CAN-SPAM is the US Federal Anti-Spam Law in effect since Jan 2004.  There are four new rules which went into effect on July 7, 2008, which may require changes to your email campaigns or the unsubscribe process at your website.

FTC New Rule Provisions:

1.  Email recipient cannot be required to log in to unsubscribe.

2.  All 'senders' of the email are responsible for compliance.  When we do affiliate marketing for clients [for example: advertise in emails sent out by Website Magazine], the sender in From Line is the primary sender and is responsible for complying with CAN SPAM; but, if they do not...then, all advertisers are liable.

3.  If you offer a reward for recipients to follow to a colleague or friend, then all CAN-SPAM rules apply to the forwarded email.  Therefore, the recommendation is "DON'T offer an incentive to subscribers to forward emails."  In addition, the content that is contained within the forwarded email must be able to controlled by the subscriber.  You have to let them see what the email is going to say and give them the option of editing the content.

To read the entire article and keep up with legislation that affects emails, click here:  http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/05/canspam.shtm 

Definition 6 helps clients with email campaigns by crafting email strategies, composing targeted messaging, creating email templates, incorporating dynamic content, deploying emails, reporting on the results, and continuous testing to optimize email campaigns.

Lynn Moss
Def 6 Client Manager