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Is The Promise Of The $100 Laptop A New Generation Of Gold Farmers, Spammers And Scammers?

from the just-what-we-need dept

Mon, Nov 27th 2006 2:13pm — Mike Masnick

Earlier this year, we brushed off the worries of one computer security firm that suggested the always popular idea of the $100 computer for poor people all over the world would lead to a new generation of malware writers. However, it seems that others are picking up on similar recognizing the similar unintended consequences of super widespread computer adoption among the world's poor. Over at the Guardian, someone is afraid that widely distributed computers will make it all too tempting for poor kids to get involved in spam or 419-style scams, since the amount of money they can make, even if just modestly successful would represent a huge windfall for some of these people. This does seem a bit more reasonable than the malware fear, but, again, this really is about economic empowerment -- and certainly some of that empowerment will be used for nefarious purposes. It's important to recognize that early on, and watch out for it, but it seems rather early on (and a bit elitist) to assume that the first thing people will do is use these machines to trick dumb, rich westerners out of their money.

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36 Comments

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bummer, 27 Nov 2006 @ 3:13pm

I felt like I was doing well financially when I got my first pc - if they offer them that cheap, I will have to buy something bigger.. damn
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Nov 2006 @ 3:15pm

mmmmmmmmm gold farming...
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PhysicsGuy, 27 Nov 2006 @ 3:16pm

one of the first things i did when i was a kid and got internet access was to trick dumb aol users out of their money... so yea, i could definitely imagine it happening :P
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MCeeP, 27 Nov 2006 @ 3:17pm

dumb westerners
I thought every IT job was about trying to trick dumb, rich westerners out of their money? Isn't that what on-site tech support folks do? ;)
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Ron (profile), 27 Nov 2006 @ 3:22pm

$100 PC
I think the get rich lure will be overpowering to people who have to scrape for a living. But, on the other hand, if you have to scrape for a living, maybe the case of the PC is worth more as a scraper than a cover.
On the other other hand, is the best thing to give impverished people really a PC? Don't they need education, food, clothing, water, shelter, medicine, training to help them be truely productive?

SECOND!
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- Lawrence D'Oliveiro, 27 Nov 2006 @ 3:48pm
  
  Re: $100 PC
  >On the other other hand, is the best thing to give imp[o]verished
  > people really a PC? Don't they need education, food,
  >clothing, water, shelter, medicine, training to help them be [truly] productive?
  Yes, we do have to decide, on their behalf, what these poopr people might or might not need, don't we? After all, it's For Their Own Good.
  Or we could give them the tools and the choices, and let them make up their own mind.
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  - The Truth Beacon, 27 Nov 2006 @ 4:18pm
    
    Re: Re: $100 PC
    If you were offered a PS3 versus an education, which would you take? You might think you would take an education, but that newest, funnest most exclusive toy is mighty appealing to those who don't have so much as a telephone in some cases.
    
    Think of it as a Parent and Child position. We might not have any specific right to their future, but having been around (or economically powerful in this situation) longer, we have the benefit of experience and wisdom they certainly don't - no matter how may issues our system may have.
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  - Ron (profile), 27 Nov 2006 @ 4:23pm
    
    Re: Re: $100 PC
    Isn't education and training some of the tools? If I hand someone a shovel, and a pail of seed I've given them tools; but not all of them. S/he can eat the seed, choose to plant it, feed the birds with it, burn the shovel handle for fuel. Without traiining a person might see these things as a short term fix or even of no value. If the people are starving or living in unhealthy conditions or whatever, then the basic necessities of life are still more important. Once they have food, shelter, health, they then have the opportunity to achieve. I don't care if they get PC's but, let's not think that the PC is going to be their saviour. They need other support besides the Dell Help Desk.
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Greg Jackson, 27 Nov 2006 @ 3:23pm

Verging on racism....
...These kinds of comments are verging on racism.
Mass computing brought all kinds of opportunities to those of us fortunate enough to live in the West.
Some of us wrote games, some wrote emails, some wrote viruses. Some set up innovative companies, others created new services and some started spamming.
The point is - whether you're in a poor country or a rich one, the technology is an enabler for good and ill. Being a low wage technology user certainly makes some forms of scam more viable; but it will also make many forms of legitimate commerce more viable too, and create new forms of earning possibilities, as well as entertainment and education. And whether used to annoy those of us in rich countries by sending spam, or to provide us with great new services (I will be your long distance PA for $10 a day; buy my hand carvings direct from me for $5...) it will be an engine for economic growth - and that can only be a good thing.
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- David, 27 Nov 2006 @ 3:45pm
  
  Re: Verging on racism....
  But you forget that the people getting these computers see the decadent lifestyle existing elsewhere. We didn't have such a luxury when computers were being invented. Yes, some people ran scams, etc., but that was still "wild west" type stuff. With getting everyone in the world online, you start getting more "garden variety" crime, where there's more of an actual criminal underworld, rather than it just being something to play at.
  
