Why unauthorised email use will make your feet hurt

From the number of forwarded emails the Blog receives, I think it's fair to assume that no-one reads the disclaimers at the bottom of emails. There's a report of a novel disclaimer entitled "We will shrink your shoes" in today's New Scientist.

FINALLY, disclaimers at the bottom of emails sometimes threaten those who make unauthorised use of them with legal action. The email Mike Donoghue received from the University of Washington took a different tack: "If you are not the intended recipient, or if the message has been addressed to you in error, do not read, disclose, reproduce, distribute or otherwise use this transmission. Otherwise, your shoes will suddenly get too tight."