Abusive messages (flames) can be both a source of frustration and a waste of time for Internet users. This paper describes some approaches to flame recognition, including a prototype system, Smokey. Smokey builds a 47-element feature vector based on the syntax and semantics of each sentence, combining the vectors for the sentences within each message. A training set of 720 messages was used by Quinlan's C4.5 decision-tree generator to determine featurebased rules that were able to correctly categorize 64% of the flames and 98% of the non-flames in a separate test set of 460 messages. Additional techniques for greater accuracy and user customization are also discussed. Introduction Flames are one of the current hazards of on-line communication. While some people enjoy exchanging flames, most users consider these abusive and insulting messages to be a nuisance or even upsetting. I describe Smokey, a prototype system to automatically recognize email flames. Smokey combines natural-langu...

In recent times much has been said about the possibility that the two-way, decentralized communications of cyberspace can provide sites of rational-critical discourse autonomous from state and economic interests and thus extending the public sphere at large. In this paper the extent to which the Internet does in fact enhance the public sphere is evaluated. Online deliberative practices are compared with a normative model of the public sphere developed from the work of Jürgen Habermas. The evaluation proceeds at a general level, drawing upon more specific Internet research to provide a broad understanding of the democratic possibilities and limitations of the present Internet. The analysis shows that vibrant exchange of positions and rational critique does take place within many online fora. However, there are a number of factors limiting the expansion of the public sphere online. These factors include the increasing colonization of cyberspace by state and corporate interests, a deficit of reflexivity, a lack of respectful listening to others, the difficulty of verifying identity claims and information put forward, the exclusion of many from online political fora, and the domination of discourse by certain individuals and groups. The article concludes by calling for more focused Internet-democracy research to address these problems further, research for which the present paper provides a starting point.

Infodrome is a thinktank for the Dutch government: a “programme of studies, reports, evaluations, conferences and other activities focussed on contributing on the design of policy of government in the information society”. The purpose is to accomplish insights that are useful to formulating policies for the next Dutch Cabinet. Infodrome was installed by dr. Rick van der Ploeg, the Dutch State Secretary of Education, Culture and Science, authorised by the Dutch Cabinet for a period of two years. Infodrome is led by a steering group with the State Secretary as its chairman and the directors of the Dutch planning agencies as members. The steering group is advised by a supervisory committee in which al the Dutch Ministries are represented on directorate level. The Programme Bureau is located in the offices of the KNAW (Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences) in Amsterdam. 2 VOORWOORD

Information and Computer Sciences The e-Journal of the LTSN-ICS Online conferencing with multimedia students: monitoring gender participation and promoting critical Debate

This paper addresses ways in which theorizing gender may be important in forming an understanding of the topic of emancipation which is central to the new critical information systems based on Habermas’s thinking. After briefly introducing current research on gender and IS and arguing that we need to look towards feminist philosophy for appropriate theory in order to understand foundational issues such as emancipation, the paper reflects on the reasons why technical disciplines may find feminist theory threatening. The development of feminist philosophy and epistemology is introduced. Habermas’s ‘ideal speech situation ’ is problematized in relation to feminist writing on male and female communication juxtaposed with recent research in computer mediated communications. The paper continues by exploring the concept of emancipation through feminist epistemology and closes by analysing how these concerns may be applied to critical IS. 1.

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