randall@Virginia.EDU (Randall Atkinson) (06/17/91)
carl@sol1.gps.caltech.edu (Carl J Lydick) writes: > For some time, USF@VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU has been posting commercial notices > to the SCI.SPACE newsgroup. I understand that he's doing against > the wishes of the management of VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU. If Cornell is sending or knowingly allowing the sending of commercial postings out via any link governed by the Internet "Commercial Use" prohibition, then they are liable for the actions of their user and for the violation of the prohibition of the use of the Internet for commercial purposes. Commercial use of regular USENET (ALTnet is not USENET) is A Bad Thing, but other than if the traffic is sent over Internet links, it probably isn't illicit or illegal and certainly the only pressure that USENET can apply is peer pressure. This is an administrative issue and hence this has been crossposted to news.admin and followups belong there as well.