IBM Supports PICS in Server (PR)

[Irene Graham]

On Fri, 7 Mar 1997 17:16:37 +1000, Dan_Tebbutt@acp.com.au wrote:

>[interesting move - dant]
>---------------------- Forwarded by Dan Tebbutt/ACP on 07/03/97 05:15 PM
[...]
>To learn more about IBM's commitment to PICS, please visit www.ibm.com. =
The
>lead story on the Web site provides an in-depth look at PICS, and will =
run
>through Tuesday, March 11.   After that date, the feature can be =
accesses
>at
>www.ibm.com/Stories/1997/03/pics1.html
[...]

Thanks, Dan. A few aspects I found interesting...

They attempt to show some "compelling reasons" to rate your site and
explain how to do that. First, "Check with your Web administrator or ISP
administrator to see if their server software supports transmitting PICS
labels in HTTP headers (as the IBM ICSS 4.2 server does). This is the
preferred method...". (I don't suppose they have any ulterior motive in
wanting to "make the web safe for surfing".)

They comment that "IBM, among other companies, is researching technology
that would enable ratings to be generated on the fly" and later that "Some
label bureau servers in the future will fetch the content and run a program
to create an interim rating that will be returned, pending the reviewer's
more accurate site evaluation."

Automated rating without human involvement? Fascinating.

Of course, I know PICS _could_ be used for things other than blocking
access to information, but I found this comment quite odd:
	"For the next six months, the focus of PICS will be around protecting
	the consumer," Schloss predicted. "My intuition is that in several
	years, PICS will be used primarily for filtering outside North America.
	But within the U.S., PICS could be used just as much for other purposes,
	such as personalized information delivery."

Irene


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Irene Graham, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.  PGP key on h/page.
The Net Labelling Delusion: <http://www.pobox.com/~rene/liberty/label.html>
"...PICS-type systems...might have to be enforced" Peter Webb, ABA, June 96
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