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Burden of proof
You can't prosecute a U.S. business just because a spammer in Elbonia is sending out e-mail advertising the U.S. business. Because sending spam costs nearly nothing, Elbonians will hide their for-hire spam business amidst a shower of solicitations on behalf of Microsoft, Ford, Amazon - which have nothing to do with those companies - as well as, say, genuine legal American pharmacy stores. So you won't be able to prove that Viagra-ra-ra, Inc., actually hired the Elbonians.

An effective legal solution to spam requires every country in the world either to ban spam and enforce the ban, or to be excluded from the e-mail network, or at least filtered by professionals. That way, you can get to the Elbonians. But the legislation won't work if an e-mail user has to individually tell each of his fellow Americans "I do not wish to receive business communications from you." As it becomes clear that the legislation isn't working, the best hope is that American legislators will return to the question and do it right. Even a nationally (internationally) enforceable "Do Not Call" list would work.

Meanwhile, every horny teen video offer, every dubious medical product advertisement, every piece of filth that arrives in Americans' e-mail will from now on have the names of Sen. Wyden and Sen. Burns associated with it. I personally am willing to do my part to advertise this fact. So you'd better fix this fast.

As for exempting political and religious communications! - Jesus Christ! Send me $9.95 plus tax and I'll pray for you to get a clue.
Posted by: Robert Carnegie   Posted on: 12/17/03 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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But how do you stop "lawful" Spam  el1jones | 12/17/03
Even worse...  RestonTechAlec | 12/18/03
Get a mass email program to do mass-opt-out  hadaso | 01/08/04
That's why OPT-IN is the only reasonable solution  shawkins | 12/22/03
or a federal opt out plan like with telco's  JWatson77 | 12/28/03
Boy, I wish I had an assistant to do that...  Albee_Freeoneday | 01/08/04
Another Thought  Doug@... | 12/17/03
We want opt-in, and the right to personally prosecute!  rbrucecarter | 12/17/03
Hurts more than it Helps  issthatso | 12/17/03
More realistically....  DarbyOhara | 12/17/03
What ISPs can do  RestonTechAlec | 12/18/03
The real answer!  ShadeTree | 12/17/03
Unfortunately  James T. Kirk | 12/17/03
Burden of proof  Robert Carnegie | 12/17/03
This bill is nothing but a farce ...  worknman | 12/17/03
Do Not Solicit  ParadigmOdyssey | 12/17/03
I do not understand what you wrote  Robert Carnegie | 12/18/03
(NT) Nobody does. Just let it go.  James T. Kirk | 12/18/03
Maybe  ParadigmOdyssey | 12/18/03
Almost cut and paste  rpmyers1 | 12/19/03
yeah I get that  ParadigmOdyssey | 12/19/03
Something's wrong - I'm understanding you  Robert Carnegie | 12/22/03
The bigger  ParadigmOdyssey | 12/22/03
By the way  ParadigmOdyssey | 12/19/03
Is there anything in this bill to prevent the optout list  Taz_z | 12/17/03
This is why we need new representation  Lonewolf_z | 12/17/03
What ever happened to "Opt IN"  Sick Of It | 12/17/03
I do not understand what you wrote  Robert Carnegie | 12/18/03
Congress is no help: they sold out to the DMA!  jdoe512 | 12/18/03
Can Spam Act  mcwebber | 12/22/03
Spammer anti-defamation league, line #1  rpmyers1 | 12/22/03
I would like to press charges  JWatson77 | 12/28/03
lets create a bunch of CAN laws  JWatson77 | 12/28/03
It must go further  cmh510@... | 01/03/04
Focus is wrong: Dry up the cash flow, instead  escoles@... | 01/05/04
spam  deanp60@... | 01/08/04
can spam bill is political scam  ironfist03 | 01/08/04
Everyone should respond to all spam offers!  hapticz | 01/08/04
let's can ignorant politicians!  awilson_z | 01/08/04
How to report spam to the sender's ISP - no technical abilities needed!  hadaso | 01/08/04
How to report spam to the sender's ISP - no technical abilities needed!  hadaso | 01/08/04
Stopping Spam  chris@... | 01/08/04

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