Former CompuServe Manager Convicted of Internet Porn

In a surprise verdict that could stunt multimedia growth in Germany, a Munich court on Thursday convicted a former CompuServe regional manager of pornography charges for failing to block pornographic material available on the Internet.

The court convicted Felix Somm, even though prosecutors had reversed themselves and asked for his acquittal. In closing arguments, they agreed with the defense that it was technically impossible to filter out all such material on the freewheeling, global computer network.

Judge Wilhelm Hubbert said that contention was “simply false.”

The court sentenced Somm to two years’ probation and ordered him to pay $57,000 to charity. Somm’s attorney promised an appeal.

America Online Inc., which owns CompuServe, said it was “surprised and disappointed” by the verdict, which it said “appears to reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of the unique characteristics of the Internet and the role of Internet providers.”