[LINK] Fwd: Subject: We Lost IT !!

[Malcolm Miles]

On Sat, 13 Oct 2001 08:15:58 +1000, you wrote:

>Now this is clever!!!  We lost our email list, so can you rebuild it for 
>us?  You gotta admit, the logic and tactics these people use are really 
>quite amazing!  And they justify it by the laws that are passed!!! 

Actually the laws weren't  passed. The following quote is from one of the many spam faqs:

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Currently there is no federal legislation either supporting or prohibiting the sending of unsolicited e-mail messages. However, you may have noticed that some spam messages include the following language (or something similar): 


This message complies with the proposed United States Federal requirements for commercial e-mail. For additional information see: http://www.senate.gov/~murkowski/commerciale-mail/e-mailAmendText.html. Current information on the status, text, and summary of Title 3 of S. 1618 and H.R. 3888, its companion bill, can be found by using Thomas, the legislative information system run by the Library of Congress. 

Or: 

This message complies with the proposed United States Federal requirements for commercial e-mail bill, Section 301. Per Section 301, Paragraph (a)(2)(C) of S.1618, further transmissions to you by the sender of this e-mail may be stopped at no cost to you by sending a reply to this e-mail address with the word "remove" in the subject line. For additional info, see: http://www.senate.gov/~murkowski/commerciale-mail/e-mailAmendText.html. 

Although this all sounds rather intimidating, it is also misleading in that it strongly implies that the spammer has acted within federal law in sending you their message. The bill to which these spammers refer (commonly called the "Murkowski bill") would have legalized the sending of unsolicited commercial e-mail provided certain requirements were met. However, although this bill passed the Senate, it died in conference committee and never passed the House. Therefore, it never became law. 

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Best wishes,
Malcolm