# Spam vs. the right to ignore

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spam-vs-the-right-to-ignore/285095>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [January 16, 2005, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spam-vs-the-right-to-ignore/285095 "2005-01-16T22:35:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spam-vs-the-right-to-ignore/285095/1 "2005-01-16T22:35:24Z")

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A lot of people object to certain films. The common advice is ‘Then don’t watch them.’

If I get junk mail in my mailbox, I can ask the distributor to remove me from his mailing list.

If I don’t want to be bothered by telemarketers, I can be put on the do-not-call list and they’ll leave me alone.

I pay a fee for my mobile phone, and there are laws against telemarketers calling mobile phones _because_ people pay for them.

So why can’t there be laws against e-mail spam? I pay for my internet connection. I shouldn’t be bothered by spam. It’s not as if I can ignore them. If I did, then there is an excellent possibility that I’ll miss legitimate e-mails. There is the definite fact that they can fill my web-accessed e-mail box to the point that legitimate e-mails will not be received at all.

I can choose not to go to a movie. I can change the channel on my television. I can opt out of almost all telemarketing calls. I do not get telemarketing calls or spam on my mobile phone. I should have the right not to get spam e-mails.

That’s the debate: Where does the right to be left alone run afoul of the First Amendment right of advertisers to advertise?

I don’t need penis pills. I don’t need _any_ of the pharmaceuticals I’m being offered. I don’t want to hear about MILFs, ‘grrls fukking farm animals’, ‘cummmm drippin cnuts’, etc. In fact, I’m offended by sexual spam. In my current state of affairs, I might have a claim against these guys for ‘psychological damage’. I don’t want a fake Rolex. I don’t speak Russian. I should have the right to be left alone.

Oh, sure. They _say_ you can ‘opt out’. But if you do that, then you’ll just get more spam.

At the very least, ISPs should be required to verify the validity of every e-mail address and domain before the e-mail is delivered to the recipient. If they were required to do this, then they would be more likely to be proactive against spammers.