Crusaders make U-turn on US anti-spam laws

Parliamentary anti-spam body the All Party Internet Group (Apig) has backtracked on its demands that the US to adopt European-style laws to tackle unsolicited email.

Earlier this month members of Apig travelled to Washington to persuade Congress to model anti-spam laws on the European Union's Privacy and Electronic Communications directive.

This works on the opt-in principle and bans companies sending unsolicited emails unless a person states that they want to receive them.

But the Apig members who visited Washington now say identical legislation is not needed.

The majority of anti-spam bills being debated by the US Congress - such as the Can Spam bill - favour opt-out measures.

Such measures, which look set to form the basis of US federal anti-spam legislation, place the onus on the recipient to say first that they do not want spam.

But spam can be tackled by existing UK laws if there are closer ties with US law enforcement agencies and trade organisations, said Apig treasurer Brian White MP.

"We found it a useful trip and the representatives we met understand the issues. We talked to the FBI, Federal Trade Commission as well as internet service providers," he said.

"The decision was not to get involved in an argument over legislation but to find a way of working together."

Existing UK laws, such as the Computer Misuse Act and anti-terrorist legislation, can bring down US spammers, added White.

"We must stop thinking of spam as an irritant and think of it as a threat. Spammers are using hacker techniques such as viral software, which breaks the Computer Misuse Act. We would ask for extradition if they broke the law here."

Steve Linford, founder of spam monitoring organisation Spamhaus, was unconvinced that extradition and suing will work, but said he would be happy to test the water.

"Let's try it. If Apig believes this is possible I will speak to them after the directive becomes law in December. As long as someone funds the case we will be the first to sue," he said.