>In short, what you will have to do is set up a kill file for
>messages from known advertisers and ignore those addresses.
>There is slim grounds to stop advertisement on the Internet now.
>When federal funding ceases, there will be *no* grounds in the
>future, short of some company deciding that it doesn't want the
>money from a commercial site that is connecting to the internet
>in order to post ads.  With heavy competition in the commercial
>sector, that's not likely to happen.
 
The service providers can't really turn away a paying customer;
if they do, they risk loss of whatever common carrier protection
they may currently claim.
 
There is another option, however.  If you feel strongly about
mass mailings and unsolicited adverts, let the company know that
you will be making every attempt to *deny* them sales at your
site.  Complain to your purchasing agents; complain to your col-
leagues.  I have already eliminated one vendor from consideration
at this site; they refused to stop sending me junk fax, even after
5-6 requests to cease.  As a result, they will be making no sales
in this domain.
 
If they realize that mass mailings actually *damage* their repu-
tation, they'll stop.
 
--Wes