Comments:

Dear Sirs/Mesdames Fewer email lists, not more. It is my understanding that the FTC is considering a policy which would require the development and maintenance of "Suppression Lists." It is my understanding that with Suppression Lists, when an individual opts out of receiving email about a particular business once, he/she will be opted out of receiving email about that business completely. I believe the Commission should concentrate on decreasing the number of email lists on the Internet rather than increasing it, as would be the case with suppression lists. Two years ago, after I saw the mail to my inbox increasing at an alarming rate, I made the wise decision to start using email aliases when handing out my address. I use a new and unique alias each time I join a program or request information. Thus, I could tract the origins of incoming mail and was able to determine conclusively, that my name and addresses were being added to lists and that those lists were being sold and/or traded on the Internet. This, despite the pledges being made in the "Privacy Policies" of the people to whom I gave my addresses. I have a few aliases that are currently being spammed mercilessly AND hit with several virus attachments each day. I do not have the time, resources, nor the inclination to pursue those who are distributing my name and addresses on the Internet, so I merely route unwanted mail to my deleted folder. Late last year, my wife used a specific alias to request information on one occasion only. She now receives numerous emails each week, addressed to that alias, all from individuals other than the one to whom she originally gave it. In other words, her name and that alias has been added to a list which has been sold dozens of times. Unfortunately, many Internet users are unable to generate new aliases on demand and cannot see how they end up on mailing lists. So, would it not make more sense to ban the exchange of mailing lists, instead of making more lists, such as the Supppression Lists being proposed? Suppressions Lists - a spammers dream come true. Imagine all those functioning and confirmed email addresses in one place and so readily accessible. I'm sure the real spammers are already salivating like crazy. They love just about any kind of email list. Suppression lists will be like a free candy store to real spammers, but will be certain and almost instant death to a great many legitimate online businesses. I, like most legitimate online business people, have built my own email list. Subscribers on my list have specifically opted into my list by their own choice and they can be removed from my list quickly, easily and automatically by using the unsubscribe link supplied with each and every email. Spammers, on the other hand, usually obtain their lists through unethical and often illegal methods, including outright theft. Spammers do not use genuine return addresses and most often cannot be traced, so they don't concern themselves with proper etiquette, such as identifying themselves and providing unsubscribe links. Suppression lists will force a majority of legitimate businesses to close and millions of people earning a supplimental income on the Internet will have that revenue taken away from them. Please do not implement regulations which would require suppression lists. Respectfully, Matthew Barbour *REDACTED PERSONAL INFORMATION*