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Chinese anti-spam law “within weeks”

China, the country with the second-biggest spam problem worldwide, will have anti-spam legislation “within weeks”, according to the UK Government.

"It's only a matter of time, I've spoken to the person involved in this and Chinese anti-spam legislation will be here within weeks," said Jean-Jaques Sahel, head of international communications policy at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). "China is taking this seriously."

Chinese authorities have come under some scrutiny in the past for lack of anti-spam policy. According to anti-spam lobbyists Spamhaus, China hosts some 674 spam gangs, 250 more than any other country and second only to the US.

"China has been very slow at tackling the problem," said Spamhaus director Steve Linford earlier this month. "We need legislation."

But Sahel believes that legislation alone is not enough to beat spam.

"Maximalistic(sic) legislation will not help on its own," he said. "It has to be part of an overall solution which involves education and international cooperation."

Sahel also revealed the UK is in the process of changing its own anti-spam legislation.

"We're committed to reviewing the current legislation," said Sahel. "It will introduce stronger enforcement policies."

Current UK law has done little to combat the spam problem. SC reported in December that a year after its introduction no-one had been prosecuted for unsolicited marketing email in the UK.

www.spamhaus.org
www.dti.gov.uk

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