FTC Concludes Do Not Email List A Bad Idea

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I appreciate the FTC's talk on spam: it's straightfoward, honest, and absent any spin. The FTC knows it will carry a lot of burden in tracking down and prosecuting spammers. It also knows, as its director has publicly stated, that the do-not-email list idea is rather useless in the battle against spam.

Why? Because spammers conceal their identities. And if you can't figure out who the spammer is, you certainly can't slap them with a fine for not using the do-not-email list. Kinda seems easy to understand, doesn't it?

With or without the do-not-email list idea, and even aided by recent federal legislation, fighting spam is going to be a real pain, even when you've got the powers of the FTC backing you up.

What the FTC needs is to do is make an example of some individual or business caught violating the accepted rules of permission email marketing. They need to catch someone and throw the book at them. The public will support it, too, because the anti-spam rhetoric has grown to fever pitch (aided by my own feverish cries, I admit), to the point where a public caning of a couple of spammers seems rather justified.

The first spammer to get nailed by the FTC is going to sorely wish they had taken up another line of business altogether. But if the sound of prison bars slamming down on the first few spammers is loud enough, then perhaps the other spammers will get the message.

Analysis: Even with strong legislation, enforcing anti-spam legislation presents a tremendous hurdle. Expect the FTC to set an example in their very first case by coming down hard on some unsuspecting spammer.

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About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health researcher and author with a passion for teaching people how to improve their health He has authored and published thousands of articles, interviews, consumers guides, and books on topics like health and the environment, reaching millions of readers with information that is saving lives and improving personal health around the world. Adams is a trusted, independent journalist who receives no money or promotional fees whatsoever to write about other companies' products. In 2007, Adams launched EcoLEDs, a manufacturer of mercury-free, energy-efficient LED lighting products that save electricity and help prevent global warming. He also launched an online retailer of environmentally-friendly products (BetterLifeGoods.com) and uses a portion of its profits to help fund non-profit endeavors. He's also a veteran of the software technology industry, having founded a personalized mass email software product used to deliver email newsletters to subscribers. Adams is currently the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit, and regularly pursues cycling, nature photography, Capoeira and Pilates.


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