[2514] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: Advertising
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (JQ Johnson)
Fri Mar 13 08:33:20 1992
Date: Fri, 13 Mar 92 05:31:04 PST
From: jqj@phloem.uoregon.edu (JQ Johnson)
To: LAWS@ai.sri.com, bzs@world.std.com
Cc: com-priv@psi.com
Avery simple way to deal with bulk unsolicited mail is that taken in
several states limiting telemarketing. Create a legal requirement that
the communications providers set up a system that allows end users to
officially note that they do NOT wish to receive such materials, and
make it illegal (and subject to moderately high penalties) for
information providers to deliver their materials to people who have
said "no thanks." All of a sudden the economics shifts dramatically.
In the network world what we mean by "people" is slightly more complex
than in the telco world, and is protocol-specific. For personal email,
perhaps rfc822 addresses (or X.400?). For incoming anonymous ftp,
perhaps host IP address. This sort of mechanism does not apply to
"broadcast" media such as USEnet news; presumably the FCC should
regulate the advertising content of USEnet news just as it does radio
and television.
JQ Johnson
Director of Network Services Internet: jqj@oregon.uoregon.edu
University of Oregon voice: (503) 346-1746
250E Computing Center fax: (503) 346-4397
Eugene, OR 97403-1212
