Economics of "Wanted" and "Unwanted" Messages

[Steve Furlong]

On Thursday 15 May 2003 03:21, Tim May wrote:
(Comparison between celebrity stalking and spamming)
> ...Their are three main
> approaches for dealing with the problem of unwanted attention towards
> celebrities:
>
> 1. Pass laws...
>
> 2. ...screen ...
>
> 3. Reclusiveness. 

4. Make stalking, or spamming, physically unrewarding. Celebrities can 
have their bodyguards beat up intruders. In the case of spammers, the 
more talented network hackers might be able to back-trace the messages 
and eventually get a physical address. A usenet group or overseas web 
site could carry lists of these addresses. Ordinary citizens living 
near the spammers could then convey the complaints of the community to 
the spammer, with ball-peen hammer or shotgun. If the citizens 
exercized some caution and didn't repeat themselves, the cops wouldn't 
have much to go on. Heck, the cops probably wouldn't even investigate 
very hard; they receive spam, too. The only drawback I see to this plan 
is the problem of false accusations.

This poses an interesting dilemma: Given the home addresses of a spammer 
and of an IRS auditor, which would you whack?

-- 
Steve Furlong    Computer Condottiere   Have GNU, Will Travel

Guns will get you through times of no duct tape better than duct tape
will get you through times of no guns. -- Ron Kuby