Spam is out of control. Leading providers of spam protection tools, such as MX Logic Inc. and MessageLabs, report that some 80 to 90 percent of all e-mail today is spam.

This is a major problem for Internet users in multiple ways. Spam clogs our mailboxes daily to the point where it threatens viability of e-mail as a communications tool. It also routinely carries viruses, identity-theft scams, spyware, and other serious security threats.

As an ISP, Verizon Online is working hard to address these serious security threats on the Internet by closely monitoring our network for incoming and outgoing spam and by working cooperatively with others across the ISP industry on anti-spam initiatives.

These round-the-clock efforts include blocking spam and propagation of viruses from sources we identify using methods that are consistent with industry practices. This is a long-standing policy at Verizon Online.

When we identify sources of spam or viruses, we block them as narrowly as we can and, where possible, we work directly with whoever manages that source to notify them of the issue. We then continuously monitor the source and will lift the block as soon as we are satisfied the threat has been resolved. In many cases, this is resolved within two days; however, we will not remove a block as long as a serious threat remains.

The entire ISP industry is working to combat spam and other online security threats. Verizon Online is a member of various coalitions, including the Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group, which comprises both large and small ISPs covering more than 100 million online subscribers. We have aggressively pursued spammers through legal action and taken a leading role in drafting legislation at the state and national levels. We also are working with domestic and international law-enforcement agencies to combat spam and other threats. In short, Verizon is committed to protecting its customers and its network from the serious security matters that threaten our use of the Internet everyday.