Everyone hates spam. You know, the annoying e-mail that that clutters up your
e-mail account with useless garbage. For a long time, people
have been trying to get lawmakers to restrict useless e-mail. It has been a long wait, but we are starting to go in the right direction.
Virginia has recently delivered a strong blow to spammers everywhere
with its new anti-spam law. The law enables people or companies, who feel
that their personal life or professional life has been hurt by spam, to sue
the infringing companies. One state seems like not enough however, Virginia is home to America Online, one of the world's biggest Internet
Service Providers. That means the majority of the Internet's traffic
travels through Virginia, and would then fall under the law.
The flip side of this argument is spammers say the law
violates their right to free speech. This side must be considered because the new law does not clearly define of spam. Companies that are afraid this law violates free speech should consider the rights of the people that they are sending to. If the junk e-mail is not wanted, then how is it serving the companies in the first place? Most people will just delete the message before reading it anyway. Companies must consider the adverse effect that this type of mail has on their company. Is ticking customers off the best way to sell their product? They seem to think so.
So what should companies do? Why not offer customers a choice?
Lots of companies on the web today will offer various newsletters and
product information to customers that wish to keep up-to-date on their products.
Individuals, through the companies web site, can sign up for these
newsletters. This sends content only to those people that want it, and keeps it
away from those that don't.
The spam law is very new, but holds promise for a spam-free future. Finally, a future with less junk mail! It is a step in the right direction. A step to handle the hordes of junk e-mail that we receive daily.
What do you think? Leave your feedback below.
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Name:Brian :) Major: Advertising Comments:
Hormel and AOL are responsible for the finest spam on the planet. I have had AOL for 5 years. I go back to check my mail now, and have 36 messages...35 are spam. Looks like nobody likes me anymore...well, except for "hot young blooded teens" and "cheerleading sluts" and "college babes 18+" What has happened to the world? I don't have time to sue anybody. They damned well know this.
