Dealing with Offensive Websites, E-adverts, and Spam

Most of us are aware that we can complain if an advert on television or in a magazine causes offence, and we have a good idea how to complain. Also, if we receive junk mail we can request to be removed from mailing lists with a reasonable chance of success.

However laws and guidelines covering undesirable or offensive material can vary from country to country, it is therefore more difficult to deal with offensive adverts on the Internet, offensive web sites, and unsolicited e-mail (known as spam).

Generally speaking, an individual will need to apply the laws of the relevant country – if an offensive advert appears on a British site, apply the British Laws; for a French site, apply the French laws etc

E-Advertising and Offensive Websites

Initial complaints can be directed to the sites webmaster, or to the contact address provided on the web site. Keep a copy of all correspondence in case you have to take the matter further. Alternatively, if a website contains content such as child pornography or hate propaganda then a more relevant approach is to go straight to the Internet Service Provider (ISP) hosting the site, or to the Police.

If in doubt whether a website is in breach of the applicable laws then take a look at the webpage for the Internet Law and Policy Forum which provides country by country information on laws regarding Internet content.

Many countries have an Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) who may also be able to help. In the UK the ASA administers the British Codes of Advertising and Sales Promotion, this covers online adverts e.g. banners and pop-up adverts (including those in e-mails).

Finally, if you are suspicious of claims made by an individual, or an organisation, on their website, then your local Trading Standards office may be able to help you.

Spam

"I don’t think, therefore I spam."
                                        - Anon

"The spam wars are about rendering email useless for unsolicited advertising before unsolicited advertising renders email useless for communication."
                                        - Walter Dnes & Jeff Wynn

Unsolicited e-mail tends to be difficult to stop, but you can reduce the quantity you receive, alternatively you can redirect it. Here are a few tips to control unsolicited mail:

Set up a hotmail address to use as a ‘public email address’. Treat this as a throwaway address - one that can be binned and re-created with a slightly different name.
Try to avoid giving out your e-mail address when visiting websites Use your public email address at websites so that all junk mail is directed to that account.
Use your public email address on newsgroups and forums - people often ‘troll’ newsgroups to compile a list of email addresses, they then send mass emails to people on the list.
Only give your ‘private’ email address to friends and family.

Also when on newsgroups you can configure your address so that it is disabled, then in your signature give directions for people to contact you. This prevents someone trolling a newsgroup from obtaining a usable address.
e.g. if your address is joe.bloggs@aol.com   then configure your address in the newsgroups settings to be joe.bloggsnospam@aol.com   - in your signature type something like ‘remove nospam to email me’

You can also report spam to the appropriate ISP who may shut down the spammer's account, however spammers change accounts frequently so this will only be useful if the spammer is using a permanent address.


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