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vrs: In the war on spam, victory is nowhere in sight |
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Johnny-B-Goode writes "The technology section of The International Herlarld Tribiune (http://www.iht.com/) carries two related items by Jennifer B. Lee of the NY TimesHer first article reportson aspects of the fight against spam:Clearly, spam is a part of electronic communications that everyone loves to hate. But it is also something that no one, it seems, can do much about. The Federal Trade Commission receives 40,000 spam complaints a day at its Web site, www.ftc.gov/spam. The U.S. agency has an e-mail address, [email protected] (uce stands for unsolicited commercial e-mail), to which people can forward spam e-mail that they receive. But it cannot and does not regulate unsolicited commercial e-mail. There are no federal laws against spam.A broad anti-spam law has been approved in Europe. On May 30, the European Parliament passed a ban on unsolicited commercial messaging. E-marketing can be aimed only at consumers who have given prior consent.-------------
While her her second item How to keep junk e-mail out of your in-box looks at some basic common-sense measures that are worth remembering:Internet service providers and filtering companies are on the front lines of fighting spam. But there are many things that consumers can do on their own.In the war on spam, victory is nowhere in sight http://www.iht.com/articles/63067.htmlJennifer 8. Lee The New York Times SAN FRANCISCO At 2 a.m., the red squiggle begins to rise. Sharply. The workers sitting in the dimly lighted room barely look up at the white screen on the wall that tracks the deluge of unwanted e-mail. They already know it is happening.Clearly, spam is a part of electronic communications that everyone loves to hate. But it is also something that no one, it seems, can do much about. The Federal Trade Commission receives 40,000 spam complaints a day at its Web site, www.ftc.gov/spam. The U.S. agency has an e-mail address, [email protected] (uce stands for unsolicited commercial e-mail), to which people can forward spam e-mail that they receive. But it cannot and does not regulate unsolicited commercial e-mail. There are no federal laws against spam.A broad anti-spam law has been approved in Europe. On May 30, the European Parliament passed a ban on unsolicited commercial messaging. E-marketing can be aimed only at consumers who have given prior consent..In contrast, more than a dozen spam-related bills have been introduced in Congress over the last two years, and most of them have languished. Twenty-five states have passed a variety of spam-related laws. But laws can serve as a deterrent only when they are enforced, and enforcement of the state anti-spam laws is more the exception than the rule..Legal experts say the problems with local spam laws are manifold. Most do not prohibit spam. Even if the laws were enforced effectively, they wouldn't address most of the spam problem, said David Sorkin, a professor at the John Marshall Law School in Chicago who runs a site called Spamlaws.com. The implied message is that if you weren't lying about it, it would be O.K. to spam people..Spam also transcends state and national boundaries, and many of the state laws stipulate that they take effect only if a spammer can reasonably know that the recipient is a resident of a particular state. Spammers are elusive. Lawsuits generally need to nail down a physical presence to proceed..Telemarketers are easier to identify because telemarketing is expensive and as a result, such companies need assets. All a spammer needs for business is a computer, an Internet connection and an inexpensive CD containing spamming software and tens of millions of e-mail addresses..To date, the most effective weapon against spam is technology. But even technology is limited, since spam is e-mail, and e-mail is designed to flow easily..Businesses have tried to throw up all types of defenses. Many reject mail coming from computers that are known to have been used for spam. Some Internet service providers reject e-mail sent in bulk. That often results in the rejection of legitimate noncommercial messages sent to addresses on mailing lists..Other technological approaches limit e-mail to preapproved senders or senders who respond with a password - approaches that slow down the transmission of e-mail. Users can also buy personal in-box protectors..Brightmail, which has one of the most sophisticated services, says the best spammers are a step ahead of its defense mechanism. They evade Brightmail filters by randomizing the characteristics that filters look for..For spam to disappear, a combination of coordinated international regulatory action, aggressive enforcement, software and human oversight is needed..The bad news is that until that magic combination comes about, spam will continue to clog in-boxes. The good news is that it could help you look younger, feel more virile, become debt-free and get a college degree at home. Really. The article is herehttp://www.iht.com/articles/63067.htmlHow to keep junk e-mail out of your in-box Jennifer 8. Lee The New York Times Internet service providers and filtering companies are on the front lines of fighting spam. But there are many things that consumers can do on their own.PREVENTION Set up multiple e-mail addresses. Use one for personal use and one or more disposable ones - those you would not mind abandoning if need be - when registering at Web sites, posting to news groups or taking part in chat sessions.The complete text is herehttp://www.iht.com/articles/63066.html"
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Posted on Monday, 01 July 2002 @ 18:11:36 EDT by Paul
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