TENNESSEE CODE
TITLE 47. COMMERCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND TRANSACTIONS
CHAPTER 18. CONSUMER PROTECTION
PART 25. UNSOLICITED ADVERTISING BY ELECTRONIC MEANS
(as amended in 2003)


47-18-2501.   Regulation of unsolicited electronic advertising - Falsification of electronic mail transmission information prohibited - Institution of actions and damages.

    (a) No person or entity conducting business in this state shall send by e-mail or cause to be e-mailed, documents consisting of unsolicited advertising material for the lease, sale, rental, gift offer, or other disposition of any realty, goods, services, or extension of credit unless that person or entity shall establish a toll-free telephone number or return e-mail address that a recipient of the unsolicited e-mailed documents may call to notify the sender not to e-mail the recipient any further unsolicited documents.

    (b) [Repealed.]

    (c) Upon notification by a recipient of the recipient's request not to receive any further unsolicited e-mailed documents, no person or entity conducting business in this state shall e-mail or cause to be e-mailed, any unsolicited documents to that recipient.

    (d) A person or entity sending an unsolicited e-mail shall establish a toll-free telephone number or valid sender operated return e-mail address that the recipient of the unsolicited documents may call or e-mail to notify the sender not to e-mail any further unsolicited documents.

    (e) If e-mail consists of unsolicited advertising material for the lease, sale, rental, gift offer or other disposition of any realty, goods, services or extension of credit, the subject line of each and every message shall include "ADV:" as the first four (4) characters. If these messages contain information that consists of unsolicited advertising material for the lease, sale, rental, gift offer, or other disposition of any realty, goods, services, or extension of credit, that may only be viewed, purchased, rented, leased, or held in possession by an individual eighteen (18) years of age or older, the subject line of each and every message shall include "ADV:ADLT" as the first eight (8) characters.

    (f) In the case of unsolicited bulk e-mail, this section shall apply when the unsolicited e-mailed documents are delivered to a Tennessee resident via an electronic mail service provider's service or equipment located in this state. For these purposes, "electronic mail service provider" means any business or organization qualified to do business in this state that provides individuals, corporations, or other entities the ability to send or receive electronic mail through equipment located in this state and that is an intermediary in sending or receiving electronic mail.

    (g) It is unlawful for any person to sell, give or otherwise distribute or possess with the intent to sell, give or distribute software which:

    (1) Is primarily designed or produced for the purpose of facilitating or enabling the falsification of electronic mail transmission information or other routing information;
    (2) Has only limited commercially significant purpose or use other than to facilitate or enable the falsification of electronic mail transmission information or other routing information; or
    (3) Is marketed by that person or another acting in concert with that person with that person's knowledge for use in facilitating or enabling the falsification of electronic mail transmission information or other routing information.

    (h) As used in this section, "e-mail" or "cause to be e-mailed" does not include or refer to the transmission of any documents by the telecommunications utility or Internet service provider to the extent that the telecommunications utility or Internet service provider merely carries that transmission over its network.

    (i) (1) Any person whose property or person is injured by reason of a violation of any provision of this section may sue therefor and recover for any damages sustained, and the costs of such suit. Without limiting the generality of the term, "damages" includes loss of profits.

    (2) If the injury arises from the transmission of unsolicited bulk electronic mail, the injured person, other than an electronic mail service provider, may also recover attorneys' fees and costs, and may elect, in lieu of actual damages, to recover the lesser of ten dollars ($10.00) for each and every unsolicited bulk electronic mail message transmitted in violation of this section, or five thousand dollars ($5,000) per day. The injured person shall not have a cause of action against the electronic mail service provider that merely transmitted the unsolicited bulk electronic mail over its computer network.
    (3) If the injury arises from the transmission of unsolicited bulk electronic mail, an injured electronic mail service provider may also recover attorneys' fees and costs, and may elect, in lieu of actual damages, to recover the greater of ten dollars ($10.00) for each and every unsolicited bulk electronic mail message transmitted in violation of this section, or five thousand dollars ($5,000) per day.
    (4) At the request of any party to an action brought pursuant to this section, the court may, in its discretion, conduct all legal proceedings in such a way as to protect the secrecy and security of the computer, computer network, computer data, computer program and computer software involved in order to prevent possible recurrence of the same or a similar act by another person and to protect any trade secrets of any party.
    (5) The provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to limit any person's right to pursue any additional civil remedy otherwise allowed by law.

