Australian anti-spam activists plan protests - News - Communications

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This story was printed from ZDNet Australia.
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Australian anti-spam activists plan protests

By Rachel Lebihan, ZDNet Australia
June 19, 2002
URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Australian-anti-spam-activists-plan-protests/0,130061791,120266072,00.htm

Supporters of the anti-spam advocate who is being sued in a controversial Australian suit are on the verge of kicking off a slime campaign against the alleged spammer who is seeking damages, and are planning protests at seminars conducted by one of his companies.

Perth-based direct marketing company T3 Direct is seeking AU$43,750 in compensation from Joseph McNichol, whom it alleges caused the company to be blacklisted on the spews.org Web site. A writ of summons was filed against McNichol on May 24.

"We're planning an information awareness exercise to inform people attending the seminars what spamming is and who [T3] are," Michael Harris, the event organiser, told ZDNet Australia.

Harris, who is investigating the history of the man at the helm of T3 Direct, said: -this is now turning into a slime campaign".

Harris is coordinating a protest between 8:30am and 9:30am on July 24 at the Novotel Langley in Perth, where he says a T3 Direct business--Business Seminars Australia--will be holding a seminar.

According to Harris' Web site, -the purpose of the proposed action at this event is an information exercise - to increase public awareness of not only spam and unwanted marketing, but also to alert the people attending this seminar of the unsavoury practices employed by [T3 Direct]."

"This is an information action only. This will be peaceful and no public nuisances will be caused at this event. If you are seen to be causing a public nuisance or harassing persons, you will be asked to leave the action. We do not want any negative publicity and would like this to be a peaceful protest throughout."

According to Harris, many people are -very keen" to participate and he is encouraging similar protests to be carried out at other T3 Direct-associated seminars across the country.

"We're hoping to have McNichol there unless legal restraints stop us," Harris said.