Global implications. Like the fax machine before it, electronic mail is a marvelous tool of business and personal communication. It's simple, it's accessible, and it's becoming more and more an indispensable part of our professional lives. But there are even more far-reaching potentials of e-mail that may be lost if the medium's functionality and utility get destroyed by the proliferation of junk e-mail. The Internet is an incredible tool for spreading information critical to the development of freedom and democracy around the world. For instance, e-mail is often cited as a vital tool for communicating with and between Chinese democracy activists, and media stories have even credited e-mail as a critical tool in the overthrow of the Suharto regime in Indonesia. Unless a way is found to protect e-mail from the excesses of unscrupulous marketers, the damage they wreak has profound implications for the growth of free speech and democracy around the world.
Ultimately, the problems caused by spam on the Internet--and the solutions applied--will fundamentally shape the ways individuals and businesses use the medium. A myriad of technological, legislative, regulatory, and societal measures have been suggested for curbing the damage caused. However, no matter what solution or combination of solutions is proved to be most effective, a solution must be found because no less than the future of the Internet may be at stake.