26 July 2013. The votes are in. The list remains open.

26 July 2013

Freelists As Well As NSA Snooping

Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2013 07:48:14 -0400
To: cryptome[at]freelists.org
From: John Young <jya[at]pipeline.com>
Subject: [cryptome] Freelists As Well As NSA Snooping.

We have learned that Freelists, host of this list, makes all its lists' contents available for public harvesting, especially through Google. Free lists asserts lists' contents are considered public information and are made available to contribute to public discourse.

Now knowing that Freelists makes this list's contents available for harvesting is disturbing and we apologize for not knowing and warning subscribers. We should have known "free" means other than it seems.

We are considering closing the list because of this harvesting, no different than spying. However, list members' opinion would be appreciated.

Cryptome.org intends to publish this matter.

Here is a good example:

One of this list's member recently asked for a message to be removed after discovering the author's name on Google and not wanting what was thought to be a private opinion publicized.

We learned about this request when the author contacted Freelists about message removal. The Freelist administrator forwarded the request to us. We removed the message.

Some may know that Cryptome.org seldom removes material posted on its site, except in cases where an individual, never an official, politely asks for personal information removed.

There are about 600 subscribers to this list.

Thanks.

_____

Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2013 07:57:20 -0400
To: cryptome[at]freelists.org
From: John Young <jya[at]pipeline.com>
Subject: [cryptome] Freelists As Well As NSA Snooping Addendum

Cryptome does not support secret forums, instead participants should know contents are public before joining a forum or participating.

This list has had little traffic and only a small number of posters. That's a fine alternative to social media frenzy of aiding official and commercial spying that is fostering the unwary frenzy to harvest its "free" bounty.

We add on the possible list closing, all messages will be deleted, subscriber list too.

But, destroying public information is abominable, so we are open to persuasion on this.

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