Anti-Spam Coalition Site Launched

While the effort to battle unsolicited e-mail ads rages on, a coalition of electronic junk mail opponents and companies has launched the Spam Recycling Center (SRC).

The goal of the organization is to, among other things, promote responsible e-mail marketing strategies and practices.

“It is clear that spam has hindered the growth of electronic commerce, but just saying ‘spam is bad’ isn’t enough,” commented Ian Oxman, president of the campaign’s co-founding company ChooseYourMail.Com.

Users visiting the SRC site will be able to submit their unsolicited commercial e-mails to the Federal Trade Commission, as well as various filtering organizations. They may also express opinions regarding spam to elected officials by way of a petition, or dispose of electronic junk mail properly in exchange for financial incentives offered by sponsoring online companies such as CDNow.

SRC was created by the combined efforts of ChooseYorMail.Com, SAFEeps, the Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email (CAUCE), and the Forum for Responsible Ethical Email (F.R.E.E.). According to Scott Hazen Mueller, Chairman and founder of CAUCE, “ChooseYourMail.Com and their Internet retail sponsors are proving that you don’t need to spam in order to get your message out online.”

ChooseYourMail.Com is an online advertising firm established in December, 1996 to investigate Internet marketing methods and ethics.

SEC’s Cyber Force Set To Launch Third Internet Fraud Offensive

In a May 5th speech delivered to the 36th annual Conference of American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW), Richard Walker, director of enforcement for the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), stated that the extent of Internet Fraud is exaggerated. He also said that journalists should not be so quick to perpetuate myths such as how the anonymity of the Internet makes it impossible to track down scam artists. But if you think this sounds like the SEC is backing down, think again.

Back on October 28th, the SEC announced the first of its sweeps against Internet fraud, targeting companies that are trying to manipulate stock prices by means of deceptive Web Sites, newsletters and spam. They took 23 enforcement actions. The second sweep was announced on February 25th, with 4 enforcement actions, and the third is set to be announced any day now.

The SEC has established a “cyberforce” to search the Internet for scam operations, and in April boosted its ranks from 150 to 240.

Leave It To A Yes Man

Chicago-based YesMail.Com announced last week the launch of its YesMail Permission Email Network, to bring together businesses and consumers who have given their permission to receive promotional messages targeted to their personal interests.

According to YesMail.Com CEO Dave Tomie, his company will provide “single source access to the permission email channel, [offering] marketers greater reach and response rates through a vehicle that provide real convenience and value to all (its) constituencies.”