To save on spam you are sending back a canned message asking them to send you more messages... Wouldn't a far better solution to be to hack your spam filter to delete the bit you dislike? Then you don't see it, you don't generate more traffic, and the people trying to send you messages can do it.

This is /., you don't need a bot to tell you they don't match.

Most people carry a repository of warm water (plus other stuff) in their bladder for just such an occasion! And if you can't aim well enough then ask a friend to help.

So if I legally change my name to the encoding of $latest_film in $some_format then that version of the film/format cannot be copyrighted and can be distributed freely?

Way to ignore the other half of the original poster's statement, I believe it was "deterrence or containment".

I would like to add that rehabilitation should also be considered in sentencing and is a better goal than containment and far better than retribution.

But while you are listening to them rant about saving the children from paedophile-terrorist-aliens the nice men in white coats can circle around behind them and catch them more easily!

More seriously though: they should be listened to because then you can point out the flaws in their position. I have spoken to a number of "[c]ensorship advocates" who simply didn't understand the implications and were more than happy to change their position when spoken to reasonably. Of course some will be beyond reason or be pushing some other agenda, but not all are beyond hope and if you refuse to engage them, isolate them and let them only hear the extreme perspective you lose any chance to convert them... In a democratic system this is a losing strategy as you need to convince/convert the majority to your view.

Sadly it takes more than rote memorisation. You would need "every citizen" (or a decent majority) to understand their rights AND be willing to keep them in mind day-to-day AND be willing to act to protect them.