| The introduction of email marketing has opened up a | | | | CAN-SPAM carries with it an $11,000 fine for every |
| whole new door for marketers, but with the | | | | violation of spamming every single recipient. The |
| convenience comes extra responsibility and | | | | gravity of this punishment has led to the creation of |
| regulations. Some companies abuse the privileges of | | | | software that helps companies remain within the |
| information and access of the internet and | | | | confines of the law. Permission is the key to avoiding |
| indiscriminately send mass emails to individuals who | | | | any of these emailing regulations, and email marketing |
| have not consented. This spam is a serious headache | | | | software has features such as offering the option to |
| and system administrators work vigorously to deal | | | | unsubscribe in just one click. This software also |
| with and discourage it. The existence of spam makes | | | | prohibits the importing of lists of customers who |
| the lives of legitimate marketers more difficult | | | | have not given permission; any illegally purchased list |
| because consumers often have a hard time | | | | of email addresses is not allowed to be used. |
| distinguishing between junk emails and legitimate | | | | To protect themselves against being mistaken for |
| ones. Once someone sees a company's email in their | | | | spammers, many companies that use email marketing |
| inbox they might delete it without a second thought | | | | have created a double opt-in way for customers to |
| or glance. | | | | subscribe to receive information. This method |
| Many people have spam filters incorporated in their | | | | requires that a person select a particular link and |
| email in order to protect them from these illegitimate | | | | enter a specific code in order to confirm that the |
| messages. This is also a problem for legitimate email | | | | individual requesting the information is the actual |
| marketers because their emails are often mistaken | | | | owner of the email address. The agreement acts as |
| for spam and are filtered out, never reaching their | | | | a kind of virtual handshake between the marketer |
| customer. Along with trying to ensure that their | | | | and the recipient, verifying that the customer does |
| emails are not mistaken for spam, email marketers | | | | indeed want the information. This manual confirmation |
| must also make sure that their email marketing does | | | | is the best way for companies to avoid being |
| not violate any of the laws that surround the topic. | | | | charged with spamming. |
| The United States created the "Controlling the | | | | With the combined effort of special software and |
| Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing | | | | thorough confirmation methods, companies can utilize |
| Act" in 2003, more easily remembered by the clever | | | | the benefits of email marketing. While spam still |
| acronym CAN-SPAM. There is also the European | | | | plagues the internet, these special measures and |
| Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations | | | | heavy penalties have alleviated a lot of the abuse. |
| and the Internet service provider's acceptable use | | | | With the decline in spam perhaps legitimate email |
| policy. email marketers must comply with all of the | | | | marketers can operate with a little more ease for |
| stipulations outlined in all of these policies since email | | | | the benefit of all. |
| marketing is an international phenomenon. | | | | |