Anti-Spam Law Overturned By Virginia Supreme Court

Spammer Set Free, Expect More Inbox Love

[incrediBILL]

Virgina Supreme Court claims first anti-spam law was to broad and anyone convicted under it will be back roaming your mailbox as quick as you can click "SEND".

[bizjournals.com...]

...the law unfairly bars the anonymous sending of emails concerning politics, religion or other subjects protected under the First Amendment’s freedom of speech, not just commercial spam, and is therefore unconstitutional.

[g1smd]

So, it's OK for the local church to bombard me all day long with stuff about how I need to change my way of life?

I don't think so. I am sure that a certain rabid and dangerous cult favoured by Hollywood would love that sort of thing.

[thecoalman]

The "Do Not Call" list in the U.S. designed to stop tele-marketers is set up similar. I don't know if religious organizations are excluded but politicians can ignore it. I never understood that nor do I understand why they think it would be OK for email. In both cases any and all parties should be prevented from contacting you for commercial purposes unless you have had prior business with them, requested it etc.

The next thing is they will be setting up Quasi religions and claiming protection from religious persecution. I can see it now.

<sees people bowing and praying in front of can of spam> :P

[jecasc]

Hello, I am a keen member of the church of V I A G R A and I wondered if you would be interested in joining our faith. Rememeber, you have to stand up for your faith sometimes. Proven effect, 2 Hours guaranteed. Shipping to all countries.

Oops. Forget we were not allowed to discuss religion here.

[LifeinAsia]

I am disturbed that the SPAMMER got off, but do grudgingly agree that the law may be a little too broad under strict interpretation of the 1st Amendment.

However, I do have an issue with people twisting around the 1st Amendment. While it does guarantee the right to free speech, it does NOT guarantee the right to force everyone to listen to your free speech.

My idea would be to have an opt-out list like the "Do Not Call" list. Official religious, political, and other "protected" organization could apply for exemptions. BUT, individuals would still have the right to opt-out to any of those individual organizations, if they wanted to. Any exempted organization that violated an individual's opt-out option would lose their exemption and could not contact anyone else on the list (at least for a certain amount of time, after which they could re-apply).

[grandpa]

I received three spams in the space that it took to read this thread. Maybe I could forward them to Virginia.