Spamford Wallace Draws A Restraining Order

Steve Rock writes "According to an article in the Associated Press, a temporary restraining order has been issued by a judge against Stanford Wallace and his companies. The case marks the first anti-spyware action taken by the Federal Trade Commission, and while there is some argument about permitting unsolicited commercial e-mail because of free speech it appears a tougher approach will be taken with alleged spyware distribution."

Comments

Perhaps I can help

[Anonymous Coward]

I've got some great spam here on cheap legal services.

Re:New Poll Idea

[OverflowingBitBucket]

Really? Well, me personally, I'm not so sure what the problem with spyware. It's just another legitimate way of doing business. They did agree to the EULA allowing it after all, didn't they?

Take me for example. I sell preassembled computer systems. As part of the package I include a short, 83-page EULA that fires up when they first boot the system. After accepting the EULA (which they don't see until after I've cashed their cheque btw) I drop around to the customers house and install a series of automatic pop-up rock flingers in their front garden. At 3am the rock flingers pelt their bedroom windows with small rocks... generally not enough to break the glass, but I'm working on it. When they come out to see what the problem is, a hidden speaker blares out "Buy computer hardware from OverflowingBitBucket Inc!".

Thankfully the supplied EULA allows me to do this, so it's all legal. In fact, I'm anticipating an increase in business, as several customers have called me _personally_ and said they'll be dropping around to see me real soon now.

Re:Spam is a social problem

[kesler]

You can fix social problems with laws; just enforce the law of natural selection.

fishing for flames

[sulphurlad]

spam is not the issue, it's the damn idiots who don't protect their 'puters' from being Zombied. The proliferation of high speed internet is the contributing issue in Spam, but, not to sound to much like a zealot, it's the unedgumacated people with that brand new $400 HP from 'Bestbuy' with the 3 years of AOHell Broadband, that are the real issue.

Now I hate Spam as much as the next geek but the facts of the matter are that there is no way to prevent Spam unless
a) People are educated, and are shown the errors of their actions, IE: if they respond to spam, beat them to a pulp,
b) Teach them that all free software is not a 'must have thing'
c) Have a professional setup their brand new super duper, Wintel revenue generator, ehem... I mean computer, and a resonable firewall.

Just to make another point, is it all bad for the internet, to have the M$ Monolith, start to get on the security band wagon. If their shitty little firewall app, can stop just some of these script kiddies, then I thinks is great. That's the 1st step, prevent the new or unedgumacated from doing harm to themselves, and ultimatly to me, and keeps down the useless traffice so I can get better download times on my porn ;)

Re:How does somebody decide to become a bad guy?

[gandalphthegreen]

Do they even know that they're bad guys, or do they have themselves fooled?

I'll just need your email address, and I'm sure that these poor, confused gentlemen can explain themselves to you.

Re:New Poll Idea

[OverflowingBitBucket]

The thing is most spyware installs itself *without* you knowing...

Funny you should mention that. I've been thinking about branching out into a lawn-mowing service. The plan is to offer free quotes, all the customer has to do is send me their address. When they do, after dropping around and giving them a quote (I am a legitimate business after all), I come back later that evening and install the pop-up rock flingers anyway. I just have to come up with a suitable message for the hidden speaker for this market. I'm thinking something like:

"Buy computer hardware from OverflowingBitBucket Inc! OverflowingBitBucket Inc. is a legitimate business. You have been added to out rock-flinging list by some unspecified action you might have performed in the past. If you would like to to opt-out of future rock-flingings, please write a letter to our office in Heremettica."

Of course I don't actually _have_ an office in Heremettica, since I just made up that name then. But that's okay, I don't plan to respond to any mails there anyway.

I will

[Pan T. Hose]

Which is why you should send this to everybody you know: "Under no circumstances will I ever purchase anything offered to me as the result of an unsolicited e-mail message. Nor will I forward chain letters, petitions, mass mailings, or virus warnings to large numbers of others. This is my contribution to the survival of the online community."

That's a good idea, I will. I'll also tell them to forward it to everybody they know, to spread the message. Thanks!