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Brent Strange's thoughts on Software Quality Assurance and technology

 
Friday, January 06, 2006
 
 

Spammer death penalty

 
 

A spammer from Florida has been slapped with an 11 BILLION dollar fine for sending out 280 million spam e-mails. The number equates to $10 an e-mail the economic equivalent of the death penalty:

However, Kramer said he intends to take the spammers for every penny they have. "I will seek the economic equivalent of the death penalty,"

I’m the webmaster for ReedvilleBaseball.com and I just sent out 400 emails for Spring baseball registrations. A couple of people replied to me asking me why they were on the list and to take them off (The list came from last years registrations). What if one of those people decided to sue Reedville Baseball? That equates to $4000… That doesn’t work very well for our non-profit organization.

This should make us all think twice about our email lists. What is the legal definition of spam? How do I help our company avoid a lawsuit?

 
   
   
   
Friday, January 06, 2006 11:52:25 PM (US Mountain Standard Time, UTC-07:00)
>> What is the legal definition of spam?

I think spam is a nickname. The common legal term is UCE, or Unsolicited Commercial Email. the U and C words are oprative in the definition. :)

>> How do I help our company avoid a lawsuit?

Don't send email. Heh. Actually, set it up as opt-in. Provide a box at the beginning of each season to check on the signup form to supply an email address and to opt to receive email updates. Provide a "reply to this email address and ask to be removed" as a removal option, or is you use mailing list software, provide a link to allow them to unsub themselves.

There will always be some complainers - get used to that. :)

gh
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