SPAM is today's hot topic - not the meat product, but the practice of sending unsolicited information over the Internet. "Spam" used to refer to massive cross-posting of messages in usenet, but most people think of it as unsolicited, obnoxious commercial e-mail. How do YOU feel about Spam?

Remember, when you have a multiple-choice question, select the single best answer - even if you might agree with more than one of the options.

Let's get a little bit of background information on who is taking the poll - this will be for detailed analysis & reporting. NOTE that you are still completely anonymous.

1. What is your age?
   No Answer Under 15 15-17 18-21 22-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71+
   
   
2. Your Sex:
   No Answer Male Female
   
   
3. Who is your primary Internet provider?
   No Answer AOL AGIS.Net AT&T Alter.Net BellSouth.net CompuServe Concentric.net Earthlink Erols.com IAmerica infi.net Linknet MCI MindSpring MSN Netcom Net-Connect UU.NET PacBell Pipeline Prodigy Sprint Teleport WebTV Other - National/International ISP Other - Local ISP Other - Regional ISP Other - School/University Other - Work/Employer Other - Government
   
   
4. Does your provider filter unsolicited commercial e-mail?
   No Answer Yes - it's an option Yes - automatically No I don't know
   
   
5. Select any of the items below which relate to your situation:
   Run a home-based business (full time)
   Run a home-based business (part time)
   Work for an Internet-related company
   Use E-Mail for marketing/solicitation
   Use Newsgroups for marketing/solicitation
   Work in the field of advertising/marketing
   Student
   Use the Internet to generate revenue
   I regularly send unsolicited commercial e-mail
   I regularly post usenet advertisements
   Manage/Administer an Internet server
   
   
   
6. Have you ever sent unsolicited e-mail?
   No Answer No. I only send e-mail to those whom I know. Yes, but non-commercial. Yes, of a commercial nature. Yes. Both commercial and non-commercial.
   
   
7. How do you deal with spam/UCE?
   No Answer Ignore it Delete it immediately Sometimes read it Always read it Ask to be removed from the list Filter it out in my e-mail program Filter it out from my user account (procmail, etc.) My ISP filters it out automatically (as best they can do)
   
   
8. Have you ever complained about unsolicited e-mail to: (check all that apply)
   My ISP
   The sender
   The company being advertised
   The agency doing the mass mailing
   An advertised 800 number
   An advertised phone number
   A domain administrative contact
   The ISP from which the spam originated
   A government agency (FCC,FTC,FBI,Attorney General,etc)
   Mail-bombed a spammer
   Other type of attack (ping, DOS)
   
   
   
9. How many unsolicited commercial e-mail messages would you say you receive per WEEK?
   No Answer None 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-75 76-100 101-200 200+
   
   
10. Of the messages you receive, what type of advertising is the most common?
    No Answer MLM/Pyramid/Ponzi schemes Other "Get Rich" schemes Long Distance Services Chain letters WebTV promotions ISP promotions Web site PR/listing Adult/porn Bulk E-mailing Web space Web design/services Real estate/hotels/resorts Software Hardware Credit/Financing Stock offerings/IPOs Vitamins Advertising misc. web sites Selling misc. products
    
    
11. How do you feel about unsolicited commercial e-mail?
    No Answer I like it I tolerate it It is annoying It is excessively annoying
    
    
12. Do you feel that dealing with UCE costs you significant time and money?
    No Answer Yes No
    
    
13. Where do you think people get your e-mail address? (select the most significant answer)
    No Answer I don't know From newsgroups From a web site From my ISP From some contest I may have entered I give it to them From one of the web site listing services From a cookie From a java/javascript/activex component
    
    
14. Have you avoided posting messages in newsgroups because of solicitations?
    No Answer Yes No
    
    
15. How do you avoid being spammed? (check all that apply)
    I avoid posting in newsgroups
    I use fake e-mail addresses
    I insert phrases like REMOVEME or NOSPAM in my e-mail address
    I don't advertise my e-mail address at all
    I put a warning in my signature
    I take hostile action against spammers
    I observe Internet advertiser blacklists
    I don't deal with any company that condones spamming
    I promptly ask to be removed from lists
    
    
    
16. Do you think spammers are capable of regulating their activities to your satisfaction themselves?
    No Answer Yes No
    
    
17. Roger Ebert suggested a "pledge" to curtail spamming, by agreeing to not do business with any company who sends UCE. How do you feel about this?
    No Answer I agree I disagree Nice idea, but ineffective
    
    
18. What do you think should be done about UCE?
    No Answer Nothing Spam should be allowed but labelled appropriately Spam should be stopped at the backbone level Spam should be stopped at the ISP level Spam should be stopped at the user level Implement a central 'opt-in' list The Internet community should regulate UCE practices The Government should regulate UCE practices The Government should outlaw UCE Advertisers should be blacklisted
    
    
19. Do you feel the government should step in and take action against UCE?
    No Answer Yes No
    
    
20. If you believe the government should regulate UCE, what should be done? (check all that apply)
    UCE should be completely outlawed
    There should be STRICT enforcement of removal requests
    Spammers must use consistent, legitimate addressing/relays
    Spammers should only solicit users who have requested info
    Spammers should operate from their own top-level domain
    There should be a central 'Remove Registry' every mailing list should go through
    Spammers should be limited to X messages per month
    All UCE should be clearly identified
    Spammers should list their contact info (like 900-number ads)
    
    
    
21. If the government regulates UCE, what should violators be subject to?
    No Answer The Government should not regulate UCE Civil Penalties (fines, injunction) Criminal Penalties (fines, jail)
    
    
22. There is a bill in Congress up for voting, called The Unsolicited Commercial Electronic Mail Choice Act of 1997 (S.771). It basically imposes fines of up to US$11,000 against spammers who refuse to properly label their mail as "Advertisement" and hijack third-party relays or otherwise hide their identity. Would you support the passage of this bill?
    No Answer Yes No
    
    
23. How do you feel about usenet/newsgroup spamming?
    No Answer I don't use newsgroups so I don't care It should be regulated just like e-mail It is a public forum and should be left alone Ads should be banned from non-commercial newsgroups Usenet should turn 'private' and validate people prior to allowing them to post
    
    

S O U N D - O F F - Your opinion matters!

• What do you think of the UCE/Spam issue?
  (Limit this to one or two sentences)
  
  
  

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