From: Mustafa Akgul (akgul@Bilkent.EDU.TR)
Date: Tue 25 Nov 2003 - 03:33:19 EST
From: EDUCAUSE@EDUCAUSE.EDU
Subject: Edupage, November 24, 2003
ANTI-SPAM BILL MOVES THROUGH CONGRESS
The U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed an
anti-spam bill that has already cleared the Senate. The House bill,
which passed 392 to 5, allows fines of up to $250 per message for
spammers who try to conceal their identities from recipients. The bill
also opens the door to a federal do-not-e-mail list operated by the
Federal Trade Commission (FTC), similar to do-not-call lists created to
end unwanted telemarketing phone calls. Billy Tauzin (R-La.) said the
bill gives consumers "the ability to say no to spam" and gives parents
peace of mind because it can prevent pornographic spam from reaching
their children. The House and Senate versions of the bills must be
reconciled, but this process is not expected to take long. President
Bush is expected to sign the legislation when it reaches his desk.
Critics of the bill said it will do little to achieve intended results
and noted that, under the bill, individual consumers are not allowed to
sue spammers. That authority is reserved for ISPs, attorneys general,
and the FTC.
New York Times, 22 November 2003 (registration req'd)
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/23/technology/23SPAM.html