Comments:

Re: CAN-SPAM Act Rulemaking, Project No. R411008 To the Commissioners, I applaud your efforts to curb the problem of unsolicited bulk email. However, as a small internet business owner, I am alarmed with the proposal that would require me to maintain and share suppression or "exclude" lists for myself and merchants for whom I resell products and services. My specific concern is for harm to publishers who require permission from the consumer prior to adding them to any list. The costs associated with this idea would be detrimental to my own business where I build and maintain solicited or "opt-in" lists of consumers interested in the content of my electronic newsletters and website. But more crucial is the real damage that would be done to consumers whose privacy would be violated if I were forced by this Act to share suppression lists containing their information with other merchants. The potential for misuse of such lists is apparent and I would be in violation of my own policy agreement to protect the information my consumers provide to me. On top of that, suppression lists could easily fall into the hands of spammers, leading to more spam instead of less. It is my understanding that CAN-SPAM was designed to put those who send unsolicited commercial email out of business, not those who receive confirmed requests by consumers agreeing to receive email from my company about products and services that interest them. I urge the Commission to exempt businesses which operate lists using the principle of affirmative consent from any possible regulations requiring the use of suppression lists. Respectfully, Steve Ice Ohio, U.S.A.