|
35 NPC deputies have jointly mooted a proposal for enacting a
law against junk mails at the current session of the National
People's Congress (NPC) Wednesday.
Kong Xiangmei, initiator of the joint proposal by deputies from
northwest China's Shaanxi Province, said that the problem of junk
mail cannot be revolved by only relying on the alertness of
"netizens" and the filtering by websites and it has to be dealt
with by law.
Kong, a software expert, cited examples of the United States,
Britain, France, Italy and Belgium, which have all taken legal
measures to cope with junk mails.
The joint proposals recommended 12 measures, including
forbidding junk mails in communications links, forbidding to send
junk mails by mobile phones or on the Internet and meting out
punishments or even criminal punishments on junk mail senders who
refuse to correct.
The joint proposal allows a period of transition for enterprises
to adjust their commercial behavior, but those who refuse to mend
their ways will be subject to punishment and maximum fines.
The joint proposal has met with considerable support but with
reservations in some cases. Deputy Li Pengde, who hates junk mail
very much as his computer was once also paralyzed by virus-infested
mails, deems it impossible to root out junk mails merely by means
of law and the enacting of such law involves many other problems,
including privacy.
Deputies from the law circles also expressed similar views. "The
intention is good," said Huang He, dean of the college of law in
Northwest China. " Unlike other laws, the anti-spam law is very
complicated and merits earnest and in-depth study."
(Xinhua News Agency March 11, 2004)
|
