From: anthony.phipps@chooseyourmail.com
To: admin@raffy.ch
Subject: Spam Recycling Center Update Newsletter - Direct Marketing Association Reneges -- Announces Pro-Spamming Policy
Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1999 16:48:35 -0600
Message-Id: <M1999120316485432432@chooseyourmail.com>


Spam Recycling Center Update Newsletter

As you requested, the Spam Recycling Center [SRC] is keeping you up to date on the battle against spam.   The distribution list for this update is strictly “opt-in”.  Only those people requesting updates and supplying an email address are receiving this information.

The SRC thanks you for your continued support of our efforts to stop the practice of spamming.  If you have questions about our organization, this update, or what you can do to help fight spam, feel free to email us at: nospam@chooseyourmail.com.


1) Direct Marketing Association Reneges -- Announces Pro-Spamming Policy

In contradiction to assurances made to Internet companies and anti-spam activists last year, Direct Marketing Association [DMA] president and CEO Robert Weintzen announced the DMA’s intent to “preserve unsolicited commercial email as a business communications tool” during their 82nd annual conference and exposition.  

In his statement, Weintzen also stated that an opt-in only regime would have an “incredibly negative impact…on the future use of email as a marketing tool.”  The reaction to Weintzen’s comments by anti-spam advocates has been negative. 

He also recently announced the January launch for the DMA’s new e-Mail Preference Service, an opt-out database for marketers to use to purge their email lists of people not wanting to receive unsolicited commercial email.  

In an article appearing in Direct Marketing News, the industry’s leading trade publication,  Spam Recycling Center founder and ChooseYourMail.com president Ian Oxman criticized the e-MPS as a DMA “smokescreen” designed to preserve spamming, regardless of it’s effects on consumers.

In an official letter to Mr. Weitzen, Oxman asked, “Why does the DMA continue to waste it’s time and it’s members money in pursuit of a policy that harms consumers, harms DMA members and only serves to support a marketing method that damages the growth of e-commerce?”  

Anti-spam organizations like the Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email have also publicly denounced the DMA’s restated support of spamming as a marketing tool. 

“I am really dismayed that they seem to have done a complete about-face from the assurances they gave us at the Spam Summit a year ago," said John Levine, author and CAUCE member. "When we met, one of the things we agreed was that opt-in was by far the best way to do advertising. But now, both in Wientzen's remarks at the convention and [the DMA’s] testimony on the Hill, they've said they want to do opt-out advertising." 
 
If you disagree with the DMA’s support of spamming, please send your thoughts to: 

H. Robert Weintzen, President 
Direct Marketing Association
1120 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036-6700
Telephone: 212.768.7277 Ext. 1604
Fax: 212.302.6714
email: presiden@the-dma.org



2) Anti-Spam Bills get Congressional Hearing

On November 3rd in Washington D.C., the technology subcommittee of the House Commerce Committee met and heard testimony on pending anti-spam bills including HR 2162, Congressman Gary Miller’s “Can Spam Act.”  Representatives from the Direct Marketing Association, Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email, the Federal Trade Commission and an Internet Service Provider all testified.

The day before the hearing, SRC founder Ian Oxman participated in a press conference with Congressmen Miller, Holt and Congresswoman Connie Morrella.  At that press conference, Oxman presented information on the nature of spam -- specifically the 30% of spam that advertises pornography.  To see pictures of this press conference, go to the SRC website at Http://www.spamrecycle.com 

Several anti-spam bills are being considered and congressional action on spam regulation is considered likely next year.   For more information on pending spam legislation, go to http://www.cauce.org

3) Spam Recycling Center Delivers it’s 1,000,000th Spam to Washington!

While in Washington D.C., the SRC delivered 1.4 million spams collected at SpamRecycle.com over the past 5 months.  Oxman gave the messages to Congressman Miller who turned them over the Federal Trade Commission during the spam legislation hearings held on Nov. 3rd.

“We wanted to give Congressman Miller as much ammunition as we could going into the hearing,” said Oxman.  “It is important that Congress see the volume of spam we’re getting and understand the cost and annoyance that consumers are suffering everyday.   This database is a wonderful illustration of that point.”

What can you do?  Please continue to contribute your spam to spamrecycle@chooseyourmail.com. Currently the SRC spam database is over 1.7 million messages contributed and growing.

“The SRC program has become a powerful lobbying tool in our anti-spam efforts.  Legislators, reporters, attorneys, trade associations are all taking notice of the growing number of anti-spam SRC contributors,” said Oxman. “Simply put, this database has become a grassroots, global Netizen chorus with tens of thousands of anti-spam voices calling for change.  As more and more people contribute, our ability to effect change grows.”

Thank you for supporting the Spam Recycling Center.