Subject: Re: mail spams
To: Michael Graff <explorer@flame.org>
From: Christian Kuhtz <kuhtz@ix.netcom.com>
List: current-users
Date: 12/01/1996 14:17:00
On 01 Dec 1996 15:16:58 -0500, Michael Graff <explorer@flame.org> wrote:
> Christian Kuhtz <kuhtz@ix.netcom.com> writes:
>
> > Most flyers sent via USPS stop coming once you stick'em back in the mailbox
> > = with "Return to sender" ;-)...
>
> I believe the USPS drops bulk rate "return to sender" mail on the floor.

I asked, and the lady said that they don't.  They have a delivery committment  
by law and can't just drop mail.

> > ...  With eMail, however, there's an absolute vacuum.  Especially =
> > since there is not such thing as eMail fraud. Not sure we'd want that, but
> > = that's one of the most powerful handles on it.
>
> Give it time...

Well, certainly that and different Internet mail standards which allow unique  
identification and authentication.  Currently, no court I know of will accept  
eMail as proof of anything.  If someone would attempt to sue me because of a  
piece of eMail I supposedly sent, it would be very easy for me to create  
reasonable doubt (in case it is a criminal suit) or in case of a civil suit  
supply enough evidence to sway the jury the other way.  There are enough  
"experts" out there who would be willing to testify about the infinite ways of  
faking mails etc.

> you can't send unsolicited faxes anymore.  Just convince someone to spam
> Congress and something will happen.  (Prolly just removing all email
> access...  Most of those people aren't too quick...)

However, with faxing you have far better evidence than with eMail.

--
Christian Kuhtz               kuhtz@ix.netcom.com - hm, ckuhtz@paranet.com - wk 
Network/UNIX Specialist           BOYCOTT INTERNET SPAM http://www.vix.com/spam
Paranet, Inc.                                           http://www.paranet.com/