A new UK anti-spam law came into force today. Times Online looks at whether it will be effective and other international measures against unwanted e-mails.

What laws are there against spam e-mail in the UK?

A European Union directive comes into force in the UK today.

The regulation outlaws the use of electronic means – including text messages and faxes – for marketing if the recipient has not given prior consent. This is what some people refer to as "opting in".

The exception is where businesses already have an established relationship with the consumer.

Corporate subscribers are not protected. But all direct marketing e-mail, regardless of who it is sent to, will have to include proper sender and contact details. Recipients will have to be able to opt out of receiving any more e-mails.

Companies using tracking devices, such as 'cookies', on their websites will have to make that clear and give people a means to reject them.

The Office of the Information Commissioner will enforce the new regulations in the UK. If direct marketers breach enforcement orders issued by the Commissioner they will be guilty of a criminal offence and liable to a fine of up to £5,000 in a magistrate's court, or an unlimited fine if they have a jury trial.

What about elsewhere?

Several EU member states adopted the terms of the Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communication months ago including Austria, Belgium and Spain. Italy, Greece, Germany and Denmark already had effective "opt-in" rules before the directive came into force.

Denmark successfully prosecuted a software company, Fonn Danmark, earlier this year for spamming.

On Monday the US Congress approved that country's first national effort to stop spam. President Bush has indicated that he intends to sign the measure into law.

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