    (j) The provisions of this section shall not be construed to restrict or apply to constitutionally protected communications to and from citizens and their elected representatives.

    (k) This section, or any part of this section, shall become inoperative on and after the date that federal law is enacted that prohibits or otherwise regulates the transmission of unsolicited advertising by electronic mail (e-mail).


47-18-2502.   Definitions.

    As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:

    (1) "Computer network" means a set of related, remotely connected devices and any communications facilities, including more than one (1) computer with the capability to transmit data among them through the communications facilities; and

    (2) "Without authority" means a person using the computer network of an electronic mail service provider to transmit unsolicited bulk electronic mail in contravention of the authority granted by or in violation of the policies set by the electronic mail service provider. Transmission of electronic mail from an organization to its members shall not be deemed to be unsolicited bulk electronic mail.



TENNESSEE CODE
TITLE 39. CRIMINAL OFFENSES
CHAPTER 14. OFFENSES AGAINST PROPERTY
PART 6. TENNESSEE PERSONAL AND COMMERCIAL COMPUTER ACT OF 2003
(added in 2003)


39-14-601.   Part definitions.

    As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:

    (1) "Access" means to approach, instruct, communicate, or connect with, store data in, retrieve or intercept data from, or otherwise make use of any resources of a computer, computer system, or computer network, or information exchanged from any communication between computers or authorized computer users and electronic, electromagnetic, electrochemical, acoustic, mechanical, or other means;

    (2) "Authorization" means any and all forms of consent, including both implicit and explicit consent;

    (3) "Computer" means a device or collection of devices, including its support devices, peripheral equipment, or facilities, and the communication systems connected to it which can perform functions including, but not limited to, substantial computation, arithmetic or logical operations, information storage or retrieval operations, capable of being used with external files, one (1) or more operations which contain computer programs, electronic instructions, allows for the input of data, and output data (such operations or communications can occur with or without intervention by a human operator during the processing of a job);

    (4) "Computer contaminants" means any set of computer instructions that are designed to modify or in any way alter, damage, destroy, or disrupt the proper operation of a computer system, or computer network without the intent or authorization of the owner of the information. They include, but are not limited to, a group of computer instructions commonly called viruses or worms, which are self-replicating or self-propagating and are designed to contaminate other computer programs or computer data, consume computer resources, modify, destroy, record or transmit data, or in some other fashion usurp the normal operation of the computer, computer system, or computer network. Such contaminants may include viruses or worms, which terms shall have the following meanings:

    (A) "Virus" means a migrating program which, at least, attaches itself to the operating system of any computer it enters and can infect any other computer that has access to an "infected" computer; and

    (B) "Worm" means a computer program or virus that spreads and multiplies, eventually causing a computer to "crash" or cease functioning, but does not attach itself to the operating system of the computer it "infects";

    (5) "Computer network" means a set of two (2) or more computer systems that transmit data over communication circuits connecting them, and input/output devices including, but not limited to, display terminals and printers, which may also be connected to telecommunication facilities;

    (6) "Computer program" means an ordered set of data that are coded instructions or statements that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to process data;

    (7) "Computer software" means a set of computer programs, procedures, and associated documentation concerned with the operation of a computer, computer system, or computer network whether imprinted or embodied in the computer in any manner or separate from it, including the supporting materials for the software and accompanying documentation;

    (8) "Computer system" means a set of connected devices including a computer and other devices including, but not limited to, one (1) or more of the following: data input, output, or storage devices, data communication circuits, and operating system computer programs that make the system capable of performing data processing tasks;

