Volume III

Issue : 11: June 2, 2005

• Task Force on Spam Releases Anti-Spam Action Plan
• Best Buy Canada Sued for V-Chip Patent Infringement
• Court Finds Encryption Software May Be Evidence of Criminal Intent
• U.S. States Contemplate How To Regulate eBay Trading Assistants
• Privacy Commissioner to Audit Data Flow Between Canada and the U.S.
• Report Shows Most Employers Monitor Employees Electronically
• Federal Court of Appeal Enunciates Test for ISP Disclosure of Users Identity

Home > Volume III > Issue 11: June 2, 2005 > Task Force on Spam Releases Anti-Spam Action Plan

Task Force on Spam Releases Anti-Spam Action Plan

In May 2005, Industry Canada released Stopping Spam: Creating a Stronger, Safer Internet - Report of the Task Force on Spam. The aim of the report is to present an action plan for stopping spam in Canada. For the purposes of this action plan, the Task Force attempted to approach the problem of spam as being more than a problem of unsolicited commercial e-mail but also as being a problem of broader threats to the Internet. In this report, the Task Force examined a number of sources of threats to the Internet and their associated costs. The report sets out 22 recommendations for how to prevent spam.

For example, the Task Force calls for continuing government involvement with a broad stakeholder group, particularly by establishing a permanent coordinating body to lead anti-spam initiatives and international cooperative anti-spam efforts. Further specific recommendations include enacting legislation regulating spamming activities as well as creating civil and strict-liability offences under spam-specific legislation that target particular malicious Internet activity; developing anti-spam best practices for ISPs, network operators, and commercial e-mail marketers; and developing awareness and education programs.

For a copy of the report, visit:

http://e-com.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inecic-ceac.nsf/en/h_gv00317e.html