Comments:

Re: Project No. R411008, CAN-SPAM Act Rulemaking To All Commissioners, I appreciate your efforts to curb the problem of unsolicited bulk email aka SPAM. However, I am very worried about the proposed requirement for merchants to maintain suppression lists. I see nothing but more problems and higher costs for all legal online business as a result of this idea; Not to mention the damage done to consumers and businesses alike, that I felt the need to let you know how I felt. I ask you to carefully consider this matter and it's consequences. The requirement for suppression lists will seriously damage many of the legitimate publications available on the Internet. Naturally, my biggest concern is the harm done to publishers who already require permission from the consumer before adding them to any email list. As for consumers, I don't believe they will understand the full ramifications of removing themselves from a subscription list. First thing you know (according to your ruling), the consumer will find their name on a suppression list when he/she wants to subscribe to another publication - BUT are totaly confused when a publisher says "Sorry you cannot join my subscription list because your name is on the suppression list"! Let us all leave CAN-SPAM to do it's job. More enforcement is what we need; not rulings that potentially could harm legal businesses. I don't believe CAN-SPAM was designed with this intent - to put publishers of newsletters out of business, but the use of suppression list will most likely do just that very thing! My BIGGEST fear is these suppression lists could easily fall into the hands of spammers, leading to a dramatic increase in SPAM instead of the original intent - less SPAM? I was totally shocked upon learning of the impact this practice would create. I respectfully ask you to reconsider this option due to the increased problems it will make for legitimate publishers and consumers, alike. Please harass the spammers - is that not the intent of CAN-SPAM Act to begin with? Sincerely, George Culp Wildwood, MO