Social Networking news and information

Is signing up on a social site the online equivalent of unprotected sex?  Who is selling their user list to dirty marketers like those who've targeted preteens/teens in the below spam email?  Anyone know the privacy policies at the big networks?

Marketing to youth cellphone users is immoral at best, but purposefully attempting to defraud them is shameful.  I got this spam email today, clearly targeted at teen cell phone users:



Of course, most teens wouldn't fall for this schlop.  They're more savvy than we are.  But, tweens may not be...  A 13 year old friend of ours was tricked into the Jamster Joke text (monthly fee of $9.95) earlier last year. 

Of course, I have to give it to Jamster that they actually did ask you to 'sign up' by texting a code (still ridiculously easy to misinterpet).  This fraudulent outfit makes you think you are entering a contest, until you read this:

• Shame on Verizon, AllTel, Sprint, Cingular, Nextel and ATT Wireless for allowing this to happen under their umbrella. 
• Q121.com is one of the partners in the fraud.  They have a social networking site designed, simply, to catch email addresses.
• aavalue.com is another, aimed at older users.  This one is disguised as a lottery reward site with no social netowring element, but is involved in this particular scheme.
• blswerve.com is one of the agents delivering the messages.
• altantim.com is the spam email delivery address.

Please send a complaint to one of the mobile providers above.  Feel free to simply forward this post to them.  Of course I'm sure they'll feign ignorance, but at least they'll be notified that we hold them responsible.