Craigslist today filed four lawsuits to stop spammers from using automated systems to flood its listings.

Brad Stone at the New York Times reports:

Craigslist is charging that they infringed the company's copyright and trademark, and were in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, among other claims.

However, Craigslist's legal tactics could result in "dangerous precedents" according to Eric Goldman, director of the High Tech Law Institute at the Santa Clara University School of Law.

Craigslist was arguing that breaking its terms of service was a crime ...
The Craigslist suits "just make me very uncomfortable," Mr. Goldman said. "On each of their legal theories, if they are successful, Craigslist will be creating law that someone could easily use against it."

Is Craigslist getting the best legal advice?