Update: California bans all spam e-mail

[Whoa_Nelly]

Update: California bans all spam e-mail
Law sets up an 'opt-in' requirement



By Stephen Lawson, IDG News Service September 25, 2003



California took a tough stand against spam e-mail on Wednesday after Governor Gray Davis signed a law prohibiting anyone from sending unsolicited commercial e-mail advertisements to a California e-mail address.

The law sets up an "opt-in" requirement, the aim being to prevent e-mail users from getting e-mail advertisements unless they asked to be on the sender's list. Senders of unsolicited messages could be held liable for damages up to $1,000 for each message to an individual and up to $1 million for each e-mail advertisement sent out. The recipient, the state attorney general or the e-mail service provider could seek damages.

The law also bans sending spam from California and prohibits the collection of e-mail addresses or registering multiple e-mail addresses for the purpose of sending spam. It passed the state Senate on Sept. 11 as Senate Bill 186. Another bill, Senate Bill 12, which proponents said would have allowed Internet service providers to be held liable for spam, died in a state Assembly committee in July. The author of that bill, State Senator Debra Bowen of Redondo Beach, said Microsoft Corp. had spearheaded an effort to defeat it. Microsoft denied the charge.

The law is set to take effect Jan. 1.

more...
http://www.infoworld.com/article/03/09/25/HNcalspamban_1.html

[dolstein]

1. Passed a law? Yep. Banned spam? Nope.

There's no way this law is going to prevent spammers -- particularly those located overseas -- from bombarding Californians.

[bluestateguy]

2. To paraphrase Andrew Jackson

"California has made their decision. Now let them enforce it."

Good luck folks.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Down in Trenton, I think we're now debating a law...

banning hurricanes.

[xchrom]

4. well i applaud the effort

i HATE spam.

[peterh]

5. I was away on a trip for 3 days last week….

And when I got back, I had 119 messages, of which, I would say roughly about 50% were spam. And, that doesn’t include the spam I got from my daughter asking for more money while away at school. I guess what I’m trying to say is, you can’t seem to leave more than a few days without getting a message from your ISP indicating your mailbox has almost reached its limit and you need to do something about it.

There’s no question something needs to be done and I think it’s ultimately going to fall on the enduser where you have to teach your system what it will accept and won’t. It’s painstaking….but ultimately, I think it’s the only way…..it’s on my to-do list.