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BigString.com? Big Worry?

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by ippirate

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I was recently presented with an email from one of our designers heralding the wonders and possible advantages and benefits of procuring the services of BigString.com. Upon visiting their website and reviewing some of the services they claim to provide I gave them a call.

I was immediately transferred to one of the founders and developers desk where quite the enlightening conversation took place. The summary....

BigString offers the ability to send an "email" that is retrievable by the sender and open for "editing" at any time. Editing includes the change by addition or removal of information ranging from one character to the entire message. Yes, removal includes the deletion of the entire message or, in other words, it was never sent. BigString accomplishes this task by not actually sending a message to the recipient but instead an html framework which they claim is not detectable to the average user, the only apparent indicators being changes or for the more technically stalwart, the header of the message.

While contemplating the implications of the above, I asked about "less than honest utilization". I asked if this wasn't viewed as a risk. "Some of us thinks so, yes, but the attorneys assure us that the EULA covers us". Logs? None. Can the recipient copy the message? Nope. Forward it? Nope. Print it? Nope.

Primary user profile? Online daters, go figure
Number of actual business customer? 1
How long in business? 2 years

My take-

From the perspective of a user? This rocks!!!! I could potentially send a nasty gram to my boss, get fired and then go to litigation on grounds of wrongful dismissal, this after deleting the email of course.

From the perspective of a Technology Manager/SysSec Manager? I think I am going to be ill. Patriot Act here I come.

So, there we have it. After my conversation ended with the "co-founder and developer" I continued to mull this over, especially the ethical and potential legal implications. I still am and I am still shuddering.

Some things are drop dead, way cool. Sometimes, those same things a better left in the box of wishful thinking.

What do you guys think? I'm dying to here the perspectives on this one.....

Check them out at www.bigstring.com

6 replies

by dc_guy

As I've said on this forum many times, if the world's "plumbing infrastructure" were as dysfunctional as its highly-touted "information infrastructure", nobody would dare remain in a bathroom after flushing a toilet.

The fact that the internet does not have a vast array of protocols that prevent a scam like this from being implemented speaks volumes about its immaturity.

However, I do fail to see any way the perpetrators of this scam could make it impossible for the recipient to save or print the incoming message. Our company's network security staff can capture and store a copy of any panel on any workstation in any office at any time. And I don't think they had to go to the Pentagon to acquire the software to do it.

by dr dij

Wow! ONE customer! What a fantastic idea! Emails you can't print or copy portions from!. They must have actually prepared a business plan. I think they should continue to eat up VC capital with idea of going public. I'm sure they'll have market capitalization in the $63 billion range when they do. And they should hire lots of programmers who do hardly any work, and spend ridiculous amounts for perks for their officers and sales people.

Actually, Pirate, here is 'natural selection' in work. They'll be out of biz shortly. I know you don't believe in the evo thing, so you can't figure how they'd go out of biz.

by ippirate

And what is all the more amazing, the individual that presented this to me got it from television I think, the news exactly.

I would agree with you on the matter of their unavoidable demise except for the fact they do have a base, as I said, the online dating crowd. Sites like the one that you and I are currently utilizing to communicate began as a very small venture of BBS's populated by geeks only and today has been propelled into a mainstay for even great-grandmothers.

Another thing to consider is this, the sender is the one that doesn't have a desire for you the receiver to be able to print or copy, etc. In other words the person paying is the one looking for the "protection" through limiting those abilities on your end.

by ippirate

I think that is the difference though. Screenshot or File*Print*.

The counterprotocol? Block the website.

Sadly, both of these are not something that an end user would readily think of. Also, this is not some that I, as an admin, would have suspected that I need be concerned about.

by thinktank

Many laws are shifting and are being redefined. The privasy line is pulled back. . .To a lady it would be comparing that to my conservative office skirt and now suddenly it appears that it has suddenly rised shorter to show my slip!

We have the right to hat ourselves and veil ourselves, as we have a legal right to defend our choice to have lives we CAN manage, and many cannot manage public lives but have a desire to be Citizens. to have an email that can offer those features is Classy and necessary to empower those seeking goods and services online as well as insure our right to have a change of mind to retract a message. We have a right to speak freely just as we have a right for it to be directed to the person we chose to send an email.

I under stand security but Citizens ALso need the very security that insures to be also watchful with in a nation for others who could compromise us.

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