Legal question: If you recieve an email address through a forward...

[Cannikin]

I dont mean some company email, just a regular piece of junk email, I hit reply to all causing Outlook Express to save ALL of the addresses in the junkmail in my personal address book, so I've collected quite a few strangers email addresses....

In a rant, I sent out a DU editorial to everyone on the list. One person responded saying he was turning it in to the FBI and to remove his name. I told him I was removing his name, but I was very curious why he thought the FBI should be alerted and what law he thought I was breaking......30 minutes..no reply yet.

Is it illegal to send out liberal junk mail? Am I on a DU cyber terrorism watch list or something? hehe

Any input would be appreciated.

[elperromagico]

1. It may not be illegal to send liberal junk mail,

but I believe e-mail companies frown on sending out mass mailings to strangers. At the least, your account might be shut down. Why this person is contacting the FBI is beyond me (as I have no idea of the specific content of the e-mail that you sent), but I doubt you would have to worry about it too much.

[Cannikin]

2. Here's the email....

You know you're a Republican if you:

Lie consistently, spend beyond your limits like there's no tomorrow, take massive amounts of tax revenue from the Northeastern and West Coast states and spend the federal welfare on the Southern states; are addicted to gambling or OxyContin; dodged the draft; have a couple DWIs; have done tons of coke; are a segregation-supporting racist but statutorily raped a black teenager; are obsessed with gay people; are obsessed with Bill Clinton - nearly 4 years on - and lying about his oval office BJ (6 years on) while Republicans like Bush Sr, Henry Hyde, Newt Gingrich, Bob Packwood cheat on their wives, rape women (Jim Bakker) or see hookers (Jimmy Swaggart); were obsessed with Gary Condit's dead intern but ignore much more suspicious case of Joe Scarborough's dead intern; favor cutting veteran's benefits; send young men and women to war but never attend a KIA funeral or visit a veteran's hospital; hate jews but support Israel; support un-American policies but wrap yourself in the flag; are the walking definition of the word "hypocrite"; are in Hell at this moment.
What? These dont apply to you? You may want to rethink your views. Republicans are known to be also conservatives, yet they support Bush's extravagant spending spree. Their tax cuts benefits those who don't need it, and hopes the greedy rich will trickle down their fortunes to the American public, which of course will not happen. Most of them are moving their businesses overseas, and thus the American jobs. This is at the same time they are receiving massive tax cut benefits from the Greedy Old Party of Bush

Government grows bigger under Republicans (Reagan, W.) than Democrats – just do the math; it’s pretty simple.

Working and middle class people pay more taxes under Republicans – or pay more for things directly that tax dollars supported – if federal taxes are cut, state, local, and property taxes increase; the cost of education increases, etc.

In order to have less federal taxes, less money would need to be diverted from the Northeastern and Western states (generally, the “Gore” states) to the Southern states (the “Bush” states”) – basically Southern states would need to pay their share – which they certainly AREN'T doing now. Basically the Southern states are on welfare. The key to paying less federal taxes is making it so they get what they pay, then taxes would go down for the rest of us.

And the WMDs...ugh.

I’m all for personal responsibility – and I wish Republicans would keep their noses of everyone’s personal life – that would be a good start – and stop legislating morality and let me live my own life the way I want. That’s what Democrats do.

But some Americans will respond to upbeat messages, no matter how
unrealistic. And that may be enough for Mr. Shimkus because while he
poses as someone above the fray, he is continuing to solidify his
base.

[ConcernedCanuk]

3. Most e-mailers allow the sender to use a "BCC" option

.
.

that's "blind carbon copy" so the recipient doesn't see who it came from.

So If you put a return address on your envelope in snail-mail, everyone who sees the envelope has your addy.

So it is the sender's responsibility to remain anonymous -

and if there IS an issue, it would be with the OTHER person who forwarded all those addresses to you

That's how I see it anyways !

[2004Donkeys]

4. This sounds like harrassment on his part

n/t

[Cannikin]

5. Thanks...this is probably the most smart ass thing I've ever done...

but...I emailed the person who sent me a forward with all the addresses on it in the first place and CCd the pissed off cop who emailed me and wrote him and asked what law I was breaking... he wrote:
By forwarding e-mail with another person's e-mail address, without their permission. Thanks for your help. Sam Case closed.

So I did a little research and wrote the one I got his address from...I'll probably be harrassed by the cops now! hehe

Judy,
Because you forward me multiple emails on a daily basis, and they often include Mr. Gipson's name, I'm going to have to ask that you remove me because I almost always forward them to other people or sometimes send a reply to them. And although I've checked several sources such as the FBIs cyber crime division, and the FTCs Spam Email section and the State Attorney General's office I can find no violation I've made as long as I didnt do anything shown below. I have removed his name from my address book . Although I think everything is ok now. It was aparently an open and shut case. Sorry about all the trouble.

Anyone who sends an unsolicited e-mail through an e-mail service provider located in this state, or to an e-mail address held by a resident of the state, may not:

• Use the third party’s Internet domain name in identifying the point of origin in stating the transmission path of the e-mail without the third party’s consent;
• Misrepresent any information in identifying the point of origin or the transmission path of the e-mail; or
• Fail to include in the e-mail the information necessary to identify the point of origin on the e-mail.
In addition to the above, an e-mail may be generally deceptive under our deceptive and unconscionable trade practices law if it knowingly makes a false representation as to the characteristics, ingredients, uses, benefits, alterations, source, sponsorship, approval, or certification of goods or services.

Unsolicited Email: Mike Beebe
http://www.ag.state.ar.us/spam/spam.htm

FBI: Operation Cyber Sweep
http://www.fbi.gov/cyber/cysweep/cysweep1.htm

FTC.gov: Harvesting Your Email Address
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/spam/index.html




Thanks Judy!
Cannikin