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List may be in force within three months, but anti-spam law won't be ready until next year, says technology chief

Senders of spam e-mail would be blacklisted under a government proposal that may be introduced in three months.

Speaking on RTHK radio yesterday, Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology John Tsang Chun-wah  said an anti-spamming bill could be ready for tabling  in the Legislative Council next year.

In the meantime, spammers would be blacklisted - meaning their e-mails could not be received by clients of Hong Kong internet service providers.

Mr Tsang said: '[Blacklisting] is effective, but we need to try to balance the various issues involved.

'We are still discussing this with internet service providers. Hopefully, in the next couple of months we will be able to inform everyone how we are going to deal with this problem.'

The minister said spamming was likely to worsen as computer and mobile phone technologies converge.

He said he believed spammers should be stopped, but noted most spam originates overseas.

Mr Tsang cited a recent survey by the Hong Kong Internet Services Providers Association which found that 95 per cent of junk mail originates overseas. South Korea is the source of 30 per cent of junk mail and the US another 20 per cent.

The government will this week release details of an international memorandum of understanding it has signed on cross-border co-operation to stem abuse of electronic information networks.

The association's chairman, York Mok Sui-wah, said it was working with the government on the technicalities of implementing a blacklist.

'We are looking at forming a common list of e-mail addresses by consolidating blacklists obtained from individual company servers in Hong Kong. The list is then to be shared out,' he said.

Mr Mok said the  plan needed further study before going into action as there were few international examples to follow.

Mr Tsang said details of an anti-spam bill were being finalised, which  he hoped  could be tabled to the Legislative Council sometime next year after consultation with industry representatives, the legal profession and consumers.

He said the legislation must respect e-mail recipients' right to choose whether or not they receive spam and must not undermine the freedom of expression of e-mail senders.

'Secondly, we should allow electronic selling to survive,' he said, while acknowledging that unregulated e-commerce had the potential to  conflict with the fight against spam.

The proposed law would apply to commercial e-mails. Extending it to cover those from charitable and religious organisations would be up to Hong Kong society, said Mr Tsang.

Tougher  rules on junk faxes, most of which originate locally, are also likely. He said regulations may be strengthened to deprive  persistent offenders of fax services.



E-mail spammers to be blacklisted