Lawsuit threat against RBL users

Thu Nov 19 04:35:44 UTC 1998

>Company S(pam) has a web site, hosted on the servers of
>web-presence-provider Company P(rovider). Company S uses the services of
>Company X to send out massive loads of SPAM, with referencing the web
>site and even e-mail addresses hosted by Company H. Now, if I'm hearing
>what's being said on this list correctly, Company H is being expected to
>pull the website they host for Company S (or else be blackholed), _even
>though no illegal or spam-generating activity is being generated on
>their network_.
>Am I understanding this correctly?!?

I have never seen the RBL work this way.  Don't you mean Company P is
expected to pull the website, since they host the website, not H?

>By this philosophy, it would seem that if I were to host the web pages
>of a company which engaged in unwelcome telemarketing (which I
>personally find much more offensive than SPAM, and which is no more or
>less illegal in most states), I would be under an obligation to cease
>providing service to that company!

You can do whatever you want with your network.  As can other networks.  No
obligation, really.  However, you can't always control the results.

>So, given the earlier threads about annoying UUNET marketing folks,
>let's blackhole all mail that comes from UUNET. Oh, and also mail that
>comes from anyone who peers with them. And of course any mail that has
>to be transported over those evil people's networks.....wait a sec,
>why's my inbox suddenly empty, where'd the internet go???

Recalling an American hamburger commercial some time back, "Where's the
spam?" ;-)
Did you read the thread about the NSI spam?  Do you know how effective the
RBL was against the mighty microsoft (tm)?

>Maybe I'm misinterpeting the policies here, but I didn't hear anyone
>disputing the actual complaints of this guy, which can only lead me to
>believe that either A) This guy was actually treated unfairly, and has a
>valid complaint, or B) Nobody cares enough to say "hey, wait a minute,
>there's been a failure in communication, let's see if we can work this
>out."

Talk to the volunteers at the RBL, and read the web site regarding those
questions.  I'm confident that you will see both A and B will be answered to
your satisfaction.

It's actually quite difficult to get into the rbl, and quite easy to get out
of.