  I don't see it as racism. It's somewhat classism, with a large dose of realism, with a convenient exclusion of the benefits available. But I consider it more like a "Well, we're giving the [insert less-technologically-advanced culture here] cheap guns... will they use them to shoot us, or to hunt for food?" line of thought.
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- William, 27 Nov 2006 @ 4:08pm
  
  Re: Verging on racism....
  Right on brother. There are always a few people that are afraid of the future. That want things to stay the same because they think they are doing well, but economic improvement is never completely one sided. And we will reap the benefits as surely as they will.
  Things do tend to get better if smart people are given the opportunity too express there ingenuity. And by the way if you are afraid of the future you have nothing to look forward too.
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misanthropic humanist, 27 Nov 2006 @ 4:14pm

keep them weak and uneducated
Firstly, the $100 PC is inevitable. As is the $10 PC. The cost of producing and distributing higher power computing machines is not a tide you can argue with. Debating this subject vis "Is it a good idea or not" is pointless and as Lawrence implies, quite patronising. We will not get to decide whether the third world (developing) countries get this technology. They will get it with our blessing or without it. The same goes for nuclear weapons and everything else we try to control.

Having accepted that, and disarmed ourselves of the arrogance of assumed control the next breakthrough for us "westerners" is to think how to best encourage the employment of these tools for good, rather than cheap scamming uses.

Truth is, writing a decent application or web service for your own countrymen is probably a better "get rich quick" scheme than scamming naive American and European users, after all, in that market you are competeing with the rest of the world in an area of diminishing opportunities since Physics-Guy has already been at it since the 1990's helping to wise up these mugs with a cluebat.

If you accept that, you must logically proceed to realising the real reason behind this FUD against their empowerment. Do you really think companies like Microsoft want to see smaller nations breaking free of their shackles and devloping their own IT infrastructure? Of course not. That's the real fear, nothing to do with "scammers" and suchlike.
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misanthropic humanist, 27 Nov 2006 @ 4:17pm

Re: Verging on racism...
"if you are afraid of the future you have nothing to look forward too."

NIce.
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110100100, 27 Nov 2006 @ 4:29pm

$100 PC
Besides, just because we're giving then $100 PCs doesn't mean we need to give them electricity.
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- Duhhh, 27 Nov 2006 @ 5:02pm
  
  Re: $100 PC
  They don't need electricity, just enough muscle to turn the hand crank.
  
  Yep, they'll be "cranking out" spam, viruses and low-rez PR0N as soon as they can figure out linux.
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dorpus, 27 Nov 2006 @ 5:05pm

The Rise of Slavery
It will make it easier for third worlders to sell their children to Western child abduction syndicates... I mean, adoption agencies. Children with good teeth are selling for up to $20k to white liberal do-gooders who like having pet monkeys that can be trained to speak english.
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misanthropic humanist, 27 Nov 2006 @ 5:26pm

20k is way too high.
Dorpus, for Gods sake man, why go to the trouble of importing potentialy diseased little black kids from abroad at 20k a pop when you can get them for a fraction of the price from a ghetto trailer park in your own neighborhood?

The irony is that as an American you are the greatest slave the world has ever seen, and the real trick, the real cherry on the poison cake, is that you believe you are aren't. They got you so good that you will even defend the system that enslaves you.

I do the trolling around here, now get off my bridge! :)
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- dorpus, 27 Nov 2006 @ 6:00pm
  
  Re: 20k is way too high.
  
  Dorpus, for Gods sake man, why go to the trouble of importing potentialy diseased little black kids from abroad at 20k a pop when you can get them for a fraction of the price from a ghetto trailer park in your own neighborhood?
  
  Plenty of people adopt ghetto kids. The high-priced slaves come from Eastern Europe or China.
  
  The irony is that as an American you are the greatest slave the world has ever seen, and the real trick, the real cherry on the poison cake, is that you believe you are aren't. They got you so good that you will even defend the system that enslaves you.
  
  So tell me about other countries where people aren't enslaved.
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  - misanthropic humanist, 27 Nov 2006 @ 7:21pm
    
    Re: Re: 20k is way too high.
    "So tell me about other countries where people aren't enslaved."
    
    I knew you'd try and get me with your clever legal mumbo jumbo. Why there's Naura (pop 13,000) and Vatican City (pop 170), and last I heard Malta was doing just fine too.
    
