Facebook wins $873 million case against spammer

Facebook has won a $873 million in damages against a Canadian man who hacked Facebook profiles and send out more than 4 million messages to Facebook users to advertise things like male enhancement pills and herbal marijuana.

This is the largest case brought under the Can-Spam Act, Facebook doesn't expect they'll be able to collect the money but they hope the judgment serves as a serious warning to other spammers who would seek to abuse Facebook and its users.

The default judgment was issued in federal court in San Jose, Calif., on Friday against Adam Guerbuez, of Montreal, and his company, Atlantis Blue Capital. The ruling also forbids Guerbuez from using Facebook or interacting with its members ever again.

Facebook doesn't expect to necessarily collect the money because "it's unlikely that Geurbez and Atlantis Blue Capital could ever honor the judgment rendered against them," Max Kelly, Facebook's director of security, wrote in a blog posting on Monday. "We are confident that this award represents a powerful deterrent to anyone and everyone who would seek to abuse Facebook and its users."

Neither Guerbuez, who has made money selling videos showing people attacking the homeless in Montreal, nor Atlantis Blue Capital could be reached for comment.

Source: CNET