Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

France Launches Anti-Spam Platform

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the more-blacklists dept.

njondet writes "French-law.net reports that the French government has just launched 'Signal Spam', an anti-spam platform created in association with public entities and private companies, such as Microsoft. Internet users will be able to report spam messages by mailing them to this platform which will act as a centralised monitor of spamming activities. The platform will generate a blacklist and help initiate prosecutions against spammers."

5 of 128 comments (clear)

  1. How much input to the citizens have? by ancientt · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'm thinking this is a good idea, get a serious organization behind fighting spam, not just one with serious goals and effort but one with serious authority. I wonder if the citizens (who are ultimately paying for it of course) have much control over how it is set up? I can envision a conflict between our marketing department and the government going something like this:
    Marketing: "No, it's not spam, we put in opt out links and only send it to people we have a relationship with."
    Gov: "But 200 people called it spam, you're now listed as a spammer. Sorry."
    Marketing: "That's no fair! How do we change our status?"
    Gov: "The will of the people has spoken, but I don't have lunch plans, maybe the people could buy....?"
    Marketing: "Do you like steak?"
    ....Fast forward two years...
    Gov: "I realize our office receives a lot of criticism for not allowing the public to mark mail as spam, but in reality many of the emails we receive are legitimate businesses using legal means to advertise. We will not allow the public to slur the good name of reputable companies."

    --
    B) Eliminate all the stupid users. This is frowned upon by society.
  2. Spam is international by matt+me · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Spam has no borders. We need a *worldwide* effort.

  3. Re:Its SO French.... by Ckwop · · Score: 3, Insightful

    They are at it again. Snob, uppish, wants whole world do things in their own way, learn french and whatnot. They isolate themselves, dont join in the international community, and they want whole 250+ countries in the world to listen to what they say.

    That sounds an awful lot like the US to me. The US/France relationship reminds me of two brothers who "hate" each other for no other reason that they are so similar. The French are a proud, strong and patriotic nation and so are the citizens of the United States.

    On top of this, the French are also more internationally minded than the US. They did start the European Union after all and relinquished control of interest rates to Brussels to adopt the single currency.

    Simon.

  4. Re:Why not rather attack the source... by Nasarius · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Authorities should rather investigate these companies.
    Maybe. Do you have any evidence that the company itself sent out the spam? "Joe jobs" happen, and in the case of a publicly traded company, it could just as easily be someone who has a stake and is trying to influence the price.
    --
    LOAD "SIG",8,1
  5. Re:Better as a Private Service? by jonbryce · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The private sector has a strong motivation to simultaneously make money out of sending spam, and make even more money detecting it.

    It is not in the interests of the malware detection companies to eliminate the problem, because then they would eliminate their own business.