Anti-Spam Legislation: an opportunity for software development organizations

 

Canada’s new anti-spam legislation that comes into effect on July 1st will better protect Canadians while ensuring that businesses can continue to compete in the global marketplace.  The legislation covers all forms of electronic communication: email, messaging, texting, tweeting, Linked-In, What’s App or whatever else surfaces in the future. 

In order to comply with Canada's anti-spam legislation, three simple rules to remember when sending a commercial electronic message (CEM) are as follows:

   Consent: The sender must have expressed or implied consent to send a message.

   Identification: The sender must clearly and simply identify itself and anyone else on whose behalf the message is sent.

  Unsubscribe mechanism: Every message must provide a way for recipients to unsubscribe from receiving messages in the future.

Some may see this legislation as a threat to establishments that solicit business electronically.  I see it as a tremendous opportunity for software development organizations to develop tools and systems to ensure compliance with the law, and help these establishments leverage electronic communication technology for furthering their business interests.