Six reasons to leave e-mail alone

I wish to comment on recent reports in your newspaper, concerning the vetting of e-mail. According to your reports, a change in the licence conditions for companies providing Internet services may force them to vet e-mail. This is alarming, hypocritical and I am sure, illegal.

As a society, at least in Hong Kong pre-1997, we do not allow the Post Office to open our private mail to see if unsolicited advertising or promotional material is inside. We do, however, allow Hongkong Telecom to make a profit by sending unsolicited faxes that allow companies to advertise, through their Adfax service.

The subject brings up a number of questions: If a service provider was to obtain personal details or commercial secrets through vetting e-mail and then directly or indirectly used such information to their advantage, couldn't this constitute blackmail or, worse, insider trading? Couldn't this be termed as industrial espionage? Isn't this change in the licence conditions contrary to the Bill of Rights? Why is this authority allowed to act as a law unto itself by changing such basic rights, without legislative approval? Doesn't this infringe on a person's freedom to communicate? Isn't this setting a dangerous precedent for Hong Kong, post-1997? Surely, in line with free market economy principles, and laisee-faire government, the most just and proper way to handle the matter is to let the recipient complain directly to the service provider or the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) by phone on 2961-6333 or by fax on 2803-5110? Can anyone provide the e-mail address for OFTA? I urge users of the Internet, legal experts, service providers, people concerned with rights, legislators and any others to make their views known via this column, with a copy to the Office of the Telecommunications Authority.

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