xbiz world
xbiz premiere

Gratis Internet Accused of Selling Confidential Data

ALBANY, N.Y. — Gratis Internet has been accused by New York’s attorney general of selling personal information obtained from millions of consumers despite a promise of confidentiality.

The breach, according to Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, may be the largest ever on the Internet.

Instead of confidentiality, Gratis allegedly sold email addresses and accompanying information to three independent marketers, and hundreds of millions of email solicitations followed.

Spitzer said consumers thought they were simply registering to see a website offering free iPods, DVDs, video games and even plasma TVs. And on its FreePay signup pages, Gratis promised it "does not ... sell/rent e-mails."

Gratis wrongfully shared as many as 7 million "user records," Spitzer said, creating the largest deliberate breach of a privacy policy discovered by law enforcement in the U.S.

Spitzer said Gratis’ promises to consumers included: "We will never give out, sell or lend your name or information to anyone."

Washington-based Gratis, owned by Peter Martin and Robert Jewell, offers lucrative dividends for affiliate sites. “We have the resources necessary to help our top publishers earn over $200,000 a month,” according to its website.

Calls to Jewell and Martin weren’t immediately returned to XBiz Thursday morning.

Copyright © 2026 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Italian Court in Aylo Case Limits International Reach of AV Rules

An Italian administrative court has ruled that Italy’s recently-enacted age verification rules for adult content may not currently be enforced against sites based in other EU member states, pending further procedural action under the EU’s Directive on Electronic Commerce.

OCC, FDIC Prohibit Use of 'Reputation Risk' by Regulators

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) on Tuesday issued a final rule codifying the elimination of ‘reputation risk’ from their supervision of financial institutions.

Wisconsin Governor Vetoes Age Verification Bill

Gov. Tony Evers on Friday vetoed AB 105, an age verification bill that would have allowed anyone to sue adult content providers for damages over alleged failure to age-verify users in Wisconsin, with penalties of up to $10,000 per violation.

FSC Releases Statement on Wisconsin Governor Vetoing AV Bill

The Free Speech Coalition has released a statement on Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers' veto of the state's age verification legislation.

AV Bulletin: West Virginia Enacts AV Law, Ohio 'Innocence Act' Advances

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Woodhull Survey Reveals Concern Among Sex Educators Over AV Laws' Impact on Access

A national survey of sex educators by the Woodhull Freedom Foundation found that a majority of sex educators and sexual health professionals are concerned that age verification (AV) laws will negatively impact access to information and resources.

Clips4Sale Wins Trademark Infringement Case Against Fraudulent Domain

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has ruled in favor of content platform Clips4Sale in a case against a website using a similar domain to impersonate the site.

Pineapple Support, SextPanther to Host Stress Management Support Group

Pineapple Support and SextPanther are hosting a free online support group focused on stress management for performers.

Goddess Tangent Launches New Site Through Grooby's Blue.xxx

Goddess Tangent has launched her new membership site, TangentOD.com, through Grooby's website management company Blue.xxx.

Ofcom Escalates FTV, Web Prime Investigations Over Age Assurance

Show More