In March 2005, the federal Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act went into effect. CAN-SPAM prohibits anyone from sending unwanted e-mail messages to wireless devices (such as cell phones) if the emails are "commercial messages."

The protection against spam on non-wireless devices, such as your desktop computer, is not as strong. Telecommunications companies are prohibited from sending commercial emails. Other spam is allowed, but the sender must comply with certain rules, such as providing the receiver with a way to reject future messages, clearly identifying the email as a solicitation, and including a legitimate return email and postal address. To learn more about CAN-SPAM, visit the Federal Communication Commission's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau website at www.fcc.gov/cgb (click on "Consumer Policy Division" then click on "CGB Policy DIvision Page" and click on "CAN-SPAM").