What is Spam?

Spam is flooding the Internet with many copies of the same message, in an attempt to force the message on people who would not otherwise choose to receive it. Most spam is commercial advertising.

New Federal Anti-Spam Law: The CAN-SPAM Act

• Effective January 1, 2004
• Prohibits false or misleading headers
• Prohibits deceptive subject lines
• Requires commercial e-mails to contain a functioning, clearly and conspicuously displayed return e-mail address that allows the recipient to opt out of future e-mails from that sender;
• Prohibits sending commercial e-mail (following a grace period of 10 business days) to an individual who has asked not to receive future e-mail;
• Requires all commercial e-mail to include (i) clear and conspicuous identification that the message is an advertisement or solicitation (unless the recipient has provided prior affirmative consent to receive the e-mail); (ii) clear and conspicuous notice of the opportunity to opt out; and (iii) a valid physical postal address of the sender;
• Prohibits “aggravated violations” relating to commercial e-mails such as (i) address harvesting and dictionary attacks; (ii) the automated creation of multiple e-mail accounts; and (iii) the retransmission of commercial e-mail through unauthorized accounts; and
• Requires all commercial e-mail containing sexually-oriented material to include a warning label (unless the recipient has provided prior affirmative consent to receive the e-mail).

Miami-Dade County Public Schools reserves the right to prosecute all offenders under the CAN-SPAM Act.

Last updated (2/20/04).