This report is a brief summary of activities and outputs produced by
my work on behalf of the Anti-Spam Task Force since December 2003.
1: StopSpam Web Site
The InternetNZ StopSpam web site is now complete and will be going
live next week. I estimate that I have spent around 100 hours getting
this site working: some pages on the site have been rewritten as many
as three times in an attempt to get the wording to a level suitable for
a general (non-technical) audience. I note with slight disappointment
that the level of support and input on this project from the remainder
of the Task Force was rather low, although I would like to express my
gratitude to Peter Macaulay and Janet Urqhardt for harrying ISPs into
providing information for the resource.
2: PC World Guest Editorial
The March issue of PC World NZ will carry a 1600-word guest
editorial I authored. While PC World actually contacted me in my own
right to undertake this editorial, I have used it as a platform to
promote the Anti-Spam task force and InternetNZ's efforts in this area,
including a push for the web site.
3: Otago Daily Times article
The Otago Daily Times business section recently carried a full-page
interview with me on the issue of spam. Once again, I used the
opportunity to push the "party line"? and promte InternetNZ's efforts
in the area.
4: NZDMA "Brainy Breakfasts"
On February 9th - 11th, I made a whistlestop tour of Auckland and
Wellington speaking at the NZDMA's "Brainy Breakfast" sessions. I
provided my time for free and the DMA covered the expenses. The
Auckland audience (some 60 people) was particularly responsive and
asked good and intelligent questions. I took the opportunity to heap
lavish praise on the NZDMA for its responsible position on Opt-in based
permission systems, and promoted InternetNZ's anti-spam activities,
including the StopSpam web site. A copy of the PowerPoint presentation
will be sent to the InternetNZ office under separate cover.
5: Television New Zealand segment
In December, reporters from Television New Zealand contacted me and
asked to do an interview on the spam problem. A camera crew and
reporter visited me and we filmed a segment, but as best I can tell,
they did not use it.
6: Spam White Paper update
I have recently updated the Spam White Paper to reflect changes in
the legislative situation around the world (in particular, the USA's
implementation of the rather woeful"?CAN-SPAM" act). The amended
version of the file is available on the StopSpam web site.
7: APCAUCE Sessions, Kuala Lumpur
I am leaving for Kuala Lumpur to represent InternetNZ at the APCAUCE
plenum on February 19th. My original inolvement in the meeting was one
paper and one tutorial; this has now expanded to two papers, a
tutorial, an APCAUCE committee meeting at which I expect to be named
the formal Chair for APCAUCE's New Zealand activities. I have also been
asked to attend other sessions at APRICOT on behalf of the
International Affairs Committee on the 21st and 22nd of February, and
believe I will be able to assist in this area. I will prepare a report
for council on my return.
Concluding remarks
Since the USA enacted the CAN-SPAM act on January 1st, Brightmail
claims that spam has actually increased by 10%. Recent viral outbreaks,
most particularly MyDoom (which appears to be specifically intended for
use by spammers) have exacerbated the problem and it shows little sign
of declining at this point. At least one commentator is gloomily
claiming that spam will reach 80% of all mail before it begins to
plateau.
All of this emphasizes the need for continuing strong action on our
behalf, in particular, I believe, in the area of prodding Government
and its agents into more action. After an initial burst of apparent
enthusiasm for anti-spam initiatives, the Government appears to have
become absorbed in other issues. It seems to me that if we are not the
ones to motivate them, the problem of spam may be allowed to trickle on
without effective action. By comparison, the Australian anti-spam
legislation was ram-rodded through the Australian Parliament in a
little over three months.
I expect the Anti-Spam task force's activities to continue at a
fairly high level for the next few months and will continue to commit
as much of my time as I am able to the process.
David Harris
12 February 2004.
