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by Mike Masnick




AOL Seizes Spammer Assets - Gives Them To Spam Recipient

from the hello,-publicity-stunt dept

AOL is planning a big publicity stunt this week to show off their anti-spam efforts. In an effort to show that it's really helpful when users submit their spam, it looks like AOL is going to give some assets they've seized from a spammer to a "spam victim". They haven't revealed what they seized or who they're giving it to, but that's part of the big publicity build up, I guess. In the meantime, I'm still receiving nearly twice as much spam as I was two months ago. Useless laws and big publicity stunts don't seem to be stopping spam very much. Instead of a car or a house or whatever it is they seized (some servers?), I think the user would probably prefer a spam-free inbox. Update: Some more info has come out. They're going to be giving away a Porsche they seized in a settlement with an unnamed California spammer.

3 Comments | Leave a Comment..

 
 

Reader Comments

(Flattened / Threaded)

    Mar 29th, 2004 @ 3:19pm
  • Useless?

    by Three Men In A Boat

    Hmmm, according to your logic, we should stop assessing penalties for all crimes which continue to be committed. I mean, what's the point?

    Or, perhaps, you're missing the point.

    You might think that I've exaggerated your response... but that, I believe, is what your post was all about. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater, it's not the first time someone's thought of that.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    • Mar 29th, 2004 @ 4:09pm
    • Re: Useless?

      Er... where did I say there shouldn't be penalties for those who break the law? There's nothing wrong with that. My complaint is in these laws and publicity stunts that are declaring "victory" against spam, when it's clear that nothing of the sort has occurred.

      (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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