If you have been wondering whether RSS has negative implications and drawbacks, this is just about the right time to start seeing these characteristics emerge amidst passionate reactions from developers and users alike.

As a researcher and explorer of new and effective uses of new media technologies, I have been supporting use and adoption of RSS feeds from the very beginning. Its ease of use, and user-driven character make it a uniquely disruptive content delivery and distribution system.

On the other hand, recently RSS has started to be addressed also for its possible threats, risks and possible wrong uses. Though the two are apparently very different issues, they are tightly interconnected.

As “smart” marketers discover RSS, issues of ads intrusion and interruptions within feeds as well raising concerns for RSS potential ability to be an ideal carrier of trojans and other spyware are becoming major concerns both for publishers and readers alike.

Here is my humble take and personal experience on this.