Asia Digital Marketing Association Issues Spam Prevention Tips For Consumers

Spam prevention guidelines offer consumers greater privacy, security and protection.

Asia Digital Marketing Association Issues Spam Prevention Tips For Consumers

Spam prevention guidelines offer consumers greater privacy, security and protection.

Hong Kong ? 4 December, 2003: The Asia Digital Marketing Association (ADMA), the voice of the digital marketing industry in Asia, today released tips for consumers on how to prevent spam (unsolicited bulk e-mail) from reaching their inboxes. Recommendations include effective use of filtering software, selection and management of e-mail options, and understanding data privacy policies. These tips are part of ADMA?s efforts to fight spam and help give consumers a more reliable and productive e-mail experience, alongside education of IT professionals, technological solutions and prosecution of spammers. Additionally, the ADMA is working to set and uphold guidelines for responsible and ethical Internet marketing practices.

E-mail is now the number one communications medium on the planet. More than 30 billion messages are sent worldwide each day and e-mail has already outpaced paper for business communication by a factor of ten to one over the past 12 months. At the same time, 50% of all e-mail traffic is estimated to be spam, and the problem is growing globally and throughout Asia. Consumers are increasingly fed up with intrusive mass marketing and are wary of the daily bombardment of mostly irrelevant and occasionally fraudulent messages they receive. The tangible and intangible impact of spam on both individual and business Internet users is rising, and is estimated to cost up to US$9 billion annually in the United States alone.

Microsoft?s e-mail service Hotmail estimates that it blocks 2.4 billion spam messages every day, but admits that many messages still get through. ?MSN is fully committed to help combat spam and has developed its own filtering technology allowing users to set the level of filtering their incoming mail goes through. As a founding member of ADMA, we fully endorse these recommendations,? said MSN Hong Kong Director Celina Chan.

?The ADMA?s spam prevention tips help consumers to avoid fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and provide practical information to help them identify, stop and avoid spam. All online activities must protect the individual?s right to control the type and content of information they receive in order to ensure that e-mail marketing and communication is appealing and effective,? said David Ketchum, ADMA Chairman.

?Every time spam is sent out, the entire Internet community has to bear the cost. Spam also ties up bandwidth and resources on computers obliging Internet users to spend extra online time and monthly account fees downloading these unwanted emails. Symantec is working with the local associations such as ADMA to develop best practices to combat spam," said David Sykes, Senior Director, Enterprise Sales, Asia Pacific, Symantec.

Additionally, the guidelines include advice on approaches to handing e-mail spam, when and when not to give out your email address and how to take action. The full tips are available for download at http://www.asiadma.com/adma/resources/guidelines.asp

In a separate move to help combat the spam problem in Hong Kong, the ADMA, together with the Hong Kong Internet Service Providers Association and business leaders from Microsoft, Time Warner and Message Labs established the Hong Kong Anti-Spam Coalition during the summer of 2003. The Coalition aims to make a real difference to consumers, businesses and government by bringing together powerful local market knowledge and contacts with self-regulation and global best anti-spam practice.

The tips were developed after consultation with industry executives from ISPs, technology firms, and portal and email service providers, including: The Hong Kong Internet Service Provider Association, MSN, and Symantec.

About the Asia Digital Marketing Association (ADMA)
The Asia Digital Marketing Association (ADMA) is the voice of, and advocate for, the digital marketing industry in Asia (excluding Japan). ADMA is an umbrella organization, guided by senior executives in the industry, and charged with gaining consensus and formulating a powerful point of view on all key industry issues. The role of the organization is to promote the strengths of digital marketing and counter misperceptions with clear, compelling information about cost effectiveness, impact and real-world success stories. Learn more at www.asiadma.com

* Ends *

Contact:

David Ketchum, chairman, ADMA
E-mail: david@upstreamasia.com
Phone: 852.2973.0222

Or
Sophie Lottefier, director, ADMA
E-mail: sophie@upstreamasia.com
Phone: 852.2973.0222