FAX SHEET TO: Michael Neubarth COMPANY: Internet World FAXNUMBER: 203-454- DATE: 10-2-95 NUMBER OF PAGES: 3 COMMENTS: [Preprinted text on fax sheet] Any questions please feel free to call Robert Pondiscio, 212-522-5196, RPTime@aol.com or Nancy Kearny, 212-522-4859, NKTime@aol-com Fax Number,: 212/522-0003 Time Magazine, Time & Life Building, Rockefeller Center, New York, N.Y. 10020 [Letterhead] Time Inc. Time Time & Life Building TIME Rockefeller Center Now York, NY 10020 Robert Pondiscio 212-522-5196 Director of Public Affairs 212-522-0003 Fax [Text begins] October 2, 1995 Michael Neubarth, Editor-in-Chief Internet World Mecklermedia Corp. 20 Ketchum Street Westport, CT 06880 VIA FAX Dear Mr. Neubarth. A member of the WELL has been kind enough to forward to me a copy of a column by Mike Godwin, which apparently is set for publication in a future edition of Internet World. I am writing to protest for several reasons- Beyond the obvious sin of poor journalism -- taking one post out of a long series of posts, thereby robbing my words of their proper context -- Mr. Godwin has breached two important rules on online conduct: First, he has at no time sought my permission to use my words in his column. Clearly, it is a convention, not a legal requirement to seek my permission, but someone of Godwin's experience should not require a reminder on such an important point of netiquette. It's also considered good journalistic practice to ask for comment for the target of a hatchet job. To date, he has not made that request. Second, and most importantly, be is ignoring the well-established convention within TIME Online of hosts signing their full name and magazine affiliation to positions that reflect the tnagazine's official stance on issues. All otbrr posts, including the one of mine that Godwin quotes, represcnt my personal opinion, not the words of (in Godwin's dismissive and redundant phrase) "a public-relations flack, for Time magazine." I suspect he is aware of this. Indeed, it probably explains why he has not sought my permission to be quoted. [Letterhead] A Time Warner Company In any event, I doubt the editors of Internet World consider my personal viewpoints worthy of an entire column of rebuttal. I also encourage you to read the entire thread from which Godwin takes my words without permission. In doing so, you will amply satisfy yourself that Godwin bas built a straw man, not reflective of the content of my posts, whicb he now proceeds to attack in your pages. Lastly, I can only assume that Mr. Godwin is well aware that he has stepped over the line for all of the reasons listcd above. How else to explain why he has posted his column on the WELL, where I am not a mernbcr, but not on TIME Online, the scene of a vigorous debate, lasting several months. I look forward to speaking with you about this matter. Sincerely, [no signature appears]