Comments:

I would like to comment on the proposed implementation of a Do Not Email (DNE) registry. I implore you not to enact such a list. While on the surface, it seems like a solution to consumers, it will hurt, rather than help, legitimate email marketers. First, this list be difficult to enforce on a case-by-case basis. Those who make their livilihood by spamming will not adhere to the list as tracking these entities down is much more difficult in the online world than it is for violators of the DNC list. Therefore, the costs of enforcement would be prohibitive and within a national budget that is already stretched too thin, I think prioritied should lie elsewhere. Second, once hacked by an outside party or misused by a subscriber to the list, the list will become worthless as those individuals contained in the data will be subject to even more spam than ever, now being known as a legitimate email address. Third, there are technology solutions currently being developed by Microsoft, Yahoo and other major players in the industry that would make a DNE list unnecessary by focusing more on delivery issues rather than on an email by email basis. Fourth and finally, creating this list would prohibit valid email communications from being delivered. Transactional emails, password helpemails, customer service messages and the like would not be permitted under the current proposal. This would certainly be a huge step back for all companies that have invested in cost-svaing Internet channels. In short, the Internet needs to be a two-way street...just as consumers have embraced the opportunity to more readily communicate with the companies they do business with via the Internet, those same companies need access to freely communicate with those individuals in return. A DNE registry would be a detriment to online business and would truly cause consumers to lose even more control of their inboxes. Regards, John Rospenda Manager of Direct Marketing Homestore.com