    (9) "Data" means a representation of information, knowledge, facts, concepts, or instructions which is being prepared or has been prepared in a formalized manner, and is intended to be stored or processed, or is being stored or processed, or has been stored or processed in a computer, computer system, or computer network;

    (10) "Electronic mail service provider" means any person who:

    (A) Is an intermediary in sending or receiving electronic mail; and

    (B) Provides to end-users of electronic mail services the ability to send or receive electronic mail;

    (11) "Financial instrument" includes, but is not limited to, any check, cashier's check, draft, warrant, money order, certificate of deposit, negotiable instrument, letter of credit, bill of exchange, credit card, debit card, marketable security, or any computer system representation thereof;

    (12) "Input" means data, facts, concepts, or instructions in a form appropriate for delivery to, or interpretation or processing by, a computer;

    (13) "Intellectual property" includes data, which may be in any form including, but not limited to, computer printouts, magnetic storage media, punched cards, or may be stored internally in the memory of a computer;

    (14) "Local exchange company" includes telecommunications service providers as defined in § 65-4-101; competing telecommunications service providers as such term is defined in § 65-4-101; telephone cooperatives; cellular or other wireless telecommunications providers; and interactive computer service providers as defined in 47 U.S.C. § 230(f);

    (15) "Output" means data, facts, concepts or instructions produced or retrieved by computers from computers or computer memory storage devices;

    (16) "Owner" means an owner or lessee of a computer or a computer network, or an owner, lessee or licensee of computer data, computer programs, or computer software;

    (17) "Property" shall include:

    (A) Real property;

    (B) Computers and computer networks; and

    (C) Financial instruments, computer data, computer programs, computer software, and all other personal property regardless of whether they are:

    (i) Tangible or intangible;

    (ii) In a format readable by humans or by a computer;

    (iii) In transit between computers or within a computer network or between any devices which comprise a computer; or

    (iv) Located on any paper or in any device in which it is stored by a computer or by a human;

    (18) "Services" includes, but is not limited to, the use of a computer, a computer system, a computer network, computer software, computer program, or data to perform tasks;

    (19) "System hacker" means any person who knowingly accesses and without authorization alters, damages, deletes, destroys, or otherwise uses any data, computer, computer system, or computer network; and

    (20) "To process" means to use a computer to put data through a systematic sequence of operations for the purpose of producing a specified result.


39-14-602.   Violations - Penalties. (a) Whoever knowingly, directly or indirectly, accesses, causes to be accessed, or attempts to access any telephone system, telecommunications facility, computer software, computer program, data, computer, computer system, computer network, or any part thereof, for the purpose of:

    (1) Obtaining money, property, or services for oneself or another by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises violates this subsection (a) and is subject to the penalties of § 39-14-105;

    (2) Causing computer output to purposely be false for, but not limited to, the purpose of obtaining money, property, or services for oneself or another by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises violates this subsection (a) and is subject to the penalties of § 39-14-105; or

    (3) Effecting the creation or alteration of a financial instrument or of an electronic transfer of funds with the intent to disrupt, alter, misappropriate, or commit fraud violates this subsection (a) and is subject to the penalties of § 39-14-105.

    (b) Whoever intentionally and without authorization, directly or indirectly:

    (1) Accesses any computer, computer system, or computer network commits a Class C misdemeanor;

    (2) Alters, damages, destroys, or attempts to damage or destroy, or causes the disruption to the proper operation of any computer, or who performs an act which is responsible for the disruption of any computer, computer system, computer network, computer software, program, or data which resides or exists internal or external to a computer, computer system, or computer network is punishable as in § 39-14-105;

    (3) Introduces or is responsible for the malicious input of any computer contaminant into any computer, computer system, or computer network commits a Class B misdemeanor;

    (4) Accesses, causes to be accessed, or attempts to access any computer software, computer network, or any part thereof, for the purpose of maliciously gaining access to computer material or to tamper maliciously with computer security devices including, but not limited to, system hackers, commits a Class A misdemeanor; or

    (5) Makes or causes to be made an unauthorized copy, in any form, including, but not limited to, any printed or electronic form of computer data, computer programs, or computer software residing in, communicated by, or produced by a computer or computer network commits an offense punishable as provided in § 39-14-105.


