FITUG e.V.
Förderverein Informationstechnik und Gesellschaft
FITUG e.V.Förderverein Informationstechnik und Gesellschaft |
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------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 18:54:25 -0500 To: politech@vorlon.mit.edu From: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com> Subject: FC: Virginia criminalizes "Up Yours" mailbombing tools Reply-to: declan@well.com
>Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 13:40:07 -0500 >From: Jamie McCarthy <jamie@mccarthy.org> >Subject: Virginia criminalizes "Up Yours" > >"Up Yours" and a hundred other stupid programs like it are >mailbombing tools. Some kid with a half a brain sat down >and wrote a program to send out a flood of unsolicited mail >with a forged return address; it takes advantage of open >mail servers. > >Yesterday, the Virginia State Legislature passed a law which >makes spamming a misdemeanor along with the more traditional >forms of computer theft: breaking into systems, erasing >data, and so on. Oh yes -- and if you distribute software >which "facilitates" spamming, you are subject to twice the >penalties: $1000 per offense, that is, per download of the >software. > >Thousands of ftp sites around the world that happen to host >"Up Yours" or similar programs will be operated by criminals, >once the governor signs this into law. Running an anonymous >remailer that fails to take steps to eliminate "bulk" mail >abuse is probably also illegal, since they "falsify" the >header information. > >The summary: > > The bill provides for statutory civil damages of at least > $500 for each and every illegal and unsolicited bulk > electronic mail message transmitted or actual damages, > whichever is greater or $1000 for each and every violation > of the prohibition on selling or distributing software > which makes possible the transmission of false e-mail. > >The law: > > B. It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, give or > otherwise distribute or possess with the intent to sell, give > or distribute software which facilitates or enables the > falsification of electronic mail header information or other > Internet routing information for the purpose of sending > unsolicited bulk electronic mail through or into the facilities > of an electronic mail service provider or its subscribers. > >http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=991&typ=bil&val=sb881 >http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?991+ful+SB881 > >The ACLU is challenging the law. > >http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2215334,00.html > >-- > Jamie McCarthy > jamie@mccarthy.org > http://jamie.mccarthy.org/
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