Anti-spam outfit Spam Arrest uses opt-out marketing practices which look - just like spam!

Users who wish to send a message to Spam Arrest's customers must enter a keyword, as part of the sender-verification scheme. This ensures a person - and not a spam programme - is sending a message.

The issue has been taken up in Declan McCullagh's Politech mailing list.

Spam Arrest defends its practices, which it says are ethical. It argues that marketing messages have a valid return, a clear subject line and a functioning opt-out link.

It states that the opt-out link is safe and "the only sure way to remove your address from receiving future spam arrest promotions."

But isn't this exactly the claim spammers themselves often make in trying to entice people to confirm spam email has been received? ®