Friday, October 24, 2003

WSJ.com - AOL Quietly Changes Users' Windows Settings To Fight Pop-Up Spam

WSJ.com - AOL Quietly Changes Users' Windows Settings To Fight Pop-Up Spam: "America Online is quietly turning off subscribers' Windows messaging feature, in an attempt to protect them from a new form of spam.
AOL spokesman Andrew Weinstein said the feedback has been all positive, and he knows of no complaints to AOL call centers about side effects on other applications that may need that feature.
Nonetheless, AOL's action worries some security experts.
'They are trying to do the right thing ... but you sort of feel dirty after you hear it,' said Bruce Schneier, chief technology officer for Counterpane Internet Security Inc. 'It's a very dangerous precedent in competitors' services.'"

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