HELO RCPT TO QUIT MAIL FROM DATA - Federal Trade Commission

Table of Contents
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i
I. Introduction and Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
II. Subject Line Labeling Laws in the States and in Other Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
A. State Subject Line Labeling Laws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1. Objectives of State Subject Line Labeling Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2. Enforcement of State Subject Line Labeling Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3. Effectiveness of State Subject Line Labeling Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
B. Subject Line Labeling Laws in Other Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
III. The Commission Recommends Against Mandatory Subject Line Labeling . . . . . . . . . . 9
A. Mandatory Subject Line Labeling Is Likely Not an Effective Tool For ISPs
To Block and Filter Spam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1. Mandatory subject line labeling will not enhance ISPs’ current techniques
for combating spam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2. Mandatory subject line labeling is an ineffective tool for ISPs because
spammers will not comply with a labeling requirement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
B. Practical and Technological Concerns with Subject Line Labeling Requirements . . . . 15
C. Mandatory Subject Line Labeling Would Not Strengthen Anti-Spam
Law Enforcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
IV. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Appendix 1: List of Interviews
Appendix 2: Part III of the Commission’s National Do Not Email Registry Report
Concurring Statement of Commissioner Pamela Jones Harbour
Dissenting Statement of Commissioner Jon Leibowitz