Resumen
This article discusses the concerns associated with spam, and examines legislative and administrative initiatives intended to balance the interests of consumers and Internet service providers with those of direct marketers. Email marketing is an excellent, low cost way to reach consumers. For direct marketing, email is a unique medium, offering a low-cost means to target individuals. When used in a mutually agreeable manner it has the potential to lower transaction costs, making the exchange process more efficient. Spam accounts for an estimated 60% of all Internet email, according to January 2004 statistics compiled by Brightmail.com, a spam filtering software company. This growth has been cited as indicative of a change in consumer attitudes. "People are becoming accustomed to email from an e-commerce entity," claims Jim Williams, CEO and president of MarketHome, an opt-in email marketer. The Direct Marketing Association offers an Electronic Mail Preference Service where consumers register to be removed from lists. However, not all email marketers are scrupulous.