NEWS BRIEF
AOL Buys Mailblocks

America Online announced the acquisition of Mailblocks, a personal, Web-based e-mail service known for using state-of-the-art technology to block spam and provide a streamlined, efficient e-mail user interface.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Mailblocks is best known for its development and deployment of challenge-response technology to fight unwanted junk e-mail and authenticate legitimate e-mail senders.

Mailblocks is also recognized as having other industry-leading e-mail features, including an attractive, easy-to-use, sleek e-mail user interface.

In addition to the antispam benefits, the Mailblocks service will strengthen AOL's parental controls. This is designed to further empower parents with knowledge and control over who their children receive e-mails from online.

Roy Ben-Yoseph, director of e-mail products at AOL, said the newly acquired technology will allow the internet service provider "to offer AOL members the ability to further reduce spam in their e-mail inbox, building on the improvements we've already delivered to members this year."

"Mailblocks' challenge-response technology, as well as its easy-to-use Web mail user interface, will provide even more benefits and value to our members' communications portfolio on AOL," Ben-Yoseph added.