|
|
One Man's Victory Over Spam
By David A. Utter
Staff Writer
Article Date: 2005-12-28
A UK businessman found unwanted messages in his inbox, so he turned to a European Union law that permits claiming damages from the spammers in court.
Media Logistics UK will fork over £300 (about $520) to Nigel Roberts to settle a spamming claim, the BBC said. Roberts took action after finding unwanted messages for fax broadcasting and car rentals in his inbox.
A three-year-old anti-spam law passed by the EU made this small victory over spammers possible. Roberts said in the report he kept the claim at £300 to qualify it as a small claim. Media Logistics UK will pay £30 for court costs plus £270 in damages as part of an out-of-court settlement.
This may be the first time anyone in the UK has used this law to file and collect damages under the legislation. The BBC quoted a spokesman from the Information Commissioner's Office, which oversees the law Roberts used, as saying he hadn't heard of anyone else filing a case like this.
Legislation in the United States, known as the CAN-SPAM act, merely requires spammers to provide an address and an opt-out link in their messages. AOL has had some success against US-based spammers in suing them and being able to seize assets to settle claims of damages.
---
Email the author here.
Add to | Yahoo My Web
About the Author:
David Utter is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business.
|
