Comments:

Re: CAN-SPAM Act Rulemaking, Project No. R411008 To the Commissioners, I am so glad that you all have come up with measures to curb the problem of unsolicited bulk email. However, I have reservations about the proposed requirement for merchants to maintain suppression lists. Due to the damage that could be done to legitimate businesses and consumers alike with so many costs and problems contained in this idea; I really think that you should reconsider implementing this measure in its current form. Insisting on the use of suppression lists will seriously damage many of the legitimate publications available on the net. My specific concern is for the damage to publishers who require permission from the consumer prior to adding them to any list. Those people are not who CAN-SPAM was designed to put out of business, but this requirement, as it is worded now, will most likely have that effect. There's also the potential for significant harm to consumers, because of the problem of properly knowing their intent when they unsubscribe from a list. On top of that, these suppression lists could easily fall into the hands of spammers, leading to more spam instead of less. I was surprised and disturbed by the potential problems this ruling could involve, and urge you as strongly as I possibly can to reconsider its implementation in light of these problems. I myself am preparing to launch a web site that will sell patriotic bumper stickers and related items that will let people show their support for our National Motto and The Pledge of Allegiance. The stickers would read “In God We Trust” and “One Nation under God” The sticker would depict the American Flag being cradled by “God’s hands” as a symbol of how He watches and protects our country. I was going to have an affiliate program on the web site that Would allow ‘stay-at-home-mom’s, elderly shut-ins and retirees on fixed incomes to make an extra income to help pay their bills, buy food, save money to send their kids to college, etc. I was going to do this by ‘word of mouth’ advertising to help spread the news of my products across the country. No ‘bulk mailing’ or SPAM was going to be used. The top 10% of what I make was to go to several charitable groups including - Make a Wish Foundation, Paralyzed American Veterans, The Salvation Army, Ronald McDonald House, Second Harvest, just to name a few. I can’t believe that your intention is to crush such legitimate business operations as mine. Please put an Act into law that will be a genuine help to reducing SPAM, but not an Act that will shut down legitimate business that people make their living from. Respectfully, William T. Wright II Orlando, FL