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'Spam King' Released From Prison, Now Lives In Seattle
dmmiller2k writes "Apparently, after 'nearly four years in prison, the man dubbed the 'Spam King' by federal prosecutors, is allowed back online.' I wonder if there's some variation of Megan's Law requiring him to register with the local police department and notify all his neighbors with computers?" I sure hope any potential employers google "Robert Soloway" and find "Spam king" high on the results list.
via email no doubt
"I wonder if there's some variation of Megan's Law requiring him to register with the local police department and notify all his neighbors with computers?"
No there isn't, and after he has completed his parole he can apply for a name change in case his current name and reputation makes it hard to find employment.
Not that I have much sympathy for the man, but he did serve his sentence, sending spam isn't a sex offense, and denying someone internet access is a pretty harsh punishment these days. How about giving him a second chance?
"Money is a sign of poverty." - Iain Banks
> I sure hope any potential employers google "Robert Soloway" and find "Spam king" high on the results list.
Why? What will this guy do when he can't find a job and needs money? This stupid sentiment that criminals should suffer forever is actually creating crime...
FTFA:
Oh how I would torture them...
__ Someday, but not this morning, I'll finally learn to use the preview button.
In general, the libertarian-leaning Slashdot population is quick to criticize the Megan's laws. But now that it is about something important... SPAM! ... well, those principles all go out the window, huh?
Those laws:
- Do not work.
- Are likely unconstitutional.
- If the likelihood of recidivism is that high, the person should not be released anyway.
Highly doubtful ... from TFA:
I suspect being in prison was enough for him to decide he doesn't want to go back and run afoul of his parole.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
First Microsoft, now the Spam King. It is clear: the world's IT evil is gathering together in Washington. War is coming.
What's worse?
Reading Slashdot for years, virus writers seem to be better thought of.
It takes some small measure of hacking skill to write a good virus. All it takes to be a spam king is to have the morals of a rabid weasel.
- None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
Do we forget about Sanford Wallace so soon?
When I was a kid, we only had one Darth.
What's the use in spamming at all anymore?
Because it's profitable. Cite:
...this provides a yearly revenue rate of the Storm botnet for the sale of pharmaceuticals of around $3.5 million dollars.
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/profitability-of-spam-finally-measured/2159
From TFA:
With junk mail:
-- you pay for the paper
-- you pay for the printing
-- you pay for the fulfillment
-- you pay for the postage
You as the sender have a strong incentive to not be wasteful. That's not at all the same as spam.
The only way that could happen is if a bunch of people all put the words "Robert Soloway" and "Spam king" together on a major website that Google crawls.
Doesn't seem likely...
"Don't blame the log for the fire." --Andrew Ratshin
Cause someone sending out spams is equivalent to raping children.
(Actually, most people on the Megan's Law list are folks who got caught peeing behind a bar -- er, exposed themselves to children who live in ally ways.)
slashdot: where everyone yells sarcastic metaphors to themselves to understand the issue
I'm not the author, but was involved in this bit. Spammer was sent to prison, escapes and killed himself and his family.
http://wildernessvagabonds.com/zp/index.php?p=news&title=Daily-Writing-The-Spam-King-Tragedy
Reading Slashdot for years, virus writers seem to be better thought of.
Protecting oneself from viruses is easy and has few side effects.
There's no protection against spam that doesn't also kill some of the utility of email. There was a time when one could put an email address everywhere and be contacted only by interesting people. I even had my email address published here in Slashdot.
Spammers killed all that. They are much worse than virus writers.
I was one of about four people who kept a log a Mr Soloway's activities. Before fbi went msm in regard to Robert.
There is at least one web page dedicated to him and not just mentions, but domain names, ip's, court docs in pdf, etc I do hope he has reformed,his amazon book list (since deleted) would indicate no remorse or whatever you americans call it. I have those alleged wishlist books of his stored and there not Charles Dickens titles.
Sweden (where he has dual nationality) also should also be concerned.
Hopefully i hope he reformed. But im happy to monitor him should he come to my attention.
I'm a death penalty proponent and believe in harsh sentences for crimes like robbery, sexual assault and burglary, but I think the permanent punishment people experience well after they have been tried, convicted and served their time is a grave injustice and actually ends up producing more harm than it solves.
I think that it should be illegal to ask if you have been convicted of a crime in a job application or a job interview. Only under very specific circumstances should it be possible to deny someone employment or housing based upon a past conviction -- if you are still on parole for a crime of violence or if you are applying for employment in a field tied to your conviction within 2 years of the end of your sentence (ie, you did time for embezzlement and you want to be an accountant).
And even then they should be required to spell this out. Getting caught discriminating illegally should involve a fine payable to the discriminated employee equal to a minimum of 5 years salary PLUS their legal fees with a multiplier
We're "convicting" people of crimes, letting them off with no sentences because our jails are full and then punishing them FOREVER because they once had a conviction. And then we act surprised when they turn to drug dealing, robbery, burglary or other criminal enterprises because they can't get a job.
Your costs associated with junk mail you receive, pale in comparison to costs for senders. That's the point. They have an incentive not to be wasteful.
And of course it is about economic costs. All crimes are about net cost to society.
My vindictive side thinks the man should die in a fire, but I am trying REALLY HARD not to give in to my vindictive side.
I find it disappointing that people here are joking about killing a guy who basically annoyed them with some e-mail. Yeah, spam is annoying, but really? Where were you people when wall street ruined the economy, and the government opened an illegal prison in Cuba?
HA! I just wasted some of your bandwidth with a frivolous sig!
have you seen how much fat that stuff has? And don't get me started on cholesterol!
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