Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Applications
    • Applications

    Catching Spammers

    By
    Caron Carlson
    -
    June 23, 2003
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Congress is eager to stem the rising tide of unwanted commercial e-mail this year, and although several anti-spam bills are pending, the lawmakers first step will likely be to give the Federal Trade Commission more power to catch and punish spammers. The FTC has asked for a lot—including some of the powers that historically have fallen exclusively to the Federal Communications Commission.

      The FTC this month presented Congress with a list of expanded authorities that agency officials said they need to investigate the origins of fraudulent e-mail and enforce the laws that prohibit it. To line up potential witnesses for prosecutions and to more easily determine the scope of spam crimes, the FTC wants to be able to require ISPs to hand over data from spam complaints submitted by subscribers. Because spam recipients often contact their ISPs, FTC officials told Congress that access to such information would provide much-needed information in investigations and enforcement.

      The agency also wants to be able to conduct secret investigations of spammers internationally because one of the greatest difficulties in tracking spam is the borderless nature of e-mail. According to the FTC, targets of fraud investigations often destroy documents or hide assets once they are notified of an investigation.

      Many lawmakers are enthusiastic about getting tough on spam, but privacy advocates are wary of Congress turning over too much power to the FTC. According to Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, in Washington, the FTCs proposal would reduce the chances that the target of any investigation would be notified. Not only would that set a bad precedent for domestic law enforcement, but it would also give the wrong signal to other governments about the conduct of investigations in a democracy, Rotenberg warned lawmakers earlier this month.

      Corporate IT managers, who serve on the front line in the spam war, often side with those seeking tougher tools for enforcing laws against spam.

      “Many people, including myself, experience spammers purely as illegal intruders and thieves. Stopping them isnt censorship, it is self-defense,” said John Hughes-Caley, who recently retired from the U.S. Postal Services IT security office. “I naturally view as a felony any systematic, large-scale trespass, theft and harassment—I havent even touched on fraud schemes. We should look to the ISPs to take the lead now in pressing charges.”

      ISPs recently stepped up their own lobbying efforts to pre-empt anti-spam measures that would create unwanted regulatory burdens for them, and they have offered a range of alternatives. Microsoft Corp. last month suggested that Congress should authorize the FTC to approve an industry self-regulated organization that would certify commercial e-mailers as trusted senders. However, the idea of leaving the fight in the hands of the industry leaves some IT managers less than enthusiastic.

      “Trustworthy spam? I cant see anything out there that is worth approving as trustworthy,” said Jim Lambright, manager of IS at Roth Manufacturing Corp., in New London, Ohio.

      The FTC is also seeking the right to oversee traditional telecommunications operators—known as common carriers in regulatory jargon. Common carriers today are exempt from FTC regulation because they fall under the authority of the FCC, and thats the way the carriers want to keep it.

      The United States Telecom Association, the main lobbying group in Washington for the Regional Bell Operating Companies and other Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers, is fighting the FTCs efforts to expand its jurisdiction. The group argues that local carriers are more regulated than ever before, and adding FTC regulation on top of FCC rules could produce conflicts. USTA also contends that the FTCs requested authority would lead to confusion for carriers and users because nobody would know which agency to look to for standards to follow.

      Key lawmakers, including Billy Tauzin, R-La., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, have spoken out against giving the FTC unbridled authority over common carriers. Tauzin said the authority is unnecessary, and the two agencies should coordinate enforcement efforts.

      Caron Carlson
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Applications

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      Applications

      Kyndryl’s Nicolas Sekkaki on Handling AI and...

      James Maguire - November 9, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nicolas Sekkaki, Group Practice Leader for Applications, Data and AI at Kyndryl, about how companies can boost both their AI and...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×