Now is Your Chance to Help Strengthen the U.S. Law on Spam!

Did you know that the United States is the only first world country to allow email marketers to abuse your email address by putting it on a mailing list without asking you? Its true, all other first world countries, including Canada, the UK, and the entirety of the countries in the EU, require email marketers and other businesses to seek and receive your permission before they add you to an email mailing list.

The Federal law that dictates email marketing requirements in the U.S. is known as CAN-SPAM. CAN-SPAM went into effect in 2003. Now, under the rule-amending authority built into the law, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is seeking public comments regarding CAN-SPAM, how well it is or isnt working, and what should be changed. And by public, this means you.

In the email industry world the question of whether someone must have your permission to add you to a mailing list is known as a matter of opt-in versus opt-out. An opt-in law requires that you, well, opt in to having your email put on a mailing list (in other words, you must grant permission before being added to the list). On the other hand, an opt-out law (such as the U.S. has) does not require that the business obtain your permission first; they can legally add you to their email mailing list - heck, they can legally add you to 1000 email lists - without first asking you or even notifying you. And they can keep sending you email until you ask to be removed (unsubscribed) from the list. Imagine having to do that for 1000 mailing lists that you didnt even ask to be on in the first place!

Again, and not to put too fine a point on it, the U.S. is the only first-world country that has not outlawed the practice of adding someone to an email list without first obtaining their express permission. This is because that requirement was defeated here in the U.S., primarily by the marketing lobby, back when CAN-SPAM was first being proposed.

The Federal Trade Commission explains in their request for comments that The Commission is requesting public comments on its rule implementing the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act (the CAN-SPAM Rule or Rule). The Commission is soliciting comments about the efficiency, costs, benefits, and regulatory impact of the Rule as part of its systematic review of all current Commission regulations and guides. All interested persons are hereby given notice of the opportunity to submit written data, reviews, and arguments concerning the Rule.

So anyone, as a member of the public who has received email for which they did not opt-in (and thatd be anyone with an email address), can comment on how the U.S. should change its rule to be in line with the rest of the world.

Dont think that your voice cant make a difference! Hearing from lots of individuals who are fed up with the lenient U.S. rule that allows email marketers to fill up your inbox without permission is one of the surest ways to get the FTC to sit up and take notice.

You can file your comment online using the FTCs comment form specifically for this issue here:

Let the FTC know that you want email marketers to have to get your permission before adding you to a mailing list

Note that the deadline to file your comment is August 17th, 2017, so do it now while youre thinking of it.