AOL/GoodMail - The Internet's First Email Tax

The "Fight for Internet Neutrality Principles" has moved into the e-mail system.

Ahh, back in the day. I remember when friends would tell me about how the Postal Service was going to impose a 5 cent surcharge on every e-mail message sent via the Internet. I used to laugh and just say "Ohh that is just an urban legend".

Well, sometimes the truth is scarier than legend. Change "Postal Service" to "AOL/Yahoo" and you are pretty close to truth.

AOL and Yahoo have decided that creating "mail classes" is the next best way to fight spam. They believe that by charging companies just factions of a penny, that they can cut spam. Factions of a penny? That isn't alot? Do you remember "Office Space"? It is alot....really alot.

I am not so sure that I agree with this method. Sounds like a way to make extra money, pretend they are doing something about the spam problem and a great way for other companies to spam directly into your inbox all the time by bypassing spam filters.

It also sounds like a GREAT reason to drop AOL for a better ISP, like you should have done years ago IMHO. If the systems doesn't catch on like expected, AOL may be running their own customers away. Kinda like Sony and the RIAA.

The New York Times had a great article on this very subject earlier this month. "AOL users will become dissatisfied when they don't receive the e-mail that they want, and when they complain to the senders, they'll be told, 'it's AOL's fault,' " said Richi Jennings, an analyst at Ferris Research, which specializes in e-mail.

AOL and Yahoo will be using Goodmail Systems’ processing system to collect the electronic postage and verify the identity of the sender. AOL will be implementing the system in the next two months, while Yahoo will be trying the system out, and has not yet decided how paid vs. unpaid mail will be treated.

Supporters of the system, say it is just like preferred mail classes at your post office. People against the system say it is only going to hurt customers and will be another nail in the "internet e-mail" coffin.

David Stanley, vice president and managing director of messaging security company CipherTrust, said the plan was "a ridiculous idea" and "nothing more than a money-making idea that will not stop spam but will give account holders free reign to send all sorts of 'authenticated' mail."

Umm, I guess the people of the world will have to get together, buy all the dark fiber and create an Open Source Internet. ;)