Internet Is Not a Pornography-Net

The article "Internet Pornography on Rise; University Lacking Policy" (news story, Sep. 29, 1994) quotes me as saying "about 25 percent of all information on the Internet is pornography-related." What I said was, "About 25 percent of all information on USENET, more commonly known as newsgroups, is pornography-related."

I fear that people will get the idea that the Internet should be called the Porn-net after reading your article. It is important to realize that the real benefit of the Internet is the diverse information it makes available. There are those who are offended by material available over the Internet and there are those who are offended by material available in libraries; neither of these people are forced to look at or read these materials--they have the choice.

Harvard has no policy on this issue nor should it. In the most basic sense, Harvard simply provides the wire to connect up to the Internet. --Jeff C. Tarr '96   Co-President, Digitas