Spammers: why the scumbags do it
Getting the blog spammers to hang up their affiliations (Guardian Unlimited Technology)
An article from today’s Guardian Technology supplement, about the intricacies (as they seem to me) of affiliate schemes and how they help spammers. The important part of this article is how difficult it was for the reporter to get straight answers out of the affiliate schemes themselves. 94% of blog comments are spam, and I get hundreds every day. Also, see this BBC article on “botnets”, meaning networks of compromised computers, and their role in spamming and other online crime. Up to a quarter of all computers with internet access are thought to be in botnets, unbeknown to the owners.
Can I remind regular readers that TypeKey, which allows unmoderated comments on this site (unless I decide your comments are garbage, in which case I can ban your ID but allow you moderated commenting), is free? And unlike on TypePad blogs, you can leave your own link with your comment rather than the link going to your profile or email address. I don’t like having to moderate comments from regulars, as it slows down discussion, but I don’t want the comments sections to become forums for “debate” with bigots, as is the case on certain other Muslim blogs. If you are a regular, please use TypeKey and you can discuss whatever comes up here freely.
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