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Hard Hat Hosting censors RAIL
After signing up for an account with Hard Hat Hosting (hardhathosting.com) RAIL soon lost access to the server and later received the message below from Hard Hat CEO Eric Linberg. We reprint this message for two reasons. First, Hard Hat states in their Acceptable Use Policy that they will not allow content that harms their reputation or good will. If they hope to maintain their reputation as web hosting service then the public should know that despite their claims to the contrary, they do not respect the rights of freedom of expression of opinions and political views. Every web hosting company in the world could tell us that they respect our right to free speech, but if no one will host a site that lists the deaths caused by imperialism then that information is being censored from the public.
At this point in history there are various web hosts that will serve various types of controversial material. People who try to combat the bourgeois idea of intellectual property face the greatest resistance from website hosters who have little recourse but to respect bourgeois property rights to stay in business. While anti-copyright materials pose an immediate threat to capitalist profits, political speech is given more leeway until it becomes a real threat. So when push comes to shove and there's a warrant from an intelligence agency of the bourgeois state, then all of sudden your servers and all the data on them are gone. (1) And when activists take the independent route of hosting their own space on the web then they become easier targets. When the feds come to take the server they're coming to your house and taking you with them. (2)
The second and more important point we want to make is that this is bigger than Hard Hat Hosting. The fact is that the oppressed and exploited do not have freedom of speech in the system that exploits and oppresses them. Even as amerikans are losing their majority control of the Internet, it remains controlled by the wealthy of the world. There is no doubt that the higher levels of communication available with the development of the Internet will serve the struggle of the oppressed in the long- run. However, the supposed right to free speech for oppressed voices will only be guaranteed by our determined struggle and our creativity in the face of repression.
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Hello [x],
I'm sorry it took me so long to reply. After reviewing your existing site imperialismkills.org I would respectfully choose not to host this domain or any material that might be considered controversial.
We totally respect your right to express your own opinions and political views, however we do not wish to take on the liability of hosting a site that could easily become a target of those that have opposing ideologies.
Please do not take this personally, there are many hosting companies that have lenient Acceptable Use Policies.
Our AUP can be reviewed at:
http://hardhathosting.com/customer-service/terms-of-service.php#accept
Here is an excerpt that applies to to the situation.
"Hard Hat Hosting reserves the right to restrict or prohibit any and all uses or content that it determines in its sole discretion is harmful to its systems, network, reputation, good will, other Hard Hat Hosting customers, or any third party"
I apologize for any inconvenience that this causes you. Please let us know when you have moved your files off of the server and we will remove the account.
Sincerely,
Eric Linberg
President
Hardhat, Inc.
(1) This is what happened to Indymedia in October 2004. see MIM Notes 310.
Nov. 1-14, 2004. p.4.
(2) This was the fate of Sherman Austin who is now on probation after
spending over a year in federal prison for something someone else posted
on the webspace he hosted. see www.freesherman.org