Comments:

Re: CAN-SPAM Act Rulemaking, Project No. R411008To the Commissioners,I applaud your efforts to curb the problem ofunsolicited bulk email. However, I am concerned aboutthe proposed requirement for merchants to maintainsuppression lists.There are so many problems and costs associated withthis idea, and so much damage done to consumers andbusinesses alike, that I feel I must urge you toconsider this matter most carefully.Requirement of the use of suppression lists willseriously damage many of the legitimate publicationsavailable on the net. My specific concern is for harm topublishers who require permission from the consumerprior to adding them to any list.They're not who CAN-SPAM was designed to put out ofbusiness, but this requirement will very likely havethat effect.There's also the potential for significant harm toconsumers, because of the problem of properly knowingtheir intent when they unsubscribe from a list. On topof that, these suppression lists could easily fall intothe hands of spammers, leading to more spam instead ofless. Case in point; I maintain an email address that now and for the past four years is solely used to receive forms from 2 websites and as the administrator of one discussion board. Before 4 years ago I used this email address for general correspondence, but at that time I unsubscribed it from all the lists that I had subscribed to and subscribed my new address to those lists that I wanted to maintain contact with. Beginning early this year, I began receiving UCE to this address, I dutifully unsubscribed it from all lists where I'm sure it was stored as part of a supression list. To this date I have received in excess 0f 15,000 UCE solicitations to this address which is not in any public place! Thei tells me that the SPAMERS are getting hold of the supression lists as there is no other way that they could get this address.I was quite surprised at the potential problems thisruling could involve, and urge you in the strongestpossible terms to reconsider its implementation in lightof these problems,Respectfully,Bill ShephardArizona, US