Twitter launches legal assault on tweet spammers

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Twitter is cracking down on spammers.

The company on Thursday filed a lawsuit in federal court in San Francisco against five of its most aggressive spam enablers.

The defendants include JL4 Web Solutions, based in the Philippines and referred to in the suit as "TweetAttacks." Other defendants include Tennessee-based Skootle Corporation, referred to as "TweetAdder"; "TweetBuddy"; and the individuals James Lucero and Garland Harris.

The lawsuit takes aim at the people building spamming tools, such as software that latches on to trending topics and starts injecting irrelevant marketing messages into the mix.

"With this suit, we're going straight to the source. By shutting down tool providers, we will prevent other spammers from having these services at their disposal," Twitter said in a blog post. "Further, we hope the suit acts as a deterrent to other spammers, demonstrating the strength of our commitment to keep them off Twitter."

By Friday afternoon, several of the websites named in Twitter's suit -- TweetAttacks, TweetBuddy, and a site operated by Lucero -- were offline. TweetAdder's site was still running, as were several of Harris' sites. The site operators could not immediately be reached for comment.

Twitter says it has spent around $700,000 in anti-spam efforts to combat the defendants' marketing blitzkrieg. It is seeking injunctions against each defendant as well as monetary damages.

Twitter is starting to take its spam problem -- a longtime annoyance -- more seriously. In January, the company acquired Internet security company Dasient, a deal aimed at bringing in new technology to fight off spammers.

Performics, a company that monitors its clients' brands on social platforms, says it sees significantly more spam on Twitter than on Google and Facebook.

"You have to eliminate all the irrelevant content to see what people are really saying," said spokesman Dan Malachowski. "On Twitter, a lot of it is irrelevant spam."

Twitter said on its blog that its engineers have recently launched new anti-spam measures "to more aggressively suspend a new type of @ mention spam." The company is also using its t.co link shortener as a defense: It tracks what's tweeted and tries to shut down links to malware or malicious content.

According to PeekYou, a search company that monitors Twitter's spam levels, the efforts are noticeable.

"Twitter has gotten a lot better over the last six months," CEO Michael Hussey said. "I think they're more quickly detecting and deleting lots of spam."

But it's still pretty far from perfect.

"You can go on eBay today and type 'twitter followers' or 'buy twitter followers,' and you can pump up your number," Hussey said. "Those are great examples of completely spam accounts."

Source

Officials waiting to give 'all clear' after jet fighter crash

Virginia Beach, Virginia (CNN) -- Residents who were missing after a Navy fighter jet crashed into apartment buildings in Virginia Beach were accounted for Saturday, but authorities have yet to give the "all clear" until they check under the wreckage, the fire department said.

Source

Federal deficit so far: $777 billion

The federal government is on track for another year of $1 trillion-plus deficts.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The federal government racked up an almost $780 billion deficit in the first six months of the fiscal year, according to new data from the Congressional Budget Office.

While that's quite a large number, it's actually $53 billion less than the same period last year, when the deficit totaled $829 billion.

The deficit is the annual gap between what the government spends and what it takes in. Accumulated deficits make up the national debt, which is currently north of $15 trillion.

The lower deficit for the first six months of the fiscal year is a product of slightly less government spending and an increase in revenues, or money collected by the government.

The CBO attributed about two-thirds of the $46 billion -- or 4.5% -- increase in revenue to corporations paying more in taxes. The government also collected more income tax from individuals. That's good news, as increased income tax collection indicates an improving economy and higher incomes for workers.

Total government spending dropped by $7 billion -- a very small number when compared to the total budget. But certain programs fared better than others.

Spending on Medicaid dropped $24 billion, and the government spent $15 billion less on unemployment benefits due to improvement in the job market in recent months. Defense spending declined by $9 billion.

Spending on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac increased by $12 billion. Social Security benefit payments rose by $18 billion and spending on Medicare jumped $6 billion.

Last year, the federal government closed out its fiscal year in October with an estimated deficit of $1.3 trillion. That was the third straight year that the deficit exceeded $1 trillion.

The deficit will do so again this year -- marking the fourth straight year of $1 trillion-plus deficits.

This year, exactly how much money the government is spending relative to revenues is extremely important.

The deal cut this summer to end the debt ceiling standoff provided for a $2.1 trillion increase in the country's legal borrowing limit, which now stands at $16.394 trillion.

At the time, it was estimated that such an increase could carry the Treasury Department safely beyond the contentious presidential election season and into early 2013.

But now that Congress has extended the payroll tax cut, emergency unemployment benefits and the so-called Medicare doc fix -- only some of which was paid for -- there is a greater chance that U.S. borrowing could reach the debt ceiling sooner.

It's possible that the limit could be reached smack dab in the middle of the fiscal firefight that Congress is expected to have over the expiring Bush tax cuts. That's to say nothing of Election Day, which falls on Nov. 6 this year.

Should the limit approach, the Treasury Department could still avert a U.S. default by employing "extraordinary measures" -- such as suspending investments in federal retirement funds.

So even if Treasury is at risk of hitting the ceiling at the end of November, it's possible that its moves could take the risk of default off the table until early 2013.

-- CNNMoney's Jeanne Sahadi contributed to this story.

Today's featured rates:

Source

A non-fan's baseball pilgrimage

(CNN) -- Growing up in New York City, there are a few things I never imagined myself doing, like driving a car, living in a house or attending big high school games like the ones I'd seen on TV.

Source

Pelosi: We cannot fail the women of Arab spring

(CNN) -- Last month, a delegation of members from the U.S. House of Representatives, which I was honored to lead, met with inspiring women of North Africa who are helping to change the world.

Source

Conn. Senate votes to halt death penalty

(CNN) -- The Connecticut Senate on Thursday voted to repeal the death penalty, setting the stage for Connecticut to join several states that have recently abolished capital punishment.

Source

Don't-miss Caribbean beach bars

(CNN) -- The Caribbean's tropical weather, beautiful beaches and clear blue waters attract travelers seeking a place to kick back and relax.

Source

Chelsea earn Barcelona clash; Real Madrid ease past Cypriot minnows

(CNN) -- Chelsea booked a semifinal date with Champions League holders Barcelona with a 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge over 10-man Benfica Wednesday.

Source

Carrey back for 'Dumb and Dumber 2'

(EW.com) -- Peter and Bobby Farrelly have been quietly developing a sequel to "Dumb and Dumber" for awhile now.

Source

iPad is Consumer Reports' top tablet

(CNN) -- Guess that overheating issue isn't such a big deal after all.

Source

Hoodie hypocrisy in House?

Washington (CNN) -- Rep. Bobby Rush's hoodie on the House floor sure got attention.

Source

Where to get married like a star

(CNN) -- The approach of Valentine's Day may have you entertaining thoughts of love, perhaps even marriage.

Source

Woman convicted of killing patients with bleach awaits fate

(CNN) -- A woman who was found guilty of killing five patients at a Texas dialysis center by injecting them with bleach will learn her fate this week.

Source

2 killed, 12 injured in mass shooting during funeral in Miami

(CNN) -- Gunfire rang out outside a Miami funeral home, killing two people and injuring 12 others, police said.

Source