Spam-weary e-mail users in California breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday after the trailblazing US state banned junk mail and slapped fines of up to US$1 million on offenders.
The tough new measure, signed into law by Governor Gray Davis late Tuesday, outlaws unsolicited commercial e-mails sent to subscribers in California or sent from the western state.
"This is a precedent in the United States, it's the first time that a law goes after advertisers," Democratic state Senator Kevin Murray, who proposed the bill, told reporters.
The measure is the toughest anti-spam regulation among those enacted in 35 US states.
"The proposal is based on my personal experience. I am tired of the spam I get everyday which is an aggravation [and a waste] of time and money," Murray said.
Abusers can be traced and will be fined between US$1,000 per unsolicited message and up to US$1 million per campaign, the legislator said, adding that it would not be hard to enforce.
Under the tough new restrictions that have angered marketers, consumers must specifically agree to accept e-mails from each advertiser. The move is similar to a recent measure enacted in Britain.
The majority of other US states require only that an advertiser stop sending spam only when a reluctant recipient asks them to do so.
Market research firm Ferris Research estimated that unsolicited commercial junk mail cost US firms around US$9 billion last year alone in lost productivity.
Murray said he hoped the new law would set a trend not only throughout the US but also in other countries where consumers are troubled by a growing quantity of commercial e-mails.
The law is due to come into force on Jan. 1 next year, but is expected to face several obstacles before being applied including constitutional challenges.
Another state bill which proponents said would have allowed Internet service providers to be held liable for spam, died in a state legislature committee in July.
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