CAN-SPAM Act – 2003
If you are an email user, you would be familiar with the countless emails that come in your mailbox that advertise too good to be true job opportunities, investment opportunities and requests for help all the way from South Africa. The Can-SPAM act was signed in 2003 to help curb the increasing number of spammers who appeared to have a direct access to unassuming end users, thanks to these emails.
This Act was introduced due to the increasing number of consumer complaints in the hope of bringing down the spammer emails. The Act has attempted to remove any unsolicited commercial email messages which attempt to advertise a commercial product or service.
However, the CAN-SPAM Act exempts relationship or transactional messages received by the email user. The Act has been redefined to clarify the terms and has stipulated that the users are offered the option to Unsubscribe from the mailing list if they so choose.
The Act also ensures that a company can email its existing customers as well as anyone who might have enquired about their product or service.