Marketers Say They Intend to Join Effort to Fight Spam
New York Times, By JOHN SCHWARTZ and JOHN MARKOFF

"A new player has joined the effort to protect computer users from spam: the folks who bring you junk mail.

The Direct Marketing Association, which represents about 4,700 companies that engage in marketing directly to consumers, has quietly begun working with federal law enforcement officials, regulators and Internet service providers to develop a high-technology group dedicated to helping shut down the most egregious users of bulk e-mail.

The intent will be "to identify significant spam operators who are violating existing laws, develop the cases and refer them to the appropriate state, federal or international prosecuting authorities," the direct marketing trade group said in a recruiting letter dated Aug. 8. [ed. note - see DMA publication "Tackling the Spam Issue"

The campaign, to be called Operation Slam Spam, is seeking a $65,000 "participation fee" from the association's members, according to the letter, which was signed by its chief executive, H. Robert Wientzen.

The move is an attempt to blunt efforts to prod Congress and the states into approving significantly tougher anti-spam laws. In comparison, the direct marketing group supports relatively mild legislation." [more]