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Inititative against spam launched by steamed US group

A coalition of US consumer groups Wednesday launched a massive campaign to halt junk e-mails, often called spam.

The alliance claims junk e-mails now account for one out of every three e-mail missives that come into US inboxes.

The groups -- the Telecommunications Research and Action Center (TRAC), the National Consumers League (NCL) and Consumer Action (CA) -- are petitioning the US Federal Trade Commission to use its regulatory powers to curb the electronic messages.

The increase in unwanted commercial junk e-mail is maddening computer users, the groups said.

"Americans are drowning in commercial spam e-mail today and this situation is only going to get worse unless strong action is taken now," said TRAC chairman Samuel Simon.

"We are urging that the Federal Trade Commission take steps now to halt the outrageous excesses of unsolicited bulk e-mail senders."

The coalition is asking the FTC to prosecute spammers who put misleading subject lines on their ads for hair growers, pornography, get-rich-quick schemes and other solicitations.

The consumer groups also want each spam to contain prominent information that tells a consumer how to be deleted from a spam mailing list.

The coalition cry for action is just the latest campaign to halt junk electronic messages. Last month, a California man filed multi-trillion dollar federal and state lawsuits against companies that send out waves of unsolicited faxes.
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