State Spam Laws State Laws Relating to
Unsolicited Commercial or Bulk E-mail
(SPAM)
May 2, 2003
Thirty states have enacted laws regulating unsolicited commercial or bulk electronic mail advertising. These laws generally:
Prohibit misrepresenting or falsifying the origin of or the routing information on messages; using a third parties Internet address without permission, or including misleading information in the subject line of a message. Some states also prohibit the sale or distribution of software that is designed solely to falsify or forge the point of origin of or the routing information on e-mail messages.
Require certain information, such as a toll-free telephone number or valid e-mail address, be included in the message so that recipients can opt out of receiving any future messages.
Require labeling in the subject line of a message, to indicate whether the message contains an advertisement (e.g., ADV:) or materials that may only be viewed, purchased or possessed by adults (e.g., ADV:ADLT).