House passes measure to curb junk e-mail
By The Associated Press
07.19.00
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WASHINGTON — Legislation passed by the House yesterday would
make it easier for consumers to keep unsolicited junk e-mail off their
computers.
The legislation, which passed 427-1, also gives Internet service
providers new legal weapons to combat spam messages that clog their
networks.
"The most annoying thing about the Internet is junk e-mail," said Rep.
Heather Wilson, R-N.M., sponsor of the bill. Not only are consumers deluged
with often false or pornographic messages, Wilson said, but ISPs spend an
estimated $1 billion a year to cope with the added traffic of millions of spam
messages.
This legislation is "a tool that can now be used to filter and stop
unwanted intrusions into our homes and offices," said Rep. Gene Green,
D-Texas.
The Unsolicited Commercial Electronic Mail Act of 2000 (H.R. 3113)
would require spammers to provide a valid return e-mail address so recipients
could serve notice that they wanted to be taken off the mailing list.
The Federal Trade Commission would be given the authority to bring
action against spammers who violated the provisions of the legislation. ISPs
also would be able to sue spammers in federal court for $500 per message, up to
$50,000, if they willfully broke the law.
The Senate has not yet voted on the measure.
Rich D'Amato, a spokesman for America Online, the nation's largest
Internet provider, said the company appreciated the way the bill focused on
enforcement of spamming rules. "We've tried to eliminate it as a nuisance to
our members," he said, noting that the company had sued more than 40 junk
e-mail companies and individuals over the past three years.
A survey conducted last year by the Gartner Group found that 90% of
e-mail users receive spam at least once a week and almost 50% get spammed six
or more times a week.
Wilson said her bill had been crafted to answer the questions of civil
liberties groups about possible curbs on free-speech rights. She stressed that
spammers "have no right to force us to listen to or force us to pay the cost of
junk e-mail."
The single no vote was cast by Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas.
Previous
Anti-spam measure clears House committee
'Any attempt to regulate Internet speech - even spam - must tread very lightly on the Constitution,' says free-speech expert Richard Kaplar.
06.16.00
Related
Lawmakers push anti-spam bills
But many direct marketers say they have a First Amendment right to make e-mail pitches.
07.22.02
