Is A Do Not Spam List A Violation Of Privacy?
from the oh-come-on dept
I'm not sure I understand where the ACLU is coming from on this one, but they're apparently protesting an anti-spam bill in Michigan that would offer up a do-not-spam list. The ACLU (who I often agree with) claims that such a list is a "database" that would constitute an invasion of privacy. There are two issues here. First off, a "do-not-spam" list is unlikely to work at all. If anything, it becomes a fresh "please spam me" list for spammers who couldn't care less about anti-spam laws. However, the ACLU is way off base on this one. If the list is entirely volutnary, where's the invasion of privacy? The other point the ACLU makes is that blocking spam could be a violation of free speech, but this is an argument that's been dissected easily for years. A right to free speech doesn't mean a right to invade my computer. Just because I have the right to free speech, it doesn't mean I'm allowed to barge into your home and bug you all day.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
