Consumers Favor Do-Not-Spam Registry: Survey
(Direct Newsline)—Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) has renewed his offensive against junk e-mail, citing a new survey that says 75% of the nation’s Internet users want a national “do-not-spam” list just like the telemarketing Do-Not-Call Registry launched by the Federal Trade Commission this month.
More than two-thirds of Internet users would sign up for the list, according to the online survey of 1,500 Internet users conducted by Stamford, CT-based research firm Insight Express and Chicago consulting firm UnSpam.
The survey also found that Internet users remain unimpressed with efforts to control spam. Less than half of those surveyed said spam filters are effective, and 40% of the respondents said that large Internet service providers are not doing enough to fight spam.
“Americans are growing increasingly concerned with the impact inappropriate spam has on their daily lives and the lives of their children,” said Sen. Schumer in a statement. “Their concern demonstrates the need for strong legislation to create a ‘No-Spam’ registry similar to the popular FTC ‘Do Not Call’ list which has enjoyed incredibly popular support.”
Roughly one fourth of the spam found in personal e-mail accounts is pornographic, the respondents said. Almost 90% are “seriously concerned” about their children receiving such mail, and 96% want a way to block pornographic e-mail from reaching their children’s accounts.
However, consumers are increasingly turning to filters to control spam, although only 43% describe that method as effective. Another 20% say that Internet Service Providers are “disingenuous” regarding their fight against spam.
Meanwhile, more than a third of all American workers say they are distracted by spam, and 62% believe that pornographic spam can constitute a hostile work environment.