Microsoft has stopped a British man from selling lists of e-mail addresses, which it alleges were used for spamming, according to reports.
A UK court has granted a summary judgment against Paul Martin McDonald, barring him from selling lists, according to the reports. However, it is unclear whether he was selling the lists or renting them out for onetime use.
Microsoft, which runs the free Web-based e-mail service Hotmail, reportedly sought the judgment to stop McDonald from running his Bizads business, through which he reportedly offered the e-mail lists.
Bizads reportedly sold or rented lists of e-mail addresses for about $115 per thousand names to companies advertising online pornography.
Microsoft claimed that though copy on the company’s out-of-service Web site at Bizads.co.uk said the addresses were permission based, some of the addresses were “seed addresses” set up to catch spam.
The injunction prevents McDonald from instigating the transmission of commercial e-mail to Hotmail accounts. If he disobeys, he could face fines and jail time.
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