Bush Signs First National Anti-Spam Bill Into Law

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20031216/wr_nm/tech_spam_bush_dc_4


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush (news - web sites) signed the first national anti-spam bill into law on Tuesday, outlawing some of the most annoying forms of junk e-mail and setting jail time and multimillion dollar fines for violators.

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Bush's signing marks the final legislative step in a six-year struggle to curb the unsolicited commercial offers that threaten to overwhelm the e-mail system.

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Skeptics say it will only encourage businesses to send out more unwanted e-mail, as the new law allows marketers to send messages to anyone with an e-mail address as long as they identify themselves clearly and honor consumer requests to leave them alone.

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Supporters say the bill sets a helpful framework for acceptable e-mail practices, but acknowledge it will need to be enforced aggressively to have any impact.

I've gotten spam that is only one letter away from my e-mail address. They fool filters by using words like "Vi.a.gra"; write inoccuous things in the subject line like "long time, no see" or "regarding your account." They can set up an account, send out their mails, and disappear before you can reply. And what's the point of labeling a e-mail pornographic if you never requested one in the first place?


rocknation

he doesnt even know what "Spam" is

I've posted about this before - this "law" actually makes it easier on spammers. This was only done to get a headline, and I guess it succeeded. :eyes:

By default, anyone with an e-mail address should be OFF of any spam marketing list until/unless they specifically ask to be put on it. Instead, it's bassackwards. Useless...

The bill was weak, stupid, and designed to look like it actually does something, while it basically does nothing.

It must have been love at first sight.