Spammers Learn to Outsource Their Captcha Needs

lukeknipe writes "Guardian Unlimited reporter Charles Arthur speaks with a spammer, discussing the possibility that his colleagues may be paying people in developing countries to fill in captchas. In his report, Arthur discusses Nicholas Negroponte's gift of hand-powered laptops to developing nations and the wide array of troubles that could arise as the world's exploitable poor go online." From the article: "I've no doubt it will radically alter the life of many in the developing world for the better. I also expect that once a few have got into the hands of people aching to make a dollar, with time on their hands and an internet connection provided one way or another, we'll see a significant rise in captcha-solved spam. But, as my spammer contact pointed out, it's nothing personal. You have to understand: it's just business."

Comments

I call job theft!

[hclyff]

Damn those developing countries, stealing all the decent jobs from the hard working Americans.

Just business?

[Yaztromo]

I'm currently hiring 3rd world citizens to kick spammers in the crotch.

To the spammers: it's nothing personal. You have to understand: it's just business.

Yaz.