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President Signs Antispam Bill Into Law
After Years of Debate, Congress Cracks Down
on Junk E-Mail
Computer users everywhere received an early holiday gift from Congress and President Bush. For the first time, the federal government enacted legislation aimed at curbing unsolicited commercial e-mail -- also called "spam." Below, we also summarize Microsoft's recent settlements in several private class action antitrust lawsuits and the company's commitment to compliance.
New Law Provides Weapons to Fight Spam
On December 16, President Bush signed the first federal law -- "The Can Spam Act" -- designed specifically to combat the torrent of unsolicited commercial e-mail that clutters up the Internet. This legislation will make it easier for government and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to prosecute spammers. It also creates strong penalties for those who send fraudulent or deceptive e-mail. Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates praised the legislation, saying it "will help consumers regain control of their inboxes and support e-mail service providers in their battle to contain the spam menace." Microsoft is also developing innovative technological tools and working closely with law enforcement, government and industry partners to fight spam. The new law goes into effect on January 1, 2004.
Microsoft Settles Private Antitrust Suits
Throughout the fall of 2003, Microsoft announced that it had reached settlements in several private class action antitrust lawsuits. Agreements were reached in the District of Columbia and numerous states, including Kansas, North Dakota, North Carolina, South Dakota and Tennessee. These settlements move Microsoft one step closer to resolving all disputes related to the historic government antitrust case.
Committed to Compliance
Microsoft continues to comply fully with the U.S. District Court's November 2002 Final Judgment in the government antitrust case. That ruling largely affirmed the settlement that Microsoft reached with the U.S. Department of Justice and nine states in November 2001. Only one state -- Massachusetts -- is still pursuing antitrust litigation against Microsoft. An appellate hearing was held in November on the Massachusetts suit, and a ruling is expected next year.
Looking Back and Looking Forward -- A Thanks to FIN Members!
A thanks goes out to all FIN members for taking an interest in public policy debates that affect consumers, technology and the economy. This year, the technology community and its supporters, including FIN members, raised their voices on several critical issues, including spam, Internet access taxation and class action legal reform. In 2004, Congress will likely revisit some of these same issues and take up new debates as well. Stay tuned for more news…and remember to communicate your views with your elected officials.
Your Voice Makes a Difference
After years of debate, Congress passed legislation to fight spam. Over the years, lawmakers heard from more and more constituents that something had to be done to stop the growing blight of junk e-mail. In the end, public outcry about this issue helped win the debate. Simply put, your participation in the political process does make a difference.
It's easy to contact your elected officials when you visit www.freetoinnovate.com/. You can quickly locate your legislators' e-mail addresses and communicate about issues that matter to you.
You can also review news about Microsoft and keep up on policy debates at http://www.microsoft.com/freedomtoinnovate.
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