Minister of Justice Chen Ding-nan (陳定南) yesterday said that Internet spammers would be fined if they continued to send junk e-mails without permission.
"Many people, including myself, have been bothered by junk mail," Chen told reporters at a press conference. "We hope that the right to say `no' can be protected."
Chen also said that the ministry has amended Article 22-2 of the Law for the Protection of Computer-managed Personal Information (
According to the amendment, Internet junk mail senders must ask for the recipients' authorization the first time correspondence is sent before sending any more e-mails. If the recipient refuses, junk mail senders who continue to send correspondence would be subject to a fine of between NT$20,000 and NT$200,000.
For junk e-mail that has no identification or return e-mail addresses, the Internet service providers (ISP) would be responsible for providing contact information if requested by customers.
Chen said that the amendment would not necessarily adversely affect e-commerce. The spirit of the amendment is to reserve a right for Internet surfers to decline junk mail, he said
"Actually, junk mail may not be turned down by every Internet user," Chen said. "Some of them do enjoy receiving the latest information about different products. Under this circumstance, both the junk mail sender and the recipient will be happy."
Chen also said that local banks or credit card companies could be leaking customers' personal information to junk mail message senders.
"In addition to amending the law, prosecutors are also trying to figure out who is selling and leaking information," he said.
Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day. The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning. The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added. The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live
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Fast food chain McDonald's is to raise prices by up to NT$5 on some products at its restaurants across Taiwan, starting on Wednesday next week, the company announced today. The prices of all extra value meals and sharing boxes are to increase by NT$5, while breakfast combos and creamy corn soup would go up by NT$3, the company said in a statement. The price of the main items of those meals, if ordered individually, would remain the same. Meanwhile, the price of a medium-sized lemon iced tea and hot cappuccino would rise by NT$3, extra dipping sauces for chicken nuggets would go up
Minister of Digital Affairs Lin Yi-ching (林宜敬) yesterday cited regulatory issues and national security concerns as an expert said that Taiwan is among the few Asian regions without Starlink. Lin made the remarks on Facebook after funP Innovation Group chief executive officer Nathan Chiu (邱繼弘) on Friday said Taiwan and four other countries in Asia — China, North Korea, Afghanistan and Syria — have no access to Starlink. Starlink has become available in 166 countries worldwide, including Ukraine, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, in the six years since it became commercial, he said. While China and North Korea block Starlink, Syria is not