(NAPSA)—There may be good newsfor consumers whoaretired of receiving fraudulent unsolicited commercial e-mail—material commonly referred to as spam. That’s because a trade organization representing Internet service providers (ISPs), and others concerned about the issue, is working to delete this online problem. The organization, known as the Internet Alliance, is quick to point out that not all commercial e-mail is spam. Legitimate businesses use e-mail to inform consumers about new products. However, when e-mail offers false information in the source, subject or routing information, fails to provide reliable contact information and is sent to someone who has asked to be left alone, then it meets the criteria of spam. The organization contends that the costs of spam to consumersis significant. Factors contributing to this cost include: * time used deleting material, * inadvertent exposure to mater- ial that may be consideredoffensive, loss of consumer confidence in the Internet, and * increased cost of Internet connection as ISPs passthe cost of spam on to customers. The Internet Alliance believes that the continued success of ISPs, in part, rests on their ability to continue to deliver permission-based emails. That’s whyit is in the industry’s interest to regulate itself before government legislates a solution. To learn what you can do to help in the battle against spam, visit the Web site at www.internet alliance.org.
