Best practices and enforcement of existing laws, not new regulation, are the best weapons against spam, concluded a meeting of the Global Internet Project (GIP) in Arlington, VA.
Spam has increased 600% from May 2001 to May 2002, according to anti-spam software firm Brightmail Inc. Some 27% of all e-mail can be classified as spam, according to Brightmail’s study.
The group applauded FTC Commissioner Orson Swindle’s remarks at the meeting that new legislation will not stop spam, but that effective enforcement of existing laws that address fraud and deceptive practices–online and offline–can have a positive impact.
“What is needed is more high-profile prosecution of those using spam to engage in fraud or other criminal activity,” said John Patrick, GIP chairman, in a statement. “This would be a deterrent to future would-be spammers.”
The FTC is taking action against spam and responding to consumer complaints daily.
Workshop participants agreed that a multi-faceted approach was crucial to attacking spam.
Internet Service Providers must further limit open relay connections, which provide loopholes for spammers. Consumers must also be better educated about online fraud, learning how to secure their PCs and report abuse to ISPs and government authorities.
End-users should not be responsible for stopping the influx of spam, said participants. ISPs must not block unsolicited e-mail based strictly on content. Businesses and end-users should be educated about how to stop e-mail at the thresholds of their in-boxes, said Vinton Cert, senior vice president of architecture and technology at WorldCom Inc.
GIP is an international group of senior executives who want to foster growth on the Internet.
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