    So, I think here's the issue; there's two kinds of slavery. There's slavery through fear and slavery through protection. Perhaps both are special cases of the other, but both kinds inhibit independence, self determination and real security. When we had to let you guys go from the Empire you did a good job of shrugging off that "protection" slavery, but while I totally admire that "Freedom or Death" American attitude, I think it only took a golden age of a few hundred years for it to become slavery by fear again (economic, and more recently bogus terrorism) and now you're full cycle back to slavery by protection.
    
    All the same, pointing out that other people are also enslaved is no argument. "At least we're not as bad as China" doesn't say much for
    that magnificent old American ideology does it?
    
    So, if I had a point to banter it was this: In a way those people who are under manifestly brutal regimes are in a better position psychologically than the modern American. At least they KNOW they aren't free and have hope to change it. The man who is deceived that he is free while being controlled by invisible hands has far less hope of real freedom.
    
    Whatever your real racial views, I'll tell you I also admire your black culture. Mr T (A Team) said it best in an interview about why he wears the big gold chains. "My brothers and sisters came over here they wore chains because they were slaves. I wear the gold chains because I am still a slave, but my price is higher, that's all". That's the trouble with these unruly niggers, they see it real, and like Mohammed Ali said, the more real you get, the more unreal your opposition gets.
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Tyshaun, 27 Nov 2006 @ 5:30pm

I'm so sad I even bothered wading through this dri
It saddens me to hear that people are so elitist on this site. No one has given any real reason why poor people who receive computers would engage in nepharious activities other than some idotic notion that poverty inherently breeds dishonesty and laziness. If anything I would say affluence is a better indicator of laziness and dishonesty and greed than anything else.

The affluent "first world" is the producer of most of the pollution in the world, the consumers of most of the food and other natural resources, and our corporations are probably indirectly more responsible for killing people than anyone poor person could fathom. We have an epidemic of obesity, the height of sloth and overconsumption, and we sit around and talk about how giving poor people computers will lead to more criminal activity. I think the more important thing the $100.00 computer might do is give poor people a toolset to produce more food and acquire knowledge that will improve their communities. Maybe that is our biggest fear because to be at the top of the class structure, their needs to be a bottom.
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- dorpus, 27 Nov 2006 @ 6:05pm
  
  Re: I'm so sad I even bothered wading through this
  
  The affluent "first world" is the producer of most of the pollution in the world,
  
  Are you sure that polluting industries haven't long since moved to developing nations? It is first world countries that are so hung up on "saving the environment".
  
  our corporations are probably indirectly more responsible for killing people than anyone poor person could fathom.
  
  So do dictators, thugs in third world countries kill fewer people?
  
  We have an epidemic of obesity, the height of sloth and overconsumption
  
  What if obesity rates are exploding in developing nations? Developing nations today suffer more from overeating than undereating.
  
  I think the more important thing the $100.00 computer might do is give poor people a toolset to produce more food and acquire knowledge that will improve their communities.
  
  For the few people in poor countries that don't get enough food, it's because they live in places where there isn't enough water or adequate soil. Knowledge won't improve the land.
  
  Maybe that is our biggest fear because to be at the top of the class structure, their needs to be a bottom.
  
  Tell it to the rich people in developing nations who squander all the aid given by rich countries.
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Mob_Logic, 27 Nov 2006 @ 5:31pm

Think about this.... We as americans do seem stupid to even third-world countries. We have the right to free speach but you can still be fined or sued for hurting someones feelings. We also prove it everyday. You can't grasp the lack of commonsence in this country. Some of us live very privaliged lives and cant do anything alone. You know who you are. Have you ever asked the maid where your keys are? You are stupid. Paying someone to clean up after you and you still cant rember where your keys are. Where does personal responsibility and proof of education come into play here. Now to prove Everyone is stupid in the usa. We buy childrens food from people like this. Think about it.
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- dorpus, 27 Nov 2006 @ 6:09pm
  
  Re:
  Some of us live very privaliged lives and cant do anything alone. You know who you are. Have you ever asked the maid where your keys are? You are stupid. Paying someone to clean up after you and you still cant rember where your keys are.
  
  Actually, most third worlders are amazed by the Americans who insist on fixing their own houses, pumping their own gas, when they are capable of hiring slaves to do it. In the third world, anyone who can afford to do so will hire slaves and refuse to do handiwork. The "do-it-yourself" mentality is an American invention, and quite foreign to the sensibilities of other rich countries.
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Charles Griswold, 27 Nov 2006 @ 6:39pm

Cheap Technology
"Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together - mass hysteria."

