UK MPs take spam fight to Washington

The UK's All Party Parliamentary Internet Group (APIG) is travelling to Washington next month to discuss better ways in which the UK and the US can combat the problem of spam.

The visit follows a similar trip in 2003. This time Derek Wyatt MP, Ian Stewart MP and Ian Taylor MP will be joined by DTI head of UK telecoms policy Claire Hobson, who heads up the government's anti-spam efforts.

Given the evolution of cybercrime over the past two years issues such as denial-of-service attacks and zombies, which have become inextricably linked with the growth of spam, will be added to the agenda.

Wyatt said the close cooperation of the UK and the US on these issues will send out a clear message "on the need to cooperate to make the internet a safer and securer environment".

For the second time the trip will be sponsored by Microsoft and UK email security firm MessageLabs.

Before departing for Washington in 2003, Wyatt told journalists: "It would be a shame if we were sat here this time next year talking about the same kinds of problem."

In fact it's now been 18 months and the same issues are not only being talked about, they have got a lot worse.

Steve Linford of Spamhaus said: "Not only are we still talking about these issues but we're now doing so sat in the middle of an epidemic."

Linford told silicon.com the UK contingent should be applauded for its intent, but feared any attempts to engage US legislators in meaningful dialogue on the issue of spam may prove futile.

"This trip is a positive move, but I suspect they will go over there, see a couple of senators and be told 'yes, we'll do something' and it will end there," said Linford.

Linford added that any attempts to implore the US to act will sound hollow coming from the UK where the laws are equally ineffective as the US CAN-spam legislation.

Linford said the best use of everybody's time would be if the UK and US contingents got on a plane in Washington and flew to Sydney to ask the Australian government how to beat spam.

"If the UK and US government implemented Australian laws it would have a massive impact overnight," said Linford.