Comments:

Re: CAN-SPAM Act Rulemaking, Project No. R411008 To the Commissioners, I highly commend your efforts to curb the problem of unsolicited bulk email: SPAM! However, I am concerned about the proposed requirement for merchants to maintain suppression lists. There are so many unforseen difficulties and unpredictable expenses associated with this idea, and so much damage that will be inflicted upon consumers and businesses alike, that I feel I must urge you to consider this matter most carefully. Requirement of the use of suppression lists will seriously damage many of the legitimate publications available on the net. My specific concern is for harm to publishers who would be mandated to require permission from consumers prior to adding them to any list. They are not the ones who CAN-SPAM was designed to put out of business, but this requirement will very likely have that effect. It would be kind of like destroying entire villages, including women and children, in order to vanquish the hideous, renegade outlaws who were secretly hiding there among the townsfolk. There's also the potential for significant harm to consumers, because of the problem of not exactly 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 widespread and possibly vindictive spam instead of less spam. I was quite sadly surprised at the potentially negative consequences this ruling could involve, and urge you in the strongest possible terms to reconsider its implementation in light of these problems and uncertainties.. Respectfully, George Hando PA USA