Trade & investment
Business introduces a spam-fighting resource for Internet users
The International Chamber of Commerce today launched a global spam-fighting resource to help Internet users reduce their exposure to unwanted email.
The resource – an evolving project – contains practical information on how to opt out of unsolicited commercial email and spam in over 30 countries.
It lists data protection authorities, direct marketing associations or other public and private organizations where email users can report spammers and lodge complaints about privacy infringements.
In a related move, ICC joined with the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD (BIAC) to outline a business strategy for dealing with spam.
At an OECD Spam Workshop hosted by the European Commission, the two business organizations recommended a four-point coordinated strategy:
- Public and private sector partnerships to educate users
- Industry development of technological solutions to spam
- Industry initiatives to manage legitimate commercial email
- Effective government enforcement of anti-spam rules.
Speaking for business at the workshop, Christopher Kuner, chairman of ICC’s data protection task force, said: “The private sector has a unique role to play in fighting spam. Since business manages many of the networks and systems that are most burdened with this problem, the business community has significant and up-to-date expertise in fighting spam.”
Mr Kuner said business was well placed to develop technological solutions to spam. It looked forward to constructive dialogue with all affected stakeholders to solve the problem.
