Comments:

Re: CAN-SPAM Act Rulemaking, Project No. R411008 To the Commissioners, I commend your efforts to curb the problem of unsolicited bulk email. However, the concern I have is about the proposed requirement for merchants to maintain suppression lists. The many problems and costs associated with this idea, and the damage done to consumers and businesses alike, causes me to urge you to consider this matter most carefully. Use of suppression lists will cause severe damage to many of the legitimate publications available on the net. Of specific concern is the harm that would be done to publishers who require permission from the consumer prior to adding them to any list. CAN-SPAM was not designed to put them out of business, but this requirement will very likely have that effect. There is the potential for significant harm to consumers, because of the problem of properly knowing their intent when they unsubscribe from a list. These suppression lists could also easily fall into the hands of spammers, leading to more spam instead of less. I was quite surprised at the potentially wide array of problems this ruling could involve, and urge you in the strongest possible terms to reconsider its implementation in light of the damage it will create, Respectfully, Ruth Robbins Texas USA