Resumen
This article focuses on the proliferation of unsolicited bulk e-mail, commonly referred to as "spam." Since these kind of junk mails places a considerable burden on their systems, the spam recipients become increasingly annoyed. A variety of technical countermeasures to spam have been proposed: the simplest are already being implemented; some of the more extreme could require dramatic changes to the ways we communicate electronically. Unsolicited mail consisted mostly of messages from pranksters, chain letters, and inappropriate messages sent to established email lists by individuals who were either unaware their message would go to the entire list or unaware their messages were inappropriate for that forum. In this article, contributing factors relating to the growth of spam and possible solutions are discussed. Technical and regulatory solutions are proposed to solve the spam problem. Legal countermeasures have also been used with mixed results. Technical solutions includes the application of automated and semiautomated filtering solutions, while regulatory solutions includes the proposal of bills demanding legislative realms. INSETS: WHAT DOES SPAM ADVERTISE?; WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT SPAM?

Resumen
Internet users are concerned about the privacy of information they supply to Web sites, not only in terms of personal data but information that Web sites may derive by tracking their online activities. Many online privacy concerns arise because it is difficult for users to obtain information about actual Web site information practices. The World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Platform for Privacy Preferences Project (P3P) provides a framework for informed online interactions. The goal of P3P is to enable users to exercise preferences over Web site privacy practices at these Web sites. P3P applications will allow users to be informed about Web site practices, delegate decisions to their computer agent when they wish and tailor relationships with specific sites. Users' confidence in online transactions will increase when they are presented with meaningful information and choices about Web site privacy practices. P3P is a project of the W3C, an international industry consortium that specifies protocols that promote the evolution of an open and interoperable Web. INSET: The P3P Vocabulary.