Comments:

Hello: I'm writing Re: CAN-SPAM Act Rulemaking, Project No. R411008. I urge you to NOT impose draconian regulations on email communications. I am convinced that the market will be able to adequately handle the issues itself over time in a manner that will serve the vast majority of email users. While there will always be some who insist otherwise. most people who employ commercial email understand the need to respect others' privacy and wishes, and they can and currently do just that via single and/or double opt-in subscriptions or other evidence of interest. Subscribers may opt out at any time and the failure of a merchant to honor such a wish insures the recipient will never do business with that source. It therefore seems to me sufficient stimulus to keep things tidy already exists for the most part. Ours is still a new medium and growing pains are a certainty. But just like FFAs and offensive banners have receded into the fringes of online marketing (soon to disappear altogether I'd warrant), spam will encounter its own Waterloo, probably sooner rather than later. The market will find ways to combat it as is happening now with filters designed by users and for users as they wish. It is not a good idea to allow an ISP to decide what I get in my inbox. I should be the ultimate and only source for that decision. We've gone far enough down the road to big brother deciding what or what not to allow in email. Let's not go any further. The cure proposed and in many instances already implemented by zealous advocates of purity is worse than the problem. Idealism always sounds great but rarely works as intended. Please don't succumb to the temptation to try to solve every single individual's complaint or perceived sense of intrusion. No matter how well intentioned efforts may be, they will almost certainly be both insufficient and stifling. Those of us online for a living have the most to lose by not conducting our business in a user friendly manner. Failure to do so inures to our detriment and ultimate bottom line. Thank you.