May 17, 2006
Thursday, May 17th, 2007Sending spam could soon become a third-degree felony in Florida punishable by up to five years in jail. The Florida Legislature passed SB 80 and it needs only Gov. Jeb Bush’s signature to become law, effective July 1, 2006. Punishments for spammers will be based on the volume of e-mails sent within time periods; the revenue generated from the messages; and whether or not the sender knowingly has a minor assisting in the transmission. The bill also requires certain governmental entities to post a notice on their Web site stating that e-mail addresses sent to them could be released to the public. Lastly, the bill creates the “Anti- Phishing Act,” which prohibits the use of a fake e-mail address or Web site as a way to entice readers to reveal personal information.
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