Annotated Web Resources-The Invasive Nature of Commercialism

Commercialism of the World Wide Web: The Role of Cookies

This Vanderbilt white paper defines the use of cookies in commercialization; explains the marketing implications; shows the the specific marketing uses of cookies in six categories of commercial Web sites and discusses the development of cookies as marketing tools. This is a very comprehensive paper on cookies.

The Cookie Trade

Tom Negrino in a Macworld online report explains the use of cookies and the reasons for using them. He discusses the problem that occurred when JavaScript was merged with a cookie in the early days of Netscape which allowed email addresses to be written to the cookie files. He also discusses privacy issues of using cookies.

Knowing You All Too Well

Peter McGrath of Newsweek explains how the Web's evolution into a marketplace has "...transformed privacy from a right to a commodity." He explains the processes involved in gathering huge amounts of information and incorporating that information in databases to sell. Clickstream monitoring and collaborative filtering reveal more and more information about the consumer and create new kinds of information. These new technologies continue to reduce consumer's privacy. McGrath also offers ways to "Hide from Prying Eyes."

The New 'Civic Virtue' of the Internet

David R Johnson and David G. Post of the Cyberspace Law Institute at Temple University Law School have written and in depth paper asking the questions: who should set the rules that apply in cyberspace and who should become the lawmakers of cyberspace. They contend that "... allowing the Internet to evolve laws of its own will produce a better means of finding optimal solutions to 'collective-action' problems involving activities online." They contend that representative democracy is based on developing "good citizenship" and that what is needed in cyberspace is a system "...that can tolerate continuous conflict and can reside in the very architecture of a decentralized, diverse, complex adaptive system."

DoubleClick is Watching You

The Internet is a powerful medium for targeted advertising. Is Doubleclick the Internet advertising broker becoming too powerful with its ability to profile users from 60 different advertising sites?

What is "Spamming?"

Definition of spamming, reasons why it is detrimental, and penalties for spamming on aros net.

ESC Spamming Policy

Policy and definition of spamming for esc.com

GTE.NET Spamming Policy

Policy and definition of spamming for GTE

Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County Resolution Regarding Spam

This is the official resolution of Libertarian Party (LP) of Santa Clara county against spamming LP or publicizing LP through the use of spamming which could damage the reputation of LP among users of e-mail.

The Fight Against Spammers

This article is part of an online unit U123 Introduction to the Internet from the Open University of Hong Kong called "The fight against spammers" originally prepared by Mike Robertshaw on 31 May 1998. Robertshaw describes ways that ISP's try to regulate spammers and way that are currently used to avoid blocks to spamming: opening new accounts and sending as many as possible before the account is closed; channeling spams through several mailers or remailers to disguise their real email address; establishing their own ISP ; moving overseas to avoid local anti-spamming laws.

Frequently Asked Questions About Spam

The Spam Abuse Net answers FAQ such as: Isn't spam protected by national Free Speech laws? Isn't blocking spam censorship? Is spam legal? Their viewpoint is that blocking spam is not censorship and suggest other ways of web advertising.

"Sooner or later all online info will cost you, expert says" by Cheryl Arvidson World Center

This Freedom Forum site discusses a day long conference "The Internet and the First Amendment" held at the Freedom Forum with Carl Kaplan a columnist for The New York Times and a public interest lawyer. Kaplan predicts a pay-per-view world on the Internet. He identifies two schools of thought regarding access to information. One would have unlimited free access to information for everyone. The other would have a great deal of control such as our copyright laws with the concept of "fair use." With print media researchers,scholars, journalists can view and use some of the material without the author's permission. He warns that various encryption programs and pay-for-use "gates" will raise barriers and "...restrict fair use to the detriment of certain societal values."

What is spam?

This article explains the differences between cancelable usenet spam and email spam and the negative effects of both types of spam on the Internet. Cancelable usenet spam is a single message sent to 20 or more usenet groups often aimed at the lurker. This type of spam can overwhelm newsgroups and not allow the system administrator the ability to manage the topics they accept. The second type of spam is aimed at individual users and to mailing lists with direct mail messages.

Postage due Marketing, Revisited--Part I Unsolicited Advertising via electronic Mail by Robert Raisch

Postage due Marketing, Revisited--Part II Unsolicited Advertising via Electronic Mail by Robert Raisch

These two articles discuss why Internet users should not have to select out mail that they do not want to view. Arguments include that the marketer does not bear the total cost of marketing the email. He discusses "barnyard marketing" vs targeted marketing.

A Cultural Transition: The Commercialization of the Internet by Christopher R. Vincent, MIT 25 Oct 95

This MIT article in an October 25,1995 discusses Spam, Velveeta, Canter and Siegel and the Banner element of advertising.

The Internet: Privatization of the Public Domain by Chris Flash

This is a history on the commercialization of domain names of the Internet.

Cyberspace Jurisprudence: Who Shall Punish Evil? by Bill Frezza

Bill Freeza in the February 1, 1999 CMP Net the Technology Network explains two schools of thought have emerged on the problem of externalities (where benefits come by imposing costs on others such as spamming). One is that coercive law enforcement by territorial sovereigns does not and cannot work on the global Internet. a possible solution is a voluntary, competitive system where individuals associate with one or more Internet communities and follow their rules of conduct or are kicked out of the community. The other philosophy is the creation of an policy-making institution to develop and enforce collective rules and regulations.

The New York Times On the Web "More States Consider Laws Restricting Junk email by Jeri Clausing

This article explains current federal and state legislation proposed to combat junk email and the laws passed by California, Nevada and Washington.

FTC Unveils "Dirty Dozen Spam Scams" July 14.1998 FTC Press Release

The FTC in a July 14, 1998 press release identified the most common spam scans and the common tactics used by the spammers.

Organizations Against Unsolicited Commercial Email

Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email

This organization of over 10,000 opponents of UCE maintains an excellent Web site with current problems and current legislation opposing spam.

Ray Everett-Church's Written Testimony against UCE in the US Senate

This is the testimony presented to the U.S. Senate on June 17, 1998 by Ray Everett-Church on behalf of the Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email (CAUCE). Everett states in detail the reasons that this group opposes unsolicited commercial email. These reasons include: UCE threatens the future of online commerce; UCE shifts costs to the recipients; the economics of "online junk email" encourages abuse; and the threat to businesses and service providers is enormous.