Goodmail Instant Replay

12:30 PM Apr 03, 2006

Possibly the most contentious and closely-watched 90 minutes at March's NTEN conference was the panel debate on Goodmail, the e-mail verification service whose adoption by AOL has provoked protests, including from DemocracyInAction.

NTEN has posted audio and video of the session on its website. It's a somewhat exhausting six set-piece presentations; the essential points for plaintiff and defense are made most succinctly by Goodmail CEO Richard Gringas and Electronic Frontier Foundation's Danny O'Brien. The two speak consecutively from about 15:50 to 44:40.

One point of interest not on the tape: AOL's postmaster was at pains in after-session conversation to emphasize that his company envisioned Goodmail not as an exclusive partner and/or gatekeeper but as the first of an anticipated multitude of verification standards AOL would eventually support.

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