more on Technologists vs. Spam ["do-not-spam" list, etc.]

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Delivered-To: dfarber+ () ux13 sp cs cmu edu
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2004 14:43:36 -0800
From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
Subject: Technologists vs. Spam ["do-not-spam" list, etc.]
To: dave () farber net

> From: Nathaniel Borenstein <nsb () guppylake com>
> ...
> In this case, Rich's objection can be significantly dampened by "spiking"
> the do not call list, which I think the FTC is smart enough to do.  Far
> from a magnet for spammers, this list could be the mother of all honeypots
> -- you would essentially set up a regularly changing stream of new email
> addresses that it would be a felony to send email to.

Dave, a couple of comments.

First, given the way so much spam has cleverly forged source info or is sent
via hijacked systems, one suspects that e-mail directed to such "doomsday"
addresses would typically lead to innocent folks -- who were not the actual
perpetuators -- having their doors broken down by the spam police.

Another problem even with a "spiked" do-not-spam list is that it still
provides a handy mechanism to verify lists of addresses obtained through
conventional spammer means.  New generations of spammers might be quite
excited when presented with such a handy list that would help them cull out
obsolete addresses from their databases and concentrate their endless
mailings on the "live bodies," using their usual techniques to avoid being
identified as the spam senders.

This might be an appropriate juncture to mention that the "Tripoli" white
paper, describing a proposed "user-empowered" framework for controlling spam
and dealing with other critical e-mail issues such as privacy and security,
has very recently been updated.  It resides at:

http://www.pfir.org/tripoli-overview

Questions and comments are always welcome.  Thanks.

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein
lauren () pfir org or lauren () vortex com or lauren () privacyforum org
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
http://www.pfir.org/lauren
Co-Founder, PFIR - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
Co-Founder, Fact Squad - http://www.factsquad.org
Co-Founder, URIICA - Union for Representative International Internet
                     Cooperation and Analysis - http://www.uriica.org
Moderator, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy

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