Needling the Thread: A Moderator's Guide to Freedom of Speech Limitations on Government Sponsored Web-Based Threaded Discussions

Authors

• Gregory S. Weber, University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law

Abstract

In the past decade, the Internet has given policymakers new tools that can greatly increase the public's awareness of, and ability to participate in, public policymaking processes. For example, public agencies at all levels now routinely sponsor web pages. In varying levels of detail, these pages describe their agency's policymaking activities. Many permit viewers to send e-mail directly to an agency official. Some agencies use list-servers to allow persons interested in a policymaking matter to exchange e-mail among themselves. In addition, regulatory agencies are increasingly allowing the submission of formal comments to proposed rules via the Internet. Perhaps it is only a matter of time before policymakers routinely incorporate chat rooms, instant messaging, and Usenet fora into their set of policymaking tools.

Recommended Citation

Gregory S. Weber, Needling the Thread: A Moderator's Guide to Freedom of Speech Limitations on Government Sponsored Web-Based Threaded Discussions, 8 Computer L. Rev. & Tech. J. 323 (2004)