Re: Dealing with Spam

From: John Smart <JSmart_at_InternetDesign.com>
Date: Mon 05 Aug 2002 12:47:07 -0500

I have very mixed views on spam. I usually hate it, but sometimes I get
something that catches my eye, that I would not have seen had it not been
for the spam I was sent.

I expect to throw out some mail each time I check my real mailbox, and this
is going to follow into my virtual mailbox (for the record, I am not trying
to justify my actions here - I do not send spam - however you define it -
nor are any of my clients allowed to when using my servers. Equally I do not
harvest mail addresses, or sell the ones that opt in to my mailing lists or
contact me in anyway). But some of the mailings are wrong, and it should be
easier to clean your mailbox. A few examples:

My twelve year old daughter has 3 e-Mail addresses (yes, that is sad, and
yes, I do feel very old!). One is AOL, one is Yahoo! and one is on one of
our domains. Amazingly the AOL is the clean one (it didn't used to be, but
now it is). Yahoo was clean until she sent me a virtual card, now she gets a
LOT of spam there - but nothing too bad. Her account on my domain - the one
she uses most, gets a lot of nasty mail. Now, we do think the best child
filter is adult supervision, so we know, without doubt, that she has not
signed up to any news groups nor has she joined mailing lists. Again, as far
as I recall all she did was send e-Cards, and sign up to a few web sites
that were aimed at children.

What frustrates me most about the spam she gets is the porn. Not something
that she would know to ignore - simple text - clearly worded but not
explicit, no images, just a text link. But some of the ones she gets
advertise (very graphically) bestial sites, rape sites, and other such
inappropriate materials.

I get similar mails, and still do not know why. I can guarantee that I never
signed up for an adult site, and I have always been careful about giving out
my e-Mail address.

This leads to the problem, and then a solution (all be it a weak one).

I could never give out my e-Mail address. But then what is the point of
having one?? I get sales requests via e-Mail, and I would not want to lose
those. I am in touch with family and friends overseas (and locally!) via
e-Mail - should I start hiding my address incase they send a cc'd joke? I
think not. So I need my address, and I need to give it out. how?

Spam filters are already being discussed by people who know a lot more about
them than I, so I will skip over that topic, and lead to my solution.

Part of the problem is finding the source. Mail lists get sold, bought,
sold, bought and sold again. How did it start, can it be proven, and can you
do anything?

If you have your own domain, use a catch-all account (anything_at_domain.com
goes to your mailbox - unless the "anything" is a registered user, then she
gets her mail without you seeing it). Then, when you sign up for things,
post the address as their domain_at_yourdomain. For instance, if I were to sign
up for a mailing list from "Acme Dynamite" (domain "acmedynamit.com"), I
enter my e-Mail address as "acmedynamite.com_at_mydomain.com". I get the
e-Mails, but if Fred Smith's Realty e-Mails me at
acmedynamite.com_at_mydomain.com, then I know who sold me out.

Knowing who doesn't help a lot, but it is a start. I am against "name and
shame" sites - they have too many flaws. I know that in my home state of
California I can sue for people spamming me, but again there are problems in
doing this. I think a few good lawsuits will help reduce the amount of spam.

And will there be good payouts in these lawsuits? I think so. After all,
I'll bet the judge and most of jurors will have e-Mail addresses. And I bet
they are sick about getting a (first or second) mortgage, penis/breast
enhancements, "barnyard sex" pictures, work from home opportunities and car
warranty extensions as the rest of us!

John Smart
Technical Director
InternetDesign.com - A Human Touch in a Digital World (TM)
Tel: 805 481-1488
Fax: 805 473-8457
JSmart_at_InternetDesign.com
http://www.InternetDesign.com






Received on Mon Aug 05 2002 - 12:47:07 CDT