#48

This article appeared in the April 1988 issue of
ONLINE TODAY, the user's magazine published by
Compuserve.  No author attribution was given.

             SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME

    The FBI may be reading your electronic mail if you
regularly use bulletin board systems.

    Glen Roberts, a publisher of books, magazines and
newsletters oriented toward privacy and surveillance,
says that the FBI has become involved with the casual
monitoring of many BBS systems.  Major information
services such as Compuserve do not allow casual access
to their systems.  In a report published this year,
Roberts states that the FBI is threatened by communi-
cations media.

    "Unlike other communications media, information on
a BBS does not get read by anyone before its instant-
aneous publication."  Roberts says.  "Therefore, the
FBI has much less of a possibility of intimidating the
owner of a BBS into not publishing certain information.
The FBI also acts as if BBSes have a monopoly on the
distribution of so-called 'illegal information.'
[They] use this 'danger' for justification to monitor
the activities on these systems.  In reality, however,
BBSes transfer much less 'illegal information' than
the phone system."

    Roberts believes that government agencies should
not be snooping through electronic communications. He
points out that where legitimate investigative infor-
mation needs to be obtained, there are adequate legal
means, primarily search warrants and federal or state
laws, that can be used.

    "BBSes bring the power of freedom of the press to
the average citizen."  Roberts says.  "The only way to
keep this power available to the average citizen is an
aggressive stance against government meddling in them.
The best way to do this is to do our best to make sure
the government follows its own rules."

    Information on Roberts' report may be obtained from
the publisher at 313-747-7027.

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