39-14-603.   Unsolicited bulk electronic mail

    (a) It is an offense for a person without authority to falsify or forge electronic mail transmission information or other routing information in any manner in connection with the transmission of unsolicited bulk electronic mail through or into the computer network of an electronic mail service provider or its subscribers.

    (b) Transmission of electronic mail from an organization to its members shall not be deemed to be the transmission of unsolicited bulk electronic mail as prohibited by this section.

    (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to interfere with or prohibit terms or conditions in a contract or license related to computers, computer data, computer networks, computer operations, computer programs, computer services, or computer software or to create any liability by reason of terms or conditions adopted by or technical measures implemented by a Tennessee-based electronic mail service provider to prevent the transmission of unsolicited electronic mail in violation of this section.

    (d) As used in this section, "without authority" means a person who uses a computer, a computer network, or the computer services of an electronic mail service provider to transmit unsolicited bulk mail in contravention of the authority granted by or in violation of the policies set by the electronic mail service provider.

    (e) The transmission of electronic signals by a local exchange company to the extent that the local exchange company merely carries that transmission over its network shall not be deemed to be the transmission of unsolicited bulk electronic mail as prohibited by this part.

    (f) A violation of this section shall be punished according to the damage to the property of another caused by the violation and shall be graded as provided in § 39-14-105.


39-14-604.   Civil action - Damages, attorney fees, and costs.

    (a) Any person whose property or person is injured by reason of a violation of any provision of this part may file a civil action and recover for any damages sustained and the costs of the civil action. Without limiting the generality of the term, "damages" shall include loss of profits.

    (b) If the injury arises from the transmission of unsolicited bulk electronic mail, the injured person, other than an electronic mail service provider, may also recover attorney's fees and costs, and may elect, in lieu of actual damages, to recover the lesser of ten dollars ($10.00) for each and every unsolicited bulk electronic mail message transmitted in violation of this part, or one thousand dollars ($1,000) per day. The injured person shall not have a cause of action against the electronic mail service provider that merely transmits the unsolicited bulk electronic mail over its computer network.

    (c) If the injury arises from the transmission of unsolicited bulk electronic mail, an injured electronic mail service provider may also recover attorney's fees and costs and may elect, in lieu of actual damages, to recover the greater of ten dollars ($10.00) for each and every unsolicited bulk electronic mail message transmitted in violation of this part, or one thousand dollars ($1,000) per day.

    (d) At the request of any party to an action brought pursuant to this section, the court may, in its discretion, conduct all legal proceedings in such a way as to protect the secrecy and security of the computer, computer network, computer data, computer program, and computer software involved in order to prevent possible recurrence of the same or a similar act by another person and to protect any trade secrets of any party. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to limit any person's right to pursue any additional civil remedy otherwise allowed by law.


39-14-605.   Venue.

    For the purposes of venue under the provisions of this part, any violation of this part shall be considered to have been committed:

    (1) In any county in which any act was performed in furtherance of any transaction violating this part;

    (2) In any county in which any violator had control or possession of any proceeds of the violation or of any books, records, documents, property, financial instrument, computer software, computer program, or other material, objects, or items which were used in furtherance of the violation; and

    (3) In any county from which, to which, or through which, any access to a computer, computer system, or computer network was made, whether by wire, electromagnetic waves, microwaves, or any other means of communication.


39-14-606.   Transmission of electronic signals by a local exchange company.

    The transmission of electronic signals by a local exchange company to the extent that the local exchange company merely carries that transmission over its network shall not be deemed to be the transmission of unsolicited bulk electronic mail as prohibited by this part.


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Spyware has many ways of getting onto your computer, such as:

When you download programs - particularly freeware, or peer-to-peer sharing programs.

More covertly, spyware can install itself just by you visiting certain sites, by prompting you to download an application to see the site properly.

ActiveX controls. These pesky spyware makers will prompt you to install themselves while using your Internet browser