Lycos anti-spam weapon melts away

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NEWS

The saga of the Lycos 'Make love not spam' screensaver took another twist on Friday morning when Lycos withdraw the controversial tool. Visitors to the Web site were presented with a graphic urging them to "stay tuned". Previously they could download the application and use it to send traffic to Web sites operated by spammers.

A Lycos spokesman explained that the screensaver had been temporarily pulled while the company deals with hosting and management issues. He said it had been downloaded by over 100,000 users, and added it was "too early to say" when it would be made available again.

Lycos has been heavily criticised for launching the 'Make love not spam' initiative, with experts accusing the company of acting irresponsibly.

"You can't break into a thief's house just because he breaks into yours. We don't support this or recommend this practice. Directing traffic is part of the degradation of the Internet we are trying to stop," said Steve Linford, director of non-profit anti-spam organisation Spamhaus.

Some ISPs appear to have taken matters into their own hands and blocked access to the site.

As reported yesterday, Lycos's tactics may have rebounded on the company. One of the Web sites Lycos targeted in its zombie army attack -- www.mortgage.info -- redirected traffic back to www.makelovenotspam.com, according to security company F-Secure. This means that Lycos could have unintentionally targeted its own Web site.

Talkback

Isn't the internet a "great" place? American spammers motivated by nothing more than the purest greed and contempt for all internet users can destroy e-mail communications for millions without anyone lifting a finger against them, especially their own government. But the moment enraged internet users try to do something controlling about this scourge, they get shouted down by all the do-gooders. Apparently we're all supposed to paitiently wait for the US government to begin to significantly enforce the "You CAN spam" law. They've had a year to enforce it. They have done next to nothing. How much longer are we supposed to wait, while our e-mail boxes continue to be jammed full of American spam so there's no space left for real e-mails which we often mistake for spam anyway?

via Facebook 3 December, 2004 14:44
Reply

don't TAKE the anti spam program away.

Make it available world wide.

I get 400 + SPAM hits a day and it's worth the initial trouble. If I want to receive spam I should be able to place or remove my name from a master list that spamers could use to send out their advertisements.

BUT they should NOT be able to phish for e-mail addresses and send unwanted information.

BRING BACK THE LOVE BUG!

via Facebook 3 December, 2004 14:59
Reply

Support the Spammers and slam Lycos - LMAO at you fools.

Guess I should get in on the SPAM wagon and grab some cash for myself.

Why? Because there are millions of SPAM supporters out there who purchase via SPAM everyday!

BE A SPAM SUPPORTER AND CLICK THAT LINK - HELP ME GET RICH FOOLS!

CLICKITY CLICK CLICK CLICK...

via Facebook 3 December, 2004 15:20
Reply

torrent...if they really could not afford the bandwidth why didn't they just make it available on torrent?? -they have already crossed the controversy line.....

via Facebook 3 December, 2004 15:23
Reply

Hooray for the Internet League of Nations! The feebleminded fools who agonize over Lycos' attempt to allow us to defend ourselves against sleazebags with no ethics have ensured another victory for the bad guys. The law is toothless and ineffective (anyone ever tried to stop junk faxes, illegal since 1999?). The ethicists are weak and cringing. Let's ignore them, and rid the world of spammers. Yes, two wrongs do make a right, if no-one is willing to use right.

via Facebook 3 December, 2004 15:42
Reply

To Bad. It's about time someone did something. The governments attempts were a joke. I wish I had heard about it before it was pulled.

via Facebook 3 December, 2004 16:23
Reply

Yeah Lycos, about time we kicked the spammers where it hurts. They deserve no protection from law or politically correct do gooders. We have been at their mercy for too long and we need the right to fight back no matter if it hurts them. Let us be free from their endless denigrating marketing ploys and let us demonstrate the hatred we feel towards them by destroying their business channels.

via Facebook 4 December, 2004 00:25
Reply

it must be great to be 13 (or at least act it....)

all of these companies that present themselves to be "anti-spam" are against marching against spammers

sure, they would be - it would put them out of business and stop them from ripping off people and companies for the "services"... if these companies are so good, why do we all get 100-200 spam emails a day??

most on mine comes from kornet (korea), and germany, and belgium and russa... all places I am really fond of... NOT!!!

take your SPAM and stuff it up your ass - death to spammers

via Facebook 4 December, 2004 04:52
Reply

These links give an interesting insight about what the recent antispam campaign was about.

http://corporate.starring.se/content/case.jsp?6642437831011

http://corporate.starring.se/content/about.jsp

I think the screen saver is an excellent tool for reducing spam. I hope it will continue and others release similar software to support users and promote internet democracy.

via Facebook 5 December, 2004 02:36
Reply

I can't wait until Lycos presents us with the anti-spam tool. It's about time somebody does something about it. Not only is it annoying but its very much unwanted. Any ISP who blocked me from having access to download this tool would definately lose my business forever.

via Facebook 5 December, 2004 03:47
Reply

To anonymous in VA your comment
"If I want to receive spam I should be able to place or remove my name from a master list that spamers could use to send out their advertisements"

This list would be as big of a joke as The Do Not Call List. Many of us went through the trouble of signing ourselves and family members up and we still get the same old telemarketers calling everyday(you know the ones that are recordings and you can't ask them who they are or to remove you) These pest will always find a way to keep on doing what they do. Thumbs of to Lycos

via Facebook 5 December, 2004 03:58
Reply

Lycos had a flippin good idea! I am sick to the back teeth of the rubbish I get in my inbox. Better luck next time

via Facebook 14 December, 2004 14:33
Reply

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