Gates issues 'progress report' on spam

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More work needed...

The problem with spam is that some of it is offensive and pornographic and some of it is directly related to scams and criminal rip-off schemes. Other than that, there is no legal way to stop spam (as in bulk unsolicited e-mail) any more than you can legally stop junk mail being posted to you.

The issues here need a bit more discussion. I pay for e-mail to be delivered, not blocked. I also very much appreciate the spam filtering my ISP employs to block offensive porn-spam; but, I don't want spam allowed through based on the fact that the spammer has paid off my ISP using a "bond" system.

Similarly, I don't want e-mail that my ISP calls "spam" blocked because the sender hasn't paid my ISP enough money. I want to be able to say "you are blocking mail from sender X that I'd like let through" and know that it will happen without the sender being charged for it. Remember, I am paying for my e-mail account, I should be allowed to receive e-mail from whoever I want.

Bill says bulk e-mailers must observe "best practice" or he will keep their bond. But there are some very large practical issues: who will define "best practice"? Does a bigger bond get you softer rules? Who will implement the rules? Who gets the money if a bulk e-mailer crosses the line into Spamville? Where will the Spamville county line be set? Does a bulk e-mailer have to negotiate a bond with every ISP they want to get by? What defines a "bulk e-mailer"? At what point do you have to pay your bond to whoever to ensure your e-mail is delivered?

There are also so very obvious business issues: Bill wants to meddle in the business affairs of other companies by making them pay to ensure they play by (Microsoft's?) rules. Microsoft is vociferously attacking the EU for trying to impose controls on what MS can and can't do in streaming media. Microsoft wants the freedom to run their business anyway they see fit. Yet here they are attempting to thwart the business practices of other companies based on vague ideals of "best practice"!

Bulk e-mail is a fact of life. Just like 90% of the stuff in my mailbox is junk mail, 75% of my e-mail is "spam". I've learned to deal with it, my ISP has learned to deal with it, where's the issue?

Posted by: Fred Fredrickson   Posted on: 06/28/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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