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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: ColtonGang who wrote (52525)	10/26/2000 6:20:41 AM
From: long-gone	Respond to of 769670

Free speech? Armey to the IRS: Keep your hands off the Internet October 25, 2000 Last week, the Internal Revenue Service requested public comment regarding the agency's role in regulating the Internet use of non-profit groups such as charities and think tanks. "This request raises many concerns," said House Majority Leader Dick Armey. "The IRS has no business getting involved in whether a think tank has links on its website, or how often a charity's site is updated. The idea of turning the tax man into a net cop would have a chilling effect on free speech on the Internet." The IRS request listed dozens of questions regarding a wide range of issues, including website funding, whether a non-profit should be held liable for statements by individuals on a website forum, and several questions regarding website links. The agency has had questionable performance on the issue of Internet privacy. In September, Armey wrote to the IRS Commissioner expressing concern about the agency's public comments about its failure to comply with the privacy standards proposed by the Federal Trade Commission. IRS Commissioner Charles Rossotti responded in a letter saying, "The IRS website, the Digital Daily, does not contain confidential taxpayer information." Yet the site does, in fact, solicit tax-related questions from visitors. This means that the site gathers e-mail addresses and personal questions about individual tax situations. "That sounds to me like information that should remain confidential," said Armey. "Do we really want IRS agents policing charitable websites?" The IRS request for comment states that the agency "has made no final decision concerning the need for additional guidance of general applicability and may conclude no further action is necessary." "I'm glad the agency has not taken any regulatory action yet," said Armey. "But let's be clear about this. We will be watching what they do, and we will not tolerate any backdoor attempt to regulate the Internet."