It started with email, migrated to cell phones, and now apparently spam has started turning up on XBox Live. Some users who logged on recently were greeted by messages from "friends" that said the following:

"Oh my god! I just saw Mission Impossible 3! AMAZING! Best action movie I've ever seen! SUPER ARTISTIC! Sooo not your everyday cheesy action flick. You gotta see this movie! Acting, story, special effects, fabulous. EVerything fabulous. I love this movie!"

If it's true spam, then it's likely the that brains at Microsoft will find a swift way to solve the problem before it gets too wildly out of hand. If, however, this was actually Microsoft-sanctioned advertising, it bodes ill for the future. Live subscribers will have to keep a close eye on their mailboxes to see how this all shakes out.