Spam: Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail

Author

Conseil des consommateurs du Canada

Organization

Consumers Council of Canada (CCC)

Published

2008

Summary

In just a few years, unsolicited commercial e-mail – now generally known as “spam” has gone from being a minor nuisance to becoming a significant social and economic issue, and a drain on the business and personal productivity of Canadians. Spam now impedes the efficient use of email for personal and business communications, and threatens the growth and acceptance of legitimate e-commerce.

The growing volume of spam is now a well-recognized pricing factor for companies that provide facilities for Internet services. This cost is ultimately paid for by organizations and businesses that use electronic communications for the conduct of their business. It is also paid for through the service charges paid by personal users who communicate through the Internet with
family, friends and others.

In addition to imposing a cost burden, spam is now undermining the reliability of e-mail networks for business users. It also threatens consumer confidence in the new e-commerce marketplace. Because of this, the potential of information and communications technology to buttress productivity, and the ability of e-commerce to attract investment, create jobs, and enrich our lives, is now constrained by torrents of spam.

In May 2005, the Anti-Spam Task force reported to the Minister, Industry Canada with an Anti-Spam Action Plan for Canada. Since the report was filed, there has been no concerted action by the federal government to act upon the recommendations made in the report. It is time that parliamentarians take individual action to implement the recommendations of the Task Force.

This document is available in the following language(s):

Third-Party Information Liability Disclaimer

Some of the information on this Web page has been provided by external sources. The Government of Canada is not responsible for the accuracy, reliability or currency of the information supplied by external sources. Users wishing to rely upon this information should consult directly with the source of the information. Content provided by external sources is not subject to official languages, privacy and accessibility requirements.

English and French

OCA Funded Research
This research received funding support through the Office of Consumer Affairs' Contributions Program.

Contact information

Source: Consumer Policy Research Database