5 years ago: Junk-mail law comes into force

30.04.1999: A law will come into force tomorrow in the UK that will give companies legal recourse to stop junk faxes and phone calls.

The Telecommunications Regulations 1998 gives businesses an opt-out from direct marketing. Companies that want to take advantage of it can register their names with a central database that will then be made available to direct marketing firms. After a 28-day grace period, the marketing companies are prohibited from sending unsolicited faxes or making calls to those on the list.

One possible catch is that the law does not cover unsolicited email. George Gardiner, solicitor at law firm Tarlo Lyons, says that is being dealt with in a separate EU directive.

30.04.2004: From one perspective, it's good news – the flood-tide of phone and fax junk mail has subsided but, it would appear, more by luck than judgement, with faxes falling out of use and phone cold callers opting for a far cheaper and easier option – spam.

Recent efforts by the EU and Britain to deal with the problem of spam have shown a similar political will, although sadly not accompanied by the legal or technological machinery to deal with the problem.