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News & Events - MAAWG Release

              

MAAWG Joins StopSpamAlliance;
Advances Global Cooperation Against Online Abuse

San Francisco, June 26, 2007 - Expanding worldwide cooperation against spam and other online abuse, MAAWG (Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group) has been accepted into the StopSpamAlliance and will contribute to the Alliance’s multilateral efforts through the ongoing programs developed in MAAWG. The StopSpamAlliance is a global initiative of leading international organizations and enforcement agencies to coordinate efforts and share information on combating spam.

“Cooperation has proven to be one of the most effective tools in fighting spam and we welcome the participation of the Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group. MAAWG can positively contribute to the StopSpamAlliance goals to improve international coordination of anti-spam initiatives and foster exchange of information and best practices between public and private actors,” said Claudia Sarrocco of the OECD, a StopSpamAlliance member.

The StopSpamAlliance advocates a program of diverse tactics to counter spam which is closely aligned with the approach taken in MAAWG. The Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group organizes international meetings, committee work, email metrics reports and other activities focusing on technology, industry collaboration and public policy initiatives. It represents almost one billion inboxes and has over 100 members including a broad base of Internet Service Providers (ISPs), network operators, key technology providers and senders.

The StopSpamAlliance is a trusted communications channel and global network of organizations working to preserve the integrity of the online community. It was founded by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the European Contact Network of Spam Authorities (CNSA), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the London Action Plan International Spam Enforcement Network (LAP), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the Seoul-Melbourne MoU, which includes the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and the Korea Information Security Agency (KISA).

Luc Mathan of France Telecom Group and co-chair of the MAAWG public policy committee said, “The worldwide network of communications and cooperation developed by the StopSpamAlliance is an indispensable ingredient in the reduction of spam, a global and borderless phenomenon. MAAWG will be working closely with the other Alliance members to advance this agenda.”

About the Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group (MAAWG)
The Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group (MAAWG) is where the messaging industry comes together to work against spam, viruses, denial-of-service attacks and other online exploitation. MAAWG (www.MAAWG.org) is the only organization addressing messaging abuse holistically by systematically engaging all aspects of the problem, including technology, industry collaboration and public policy. It leverages the depth and experience of its global membership to tackle abuse on existing networks and new emerging services. Headquartered in San Francisco, Calif., MAAWG is an open forum driven by market needs and supported by major network operators and messaging providers.

About the StopSpamAlliance
The StopSpamAlliance is a joint international effort initiated by APEC, the EU's CNSA, ITU, the London Action Plan, OECD and the Seoul-Melbourne Anti-Spam group. Four associate partners have joined the StopSpamAlliance in 2007; the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT), the Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group (MAAWG), the Internet Society (ISOC), and the Asia Pacific Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email (APCAUCE). The objective of the StopSpamAlliance (www.StopSpamAlliance.org) is to help coordinate international action against spam and related threats by more effectively gathering information and resources improving information sharing among participating entities.

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Media Contact: Linda Marcus, APR, 714-974-6356, lmarcus@astra.cc, Astra Communications

MAAWG Sponsors (Board of Directors): AOL; Bell Canada; BellSouth (NYSE: BLS); Charter Communications (NASDAQ: CHTR); Cloudmark; Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA); Cox Communications (NYSE: COX); EarthLink (NASDAQ: ELNK); France Telecom (NYSE and Euronext: FTE); Goodmail Systems; Google Inc.; Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT); Openwave Systems (NASDAQ: OPWV); Time Warner Cable, Verizon Communications; and Yahoo! Inc.

MAAWG Full Members: 1&1 Internet AG; AT&T; Bizanga LTD; Internet Initiative Japan, (IIJ NASDAQ: IIJI); IronPort Systems; MX Logic; O2; Outblaze LTD; Return Path, Inc.; Sprint; Sun Microsystems, Inc.; Symantec; Telus; and Trend Micro, Inc.

MAAWG Supporter Members: AcquireWeb, Inc.; Adknowledge, Inc.; Aladdin Knowledge Systems; Alt-N Technologies, Ltd.; Acxiom Digital; Bluehornet Networks, Inc.; BigHip; BoxSentry PTE Ltd.; CheetahMail, an Experian Co.; Cincinnati Bell; ColdSpark, Inc.; Commtouch Software LTD; CommuniGate Systems; Constant Contact; Critical Path, Inc.; Datran Media; e-Dialog; EastLink; eleven GmbH; EmailLabs; ECO; Epsilon; Everyone.net, Inc.; ExactTarget, Inc.; F-Secure Corp.; Facultas/Lyris UK; Habeas Inc.; iContact; Informz; Insender Technologies Inc.; Ipsos Interactive Services; Mansell Group, Inc.; Merkle/Quris; Message Level, LLC; Message Systems; Messagelabs; Messaging Architects; Mirapoint Inc.; MTS Allstream Inc.; Netsuite, Inc.; Nextel Communications; PayPal, an eBay Company; Perftech, Inc.; Pivotal Veracity; Premiere Global Services; Responsys, Inc.; Rockliffe Systems; Rogers Cable; RPost; RSA Security Inc.; Salesforce.com; Sana Security; Sandvine Incorp.; S.C. Softwin SRL; Sendmail, Inc.; Simplicita Software, Inc.; SMobile Systems; Sophos Plc.; St. Bernard Software; StreamShield Networks; StrongMail Systems, Inc.; TDC; TDS Telecom; Team Cymru; ThinData; Travelocity.com LP; TRUSTe; Tucows Inc.; Verisign Inc.; Webmail.us; Word To The Wise; Yesmail; and ZDirect, Inc.