Is the net about to choke to death?

The Sunday Times ^ | May 4, 2003 | Martin Wroe

[JoeSchem]

If I understand Bill Gates, what he actually wants is someone to pay MICROSOFT 10 cents for sending an email.

No, I realize you might just be making a joke, but he was quite clear in his book that the money should go to the recipient. But regardless of that, I think it's a good idea. It would not only limit spam, it would also straighten out certain aquaintances and relatives who have a ten-to-one e-mail ratio.

[Flyer]

I received 2 spam text messages on my cell phone a couple of days ago. I went ballistic. It really makes me want to hurt someone.

[LibKill]

I think Focault has been at it again.

Bad, bad, Focault! Breaking the internet once wasn't enough?

[steve-b]

Ultimately, the solution is two-part:

1. Filtering

2. Laws that treat deliberately attempting to bypass a spam filter the same as they treat any other attempt to gain unauthorized access to somebody else's computer. (For those keeping score at home, that means about 2-5 years of experiencing just how well "herbal viagra" and "penile enhancements" worked for your cell mate.)

[Richard Kimball]

he was quite clear in his book that the money should go to the recipient.

I was joking, but I don't see this happening, nor do I see it as an answer to the spam problem. Most of the spam I get isn't from legitimate businesses. It's from guys who are trolling for an individual dumb enough to give their CC number out over the net to businesses that send spam and don't have a contact address or phone number. They hack an email server and use it to toss messages, then hack another domain and put up a single page web site with a form to get your info.

Unfortunately, the scavengers on the net are going to keep going until the net is as regulated as all the other businesses. Even so-called legit businesses scam people. AOL keeps charging your CC after you cancel your account. Free Credit Report (the web site with the annoying ads with the stick figure guy) charges your CC $80 for your "free" credit report, and then sends you a credit report every month.

[JoeSchem]

Most of the spam I get isn't from legitimate businesses. It's from guys who are trolling for an individual dumb enough to give their CC number out over the net to businesses that send spam and don't have a contact address or phone number.

Well, that's the idea behind charging for e-mail. If the troller has to pay $100,000 to get the one booby who'll share his credit card number, he's losing at the game, and he won't troll anymore.

Short of federal law, I don't see it happening, either, and I'm not in favor of federal law. But stranger things have happened.