Michigan charges claim 2 firms ignored anti-spam list

LANSING -- Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox said Thursday he is charging two companies with breaking a new law against sending unsolicited e-mails about inappropriate topics to children listed on a state registry.

The spam sent by RR Media Inc. of Cathedral City, Calif., and Data Stream Group Inc. of Bonita Springs, Fla., sought to entice children into gambling sites and promoted alcoholic beverages, Cox said.

Messages seeking comment were left with both companies.

Cox filed criminal and civil charges against the companies, saying they violated a state law that requires them to check e-mail addresses against a registry designed to protect children from inappropriate e-mails. The Michigan Children's Protection registry allows parents to list their children's electronic addresses with the state, and companies are supposed to check the list.

» detnews.com - Associated Press - 14-08-2006