Facebook spammer slapped with $873 million fine

Canadian Adam Guerbuez was found guilty by US District Court in Silicon Valley, and fined the largest sum in history for an action brought under the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing).

Facebook's Director of Security, Max Kelly wrote in a blog post, that the company doesn't expect to collect the record-setting fine, as it is "unlikely that Guerbuez and Atlantis Blue Capital could ever honour the judgment rendered against them." However, he says the award "represents a powerful deterrent to anyone and everyone who would seek to abuse Facebook and its users."

"Everyone who participates constructively in Facebook should feel confident that we are fighting hard to protect you against spam and other online nuisances," he added.

Facebook noticed an influx of spam beginning in the spring, when its members began receiving messages from friends and other members offering herbal remedies and sexual enhancement pills, a spokesman said.