[thelist] Spam Cop??

[Ben Dyer]

I don't believe in Spamcop.  In fact, I maintain that blackhole lists are a
terrible way to fight spam.

You would hardly be the first person to get wrongfully screwed by
them.  Here's some reference:

<http://www.politechbot.com/p-03734.html>
<http://www.politechbot.com/p-04121.html>
<http://www.politechbot.com/p-04129.html>
<http://www.politechbot.com/p-04259.html>

Anyways, the jist of a lot of that is that many blackhole lists block
entire blocks of IP address and sometimes entire hosts.  Often times, the
IP address of a spammer reverts back to the host who resells it to someone
else, but the blackhole list never gets updated.  Sometimes, it's nothing
you did, but your host happens to have lots of spammers (see UUNet).

Also, many times, people will forget they sign up for a mailing list and
then when something comes in, they incorrectly submit it as spam.

Basically, blackhole lists are a permanently flawed method of fighting spam
as they are reliant on too many human factors.

I say, if you continue to have problems with them, file a complaint with
your state's Attorney General's office.  Legal action was the only way to
finally thwart ORBS...

--Ben

At 07:25 AM 2/13/2003, you wrote:
>Anyone here have any experience with these guys? (spamcop.net) I just got a
>"second notice" from them. They say they have gotten complaints on me and if
>they get another one they will "block my network." They give no specific
>information about the "complaints" but say it could be "open mail ports,
>violations of our acceptable use policy, and other various complaints. Email
>us for more information."