How to end spam scourge

Re:Canada emerges as haven for spam because of government inaction

Michael Geist is correct in chastising Canada for being the only G7 nation lacking anti-spam legislation but, as he admits, his suggestions for a remedy don't go far enough. The problem isn't just with the internet service providers who allow their customers to spam nor even with the companies providing spam services to generally shady clients. The problem also lies in the failure to provide sanctions against the companies using spam to advertise their products or services.

As long as companies continue to find it profitable to use spam to reach their target audience, other companies will continue to make it easy for them to do it. The real breakdown in anti-spam measures occurs because governments have generally refused to regulate commercial e-mail advertising.

The solution is simple enough. Make it an offence to send unsolicited e-mail to anyone with whom you do not have an existing business relationship. Legitimate businesses already follow this practise, letting you sign up for and/or opt out of their e-mail lists.

Secondly, make it illegal to harvest e-mail addresses and domain names for commercial purposes. Currently spammers send bots out to scour the web, usenet and other Internet facilities to grab e-mail addresses and even domain names (to generate potentially valid e-mail addresses) to get their spam lists. Ensure that the penalties outweigh the benefits to the spammers.

Thirdly, invest as much money and effort in shutting down offshore spammers as is currently being done to shut down international counterfeiting. Back it up with trade sanctions against nations that don't take sufficient action against spammers operating within their borders.

Spamming is big business and our governments are loath to regulate businesses. Spam is currently estimated to account for as much as 95% of all e-mail. Formerly useful tools like the Usenet have been all but shut down by spammers. It's time our governments recognized the Internet as an engine of success that is being hamstrung by their lack of action against spam.

Gary Dale