Beefed-up law could put spammers behind bars(don't buy spam blocker, taxpayers will take care of it)

Richmond Times Dispatch ^ | 4-30-03 | MCGREGOR MCCANCE

[putupon]

Gov. Mark R. Warner, at AOL's headquarters in Dulles, backs a state law allowing for criminal prosecution of Internet spammers with penalties that include jail time and asset forfeiture.

Spam, the scourge of the Internet for millions of computer users, has a tough new opponent in Virginia.

[putupon]

more feel-good government t0 solve your problems for you legislation crappola

[RWG]

This is a reasonable government function, regulating annoyances that invade use of your internet connection. And it would make me feel good to know spam wouldn't be coming anymore. Spam blockers are useless.

[solzhenitsyn]

I think it's an excellent idea. I'd love for spammers to go to jail. Don't see how it would help with the spam that comes from overseas, but it would be a step in the right direction.

[knarf]

" more feel-good government t0 solve your problems for you legislation crappola"

" ... flooding Virginians with ..... unwanted messages ... "

I hate to go to town with my sons because of the way young girls dress, act and talk.

Precious darlings my @$$!

[solzhenitsyn]

Not just jail time -- I'd vote for flogging, too. I truly would. I got about 18 spam emails yesterday, and you never know when one will contain a virus. Spammers are evil, and the innocent public shouldn't have to put up with them.

[libertylover]

Junk messages targeting Access Technology's 6,500 Richmond-area customers at one point made up half the messages arriving at the company's e-mail servers

I'd guess spam is more than half of the email I receive, but I'm not confident this will have much effect.

[DB]

Spammers hardly have a right to flood my Email account with garbage.

I pay for my Internet access. They are using my resources at my expense without my permission. Get a clue.

[Happy2BMe]

Time to declare war on the spammers!

Spam Sent by Fraud Is Made a Felony Under Virginia Law

[putupon]

Spammers are evil, and the innocent public shouldn't have to put up with them

Please please government, raise my taxes and come save me from junk mail, I'm so-o-o-o-o delicate and helpless.< /sarcasm >

[GailA]

We don't have enough prison or jail space for violent criminals now. Yet they talk of putting a obnoxious sales person in jail for sending spam.

My IP is only a dial up YET they have included in their package a Spam/virus blocker.

Works 98% of the time. Very few pieces of spam get through, never had a virus get through.

[Cachelot]

more feel-good government t0 solve your problems for you legislation crappola

Yeah. I think the victims should be allowed to track down the spammers and kill them.

[observer5]

Tar and Feather them...

[observer5]

Wait until your kid gets a PORN email... I guess you don't care.

[GOP_Proud]

Right now I have about a dozen filter rules set up on my email. It doesn't matter what I do. Everyday they came up with a new way around my filters. When you think you have spelled "XXX porn" everyway possible, they come up with something else. How do you protect against a subject line that says "k:jh<w$@edn"? It's unbelievable. I agree that the law is just a "feel good" law. It will always be just a slap on the wrist type of thing and that's if they really get serious and actually charge anyone.

[The Duke]

It might help if DARPA got off it's rump and came up with a new Internet email protocol. The one we have now is a GILLION years old!

[Labyrinthos]

Spam blockers are useless.

The easiest, fastest way to cut down on spam is to avoid AOL like the plague as your internet provider. Next, use a "ficticious" e-mail account through Hotmail or Yahoo! whenever you have to give out your e-mail address on the web, unless the website is secure. Third, never give out your real e-mail address when registering software or any other product, and forth, never, ever check off the box that asks "would you like us to keep you up to date regarding the software (or other product) that you have purchased, or other products that we think you might be interested in."

[Chancellor Palpatine]

so can we assume that you

a) Own a spam company?

b) Work for a company sending out spam?

[DB]

I have several Email accounts. Some have never been given out to anyone, secure or not.

I still get spam on them...

[Born to Conserve]

Put them in stocks in a public place and supply the passers-by with babmboo canes. You'd only have to do this to a few of them.

[Marak]

Try a filter that blocks messages with the word 'click' in the message text. It nails many a spam message.