May 14 2008
Changes to CAN-SPAM act
Seems there are some changes to the CAN-SPAM act recently, all approved by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Below is the quote straight from the FTC website, but the most interesting part to me is #1. Effectively saying that all emails must allow you to unsubscribe in one of two ways:
a) Send a reply with remove request
b) One click to a single page to opt-out
This means you can’t send me on a wild goose chase through you site for the opt-out link. This means you can’t ask me for anymore information than my email address to “confirm” my opt-out.
Just wish the illegal guys could somehow be forced to do this. Unfortunately what I have seen as true for most laws, only law abiding people pay any attention.
Quote from FTC:
“The new rule provisions address four topics:
(1) an e-mail recipient cannot be required to pay a fee, provide information other than his or her e-mail address and opt-out preferences, or take any steps other than sending a reply e-mail message or visiting a single Internet Web page to opt out of receiving future e-mail from a sender;
(2) the definition of “sender” was modified to make it easier to determine which of multiple parties advertising in a single e-mail message is responsible for complying with the Act’s opt-out requirements;
(3) a “sender” of commercial e-mail can include an accurately-registered post office box or private mailbox established under United States Postal Service regulations to satisfy the Act’s requirement that a commercial e-mail display a “valid physical postal address”; and
(4) a definition of the term “person” was added to clarify that CAN-SPAM’s obligations are not limited to natural persons.”
FTC article on new CAN-SPAM rules
