I have a hard time seeing the distinction between people paid by Google or Facebook to share their phone usage data vs people paid by DoorDash to deliver food. You're probably right though.
I believe the price is stopping it. Getting a telco to give you massively reduced rates on a few domains is drastically different than paying for internet access for everybody. Also, please correct me if I am mistaken, but I.org doesn't prevent you actually paying for full internet access?
It's possible they simply created another AI and gave it full information (including the opponent's hand) - essentially making a "perfect" player (who cheats). Not a useful program, but a good play-mate.
I'm not quite sure why you seem so sure he didn't also send an email to that address (or use that form)? I didn't read the article thoroughly, did he enumerate somewhere which ways of contacting Y! he tried?
Seems like this doesn't apply then.