Re: nettime: NSF yanks Iran's Internet connection, from HotWired

[Declan McCullagh <declan@eff.org>]

On Fri, 30 Aug 1996, John Perry Barlow wrote:

> At 1:11 AM -0400 8/29/96, Declan McCullagh wrote:
> >Attached is my column on the NSF and Iran. After I filed it, I received an
> >unconfirmed note from the NSF saying that they removed the restriction in
> >response to my calls earlier today. I'll verify tomorrow.
> 
> Way to go, Declan!
> 
> How did you find about about this outrage?


Thanks!

But I can't take credit for discovering the NSF's Iran-ban. Some
expatriates at U.S. universities recently discovered that their mail to
Iran was bouncing. They grew concerned and started firing off email
messages; I received one of 'em. 

The NSF lifted the block, but packets are still moving *very* slowly,
probably due to queued email that's now flooding through the narrow pipe
to Tehran.

Even though the NSF is now in damage-control mode and is refusing to
comment, I still plan to do a follow-up column this week pointing out the
dangers of letting mid-level career bureaucrats have complete control over
a country's ability to speak and listen on the Net... 

-Declan
(declan@hotwired.com)



// declan@eff.org // I do not represent the EFF // declan@well.com //

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