Originally Posted by Mr. Deltoid

Greetings, as you may have noticed, this is my first post. I felt I should introduce myself with a subject near and dear.

I firmly believe that the practice of Internet spamming should not be prohibited or regulated.

First of all, where does one draw the line in respect to classification? If, for example, I dispatched a cold cover letter via e-mail to a large number of potential employers, one could easily argue that I have "spammed" the employers in question.

Secondly, what's with the glaringly apparent double standard? Snail mail spam is legal, and highly prevalent. Credit agencies generate substantial profits by marketing mailing lists to 3rd parties. Those 3rd parties then proceed to mail unsolicited advertisements to consumers.

Thirdly, as a consequence of Internet spam, an entire industry has arisen. The anti-spam industry. Quite simply, spam is good for business, on both sides of the fence.

The anarchistic nature of the Internet must be preserved, that's what has made it so great to begin with. Central authorities should be prohibited from restricting harmless activities.

Spam should be fought via technical means, not legal means.