Good grief, people, it's not like it's the end of the world. Personally, I think that cheap computers are a good thing. I would like to have one myself.
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InsaniaK, 27 Nov 2006 @ 7:39pm

Its not really like wed notice
its not like anyone would notice more spam or viruses or malware or any of that how much could they really do with 1 or 2 gig's of memory yea sure there could be more spam but so much more that wed notice? what we would notice are the new innovations in programing and software dev, but you could double the ammount of spam we have now and noone would notice unless they spent years browsing the web and spreading their email address around i get a good 50-100 emails in my spam filter whenever i check and of that only 3 or 4 get through to my email i cant see what the issue is maybe some people are concerned that they will fall for the get rich quick schemes and stuff that argument i cant understand either but to end this rambling i say that theres always gonna be more spam i bet it doubles anualy at least the faster our computers get the more spam we their is SO PHUCK IT GIVE EM THE COMPUTERS!
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- InsaniaK, 27 Nov 2006 @ 7:40pm
  
  Re: Its not really like wed notice
  please excuse the bad grammer spelling and shit i like to make my point clear as it is confusing
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third world, 27 Nov 2006 @ 7:55pm

Pobre dorpus, la verdad que eres un pendejo que tiene la cabeza metida en el culo. La verdad no tienes idea de lo que estas diciendo, gran parte del spam y ese tipo de software es creado y enviado por servidores en USA y paises desarrollados. Como una persona que apenas va a empezar a utilizar la computadora va a aprender a enviar spam. Y escribo esto en español para que tengas que tomar el trabajo de traducirlo.
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Sleeo, 27 Nov 2006 @ 8:36pm

More cheap gold farming labor?
For those recall the CGW article on MMO sweatshops, you've probably thought of this already. Among the scams will probably be more MMORPG gold farmers. Many many more. This would destroy countless already broken MMO economies if you really think about it. Good God I need a life.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Nov 2006 @ 8:51pm

Pirate hardware manufacturers better than original
I think there was an article on /. or here on techdirt a few days ago that pirate hardware manufacturers in China are making knockoff goods of Samsung products, which ended up of a quality almost or equal to the original - and if its just as good AND cheaper, wouldn't it therefore be better?

What I'm getting at here is a what-if. "What if pirate manufacturers made these OLPC $100USD laptops even cheaper?" Wouldn't it be almost even funny that they would be able to sell them for less than the real thing - which is what the OLPC is attempting, correct? cheap computers for the rest of the world (well, educating people through using these computers, really, but getting the computers out there comes first)...
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PhysicsGuy, 27 Nov 2006 @ 10:54pm

Re: MMO farming and Obesity...
well, forget the article... first, i want to mention that farming has yet to actually prove detrimental to online game economies, while it causes some downs there are certainly some ups.

and whoever mentioned the high obesity rate, we essentially have what you could consider an abundance of cheap food here in america; from an evolutionary point of view it would be those whose metabolism can process food most efficiently that would survive, therefore you would assume there would be more people alive today with a genetic disposition to process food efficiently; unfortunately all the skinny high metabolism people like myself are weak from an evolutionary standpoint; we require more food to sustain normal body functions; the obese people actually have more efficient bodies, there is just an abundance of food therefore their bodies store more fat because they require calories overall to function. frankly, the rate of obesity in america isn't surprising at all...
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- eb, 28 Nov 2006 @ 7:38am
  
  Re: Re: MMO farming and Obesity...
  There might be a small percentage of the overweight who meet your definition, but basically Americans are consuming way too much of all the wrong foods and are sitting on their a**** way too much.
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etherealnet, 28 Nov 2006 @ 3:56am

edible PC
Perhaps the $100.00 laptop should have an edible chassis. I have a feeling many of the recipients will be sitting around wishing they could eat their laptop.
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mike, 28 Nov 2006 @ 6:19am

Isn't everyone entitled to make the same mistakes we westerners did during their own learnling curve?
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$100 PC's, 28 Nov 2006 @ 6:57am

How would they afford the DSL?
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eb, 28 Nov 2006 @ 7:30am

Dumb, Rich Westerners
Any westerner greedy and/or dumb enough (although I don't think dumb is the issue--they just think they are going to get something for nothing) to get caught up in one of these scams deserves any losses they sustain.
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I-love-to-exercise-with-my-spamalotor, 28 Nov 2006 @ 3:32pm

We should give $100 laptops to spammers
We really should get these laptops to market soonest and get them in the hands of spammers ASAP. If these guys have to crank the handle for every email they send, nothing but good can come of it. We get less spam. They get more exercise. It's a win-win. Maybe there should be a law making it legal to spam from a $100 laptop (as long as you power it with the crank).
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