Feds to turn webpages into propaganda machines?

[Gordon Riley <Gordon_Riley@MERCERSBURG.EDU>]

According to an article in the Harrisburg (PA) Patriot News, credited to =
the Washington Post, Congress is continuing to find ways to make hay at =
the expense of Internet users.  Noting that NASA's Internet site receives =
hundreds of millions of hits, Representative Matt Salmon (R-Ariz) has =
found a way to turn this to his political advantage.  Salmon introduced an =
ammendment to a NASA funding bill, requiring NASA to "place anti-drug =
messages" on sites controlled by them.  "Now is the time to step up our =
prevention efforts to protect our children from the scourge of drugs," =
Salmon is quoted from his soapbox.  The ammendment was approved, and is =
currently waiting for Senate action.

Once again it is hard to argue against protecting children, especially =
from the scourge of drugs - but once again we are looking at a real =
slippery slope.  Besides seeing visions of anti-drug messages streaming =
across the faces of planets, I wonder what other messages and what other =
sites will be next?  After all the government sites are slowed to =
inaccessability by streaming campaign slogans and content is replaced by =
propaganda - I suspect the usual Federal ploy of "anyone who receives =
government money has to do this" will be next.  Listserves are hosted on =
computers at universities that receive federal funds, so I imagine it =
won't be long until we are flacking for the government every time we post =
a message.

Gordon Riley
Electronic Resources Librarian
Mercersburg Academy
Mercersburg, PA
Gordon_riley@mercersburg.edu
The opinions expressed are my own!

"It's all about sincerity.  Once you can fake that, you've got it made."  =
Former NFL Head Coach Monte Clark.

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