RFC 2057 (rfc2057) - Page 1 of 20
Source Directed Access Control on the Internet
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group S. Bradner
Request for Comments: 2057 Harvard University
Category: Informational November 1996
Source Directed Access Control on the Internet
Status of this Memo
This memo provides information for the Internet community. This memo
does not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of
this memo is unlimited.
1. Abstract
This memo was developed from a deposition that I submitted as part of
a challenge to the Communications Decency Act of 1996, part of the
Telecommunications Reform Act of 1996. The Telecommunications Reform
Act is a U.S. federal law substantially changing the regulatory
structure in the United States in the telecommunications arena. The
Communications Decency Act (CDA) part of this law has as its aim the
desire to protect minors from some of the material carried over
telecommunications networks. In particular the law requires that the
sender of potentially offensive material take "effective action" to
ensure that it is not presented to minors. A number of people have
requested that I publish the deposition as an informational RFC since
some of the information in it may be useful where descriptions of the
way the Internet and its applications work could help clear up
confusion in the technical feasibility of proposed content control
regulations.
2. Control and oversight over the Internet
No organization or entity operates or controls the Internet. The
Internet consists of tens of thousands of local networks linking
millions of computers, owned by governments, public institutions,
non-profit organizations, and private companies around the world.
These local networks are linked together by thousands of Internet
service providers which interconnect at dozens of points throughout
the world. None of these entities, however, controls the Internet;
each entity only controls its own computers and computer networks,
and the links allowed into those computers and computer networks.
Although no organizations control the Internet, a limited number of
organizations are responsible for the development of communications
and operational standards and protocols used on the Internet. These
standards and protocols are what allow the millions of different (and
sometimes incompatible) computers worldwide to communicate with each
Bradner Informational