Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • 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
  • Video
  • 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

    War on Spam Gains 2 Allies

    Written by

    Caron Carlson
    Published May 26, 2003
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      The anti-spam crusade is gaining momentum as industry players, including Microsoft Corp. and Symantec Corp., counter pending bills on Capitol Hill with legislative proposals of their own.

      To date, proposed ideas have covered a wide range of measures, from jail time for repeat spammers to a tiny charge on every piece of spam sent. The Senate is slated to sort through all the options and vote on one proposal before summers end.

      Microsoft, of Redmond, Wash., got into the act last week when company Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates called for Congress to create incentives for e-mail marketers to adopt best practices and become certified trusted senders. As part of the proposal, the Federal Trade Commission would provide a safe harbor for companies that join an FTC-approved self-regulating group. Legislation would require marketers to properly label their e-mail and would give ISPs the right to take spammers to court.

      Symantec suggested to lawmakers last week that legislation should focus on false labeling and require a physical address in commercial bulk e-mail. The Cupertino, Calif., company, whose brand and products have been fraudulently peddled by e-mail, also asked Congress to give the FTC more resources to prosecute electronic fraud.

      For America Online Inc., spam is the most important issue today, Ted Leonsis, AOL vice chairman, told the Senate Commerce Committee last week. “There is raw anger that spam generates,” Leonsis said, adding that the government needs stronger tools to track down the most fraudulent offenders.

      Others maintain, however, that anger stems not only from fraudulent e-mail but also from the growing volume of unsolicited messages, to which ISPs contribute. Charging that AOL, of New York, operates its “own personal spam company,” Ronald Scelson, owner of Scelson Online Marketing Inc., in Slidell, La., told lawmakers that some ISPs are filtering out legal messages if they receive one complaint, driving bulk e-mailers to forge addresses.

      Calling himself “the most hated person” at the hearing, Scelson said he sends as many as 180 million e-mail messages every day and that it takes him less than 24 hours to thwart an ISPs spam filters.

      The industry approaches, which urge Congress to pre-empt state anti-spam laws, are largely consistent with the longest-standing anti-spam bill, the CAN-SPAM initiative sponsored by Sens. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore. CAN-SPAM would ban the use of false or deceptive headers or subject lines, require senders to provide users with an opt-out feature, and prohibit private rights of action.

      Consumer groups, and many state attorneys general, are calling on Congress to take a tougher approach. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., is sponsoring a bill that would establish jail time as a penalty for serious, repeat spammers and create a national “Do not spam” list. Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minn., last week suggested that a small tax on e-mail would deter spam.

      Caron Carlson
      Caron Carlson

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      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
      Video

      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
      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.
      © 2024 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.

      ×