Is Verio spamming? (Score 1)

I'm reading an awful lot of comments here debating whether or not anti SPAM lists should exist, but what does this have to do with Verio being blacklisted?

My understanding of this whole situation is this: Verio allows their costumers to participate in SPAM related activities, and so a very large blacklist has banned them completely. Verio does not fund these organizations, they simply provide access to a very popular TCP/IP network ("the internet").

Now, I'm all for blocking spammers. But seriously - Verio is a service provider, I don't see how it is their responsibility to tell their clients what data can and can't be transfered through thier infrastructure. Infact, it comes very close to what I consider the invation of privacy.

If I use my ameritech phone to call Billy the hitman, and ask him to kill my cheating wife suzy - is that ameritech's fault?

Spamming is a problem, I agree. Something needs to be done, I agree. But leave the service providers out of this --- I believe in free speach, i'm not going to blacklist anybody for not sensoring material that they didn't write. Quote it word for word. I want to hear it from the source. and if I don't like what I hear, I'll take it up with the source.

Don't shoot the messenger.