[cumbria_lug] Saunders and spam

[trevor at haven.demon.co.uk]

Micheal Saunders :-

On a typical day I receive 100+ spam messages, and the problem is only
getting worse. So, the other day I was thinking of ways to combat
spam, and came up with this idea -- I've just posted it on the LXF
forum, but it'd be good to get some other feedback too. If anyone has
any thoughts, please do let me know!

---------------------------
Jen replied:-

I suspect the easiest and most effective way of stopping spam being such a 
problem would be spam filters being provided as a standard part of any ISP 
package.

Trevor:-
Demon Internet do this already. Having created a large number of 
'fake' accounts and used software that simulates browsers.  Any 
mail sent to these accounts is spam. So Demon auto block every 
matching incoming message from every account by default.  
Filtering can be turned of if requested. It is about 90% effective
which coupled with user end filtering (e.g. Spamassassin) should
act as a big choke on spam.

Ultimately the only way to beat spam is to filter it out, 
Micheal's suggestion of legislation would be difficult
as it runs contrary to the guiding ethics of law and
would be opposed very effectively by the business
community.   Given that we have to fight for the right
to put our own software under a licence of our choice.  
I doubt that we will be able to push through any 
legislation that would restrict marketing.

Much like the Mr. Tambo's of this world as long as
there is one *stupid* person who will reply then
there will be spam.  We can't get rid of *stupid*
people because then who would work in McDonalds?

Johnny no-stars replies to spam.

Malicious stuff (netsky etc.) is a different problem
that the system operated by Demon does not stop and 
this type of stuff accounts for a proportion of spam.
This stuff is already illegal.  Spyware etc. is
illegal under the Misuse of computers act. 

Any Spam which contains false or misleading advertising,
or advertises something which it is illegal for you to
buy is also illegal under various consumer-protection
laws and foreign companies can be prosecuted in England
under such legislation if the crime occurs in England 
and sending email to you in England effectively means
that this is the case.  

However it would be very costly to prosecute such cases.
So we don't.

Enforcement of current law would be more effective than
creating more legislation which is not enforced.  Enforcement
is expensive compared to creating legislation. 

Multiple levels of anti-spam protection (e.g. at mail-relays,
ISP's and on the desktop) coupled with user education and the
stricter enforcement of regulations (with a budget) is the
solution to your problem Michael.

-                                                         -
--                                                       --
---                                                     ---
----                                                   ----
----- Trevor Pearson,   trevor -at- haven.demon.co.uk -----
-----       GNU/Linux -- Freedom in computing         -----
----              Computing in Freedom                 ----
---                                                     ---
--                                                       --
-                                                         -