Washington, Oct 23: The US Senate has voted to impose tough new limits against sending unwanted commercial e-mails, but supporters warned computer users not to expect any immediate end to offers for prescription drugs, cheap loans, herbal remedies and pornography. The "Can Spam" Bill, approved on Wednesday by a 97-0 vote, would outlaw the shadiest techniques used by many of the Internet's most prolific e-mailers, who pump out millions of unsolicited messages daily. The Bill, sponsored by Senators Conrad Burns and Ron Wyden would prohibit senders of unsolicited commercial e-mail from disguising their identity by using a false return address or misleading subject line. The legislation also would prohibit senders from harvesting addresses off Web sites and require such e-mails to include a mechanism so recipients can indicate they do not want future mass-mailings.
A provision proposed by Sen. Charles Schumer authorises the Federal Trade Commission to establish a do-not-spam list, similar to the agency's popular do-not-call list of telephone numbers that marketers are supposed not to call. The Direct Marketing Association opposed that provision and has described it as "a bad idea that is never going to work”.
Bureau Report