Email originating from Asia is being blocked by some US ISPs in a scattergun attempt to reduce spam. If the trend continues, the credibility of the Internet as a medium of business communication is at risk.

"...A new great wall is being built, this time across the Internet..." according to a news item entitled Not All Asian E-Mail Is Spam from Wired. The article reports that many ISP's in the West are blocking email from major or all Asian ISPs in order to reduce the amount of spam received by their customers. -

Extract: "...Constructed by frustrated systems administrators and intended only to stop spam, the wall could eventually cut off much of the e-mail communications between the East and the West..."

The report may be sensational, but it underlies an increasing trend to indiscriminantly block access to the Internet to certain groups based on the actions of a few.

The smarter spammers however can get around this by using various fake email headers, while in the meantime, these actions reduces the ability or Westerners to communicate with Asia, and vice versa. It is a stupidity based on classic communication between cultures, and ignores the advances of globalization.

I checked my email this morning from my "Asian ISP" in Bangkok. Of 250 messages, 72% was spam emanating from Western countries, mainly North America. 4% was spam from Asia. The other 24% were legitimate communications.

Now excuse me while I clear my mailbox of Western spam...