Facebook Wins Big Anti-Spam Judgment


Facebook has been in an ongoing fight against spam and yesterday announced a significant victory in court. The company said it had obtained an eye-popping $711 million judgment against Spam King Sanford Wallace who had had posted unwanted messages on Facebook users’ Walls. Wallace, who is reportedly bankrupt may also face time in the big house. According to the Facebook blog:

While we don’t expect to receive the vast majority of the award, we hope that this will act as a continued deterrent against these criminals. Most notably, the judge referred Wallace to the U.S. Attorney’s Office with a request that Wallace be prosecuted for criminal contempt, which means that in addition to the judgment, he now faces possible jail time.

Late last year Facebook won an even larger, $873 million judgment against Canadian spammer, Adam Guerbuez and Atlantis Blue Capital.

Facebook implores users to identify and report spammers to the company. Keeping Facebook spam-free helps users but it’s equally critical for the continued health and usage of Facebook more broadly.



Greg Sterling is a Contributing Editor at Search Engine Land, and writes a personal blog Screenwerk, examining the broader world of media and advertising. He also posts at a Local Mobile Search, which is focused on the mobile Internet.

See more articles by Greg Sterling >


Share, Bookmark & Discuss This Article
More:


Keep Updated: News Via Email | News Via RSS Feed | News Via Twitter


See more stories like this in the Members Library! Check out the Facebook, Legal: General sections of the Members Library where this story is filed. Members also get access to exclusive video content, a members-only weekly & monthly newsletter, plus more. Check out all the benefits!

POST A COMMENT

Got a comment? Log in, register to comment or become a premium member to comment without CAPTCHA hassles, to have your own custom picture/avatar appear, plus many other benefits.


RECENT COMMENTS

  • alanbleiweiss said " Danny, Mark has since responded to your comments on his blog. In it, he offered some clarifications."
  • kloeprich said " The recent news confirms suspicions I’ve had that News Corp and MS were already in negotiations with"
  • Susannah said " I can't wait to try some of these tips this week. What a resource! It's like having a coffee with 21"

See All »


FREE DAILY SEARCH NEWS RECAP!

Stay on top of all the search news with our daily summary, the SearchCap newsletter. View a sample ›

STAY CURRENT THROUGHOUT THE DAY

RSS Feeds

The Search Engine Land feed keeps you informed as news happens. SEE ALL FEEDS »

Upcoming Search Engine Land Conferences

Advertise With Us »

Search Engine Land produces SMX, the Search Marketing Expo conference series. SMX events deliver the most comprehensive educational and networking experiences - whether you're just starting in search marketing or you're a seasoned expert.


SMX Web Site » | SMX Difference » | SMX News »


Join us at an upcoming SMX event:

Search Marketing Now Learn more about search marketing with our free online webcasts and webinars from our sister site, Search Marketing Now. Upcoming online events include:


See more webcast topics »

TRACK US SOCIALLY
Upcoming Search Engine Land Conferences

Get Your Search Engine Land
Premium Membership!

Become a premium member today and receive:

  • Express commenting privileges & photo.
  • Exclusive videos & newsletters.
  • Discounts to our SMX conferences.
  • Access to "How To" & Other Archives.

Learn More

Upcoming Search Engine Land Conferences
Add to GoogleAdd to My Yahoo!Add to BloglinesAdd to NetvibesAdd to Windows Live