The Can Spam Act was passed in 2003 and was one of the first laws to control spam. There is much controversy surrounding this law; many people believe it is a victory for e-mail users who are worried about risky spam, and others feel that it is a green light to certain spammers who want to foist aggressive advertisments on consumers.
The law is quite strict about illegal activities, but seems to allow loopholes for regular commercial business whose spam many e-mail users also find annoying. Still others greet the law as a first step in bringing the battle against spam into the public sphere.
The Can Spam Act stands for Controlling Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act. Those who must follow this law are all those who send commercial e-mail that promotes a service or product. Sending mass advertising is permitted as long as the information is not false or misleading and doesnt involve any illegality.
The agencies with the jurisdiction to enforce the Can Spam Act are the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) and the DOJ (Department of Justice). These agencies can enforce criminal sanctions against those who violate this law. Federal and State...