TELCOS, ISPs PROMOTE TECHNOLOGY, INFO SHARING IN FIGHTING SPAM
Openwave Systems and a high-tech coalition are taking spam matters into their own hands, according to executives at an anti-spam workshop Tues. Openwave runs mobile data and broadband services for companies such as AT&T Wireless, BellSouth, China Unicom, Cingular, Cox, Nextel, Sprint, Telecom Italia, T-Mobile, Telefonica and Verizon. Openwave helped form the Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group (MAAWG) in Dec. 2003, and members of the group said Tues. they're seeking technology solutions and industry best practices to reduce spam, even as the federal govt. seeks to enforce last year’s CAN-SPAM Act.
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MAAWG will collaborate in sharing strategies and technology to combat spam and messaging abuse and develop an ISP code of conduct for handling abuse. It will deal with both wireline and mobile spam. Messaging abuse includes spam, viruses, undesired material, spoofing, identity forgery and other attacks, according to MAAWG. Companies contributing to the creation of MAAWG include BellSouth, Abranet, COX, Bell Canada, Internet Initiative Japan and Telus. MAAWG’s targets for improvement include industry collaboration, technology and policy, it said. MAAWG seeks to pass effective legislation and policy to set standards for handling abuse.
The CAN-SPAM Act cleared Congress 6 months ago, and the new law has prompted some action. ISPs have filed civil suits against spammers. Federal regulators have started drafting new rules. The FCC is completing rules governing spam on mobile devices such as cell phones. One FTC rule, requiring labeling of adult material in the e-mail subject line, takes effect today (Wed.). But several surveys have found spam hasn’t declined this year, and may be rising.
MAAWG is holding a Working Group Summit through today (Wed.) at the Renaissance Washington Hotel. The workshop is to provide a platform for several key representatives to address messaging abuse issues.
Carl Hutzler, dir. of anti-spam operations for AOL, addressed the need for collectiveness to combat messaging abuse: “There are certain limitations to how effective you can be with content filtering. We really need to look at each other as neighbors doing everything we can to protect ourselves from each other, and the source from where this stuff originates.” Martin Deen of Cox said: “We hope to really work with everybody from within governmental agencies, the technology community and even within the educational community. To facilitate change we are going to have to focus on getting the word out.”
Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. McCain (R-Ariz.) has put 2 e-mail marketers on a panel set to appear before his committee tomorrow (Thurs.). McCain has called the hearing to assess the effectiveness so far of the CAN-SPAM Act, a bill his committee cleared and he shepherded on the Senate floor. MicroEvolutions.com Pres. Ronald Scelson and Digital Impact Senior Vp Hans Brondmo -- representing companies specializing in what they call “permission-based e-mail marketing” -- will testify Thurs. Digital Impact boasts several Fortune 1000 clients including Victoria’s Secret, Marriott, Citibank and Hewlett-Packard. The companies Scelson promotes aren’t household names, and offer mortgage refinancing, extended auto warranties, online pharmacies and “global business opportunities.” When Scanlon testified before McCain on spam a year ago, he acknowledged that “I'm probably the most disliked person in the entire room.” Shinya Akamine, CEO of the spam-blocking company Postini, will also testify. Joining them on the panel will be AOL Vice Chmn. Ted Leonsis and Consumers Union Pres. James Guest. Leonsis also testified last year. The first panel Thurs. will feature retiring FTC Chmn. Timothy Muris and FBI Asst. Dir.-Cyber Div. Jana Monroe.