4 Internet firms issued spam citations
E-mails violate new 'do-not-call' Child Protection Registry
By Geoffrey FattahDeseret Morning News
Four Internet companies have been cited by the state of Utah for sending spam e-mail to several Utah children, soliciting for gambling, alcohol and pornography. The Utah Department of Commerce said Thursday that it has issued citations against two U.S. companies, one company in the United Kingdom and one company in Singapore for sending adult-oriented solicitations to minors in Davis and Salt Lake Counties and Salt Lake City. The actions came in response to a relatively new law that went into effect last year and created the Utah Child Protection Registry. Seen as a "do-not-call" list to protect Utah residents and their children from Internet spammers, people can register their e-mail addresses with the state, which will require businesses to remove those addresses from their mailing lists. The state funds the program, which went into effect in July, 2005, by charging companies 1 cent per e-mail address to scrub their lists of registered Utah e-mail addresses.
The four companies are some of the first to be cited under the Utah Child Protection Registry. DOS Media Now LLC of Encinitas, Calif., has been fined $5,000 for e-mailing online gambling offers. Golden Arches Casinos of Overland Park, Kan., faces a $2,500 fine for also sending online gambling solicitations. A United Kingdom beer company faces a $2,500 fine for sending alcohol advertising, and a Singapore company faces a $20,000 fine for sending pornographic e-mails. All were sent to minors. "These companies ignored the law and sent illegal offers into the homes of Utah children," said Francine Giani, executive director for the Utah Department of Commerce. However, Utah hasn't seen a dime from any company. When asked what the chances were of getting any money out of foreign companies Giani said, "Zero to nil. We've been tasked by the Legislature to investigate. If they snub us, then we send the information to the AG's office, and they take the ball from here." To date, the department of commerce has cited one other company, an Internet porn vendor, in addition to the four announced Thursday. Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff said the five companies have been cited since the program started. "We'd like to give them time to comply," he said, before taking legal action. Shurtleff said he fully intends to seek judgments against those companies, including those overseas, even though odds of getting them to pay up are narrow. "It's slim, there's no doubt about that, but I think we have to try," Shurtleff said. "We'll push it as far as we can." Giani said the registry does bring awareness to parents. "It brings to light a critical issue that parents will hopefully see, and that is ultimately, they should be the number-one line of defense for their children." Giani said parents need to supervise what their children see and do over the Internet. Families interested in registering their e-mail addresses can go to http://www.dcp.utah.gov/ or http://www.kidsregistry.utah.gov/.
E-mail: gfattah@desnews.com
Four Internet companies have been cited by the state of Utah for sending spam e-mail to several Utah children, soliciting for gambling, alcohol and pornography. The Utah Department of Commerce said Thursday that it has issued citations against two U.S. companies, one company in the United Kingdom and one company in Singapore for sending adult-oriented solicitations to minors in Davis and Salt Lake Counties and Salt Lake City. The actions came in response to a relatively new law that went into effect last year and created the Utah Child Protection Registry. Seen as a "do-not-call" list to protect Utah residents and their children from Internet spammers, people can register their e-mail addresses with the state, which will require businesses to remove those addresses from their mailing lists. The state funds the program, which went into effect in July, 2005, by charging companies 1 cent per e-mail address to scrub their lists of registered Utah e-mail addresses.
The four companies are some of the first to be cited under the Utah Child Protection Registry. DOS Media Now LLC of Encinitas, Calif., has been fined $5,000 for e-mailing online gambling offers. Golden Arches Casinos of Overland Park, Kan., faces a $2,500 fine for also sending online gambling solicitations. A United Kingdom beer company faces a $2,500 fine for sending alcohol advertising, and a Singapore company faces a $20,000 fine for sending pornographic e-mails. All were sent to minors. "These companies ignored the law and sent illegal offers into the homes of Utah children," said Francine Giani, executive director for the Utah Department of Commerce. However, Utah hasn't seen a dime from any company. When asked what the chances were of getting any money out of foreign companies Giani said, "Zero to nil. We've been tasked by the Legislature to investigate. If they snub us, then we send the information to the AG's office, and they take the ball from here." To date, the department of commerce has cited one other company, an Internet porn vendor, in addition to the four announced Thursday. Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff said the five companies have been cited since the program started. "We'd like to give them time to comply," he said, before taking legal action. Shurtleff said he fully intends to seek judgments against those companies, including those overseas, even though odds of getting them to pay up are narrow. "It's slim, there's no doubt about that, but I think we have to try," Shurtleff said. "We'll push it as far as we can." Giani said the registry does bring awareness to parents. "It brings to light a critical issue that parents will hopefully see, and that is ultimately, they should be the number-one line of defense for their children." Giani said parents need to supervise what their children see and do over the Internet. Families interested in registering their e-mail addresses can go to http://www.dcp.utah.gov/ or http://www.kidsregistry.utah.gov/.
E-mail: gfattah@desnews.com
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