Junk Snail Mail, Junk E-Mail Aren’t Alike
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The judge in Cyber Promotions vs. AOL was wrong to prevent AOL from blocking “junk” e-mail (“AOL Likely to Fight Junk E-Mail Ruling,” Sept. 7).
Unlike bulk mailers using the U.S. Postal Service who alone are responsible for paying their freight, AOL users must pay for the time spent downloading “junk” mail from vendors such as Cyber Promotions that they would otherwise not seek out.
Cyber Promotions has every right to broadcast its cyber-trash e-mail. But for any court to place on an AOL user (or, for that matter, subscribers to any other online service) the obligation to pay for Cyber Promotions’ venue is offensive and unreasonable.
The junk mail in my mail box costs me nothing to throw away; the junk e-mail I have to unwillingly pay to download is another matter.
PAT PARKER
Los Angeles
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