Spam tsar sends out unwanted message admitting defeat in war on junk e-mail
THE government's "Spam tsar" is running up the white flag in the war against junk e-mail, warning that the only way to stop unwanted messages is to buy blocking software for computers.
Two years after the government introduced new laws which were hailed as a major crackdown on the menace of junk messages, no one has been prosecuted for sending spam which is estimated to cost British businesses £1.3bn a year. Instead, the tide of unwanted e-mails is as strong as ever, exposing children to offensive messages and slowing down machines and networks. Some users receive more than 100 junk e-mails a day. A spokeswoman for the government's Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, admitted even he is being spammed. Critics say the current law is too weak to protect computer users from being deluged by unwanted messages.
