IP: Alleged spammer wins order against Realtime Blackhole List

[Dave Farber <farber@cis.upenn.edu>]

>
>Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2000 05:17:35 -0400
>To: politech@vorlon.mit.edu
>From: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
>
>[This is, unfortunately, a huge issue. The Realtime Blackhole List 
>(http://mail-abuse.org/) is one of the best ways to stop spam. I use it 
>with procmail and mutt on my Linux server to file suspected spam into a, 
>well, "suspected spam" folder. The system is entirely voluntary and free: 
>Concerned individuals and Internet service providers sign up for a free 
>subscription to a frequently-updated list of offending sites. Think of it 
>like signing up for a list of restaurant reviews, so you know to avoid 
>certain places. At least the defendant seems exceptionally well-prepared 
>for the suit: They've been getting ready for this for a while. If they 
>lose, I hope they go offshore. --Declan]
>
>http://mail-abuse.org/
>We at MAPS are aware of the mounting curiousity which has been generated 
>by the article in DIRECT magazine. At this time we can only confirm that 
>Yesmail.Com has indeed filed a lawsuit against MAPS, and a Temporary
>Restraining Order (``TRO'') has been issued. MAPS will comment in more 
>detail at a later date. In the meantime we thank you for your concern and 
>support.
>
>
>http://www.directmag.com/content/newsline/main.html#81
>
>Yesmail Gets Restraining Order Against MAPS Blacklist
>By Patricia Odell, Richard H. Levey
>
>Yesmail.com, a Chicago-based permission marketer, won a temporary 
>restraining order Thursday against Mail Abuse Prevention System LLC (MAPS) 
>in the first legal challenge to the Redwood, CA-based group.
>
>Issued by the Northern District Court of Illinois (Eastern Division), the 
>order blocks MAPS from adding yesmail to its list of alleged spammers. It 
>is good through Aug. 2. A hearing has been scheduled for July 18.
>
>Several firms have found their Web sites shut down and their e-mails 
>blocked after being listed on MAPS' Realtime Blackhole List (RBL). The 
>RBL, which lists more than 3,000 alleged spammers, is subscribed to by 
>20,000 Internet ervice providers, corporations, government agencies and 
>individuals.
>
>In a complaint filed on Thursday, yesmail alleged that MAPS had announced 
>its intent to include yesmail on the RBL.
>
>The complaint states that subscribers constantly "check in" with the RBL 
>while carrying electronic communication, and that if an Internet Protocol 
>(IP) address is listed on the RBL Internet Service providers will not 
>carry the communications.
>
>By threatening to do so and by publicizing the threat, MAPS would disrupt 
>yesmail's contractual relationships with its advertising business, the 
>complaint states.
>
>...
>
>
>
>>Date: Sat, 15 Jul 2000 19:41:13 -0600
>>To: declan@wired.com
>>From: Charles Oriez <coriez@oriez.org>
>>Subject: spam issue
>>
>>Declan -
>>
>>The article below is making the rounds of some of the anti-spam sites 
>>this evening, but I have been unable to get confirmation of its accuracy 
>>from the parties involved.  It would be a good Wired story if confirmed, 
>>but there are too many things about it that smell at the moment.
>>
>>  http://www.directmag.com/content/newsline/main.html#81
>>
>>
>>--
>>Think about it.  Would you work for a company that couldn't tell
>>the difference in quality of its employees' normal work product and the 
>>work product of someone on drugs without performing a test? -- socks
>
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