Overcoming MAPS Reverse-Lookup Oppression?

ArghBlarg asks: "Imagine the following scenario: you're the volunteer admin for a small, non-profit site for a few local artists and musicians. You run your web site and SMTP server out of your laundry room, via cable broadband. The broadband provider doesn't mind, as you only get a few hits a day; you keep your system secure and were only rooted once, over 4 years ago (hey, it happens). Your site has never, ever (to your knowledge) relayed spam. On the whole you've been an exemplary netizen. One day, some email you send bounces because your ISP's entire netblock has been placed on the MAPS DUL. True, your server's IP isn't technically static (though it hasn't changed in 12 months); because your domain is embedded within the broadband provider's larger IP block, reverse lookups don't give your domain name, rather that of the provider (with a huge number prefixed as the hostname). Hence you're considered a rogue SMTP node and blocked by MAPS. I've emailed MAPS but they won't agree to whitelist me. I have a proper MX record for my SMTP server, under my domain name. What can I do? Is there any way to make my legitimate domain take precedence in reverse-lookups, so I don't show up as being part of a spam-friendly network?"

"Please don't bother suggesting that I ask my provider to give me a static IP outside the affected block -- they won't, not without upgrading to a MUCH more expensive package which gives me no benefit for a small-traffic server like this.

What have you done to get your domain, running on a pseudo-static IP, out from under the thumb of the spam block lists? While I wholeheartedly support the efforts of the MAPS people and others like them to stamp out the vermin that are spammers, our domain has become collateral damage in the war!"

Other alternatives.

[Passman]

I can see you have been told the politically correct answer to this situation: "Suck it up, do it for the common good."

But if you are a true American, one question has not yet been answered. What's in it for me? How can I get rich off of this? How do I make them pay?

The answer is simple. Sue Em!

Chances are if you are posting this, you reside within the United States. This makes things more difficult, but not impossible, we just have to be more clever. Our first direction we must look toward in this time of opportunity is toward The Courts. Unfortunately this course will not serve us well. Nothing MAPS does is inherently illegal. Even worse, they have developed a significant volume of caselog to show your average judge that they have a right to do what they do and you have no right to complain. So unless you happen to have a friendly state law or lawmaker in you back pocket (not likely for an indie band) the courts will not likely be of use to you.

Luckily here in the grand old USA, the Courts aren't the only places to extract money from people you don't like. Are you or any of the band members from Canada or Mexico? Can your latino drummer fake a mexican accent? If so then you can demand compensation under Section 7 of the NAFTA Treaty, the expatriation clause. While normally this clause only applies to government regulation, there have been complaints brought forth against psudo-governmental entities (such as industry trade groups and sanctioning bodies) which you could argue the MAPS organization is one of. From there, it's up to them to prove the rules don't apply to them or else you get money. Nothing could be simpler.

There you have it, a simple solution to your problem both short term and long term. Assuming that MAPS survives their major outflow of cash, you will now be able to afford professional internet connectivity free from MAPS blocking. If they don't survive, hey your free to send emails anyway and you get a tidy bundle of cash (a double victory).

irrespectfully submitted, with tounge firmly in cheek

Re:Well DUH...

[Anonymous Coward]

tell them that some ISPs use a list to block incoming email from certain IP addresses that match certain criteria, and that unfortunately your IP address matches that criteria. That puts the onus on the receiver of the email to either figure out a solution, or lose the customer who wanted to receive the email.

Lemme get this straight. They're supposed to complain each time they don't receive an email. And they would know when this is happening exactly how?

That's like taking class attendence by asking everyone who isn't there today to please raise their hands.

Makes sense to me.

[/dev/trash]

they won't, not without upgrading to a MUCH more expensive package which gives me no benefit for a small-traffic server like this.

It gives you a big benefit, you get to send email to people.