Last year we almost got a SPAM law on books when House legislators approved their version of SPAM bill, H. R. 3113, "The Unsolicited Commercial Electronic Mail Act of 2000", with a vote of 427-1.

However, it never came close to becoming law because Senate never even voted on it.

This year, there are already several attempts being made to place SPAM under law.

The most recognized is known as bill HR 95, which is a re-introduction of H. R. 3113 from last year and is named: "To protect individuals, families, and Internet service providers from unsolicited and unwanted electronic mail." http:/ homas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:h.r.00095:

A SUMMARY AS OF: 1/3/2001--Introduced.

"Unsolicited Commercial Electronic Mail Act of 2001 - Amends Federal criminal code to provide criminal penalties for intentionally initiating transmission of any unsolicited commercial electronic mail message (message) to a protected computer in United States with knowledge that any domain name or other initiator identifying information contained in or accompanying such message is false or inaccurate.

Prohibits any person from sending such a message unless message contains a valid e-mail address, conspicuously displayed, to which a recipient may send notice of a desire not to receive further messages.

Makes it unlawful for a person to initiate transmission of such a message in violation of a policy regarding unsolicited commercial e-mail messages that complies with specified requirements, including requirements for notice and public availability of such policy and for an opportunity for subscribers to opt not receive such messages.

Directs Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to notify violators under this Act, to prohibit further initiation of such messages, and to require initiator to delete names and e-mail addresses of recipients and providers from all mailing lists.

Provides a right of action by a recipient or provider against e-mail initiators who violate above requirements. "

Repetition is key to skit's hilarity. The actors cram word "SPAM" into 2.5 minute skit more than 104 times! This flood prompted Usenet readers to call unwanted newsgroup postings "spam." The name stuck.

Spammers soon focused on e-mail, and terminology moved with them. Today, word has come out of technical obscurity. Now, "spam" is common term for "Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail", or "UCE."

---------------------------------- WHY DOES BAD SPAM HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE? ----------------------------------

Chances are, you've been spammed before. Somehow, your e-mail address has found it's way into hands of a spammer, and your inbox is suffering consequences. How does this happen? There are several possibilities.

BACKSTABBING BUSINESSES - Businesses often keep lists of their customers' e-mail addresses. This is a completely legitimate practice and, usually, nothing bad comes of it. Sometimes though, temptation to make a quick buck is too great, and these lists are sold or rented to outside advertisers. The result? A lot of unsolicited e-mail, and a serious breach of trust.

RANDOM ADDRESS GENERATION - Computer programs called random address generators simply "guess" e-mail addresses. Over 100 million hotmail addresses exist – how hard could it be to guess some of them? Unfortunately for many unsuspecting netizens – not too hard. Many spammers also guess at "standard" addresses, like "support@yourdomain.com", "info@yourdomain.com", and "billing@yourdomain.com."

WEB SPIDERS - Today's most insidious list-gathering tools are web spiders. All of major search engines spider web, saving information about each page. Spammers use tools that also spider web, but save any *e-mail address* they come across. Your personal web page lists your e-mail address? Prepare for an onslaught!

CHAT ROOM HARVESTING - ISP's offer vastly popular chat rooms where users are known only by their screen names. Of course, spammers know that your screen name is first part of your e-mail address. Why waste time guessing e-mail addresses when a few hours of lurking in a chat room can net a list of actively-used addresses?

THE POOR MAN'S BAD MARKETING IDEA - It didn't work for phone companies, and it won't work for e-mail marketers. But, some spammers still keep their own friends-and-family- style e-mail lists. Compiled from addresses of other known spammers, and people or buisnesses that owner has come across in past, these lists are still illegitimate. Why? Only you can give someone permission to send you e-mail. A friend-of-a-friend's permission won't cut it.

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