Subject: Sirbu's Mail to CMU

From: D B McCullagh <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 7 Aug 1995 22:41:58 -0700 (PDT)

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 <[email-masked]>
X-Andrew-Message-Size:    2217+0
Content-Type: X-BE2; 12
If-Type-Unsupported: alter
To: Erwin Steinberg <[email-masked]>,
    Michael Caldwell Murphy <[email-masked]>,
    Don Hale <[email-masked]>
Subject: Martin Rimm's research
Cc: Jessie Barbour Ramey <[email-masked]>,
    Martin Rimm <[email-masked]>

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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

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