Of course, caveat emptor must apply. However, this should not apply where signatures are confined to closed user groups. It has the power to demand Class 3 certificates. So too will private sector organisations, such as banks. Provision will have to made for the legal recognition of acknowledgement of dispatch and receipt of data messages.
Few people welcome junk mail but it is a free world.
The delete button can be pressed in the same way as junk mail can be tipped into a wastepaper bin. The danger of legislation is that it might undermine legitimate use of electronic commerce as a direct marketing medium, which we would not wish to see happen. However, it could be sensible to extend the EC Data Telecoms Protection Directive to the use of e-mail. It is essential that, if needs be, the originator can be identified and action taken. We agree that the market will develop as new intermediaries find and promote new applications.