Canada Releases Spam Report

Earlier this week, the federal government Task Force on how to combat spam issued its report.

The Task Force was made up of industry, government and consumer representatives, and studied the problem for one year.

It found that while Canada has laws that prohibit specific aspects of spam, these laws are insufficient to achieve the overall goal of deterring spammers in Canada.

The group concluded that a specific anti-spam law is needed, prohibiting e-mail marketers from sending messages to consumers without consent. In addition, it recommended new powers for consumers to sue spammers, more resources for government agencies responsible for fighting spam, and greater international cooperation to track down and stop spammers.

CIPPIC (the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic at the University of Ottawa) has produced a very good and thorough FAQ on spam. The FAQ includes definitions, links to anti-spam organizations and reports, explanations of what industry and governments are doing, as well as legislation and directives from many jurisdictions around the world.