AlanBarber.Org
Wednesday, June 11, 2003
FTC wants to show it's fangs to spammers
Well it appears the FTC (Federal Trade Commision) has asked congress to give them power to go after spammers. In a Cnet News.Com article it appears that the FTC has filed a 13 page proposal to congress asking for more power to deal with spammers. Dubbed the International Consumer Protection Enforcement Act... it would give the FTC broad powers. Including things like being able to serve ISP (Internet Service Providers) with demands for user information, get access to FBI criminal databases, and directly deal with foreign law enforcement agencies.Of course there are those supporting and fighting the proposal. On the one side you have the privacy protectors worrying about how it'll give the FTC too much power to abuse American citizens, etc.
On the otherhand you have supporters that say we need a group to have these powers so they can deal with spammers in an effective and useful way.
I'm on the fence on this but I do lean to the support of the act. The whole world not just the US needs a orginization that can deal with the big fish. Spam and fraud associated with spam has gotten out of control like a vicious wildfire. We need a group that can move quickly and nail the SOBs.
I suggest that the proposal be reworded and worked on to make sure it does provide enough securities to protect people while at the same time still allowing the FTC to have enough fangs to do good. If it gets too overrun with checks and balances it could render the act useless and no one wants that.
I hope we see a comprimise done and this act passed quickly.
on 06/11/2003 at 10:51 PM