type-Unsupported: alter To: Erwin Steinberg , Michael Caldwell Murphy , Don Hale Subject: Martin Rimm's research Cc: Jessie Barbour Ramey , Martin Rimm \begindata{text, 392831532} \textdsversion{12} \template{messages} Gentlemen, I understand that you have been in touch with Martin Rimm regarding his research. Since Martin is currently working on this for credit under me, I have asked him if he would permit me to be included in any meetings that you may arrange. I have been meeting regularly with Martin since last Spring, and believe that he is nearing completion on a ground-breaking study that makes an important scholarly contribution. He has developed some very interesting methodological approaches, and has amassed a remarkable database of information on his chosen subject matter. As Martin and I have discussed, there is still much to do in interpreting the data. The bulk of his data collection focuses on privately operated Adult Bulletin Board Systems (BBS's) offering sexually oriented imagery. He has also examined partial data on the availability and consumption of such imagery at CMU from the Internet, although this data is not central to his work. We have had numerous discussions as to the most appropriate venue for publishing this work since it may appeal to groups as diverse as those concerned with tele communications policy, law, mass communications, marketing science, or sociology of sexual deviance. We have also been discussing potential sources of external research support. Our most recent thinking has been to produce a Working Paper /Technical Report that could be disseminated from CMU pending determination of the most appropriate avenue for formal publication. Because of the subject matter, this research could provide fodder for everyone from the Kinsey Institute to Jerry Falwell to Andrea Dworkin, as have previous scholarly studies in this field. I might not have chosen myself to raise these issues via a message directly to the President, but sooner or later this study will come out and I suspect there will be significant interest among the press. It is certainly appropriate that CMU be prepared. Martin and I both concur that the way the research is publicized should be handled with great care, but I know that he is anxious, after working on this for more than a year, to get something out before he starts applying to graduate schools this fall. Marvin Sirbu \enddata{text, 392831532}