----- Original Message -----
From: "Walt Wayman" <hiwayman@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, 30 April, 2003 09:33 AM
Subject: Re: [OM] [OT] Speaking of spam
> This from the Associated Press today. In light of yesterday's
> discussion of spam-blocking software, I thought this might be of
> interest. There's more to the story, but I played editor and cut
> it short.
>
> RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Internet mavens who clog computers with
> massive volumes of unsolicited e-mail pitches now risk landing in
> prison and losing their riches under a tough Virginia law signed
> Tuesday.
>
> The penalties can apply even if the sender and recipients live
> elsewhere because much of the global Internet traffic passes
> through northern Virginia, home to major online companies such as
> America Online and MCI and a conduit to major federal
> communications hubs in neighboring Washington and its suburbs.
How in heaven's name is some DA in Virginia going to prosecute a spam sender
in Outer Mongolia and a recipient in the Central African Republic where by
chance the message ripples through some wiring in Virginia !! .........
jh
>
> Although about half the states have anti-spam laws, no other
> allows authorities to seize the assets earned from spamming while
> imposing up to five years in felony prison time, said Gov. Mark R.
> Warner and Randall Boe, AOL's chief staff attorney.
>
> "We want to be able to put out not only a potential criminal
> violation with the felony but also to seize the proceeds from this
> illegal activity - their cars, boats, airplanes, homes," Warner
> said.
>
> Warner, who became a multimillionaire as a high-technology
> investor before he was elected governor, said technical filters
> and civil penalties have proven inadequate.
>
> Spamming has grown into a costly problem and the No. 1 complaint
> of AOL's nearly 35 million users, Boe said. AOL blocks billions of
> pieces of spam each week, but billions more get through, he said.
>
> As AOL and major competitors such as Microsoft, AT&T, MCI and
> Yahoo! struggle to improve filtering technology, they hope hard-
> nosed laws such as Virginia's will deter unsolicited junk e-mail.
>
> The new law is directed at commercial bulk e-mail, with certain
> provisions that kick in when someone sends at least 10,000 copies
> of a message in a single day or makes at least $1,000 from one
> such transmission.
>
> "That's different than an occasional e-mail gone awry," Warner
> said.
>
> The Virginia law also prohibits tools that automate spam and the
> forging of e-mail headers, which contain identification
> information on the sender and its service provider. Spammers often
> forge the headers to hide their identity and cover their tracks.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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