MSN protocol filtering words

[Chris Nicholson-Sauls]

James Dunne wrote:
> Tom wrote:
> 
>> John Reimer escribió:
>>
>>> In article <e177l4$kgk$1 at digitaldaemon.com>, Tom says...
>>>
>>>> S. Chancellor escribió:
>>>>
>>>>> On 2006-04-07 16:44:59 -0700, Tom <ihate at spam.com> said:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi everybody. Sorry about the noise but I wish to know about your 
>>>>>> opinions on the next.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  From time to time, I use MSN protocol for communicating because, 
>>>>>> at least here in Argentina, it's the most popular client for the 
>>>>>> common of Argentine guys and girls. Not that I consider myself one 
>>>>>> of them :P, but to be online with the most of my not-nerd friends, 
>>>>>> I have no choice other than use the protocol.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Maybe this isn't new to everybody, but it was for me today as it 
>>>>>> can be to someone else.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Today I've read some mail I receive daily from a mailing list of 
>>>>>> CS Students of the University where I study (UBA), warning 
>>>>>> everyone of a not-very-honest behavior of the MS people in what 
>>>>>> concerns to their client/protocol "MSN Messenger". They do filter 
>>>>>> messages that contain certain words, apparently from web pages 
>>>>>> that offers some services which makes competition to them (I 
>>>>>> guess). I've made the test myself with the word "subitufoto". This 
>>>>>> is a web page that offers photo upload for free 
>>>>>> (www.subitufoto.com.ar). When the word "subitufoto" appears in 
>>>>>> some message it is apparently sent but currently not received by 
>>>>>> the other peer. I may be naive but this can't be just a bug, can it?
>>>>>> We never know what other words are being filtered/recorded/etc but 
>>>>>> this sucks!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> This makes me distrust profoundly of MSN from now on (not in the 
>>>>>> sense of confidentiality which it naturally lacks). I don't know 
>>>>>> if this is something geographically dependent (i.e. only specific 
>>>>>> for some countries or languages), but I've certainly tested it and 
>>>>>> it's the bare and sad true.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Does anyone know something on the subject?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Regards,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Wow, that's some amazing spam.  Almost fooled me, although I didn't 
>>>>> have any idea why he was posting his BS here.
>>>>>
>>>>> -S.
>>>>>
>>>> Are you serious? What kind of spam would that be? Not selling 
>>>> anything. Don't be ridiculous please. Maybe I shouldn't had posted 
>>>> here. Sorry, I was just looking if someone knew about that kind of 
>>>> issues in MSN protocol.
>>>>
>>>> Tom;
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Tom... I imagine that your post would be appropriate for c++.chat.  
>>> Can you try
>>> posting there?
>>>
>>> Interesting about MSN, if it's true. I've never heard of that problem.
>>>
>>> -JJR
>>
>>
>>
>> As I said before, I shouldn't had posted here, sorry, thanks for the 
>> tip  JJR. And yes, believe me, it's true (I've captured packets with 
>> Ethereal and used GAIM as client and it's all the same).
>>
>> Tom;
> 
> 
> What's even more scary are the EULAs you agreed to while installing AIM 
> and MSN messenger... go check them again sometime.
> 

These are among the reasons I prefer third party clients such as Trillian.

-- Chris Nicholson-Sauls