British ISPs Agree Tough New Anti-Spam Measures

by Robin Pilgrim, LawAndTax-News.com, London

24 August 2004

Internet service providers belonging to the London Internet Exchange (LINX), which collectively handle more than 90% of the UK's internet traffic, last week adopted a new code of Best Current Practice.

The new BCP Code contains provisions designed to allow the ISPs to close down the websites of spammers who host their e-commerce sites with one ISP, whilst using another network to send unsolicited commercial e-mail.

The LINX Code also calls upon ISPs to take down the websites of those selling spamming tools such as illegally collected e-mail addresses.

Speaking with regard to the new rules, LINX regulation officer, Malcolm Hutty announced that:

"This represents an ever tougher approach to spammers. ISPs are not just trying to avoid their own users sending spam, we want to put the spammers out of business altogether."

Although he acknowledged that the BCP Code's impact was likely to be limited, given that a very small percentage of spam originates in the United Kingdom, he argued that:

"The new BCP will raise the baseline, making the worldwide acceptable minimum standard tougher."

Recommended