Open relays and open proxies

Fri Apr 25 14:22:14 UTC 2003

Christopher J. Wolff wrote:
> 
> Therefore, am I just as 'guilty' if I host A.B.C. Homes website, if they
> choose to advertise new homes in this clearly illegal manner?  The
> A-Frame signs are a nuisance and use up professional time to remove,
> just like spam.
> 
> There has to be a line drawn somewhere, wouldn't you think?
> 

A) many spam emails use html links to pull graphics from the 
spamvertised site. By continuing to let the site run, even more 
bandwidth is being utilized (especially with todays broken MUAs).

B) most spammers make their money using their websites and not the spam 
itself. So long as the website exists, there will be a way for the 
spammer to propogate spam. Remember, it doesn't matter if the emailing 
account gets cancelled. Once the damage is done, the spammer can sit 
back and collect revenue via the website that was just adverted. 
However, if you cancel the website, the company ceases to generate 
revenue from the spam and is effectly shut down until they can bring the 
website back up *and* generate another spam run.

C) there are rarely good real world analogies for problems that exist on 
the 'net. Not only does the 'net afford us speed and convenience in our 
ability to communicate, it also allows for abuse to be at increased 
speeds, volume and convenience. If different A-frame signs showed up 
each and every day in large quantities throughout the city, the city 
would not just confiscate the signs. They would file charges, and if the 
owner of the real estate is aware of such activity, the owner would be 
held liable, or city ordinances would be changed to allow the owner to 
be held liable.

-Jack