New Canadian anti-spam law concerns small business operators

B00Mer

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New Canadian anti-spam law concerns small business operators



Canada's tough new anti-spam legislation kicks in on July 1, meaning businesses that send out unwanted emails and even social media messages could face some massive fines.

The new law prevents businesses from sending commercial electronic messages — emails, texts or even social media messages — to Canadians without their consent.

It's among the toughest of such laws in the world, with penalties up to $1 million for an individual violator and up to $10 million for a company that violates the legislation.

As a result many businesses and organizations have been sending out emails to those on their mailing lists asking customers and subscribers to give their consent to receive future emails after July 1.

However, some small businesses are upset, saying the new law could still impact their bottom line.

Rachel Wainwright, the owner of Exhale Yoga Studio in Vancouver, says the anti-spam laws are going to make it difficult to advertise for free online and through email.

"We're getting more and more into social media. We find we can connect with like-minded customers there," says Wainwright. "We would rather be spending our time with our customers than trying to figure out how to do this properly so we don't get fined ridiculous fees."

Intellectual property lawyer Ann Carlsen says asking customers to give their consent to receive emails from businesses in the future won't stop scammers operating outside of Canada.

"The Nigerian scams, the lottery you've won from Europe — I don't really understand how it's going to stop," says Carlsen.

source: New anti-spam law concerns small business operators - British Columbia - CBC News

LOL there's a stupid law that impacts Canadians, and does nothing really to keep care of the problem. Most emails are masked, or come from foreign countries, where Canadian law has no jurisdiction.

Home - Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation

Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation
 

WLDB

Senate Member
Jun 24, 2011
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Doesn't bother me at all. If it cuts down on the amount of spam I get thats good enough for me. As for these smaller businesses? Not my problem. Adding political parties to the list would be nice.
 

B00Mer

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Doesn't bother me at all. If it cuts down on the amount of spam I get thats good enough for me. As for these smaller businesses? Not my problem. Adding political parties to the list would be nice.

Spam will not be stopped from other countries. Just the same situation as the famous do not call list. Calls never stopped coming!! Just shifted off shore.

Spam filters are there to be used. Opt out buttons are there for the same purpose to be used.

Money would be better spent on how to use the tools that are already in place.

This law draconian and it will cripple small businesses.
 
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damngrumpy

Executive Branch Member
Mar 16, 2005
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kelowna bc
Politics is not handled by commercial out let laws such as consumer laws
These messages come under the elections act
As fo off shore ads well hard to stop them true but ignoring them they wll
not get the message anyway
 

WLDB

Senate Member
Jun 24, 2011
6,182
0
36
Ottawa
Spam will not be stopped from other countries. Just the same situation as the famous do not call list. Calls never stopped coming!! Just shifted off shore.

Spam filters are there to be used. Opt out buttons are there for the same purpose to be used.

This law draconian and it will cripple small businesses.

I use my spam filters and barely get anything. The stuff I do get and look at tends to come from here. If it can cut down on that, good.

Thankfully i never get calls from telemarketers or survey people. One of the advantages of not having a landline.

If small businesses suffer it will be because they didn't bother to read the law and adapt.
 

Praxius

Mass'Debater
Dec 18, 2007
10,677
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Halifax, NS & Melbourne, VIC
Doesn't bother me at all. If it cuts down on the amount of spam I get thats good enough for me. As for these smaller businesses? Not my problem. Adding political parties to the list would be nice.

Agreed.... if small businesses can't make ends meet without spamming people in their emails, then they can do it the old fashion way by going door to door and handing out business cards or drop flyers in mailboxes.

It'll be cheaper than a million dollar fine.

If you can make the effort to come out to where my business is or my home to inform me of your services, then that's a step up from some faceless fat slob behind a computer screen clicking a button to spam me with impersonal junk & sure as hell won't get my money or request for their services.

Rent a banner on some popular web sites, put your business in the listing of some web sites that specialize in advertising your business.... sign up to the Yellow Pages online, get a Facebook account and ask your customers to join it.... pay for a radio ad.
 

Sal

Hall of Fame Member
Sep 29, 2007
17,135
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Agreed.... if small businesses can't make ends meet without spamming people in their emails, then they can do it the old fashion way by going door to door and handing out business cards or drop flyers in mailboxes.

It'll be cheaper than a million dollar fine.

If you can make the effort to come out to where my business is or my home to inform me of your services, then that's a step up from some faceless fat slob behind a computer screen clicking a button to spam me with impersonal junk & sure as hell won't get my money or request for their services.

Rent a banner on some popular web sites, put your business in the listing of some web sites that specialize in advertising your business.... sign up to the Yellow Pages online, get a Facebook account and ask your customers to join it.... pay for a radio ad.
I agree. In my building we have an agreement with the postie...if there is a red sticker on our mail box = no junk mail thus he hardly has to distribute any in our building...saves time and aggravation for all
 

B00Mer

Make Canada Great Again
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Rent a banner on some popular web sites, put your business in the listing of some web sites that specialize in advertising your business.... sign up to the Yellow Pages online, get a Facebook account and ask your customers to join it.... pay for a radio ad.

I agree, don't be such a cheap business owner, advertise on local directories...

example: www.EdmontonBiz.com Little Self-Promotion ;) (website will be back up tonight)
 

QuebecCanadian

Electoral Member
Apr 13, 2014
502
0
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My anti-spam programs work very well. Everything in a separate folder that I check occasionally to see if something was labeled spam by mistake. A little press of "empty folder" and it's gone. No sweat.

The only e-mails I'm getting asking for permission are for companies I already subscribed to.

This will change nothing.
 

Sal

Hall of Fame Member
Sep 29, 2007
17,135
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My Spam solution is to use the very first email account I ever opened as the one I give out for companies who ask or people who ask.

Then I have a serious account for bills, job searches etc.

Then I have an internet account for forums such as this one.

It works well.

I am shocked to say, I seldom check my email accounts. My work account and my business/serious account are attached to my phone. I see the important emails there immediately.

The rest pretty much just piles up.

If you can't text me, it likely isn't something I need to see.
 

SLM

The Velvet Hammer
Mar 5, 2011
29,151
5
36
London, Ontario
I just clear my email from my phone throughout the day, saving the ones that I want to keep.

I used to do that whole separate email account but now I just use my main one. Majority of the "spam" is from sites that I've registered with anyway, coupon offers, store sales, etc, and I can tell at a quick glance whether it holds any interest for me. If it doesn't I delete it from my phone, then the important stuff, bills, correspondence, etc gets saved on my computer at home at the end of the day.