Every citizen should be empowered to protect, assure and secure their privacy and digital property from intrusion or piracy. Like all mass media, legitimate advertising on the Internet plays a critical role in supporting other activity. As also true with other media, a certain percentage of ads are fraudulent, deceptive, inappropriate or otherwise unwanted. Unfortunately, some unscrupulous individuals misuse the Internet's electronic mail capabilities by deluging Internet users and their service providers with unwanted advertisements for, e.g., dubious products, pyramid schemes and pornography. Fraudulent bulk email, known commonly as junk email or spam, hurts consumers and undermines their confidence and trust in the Internet as a whole.
Junk email slows communications, drains resources, and can seriously harm networks.
The sending of fraudulent, unauthorized or otherwise illegal communications over the Internet should be prosecuted just as it would be in any other medium . Consequently, the Commonwealth's laws regarding computer fraud and abuse and trespass should be updated and strengthened to be the strongest and most protective in the country. In addition to private enforcement actions, State law enforcement agencies should be staffed, educated, and trained to adequately identify and prosecute those engaging in such behavior. Through model legislation reflecting this approach, the Commonwealth can come at the problem from a progressive perspective, rather than through traditional content-based restrictions which would ultimately falter. Such legislation would put explicit legal restrictions where unauthorized use, misuse, misappropriation or fraud occurs.