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Senators' bill takes aim at spamMove would require return addresses from marketers
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Two U.S. senators introduced a bill on Thursday seeking to cut down on "spam," the unwanted junk e-mail that by some estimates accounts for 40 percent of e-mail traffic worldwide. The bill, sponsored by Montana Republican Sen. Conrad Burns and Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden, takes aim at a popular spam tactic by requiring Internet marketers to provide legitimate return addresses on their messages. Spammers often hide behind false return addresses to avoid the ire of their targets and to slip through filtering software. Marketers would also be required to honor requests to be taken off customer lists. "This bill will help to keep legitimate Internet traffic and e-commerce flowing by going after those unscrupulous individuals who use e-mail in annoying and misleading ways," Wyden said in a statement. Offers for "herbal Viagra" and urgent requests for assistance from "Nigerian colonels" have become an annoying constant of online life. But spam has grown from nuisance to threat status over the past year as the volume of unwanted messages exploded. The bill would not allow consumers to sue spammers directly, but require state attorneys general to sue on their behalf. The Federal Trade Commission could also fine violators, and Internet providers could block spammers from their networks. Internet portal Yahoo! said it supported the bill, while the DMA and Internet provider America Online said they would work with the Senate to craft an effective bill. Unwanted e-mailThe average "wired" American received more than 2,200 spam messages last year, according to Jupiter Research, while the British government said last month that spam now accounts for 40 percent of global e-mail traffic. Internet access providers complain that their equipment is overwhelmed by the torrent of unwanted e-mail, while legitimate businesses worry that their pitches are getting lost in the din. The problem has become so acute that the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), a trade group representing telemarketers and direct mailers, switched its position last year and said it would support a national anti-spam law. While 27 states have anti-spam laws, previous congressional efforts have foundered over free-speech concerns and opposition from the DMA and other industry groups. A similar bill sponsored by Burns and Wyden cleared the Commerce Committee last year, but was not taken up for a vote in the Senate. "Now it's time to move forward. This legislation has been on hold for too long," Burns said. Copyright 2003 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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