Spam has been such a problem that email filters are
now widespread on the Net. These filters are a necessary
response to the menace of spam. However, will the
excuse of spam be used by companies such as Hotmail
to charge for email?

Disturbing news that Hotmail (owned by Microsoft) is
blocking perfectly legitimate emails because they have
been caught by their anti-spam filters is increasing these
fears.

Allan Gardyne of Associateprograms.com has been
commenting recently about the difficulties SiteSell
(owner of the website building package SiteBuildIt)
has had with Hotmail.

http://associateprograms.com/discus/viewtopic.php?t=2847

When SiteSell complained to Hotmail they did not get a
helpful response. Microsoft suggested that they use the
services of a company called Bonded Sender which would
ensure that SiteSell's legitimate non-spam emails would
reach their customers. It just happens that one of the owners
of Bonded Sender is a former employee of Microsoft!

Many other companies have had similar problems with
Hotmail. Bill Gates is on record as wishing to charge for
email as a method of preventing spam. Unfortunately,
when the big companies on the Net gang up like this, a sort
of inevitability about charging for email creeps in. Nearly
60% of email is handled by Hotmail, AOL, and Yahoo
combined. These three companies could have the power
to force customers to pay for their email.

However, customers still have bargaining power.
They may decide to stop using Hotmail and opt for a genuine
free service. The founding fathers of the Internet had a public
service attitude to the free dissemination of information.
If the big companies charge for email, this egalitarian ideal
will be lost.

The most appealing aspect of the Internet for many people
was precisely this level-playing field that it created. The
hobbyist in any part of the world could communicate and
pass information (through email!) to other enthusiasts.
The small entrepreneur could set up a website and make
money without reference to the multinationals.
However, this freedom will be lost if customers are not
vigilant. The big companies like Microsoft are businesses
concerned with profit. The freedom of access that the
Internet gives to the small person in any part of the world
is not a priority of the multinationals.

John Lynch 2004

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