FTC: 'Can Spam' Law Only a Mild Deterrent
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
Foxnews

WASHINGTON — The law meant to curb large amounts of unwanted e-mail went into effect on Jan. 1, but consumers have found that their expectations of a large drop in spam mailings may have been a little wide-eyed.

"One spammer thinks I have a child, and have reproduced, and it's a toddler running around; and then Viagra thinks I need help in that department. I think maybe they should e-mail back and forth and leave me out of it," said John Forrest Ales, one e-mail user who says he regularly finds his inbox filled with annoying e-mail from companies that have no idea who he is.

Ales and many other consumers thought the "can spam" law (search), signed by President Bush on Dec. 16, would stem the flow of unwanted e-mail pitches, but the Federal Trade Commission (search) says that's not the way the new rules work.

"There certainly hasn't been any significant reduction in the number of spams that have been forwarded to our mail boxes," said Howard Beales, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection.

The new law does not make spam itself illegal, but it does require marketers to stop some of the shadier methods they use. For instance, e-mail marketers cannot use false headers, "subject" or "from" line information.

Pornographic spammers must clearly label their advertisements, and senders must provide valid information so messages can be traced. Companies sending bulk commercial e-mail must also provide consumers an "opt out" (search) option that they must also honor. Somewhere on the mail, a link must be placed so that recipients can click on it if they don't want any more mail.

Full article here.