The following was sent here on a local list about this...
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Date:         Tue, 20 Feb 1996 15:21:32 -0500
Sender:       UCNS Workstation Support Group
From:         Alan Ferrenberg
Subject:      Re: MIT "Internet cleaning" hoax
 
On Tue, 20 Feb 1996, Michael Covington wrote:
 
> Someone is circulating an announcement, allegedly from MIT, saying the
> Internet is going to be "shut down for cleaning" on February 29 and all
> hard disks should be disconnected from it.
>
> This is of course a hoax, and I'll bet the perpetrator had no idea how
> much time and labor would be wasted because of it.
>
>
 
Actually I heard this was a real thing.  It seems that there are too many
broken packets and abandoned bits clogging up the lines, mainly due to
bugs in the Netscape 2.0 beta releases coinciding with the opening of the
Claudia Schiffer web site.  It's expected that network throughput will
increase by 70-80% as a result of this cleaning.  In addition, the new
B-chips (vital for implementing the newly-enacted bit tax) will be
installed at all backbone access nodes.  A total outage is necessary
because of EPA regulations concerning the disposal of entropy (listed as
a Class IV hazardous substance).
 
amf