From: BillK (bill@wkidston.freeserve.co.uk)
Date: Mon Dec 16 2002 - 13:38:33 MST
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2580089.stm
Monday, 16 December, 2002, 16:22 GMT
The web bites back
Web used to flood spammers and spooks
Protesters are turning the tables on government officials and
businessmen who they say are making the web less pleasant to use.
The web activists have found the personal details of the man behind a
federal surveillance system and an e-mail spammer and are giving them a
dose of their own medicine. The home address and phone numbers of the
two men being widely circulated and posted on more than 100 websites.
The action has led to the spammer being deluged with junk mail, and the
boss of the surveillance project undergoing the scrutiny that every
American will soon be under.
Bulk spammer Alan Ralsky has been the first to feel the wrath of
outraged web activists.
Many web users see spam, or unsolicited commercial e-mail, as a curse
that needs to be curbed.
Mr Ralsky is widely acknowledged as a prolific spammer and has said he
has the ability to send more than a billion e-mails per day. To protest
against the way that he makes a living, anti-spammers have found his
home address and have signed him up with as many direct mail agencies as
possible. As a result he is now being deluged with junk mail.
An article in the Detroit Free Press chronicled his anguish.
"They're harassing me." he told the newspaper. His complaint caused glee
on the Slashdot website which hatched the junk mail plan.
Similar treatment is being meted out to John Poindexter, the man in
charge of the US Government's Total Information Awareness program. This
will bring together credit card, medical, travel, school and other
records to help spot terrorists.
Many web users consider the project to be a gross infringement of
privacy and now are subjecting Mr Poindexter to 24-hour scrutiny. Mr
Poindexter's home address, complete with satellite photos, has been
published online as has his home phone number and that of his
neighbours.
The protest was started by SF Weekly columnist Matt Smith and the
information he ferreted out is now widely available online.
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What's sauce for the goose ..........
BillK
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