-- more on -- THE ULTIMATE SPAM-KILLER: MORE SPAM?

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 13:43:56 -0700
> From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com>
>
> [Note:  This comment comes from reader Steve Schear.  DLH]
>
> At 1:38 PM -0700 8/25/03, Steve Schear wrote:
> > Cc: dewayne () warpspeed com
> > From: Steve Schear <s.schear () comcast net>
> > To: dennis.berman () wsj com
> > Subject: Re: [Dewayne-Net] THE ULTIMATE SPAM-KILLER: MORE SPAM?
> > Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 13:38:08 -0700
> > MIME-Version: 1.0
> >
> > At 10:49 AM 8/25/2003 -0700, you wrote:
> >
> > > THE ULTIMATE SPAM-KILLER: MORE SPAM?
> > >
> > > Like futile attacks against the evil monster in a horror flick, recent
> > > efforts to "kill" spam have only served to make it stronger, says FTC spam
> > > expert Brian Huseman. All those fancy blocking systems create a "perverse
> > > result, that spammers send out even more messages to make sure a certain
> > > number are received." And, incredibly, *some* of the spam-mail must produce
> > > results
> >
> > > We
> > > desperately need a campaign of education and downright social coercion to
> > > stop people from cooperating with purveyors of new septic tanks and body
> > > 'enhancement' products". We can all do our part: Never use [spam-mail] to
> > > buy products.
> >
> > Actually, I've purchased a few products from spam.  I was especially 
> > intrigued by foreign drug distributors offering me American made 
> > pharmaceutical at great discounts, or drugs sold over-the-counter there 
> > that are prescriptive here (I bought Claritan at 1/4 the U.S. price last 
> > year before it became over-the-counter here). The Internet is a natural 
> > for enabling jurisdictional arbitrage.  I support a person's right to 
> > self-medicate.
> >
> > > Don't even click on a Web link contained in a spam because it
> > > tags you as a live e-mail address. And keep your address off public Web
> > > pages, where it could be scooped up and used to bombard you with
> > > solicitations. In the meantime, those struggling to clean a clogged mailbox
> > > can get satisfaction from that hopeful image of the spam business
> > > collapsing under its own weight, with spammers spamming other spammers to a
> > > painful spamming demise." (Wall Street Journal 25 Aug 2003)
> >
> > Despite a continuing clamor in the popular press, I fail to see why spam 
> > should be banned (at least in the U.S.).  IMHO, its protected speech.  It 
> > should be treated no different, legally, than 4th class (junk) mail which 
> > I sometimes read if I'm looking for a sale on a particular product or 
> > local service.   The fact that it costs us time to deal with is little 
> > different than physical mail.  The fact that it costs us some small 
> > amount to download (as an amortization of our monthly ISP costs) is again 
> > a red herring.
> >
> > Spam persists because it works.  After word-of-mouth, its the cheapest 
> > form of marketing ever invented.  Its especially useful for 
> > small/guerilla businesses with unusual offers or products. Traditional 
> > channels would be way too expensive.  Companies with well established 
> > branding generally have little interest in it. Spam is the great 
> > equalizer between the very small and the very large.
> >
> > As the article states, there are practical things you can do to limit 
> > your exposure to spam, but most Netizens are ignorant or lazy and fail to 
> > do so.  (I rarely get more than a few spams per day.) The noise 
> > surrounding spam email seems like just another case of people demanding 
> > government step in to protect them against their own stupidity and in 
> > doing so limit the freedom of others.
> >
> > steve
> >
> > A foolish Constitutional inconsistency is the hobgoblin of freedom, 
> > adored by judges and demagogue statesmen.
> > - Steve Schear
>
> Archives at: <http://Wireless.Com/Dewayne-Net>
> Weblog at: <http://weblog.warpspeed.com>

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