Australian Rules to Crackdown on Spam

siffty writes "Internet service providers could face huge fines if they do not provide spam filtering or impose email sending limits under new rules set down by a communications watchdog. The Australian Communications and Media Authority ( ACMA Media Release ) today registered the world's first legislative code of practice for internet and email service providers. Dealing with unsolicited email or spam costs business and home internet users millions of dollars each year in wasted time and upgrading security systems. But under the new code, ISPs will have to offer spam filtering options to subscribers and provide a system of handling complaints. They will also have to impose reasonable limits on the rate at which subscribers can send email."

Comments

Conflicting agendas.

[khasim]

I don't know about you, but here's what I want:
#1. No one sending me ads if I haven't, personally, given you my email address.

#2. When I opt out, you drop me from all further ads and "informational" mailings. You only send me my invoice and my shipping notification.

#3. You send me, once a month/quarter/year, a notification that I am on your list so that I may change my address or opt out at that point. This is very helpful if I am an email admin and I'm trying to be nice and opt-out people who are no longer at the company.

Now, what the advertisers want is:
A. A list of people that they can send ads to, cheaper than snail mail.

B. See A.

So, looking at it in that fashion, you can see why there is a problem.

If the legitimate retailers would just start behaving like legitimate retailers, a big chunk of the spam problem would vanish. But they won't.