Leading Online Professional Association Endorses RSAC Internet Rating System

Alexandria, VA, June 4, 1996 -- The Association of Online Professionals (AOP) today announced that it has joined forces with the Recreational Software Advisory Council (RSAC) to promote use of RSAC's Internet content advisory system, RSACi, among the AOP's 1,000+ online professional members. AOP's Board of Directors voted to support RSACi, as well as to work closely with RSAC to extend the system beyond the Internet to include Bulletin Board Systems (BBSs) and other online services.

Founded in 1994, the AOP is a non-profit service and support organization for professionals who plan, manage and maintain computer-based, remote-access communication systems, including electronic BBS Systems, Internet Service Providers, and sites on the World Wide Web. From its headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, the association serves more than 1,000 professionals around the globe in an effort to foster and promote the growth of individuals, organizations and companies that operate, consult with and support electronic communications and information services worldwide. AOP's members include such major online service providers as Prodigy, Microsoft Network and Earthlink, online systems software designers such as Clark Technologies, Mustang and Galacticomm, and major manufacturers such as Hayes, Rockwell International and US Robotics.

RSACi, or RSAC on the Internet, is the open, objective content-labeling advisory system for the Internet created by RSAC, an independent, non-profit organization based in Cambridge, Mass. RSACi empowers parents and consumers to make informed choices about what they and their children experience in cyberspace, while respecting the Web enthusiasts' right to free speech on the Internet. Already endorsed by Microsoft, CompuServe and a number of other leading services, the system is an extension of the software rating system originally developed for the computer game market. The advisory system is fully compatible with the PICS (Platform for Internet Connection Standard) platform adopted last month by the World Wide Web Consortium.

AOP plans to recommend RSAC's objective content advisory system to their 1000+ members in the online industry because the RSACi system meets the organization's commitment to ensuring that the services can take effective steps to deny access to adult-oriented content by underage users.

"It is obvious that we have not seen the last of the attempts to regulate the online industry," notes Dave McClure, Executive Director, AOP. "The only way to fend off these attempts is to demonstrate that the industry has an effective system for parental control and that outside interference is unnecessary. RSACi is a voluntary, easily- implemented system that will meet the needs of our members and our industry."

"We're very pleased that the AOP has decided to support RSACi and promote its use among the organizations' online service members," says Steven Balkam, Executive Director, RSAC. "Given AOP's strong commitment to providing its members with the best and most effective tools for management of their online systems, we think their members will be pleased with the RSACi system."

The AOP will work closely with RSAC to expand the current ratings system to the nearly 100,000 online services that exist as commercial information sites, community services and corporate support systems. "Given that these services support over 20 million subscribers, we see tremendous value in helping to extend the RSACi system to this group of professionals," noted Balkam.

The Recreational Software Advisory Council is an independent, non-profit organization based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, that empowers the public, especially parents, to make informed decisions about electronic media by means of an open, objective, content advisory system. RSAC's system provides consumers with information about the level of sex, nudity, violence, offensive language (vulgar or hate-motivated) in software games and Web sites. To date, RSACi has been licensed by MicroSystems' CyberPatrol Software, SurfWatch Software, and Microsoft Corporation. CompuServe (US and Europe) has also committed to rate all its content with the RSACi system.