Anti-spam law may benefit some e-marketers

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 01/02/04 | Carrie Kirby

[Holly_P]

The nation's first anti-spam law took effect Thursday, but that doesn't mean e-mail boxes throughout the nation will be free of offers for "herbal Viagra" or travel bargains today.

Far from being pushed out of business, several Bay Area e-mail marketing firms said they expect to prosper under the new law, known as the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003.

[steplock]

Pssst!

This law (??) only applies to American companies, does it not?

99%+ of SPAM comes lately from Red-China!

Do you think they give a dammed about our stinking SPAM laws?

Hip-hip-horray?

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[steplock]

Pssst!

This law (??) only applies to American companies, does it not?

99%+ of SPAM comes lately from Red-China!

Do you think they give a dammed about our stinking SPAM laws?

Hip-hip-horray?

[Dutch Boy]

I've been fighting with SPAM filters for years. No matter how I configured the filter some would still get through. It was a losing battle. About 3 weeks ago I switched tactics. I deleted all my SPAM filters and just let it all go straight into the Inbox. I then set up new filters to redirect the emails I expect to see from friends, family, etc. Not a single SPAM gets into my real email buckets and I just glance at and trash the inbox daily.

[Revolting cat!]

One thing companies should be aware of is that the new law puts liability on the company whose products are actually being advertised, not the e-mail advertising company, Ward said.

This is the only good part (if true!) Everything else in this law is protection for the SPAMmers.

[azcap]

Is this article correct in that the federal law supercedes (does this mean voids) any State laws? Does it in effect establish a federal right to send unsolicited mail?

[Holly_P]

Does it in effect establish a federal right to send unsolicited mail?

That's the way I read it.

Some states already had stricter laws but this one tops all of them.