From Dave I found the references to news stories about the Church of Scientology’s use of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act to get Google to pull links to pages of well known anti-Church of Scientology web sites, such as Clambake (Xenu), from the Google databases.
Regardless of my feelings about Scientology, this one act puts them beyond what is reasonable and right for a church within this country. Sorry, let me re-phrase this — within any country filled with people who supposedly value personal liberty over the dictates of an organized religion.
No one person can solve all the problems of the world, it’s true. All individuals can do is take a stance, and hope that enough others will join with that person, to make a difference.
I’ve put the link to Clambake prominately above my Plutonian list, and it will remain there until the politicians in this country finally realize that they don’t have a clue in how to work with the Internet and fix this law, or until Google comes to its senses and realizes that it has a moral responsibility to the greater needs of humanity — the right of any organization to be heard!
P.S.In the meantime, the route will be indirect, but Clambake will hopefully still get hits for the word “Scientology” from Google, via my weblog. Might not place as high in the ranks, but they’ll be in the database.
Update: 3/22/02 Google has restored most of the Clambake pages, including the front page. ZD Net. I’ve removed the link to Clambake since they are now back in operation.