Re: automated spam detection

[Ragnar Lonn <]

On Thu, 18 Feb 1999, Carl Moberg wrote:

> > When a message is spooled, an operator is alerted. Maybe by email. The
> > filter asks the operator "Is this spam?" and the operator gets to reply.
> 
>  I think this has been said before...
> 
>   "breach of privacy"
> 

Yeah that's a valid concern but IMHO it is worse to have a filter
that sometimes filters legitimate messages than a filter where humans
sometimes have to view messages with certain spam-like characteristics.
AFAIK, at least swedish law permits the viewing of messages by
administrators in 'the line of duty'. Also, email is normally compared
to postcards when it comes to privacy. If you want real privacy you 
should use encryption. 

I know what you mean, though. As an ISP catering the general public it
could be a bad marketing move to adopt a policy where you have to look at
certain mail messages to determine if they're spam or not. However, not
all private companies may think the same.

  /Ragnar