Can Your Readers "Opt-Out"?
Have you noticed the statement found at the bottom of e-mails that you have received from the Great Rivers Region Staff?
If you feel you have received this e-mail in error, or if you wish to change your email options, please reply to this message with your request. You may also call the Region office at (217) 726-7366 with your request. Our website is www.abcgrr.org
The Federal Trade Commission has issued new rules concerning use of e-mail in its application of the CAN-SPAN laws passed in 2003.
As you read below, please note that not-for-profit organizations, including churches, are not exempt from these requirements.
Christopher Knight of E-Mail Universe.Com notes in his summary of these new rules that are to be put into effect by the end of this month (June 2008):
1. The ability to opt-out of a mailing must be accomplished by one single action - either replying to the email, or clicking through to a single web page. Only.
2. The first new rule relates to the definition of "person" for the purpose of whether CAN-SPAM applies. This applies to everybody... Meaning, anyone, including non-companies, can be liable for sending commercial email.
Two other rules are summarized by Knight's organization as:
3. The use of a post office box or private mailbox ("PMB") as the physical address in commercial mailings satisfies CAN-SPAM.
4. For any mailing which contains advertisements from 3rd party advertisers, either the party who the email is "from" must have an advertisement in the email (in which case they become responsible for processing opt-out requests) or all of the advertisers with advertisements in the mailing are responsible for opt-out requests. This is known as the "Designated Sender" rule.
For more information on these actions by the FTC as well as creative ways to best use e-mail as a tool of ministry, go to E-Mail Universe.Com as a resource.