I don't know the technical details, but here's my understanding:
The V-chip is a device that will be installed by law in every VCR and TV
manufactured in the U.S., which will allow parents to selectively block
content that they find objectionable. So, for example, if I think it's o.k.
for my child to see a little bit of romance and sex, I could set the "Sex"
limit to 2 out of 5. If I wanted to block all violent programming, I could
set the "Violence" limit to 0 out of 5. The device would detect the Sex and
Violence levels of all incoming programming (I don't know who would rate
the programs). If the program is over the limit that I've set, the device
blocks the TV or VCR from showing the program.
Of course, given the number of people who can't even figure out how to
program their VCRs, I suspect that the kids will be better at changing the
limits than their parents - I presume that the system includes passwords or
something to prevent unauthorized changing of the limits.
I believe that the V-chip concept was invented by a Canadian company, but I
may be wrong on this.
Regards,
Mark Gregory
-----Original Message-----
From: Hans Franke <Hans.Franke_at_mch20.sbs.de>
To: classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Date: Friday, February 11, 2000 1:43 PM
Subject: Going totaly OT (was: Dumpster stories!)
>> On Thu, Feb 10, 2000 at 06:35:26PM -0000, Eric Smith wrote:
>> > I suppose people are going to think I'm a jerk for saying such a
thing,
>> > but IMNSHO the tragedy here isn't that the kids were killed, but that
>> > they hadn't been taught not to do such things.
>
>> I agree... My parents covered all this stuff -- they told us not to dig
inside
>> snowbanks because a plow might come, we all wore seat belts way before
there
>> was a law (bicycle helmets too), our parents strictly enforced what we
could
>> and couldn't watch on TV so there was no need for V chips (I can't
believe
>> they're making us pay for censorship devices now just because some
absentee
>> parent religious freaks got upset),
>
>Please, what are V-Chips - I always associate the NEC CPU series with
that.
>
>Gruss
>H.
>
>--
>Stimm gegen SPAM: http://www.politik-digital.de/spam/de/
>Vote against SPAM: http://www.politik-digital.de/spam/en/
>Votez contre le SPAM: http://www.politik-digital.de/spam/fr/
>Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
>HRK
>
Received on Fri Feb 11 2000 - 15:03:04 GMT