FC: Alleged spammer wins order against Realtime Blackhole List

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

[This is, unfortunately, a huge issue. The Realtime Blackhole List 
(http://mail-abuse.org/) is one of the best ways to stop spam. I use it 
with procmail and mutt on my Linux server to file suspected spam into a, 
well, "suspected spam" folder. The system is entirely voluntary and free: 
Concerned individuals and Internet service providers sign up for a free 
subscription to a frequently-updated list of offending sites. Think of it 
like signing up for a list of restaurant reviews, so you know to avoid 
certain places. At least the defendant seems exceptionally well-prepared 
for the suit: They've been getting ready for this for a while. If they 
lose, I hope they go offshore. --Declan]

http://mail-abuse.org/
We at MAPS are aware of the mounting curiousity which has been generated by 
the article in DIRECT magazine. At this time we can only confirm that 
Yesmail.Com has indeed filed a lawsuit against MAPS, and a Temporary
Restraining Order (``TRO'') has been issued. MAPS will comment in more 
detail at a later date. In the meantime we thank you for your concern and 
support.


http://www.directmag.com/content/newsline/main.html#81

Yesmail Gets Restraining Order Against MAPS Blacklist
By Patricia Odell, Richard H. Levey

Yesmail.com, a Chicago-based permission marketer, won a temporary 
restraining order Thursday against Mail Abuse Prevention System LLC (MAPS) 
in the first legal challenge to the Redwood, CA-based group.

Issued by the Northern District Court of Illinois (Eastern Division), the 
order blocks MAPS from adding yesmail to its list of alleged spammers. It 
is good through Aug. 2. A hearing has been scheduled for July 18.

Several firms have found their Web sites shut down and their e-mails 
blocked after being listed on MAPS' Realtime Blackhole List (RBL). The RBL, 
which lists more than 3,000 alleged spammers, is subscribed to by 20,000 
Internet ervice providers, corporations, government agencies and individuals.

In a complaint filed on Thursday, yesmail alleged that MAPS had announced 
its intent to include yesmail on the RBL.

The complaint states that subscribers constantly "check in" with the RBL 
while carrying electronic communication, and that if an Internet Protocol 
(IP) address is listed on the RBL Internet Service providers will not carry 
the communications.

By threatening to do so and by publicizing the threat, MAPS would disrupt 
yesmail's contractual relationships with its advertising business, the 
complaint states.

...



> Date: Sat, 15 Jul 2000 19:41:13 -0600
> To: declan () wired com
> From: Charles Oriez <coriez () oriez org>
> Subject: spam issue
>
> Declan -
>
> The article below is making the rounds of some of the anti-spam sites this 
> evening, but I have been unable to get confirmation of its accuracy from 
> the parties involved.  It would be a good Wired story if confirmed, but 
> there are too many things about it that smell at the moment.
>
>  http://www.directmag.com/content/newsline/main.html#81
>
>
> --
> Think about it.  Would you work for a company that couldn't tell
> the difference in quality of its employees' normal work product and the 
> work product of someone on drugs without performing a test? -- socks

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