Comments:

Re: CAN-SPAM Act Rulemaking, Project No. R411008 To the Commissioners, I applaud your efforts to curb the problem of unsolicited bulk email. Unfortunately I don't believe that these regulations are going to solve the problem at all. Spammers will find ways around the regulations and remain hidden while legitimate small business are put out of business. The cost of compliance, in terms of time and money, is too high for many small businesses. I am particularly concerned about the proposed requirement for merchants to maintain suppression lists.There are so many problems and costs associated with this idea, and so much damage done to consumers and businesses alike, that I feel I must urge you toconsider this matter most carefully. Requirement of the use of suppression lists will seriously damage many of the legitimate publications available on the net. My specific concern is for harm to publishers who already require permission from the consumer prior to adding them to any list. They're not who CAN-SPAM was designed to put out of business, but this requirement will very 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. It will also have the effect of denying consumers access to information that they want, have requested and want delivered via email. On top of that, these suppression lists could easily fall into the hands of spammers, leading to more spam instead of less. I was quite surprised at the potential problems this ruling could involve, and urge you in the strongest possible terms to reconsider its implementation in light of these problems, The only requirements that should be required of anyone marketing via e-mail is that they identify themselves and provide clear and easy ways of unsubscribing. That's it. Anything else is going to harm everyone except the spammers who will continue to find ways around the regulations. Respectfully, Susan L. Fuller Wellesley, MA