[thelist] SPAM: Playing our game instead of theirs.

Samir M. Nassar nassarsa at redconcepts.net
Fri Apr 19 14:29:01 CDT 2002


Aside from doing web design I am involved politically. As long as I've
been involved I've felt that our side has been playing their game, and
playing it a few steps behind at that.

Maybe I am wrong, but I get the impression that the same applies to SPAM
fighting. The average user has little or no means to fight SPAM. Every
hotmail and yahoo user I know complains about SPAM, but they've all
become so accustomed to it that they seem to live with it.

Personally I don't get SPAM anymore. I'm lucky enough to be linked to
several RBLs, but I can imagine that this is not the case for all
people.

So politically I've been working on not playing 'their' game. I figure
if you don't play by their rules and on their playing fields then you
don't have to learn to beat them at their game but can beat them at our
game.

Maybe the analogy does not work, but doesn't it seem like time to fight
spammers by playing our game, not theirs?

Since my knowledge of history and politics easily exceeds my knowledge
of internet and spam fighting technologies I am bringing this to evolt.
After all, the slogan is 'workers of the web, evolt!'

1- Would a multitude of SPAM traps make life harder for spammers?
2- Can we change the game to suit us?
3- Are there already methods that kick spammers where it counts?
4- Is there a reason we ought not to be proactive in fighting SPAM and
should just build stronger and better RBLs?

(Any mistakes in logic and analogy are purely my own. Corrections are
more appreciated than flames.)

Samir M. Nassar
RedConcepts.NET - Open Source, Public Service
http://www.redconcepts.net







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