Comments:

Re: CAN-SPAM Act Rulemaking, Project No. R411008 To the Esteemed Commissioners, Thank you for your efforts to try to curb the problem of unsolicited bulk email. As a frequent user of Internet websites, I am all too well aware of the problem of SPAM. However, as an ethical Internet user, I am also concerned about the proposed requirement for merchants to maintain suppression lists. There are so many problems and costs associated with this idea, and so much damage done to consumers and businesses alike, that I feel I must urge you to consider this matter most seriously. Requirement of the use of suppression lists will seriously damage many of the legitimate publications available on the net. Is this what you wish to achieve? The harm to publishers who require permission from the consumer prior to adding them to any list is just one of my concerns. They're not who CAN-SPAM was designed to put out of business, but this requirement will very likely have that effect. There's also the potential for significant harm to consumers, because of the problem of properly knowing their intent when they unsubscribe from a list. On top of that, these suppression lists could easily fall into the hands of spammers, leading to more spam instead of less. I was very concerned about the potential problems this ruling could involve, and urge you in the strongest possible terms to reconsider its implementation in light of these problems. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS: One faulty decision on your part could bring about serious loss and damage to many legitimate businesses. And in light of the fact that a large proportion of U.S. business is Internet-based, and many businesses being solely Internet-based (a branch which is growing daily,) we might possibly be seeing a significant decrease in the entire economy due to this single act. Much foresight is required on your part. There must be a better way of combatting SPAM, without causing damage to businesses or their clients. I ask you to please make sure that the costs and damages produced by your decision do not outweigh the benefits. Thanking you most respectfully, Faris Abdelbasit Zagreb, Croatia