Re: [Asrg] Spam, why is it still a problem?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Craig Cockburn" <craig@siliconglen.com>
To: <asrg@ietf.org>
Sent: Monday, January 16, 2006 10:25 AM
Subject: [Asrg] Spam, why is it still a problem?

> Or more to the point why are we letting it still be a problem?
>
Because spam is an economic problem and the economics do not make it worth
fixing.

The people best able to fix spam are the ISPs, the ones with the generators of
spam as customers; they are the ones letting spam into the network.  All the
data I have seen says that e-mail is a small percentage of total traffic, so
eliminating spam will not significantly affect the bandwidth needed and so the
costs of those ISPs.

And spam can generate money too, whereever traffic is charged for.  For example,
many, in some parts of the world most, users are on dial up and the ISP may make
money out of the duration of the call - more spam, longer call, more revenue.

The principal sufferers are those same people on dial up but they will usually
have no business relationship with the ISPs letting spam in in the first place.
The best hope I see comes from those with the interests of the sufferers at
heart, perhaps politicians and software manufacturers.

Tom Petch

> On 24th January 2006 the Microsoft deadline for fixing spam will have
> passed
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3426367.stm
>
> and also mentioned here:
> http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/24/tech/main595595.shtml
>
> Given that spam is still a problem, comprising about 90% of email and
> costing about $40 billion a year, why is it that there is so little
> visible progress on this list and generally regards implementing a
> solution that actually works and which can be easily accessed by the
> average Internet user? (and even better open source). Moreover why is
> there so little movement on canning spam at the source rather than
> allowing it to consume bandwidth until it reaches either someone's mail
> box or a filter?
>
> I am wondering if anyone here can explain to the average Internet user
>
> 1. Why so little progress appears to be happening
> 2. What needs to happen for spam to be largely resolved as a problem
> 3. How far we are down this road and when we might expect a solution?
>
> Comments welcome and I hope to publish a summary on my site here
> http://www.siliconglen.com/spampetition/
>
> Which mentions many of the technological advances on the Internet since
> the first spam in 1994 and asks if we can do all that, why is it taking
> 12 years to address spam effectively?
>
> Craig
> --
> Craig Cockburn ("coburn"). http://www.SiliconGlen.com/
> Please sign the Spam Petition: http://www.siliconglen.com/spampetition/
> Home to the first online guide to Scotland, founded 1994.
> Scottish FAQ, weddings, website design, stop spam and more!
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