Objective: To reduce the volume of unwanted and junk email (spam) received by individuals and businesses, protect user privacy, and create a simple mechanism for email users to opt out of unsolicited commercial communications.
Key Features of the National Do Not Email Registry:
- Centralized Opt-Out System:
- A government-managed website, DoNotEmail.gov, will allow individuals and businesses to register their email addresses to opt out of unsolicited commercial emails.
- Registration will be free, simple, and secure. Users will verify ownership of their email addresses before adding them to the registry.
- Obligations for Email Senders:
- Any entity sending commercial emails must regularly cross-check their mailing lists against the registry and exclude registered addresses.
- Violators will face penalties for sending unsolicited emails to registered addresses.
- Exceptions:
- Non-commercial communications, such as personal emails, emails from charities (with consent), or transactional messages (receipts, account updates), are exempt from the registry requirements.
- Users can still give explicit consent to receive emails from specific organizations, overriding their registration.
- Enforcement and Penalties:
- The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will oversee enforcement of the Do Not Email Registry.
- Penalties for violations will range from fines to potential suspension of a violator’s email domain for repeated offenses.
- Fines:
- First offense: $500 per unsolicited email.
- Second offense: $1,000 per unsolicited email.
- Subsequent offenses: $5,000 per unsolicited email, along with mandatory review and possible suspension of the sender’s email domain.
- Reporting Violations:
- Users can report violations directly on the DoNotEmail.gov website by providing the email header and details of the unsolicited message.
- The FTC will investigate and take action against violators.
- Protection Against Abuse:
- Advanced encryption and security protocols will protect the registry database to prevent misuse or hacking.
- Organizations will only access the registry through a secure API for verification purposes and will not see the full list of registered addresses.
Implementation Plan:
- Development Phase:
- Build the DoNotEmail.gov website and secure database.
- Create API tools for businesses to verify email addresses against the registry.
- Legislation:
- Pass a federal law mandating compliance with the registry for all commercial email senders within the U.S. and international senders targeting U.S. residents.
- Public Awareness Campaign:
- Launch a campaign to inform individuals and businesses about the registry and how to use it.
- Highlight the penalties for non-compliance to ensure widespread adherence.
- Enforcement Phase:
- Begin active monitoring and enforcement of the policy, with violators facing strict penalties.
Benefits:
- Reduces the burden of spam and junk email on individuals and businesses.
- Enhances user privacy and control over their email inbox.
- Holds commercial email senders accountable for respecting user preferences.
- Improves email deliverability for legitimate businesses by reducing the clutter caused by unwanted messages.
This policy proposal addresses a widespread annoyance and privacy concern affecting millions of Americans. By creating the DoNotEmail.gov registry, we can empower individuals to control their digital communication, reduce the volume of unwanted emails, and foster a more respectful online environment. Let’s work together to make inboxes more manageable for everyone.