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Spamming Gets Expensive in Utah and Ohio
bradipo writes "A large number of lawsuits have been filed against companies that have not complied with the anti-spam statute in Utah. I'm not sure how this will turn out, but it should be interesting nonetheless." And reader spoton writes "The governor of Ohio has signed into law a bill that allows internet subscribers to sue for up to $50,000 and ISP's for up to $500,000. It allows you to sue for $100 per email + court and lawyer fees incurred. Looks like the cost of spamming is going up."
$50,000? That'd be one hell of a way to get me a new G4 /me puts up main e-mail address on Usenet
For some reason now that awful porn email is sounding arousing. ch-ching!
Create a hotmail email address, sit back and wait. If that isn't fast enough for you, post a Usenet message. Better yet, sign up for AOL.
OH NO! This means I might get less e-mail, which could could cause me to feal alone and depresed! Will not even spammers send me e-mail now? Oh woe is me! Where's the Love!?
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Companies that spam know that what they are doing is illegal in many places, of course. They typically attempt to firewall themselves by hiring "independent" people to *cough* "send their advertising only to those who have requested it". You know.... " If you are receiving this mail, it is because you signed up for it!"
Then when those independent people spam every email address on the planet, if you go back to the company to complain, they would say (if you could pin them down), "oh dear, the independent advertising agent we hired must not have followed best practices, we asked them not to spam!"
"No, we can't really help you track them down and sue them, we just have a post office box address and a cashed cheque..."
"good luck... (giggle)"
So then you think: The solution is to make it explicit in law that companies are responsible for the actions of anyone they hire to advertise for them.
No, won't work. The company will claim to have never paid anyone to advertise (spam) for them. How will you prove it?
All you have is the company name and phone number on a spam bounced off some anonymous relay in Korea, and the company claims they had nothing to do with it. They will claim that someone is trying to make them look bad by forging spam from them. It might even be true.
My best idea is public execution of spammers, preferably by hanging. After the first few die on live TV, the others might become discouraged.
Torrey Hoffman (Azog)
"HTML needs a rant tag" - Alan Cox
Finally, I at least get to play mind games with telemarketers!
Ah, yes. My personal favorite-- I can't take credit for this, but I don't remember where I first heard the idea-- goes something like this:
Me: Hello?
Bastard: Can I speak with Mr. (absurd mispronunciation of my last name), please?
M: Speaking.
B: Sir, I'm Tim calling from Wanyermoney Enterprises, and--
M: Did you say Tim?
B: Yes, sir, my name's Tim and I'm calling from Wanyermoney--
M: Tim, huh?
B: That's right, sir, and I'm calling to offer--
M: Hey, Tim?
B: Yes, sir?
M: What are you wearing?
At this point, either Tim hangs up or I crack up. The way I see it, they're asking for it.
My girlfriend pulled a good one about a year ago when she saw the caller ID. She picked up the phone all breathless and shaky and screamed, "Oh, god, help me! Oh--" and hung up. I was actually a little afraid that the police were going to show up, but of course they never did. I can only hope that a Bastard got a little shaken up by that one.
Make 'em work for it, that's what I say.
Nope -- too lightweight. Correct answer: inflatable cock rings. Give the squeeze bulb to an ex-girlfriend. Tell her she's paid by the hour. She'll figure out what means job security.