Anti-Spammer Forms Big-Name Partnerships

Bright Light Technologies, makers of anti-spam software and email programs, has formed partnerships with a slew of industry players, including Netscape, Excite, Juno and Software.com, to combat the growing problem of spam, or unsolicited email.

In its partnerships with Netscape and Software.com, Bright Light will integrate its Bright Mail Anti-Spam Service with Netscape’s Messaging Server and Software.com’s InterMail service. Bright Mail works to keep any unsolicited messages out of its users’ email mailboxes.

Excite and Juno are working with Bright Light as well by joining its Global Probe Network. The network is a group of email addresses across the Internet that are specifically designed to receive spam. This network detects incoming spam and delivers it to Bright Light’s Operations Center for analysis.

The two companies join 18 others in the network to fight spammers.

While the government is working to pass anti-spam legislation, Bright Light said Internet companies must take action themselves to protect their users.

“Net activity is moving rapidly toward sophisticated online marketing and commerce and it is essential to clearly differentiate between communications enrichment and communications abuse,” said Sunil Paul, Bright Light’s founder and chief executive officer.