[ale] (Advocacy) looking for opinions

[Chris Ricker]

On Thu, 8 Feb 2001, Wandered Inn wrote:

> I noticed that the GPSC web site ( http://www.psc.state.ga.us/ ) has a
> 'get Microsoft IE' link.  I personally have a problem with this and
> consider it free adv. for Microsoft.  I sent email to the GPSC
> requesting them to remove the adv.  I received a response saying it was
> not an adv. and it would not be removed.  They also told me that their
> site was 'best viewed with IE and some functions of the site do not work
> with Netcape.'
>
> What do folks think?  I don't believe that a site that is paid for with
> tax payers money should show such bias.  Also, since it is a public
> site, paid for by tax payers money, it should work for, at least, the
> two major browsers, although I did not have a problem viewing anything
> on the site with Netscape.

Tell them they better run it by their legal department.  Unless Georgia's
laws regarding such have changed since I last had to look into them
(mid-1998 or so), it is an ad.  GT's lawyers always told us that anything
with an active link was an ad (ie, so if it says

<P>This site best viewed with MS IE.  See http://www.micros0ft.com/ie/ for
your own copy.</P>

that's not an ad, but if it says

<P>This site best viewed with MS IE.  See <A
HREF="http://www.micros0ft.com/ie/">http://www.micros0ft.com/ie/</A> for
your own copy.</P>

that is an ad).

Furthermore, state law does forbid all advertising on state-owned equipment.

Hmm, the one thing that might keep it from legally being an ad is that
they're probably not receiving any remuneration for their hot-link.

later,
chris

-- 
Chris Ricker                                               kaboom at gatech.edu
                                              chris.ricker at genetics.utah.edu

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