Getting tough on spam

THE National Office for the Information Economy has recommended that the Federal Government legislate against unsolicited email, or spam.

In its final ‘spam’ report, NOIE has advised the Government to get tough on people sending messages without the prior consent of the end user.

Minister for Communications Information Technology and the Arts, Richard Alston, said the Government was committed to taking a strong stand on spam.

“The report, prepared by the NOIE after extensive and open consultation with many sectors of industry and the community, concludes that Australians are heartily sick of spam emails touting black market drugs, celebrity porn, bogus prizes, Nigerian money laundering and other false and or fraudulent material,” Senator Alston said.

“The sending of electronic junk mail has gotten completely out of hand as email usage has increased in recent years. It is no longer just a nuisance, but costly, disruptive and a threat to IT systems through potential transmission of viruses.”