May 6, 2003

The following is a letter to the State of Nevada E-mail Administrator. It illustrates the current and unacceptable problem with its spam/porn blocking efforts.

Letter to:

State of Nevada Email Administrator
575 E. Third St.
Carson City, NV.  89701-4763 

Recently I responded to a colleague using my Hotmail e-mail account. The message was blocked by the State of Nevada because it was labeled as spam or it had porn or other unacceptable language in it. The State’s e-mail response also referred to an Internet link to check for additional information. I checked and ztl.dorkslayers.com listed Hotmail.com (Microsoft Corporation) as allowing spam.

First, my blocked email response was one word, “Thanks”. I do not believe the word was pornographic, bad or unacceptable in current society. I may be wrong about this however.

Second, disallowing all Hotmail accounts because some people may have used their accounts to spam is unfair to those who don’t.

The State if Nevada must change the way it handles spam. Currently, the procedures it uses, blocks innocent, non-spamming, non-pornographic users such as me from communicating with state employees about issues relating to their work. My e-mail use is legitimate and believe blocking my email is illegitimate and indefensible.

 Further, blocking all Hotmail e-mails is plain wrong. It would be like saying all state employees are lazy because one state employee was caught sleeping on the job.

 I have attached copies of my e-mails to document this issue, specifically:

1.  A message from ###### #####, a state employee on May 2, 2003 at 8:35 a.m.;
2. My response to her, May 3, 2003 at 9:39 a.m. and
3. The response by the State of Nevada, May 3, 2003, at 9:39 a.m.

 I would like this issue investigated and corrected.  I do not feel that my Hotmail e-mail account should be a barrier to communicating with state employees.