RE: A Proposal for a New Standard in HTML 3.0

BELL Scott A (bell_scott_a@oslmac.osl.or.gov)
Wed, 12 Apr 1995 11:44:53 +0500

>From: jpaul@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu on Tue, Apr 11, 1995 5:16 PM
>Subject: A Proposal for a New Standard in HTML 3.0
>To: Multiple recipients of list
>
>
<< Comments on Paul's Fine Editor Removed >>
>
>If the WWW becomes the consumer playground business would like, we
>may soon
>find ourselves in a censorship (or at least 'parental control')
quandry.
>What I propose is a parameter placed within the HTML text.
>Specifically,
>the tag could be incorporated as follows:
> <BODY PC=ON>
>
>Where 'PC' represents 'Parental Control'. This tag would VOLUNTARILY
>be
>placed in HTML documents by people such as Penthouse or Playboy...
>anyone
>with an adult or explicit content.
>
>The next step is to make a MINOR modification in web browsers. As
>they
>would read the document, the PC flag would alert the browser to check
>a user
>specified option to determine if 'PC' documents could be displayed.
>Obviously, a parent would be able to set a password within Netscape or
>Mosaic, allowing these documents to be retrieved. Also, if 'PC' were
>activated, the browser would not allow the documents source to be
>viewed,
>nor could the user do a SAVE AS of the doucment.

I don't think the level of security your are describing should be
imposed
at the document level. HTML is an SGML DTD, so there should be no
display/security/editorial definition there. You might have to have a
"filter file"( similar to the UNIX 'filter' file for mail ) to do this.
That way you catch the incoming packet before it even reaches the
viewer.

>
>I believe such a feature would have the following benefits.
> 1) Minimal HTML document modification by adult sites. (Only 1
>line
>per doc.)
> 2) No modifications to HTTP servers.
> 3) Minimal modifications to existing web browsers.
> 4) Still allowing freedom of speech across the net.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yet, invariably, it's dependent on who has the password control. It's
not freedom of speech in that manner if I'm not allowed to hear what
your saying, even though you can speak it!

> 5) Providing a secure method for parents to control what
enters >the
>household.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This can also be provided by watching what sites your kids access,
or warning them in the first place NOT to access particular sites. But
that's for a different group... :>

>I welcome your comments to this suggestion, as well as advise on how
>to
>propose this to the WWW community as a whole.
>
>Thank you.
>
>Cordially,
>
>John-Paul Clark
>jpaul@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu
>
>HTTP://nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu/~jpaul

A interesting idea, even if I don't agree with it.
Thanks, Paul.

Scott
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