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ISOC-ZA Launches Program to Fight Spam

ISOC-ZA's Spam Bounty Hunter Initiative will inform Internet users how to catch a local spammer, file a spam case and deal with criminal cases and investigations.

The Internet Society of South Africa (ISOC-ZA) has formally implemented the Spam Bounty Hunter Program. The purpose of the program is to provide information on spam, to tell how to respond to it, when to file a report and how to handle a spam-induced criminal case to receive a bounty or compensation after successfully proving a spammer.

Recent reports from local ISPs reveal that spam accounts for 70% of all e-mail traffic with a 20% increase during the six months from August 2006 to January 2007.

With the help of the Spam Bounty Hunter Initiative, ISOC will inform Internet users about the way to catch a local spammer. The program aims to educate people on spam reporting, filing a case against a spammer and dealing with criminal cases and their investigations.

While evolution of spam continues, new security threats emerge. In the process virus writers and spammers are combining their skills to generate more sophisticated e-mail threats.

ISOC-ZA was established in 1997. It is a civil society organization that aims to develop a local Internet society. The organization has been most active in public policy, says Alan Levin, chairman of ISOC. The Society has been a direct participant in the latest spam legislation.

The organization hopes there will be stronger regulations on spam and so believes the legislation on spam was a good opportunity for it to start acting. After more than four years the Society has been able to work on improving results and curb spam originating in South Africa, said Levin in a statement that mybroadband.co.za published on February 21, 2007. The current spam regulation system is flawed in that it relies on recipients of spam mails to act on them, commented Levin.

The initiative will empower consumers and the SA Internet community to fight spam so that they can reap benefits from its reduction. The initiative will stimulate better spam education and better law enforcement, concluded Levin.

Both Internet users and the police unfortunately lack awareness of the laws and regulations on spam. This impedes on slowing down or preventing spammers' activities. Consequently, SA-based spam is growing.

Related article: ICC Cup Event Could Be Fodder for Phishers

» SPAMfighter News - 3/5/2007

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