OMG How Do The New Anti-Spam Laws {CASL}Canada Affect My Biz?
This is the technical bits of the new CASL laws.. Right below that we have the basic info on the 
Anti-Spam portion in #1 which is the important piece for the Canadian small business owner.
Be aware this has been percolating since December 2010. Sadly, Canada is #4 in the world for spam creation and yet we are one of the last countries to put legislation into effect.
US has one as does the UK and Australia has had theirs since 2003.
The following list 1 to 6 excerpt from Davis LLP Anti Spam info
Canada’s New Anti-Spam Laws
Prohibit the following:
1 spamming – the sending of unsolicited commercial electronic messages (“CEMs”) whether in the form of e-mail, text messages, social media or other means of telecommunication (section 6);
2 hacking – the unauthorized altering of transmission data (section 7);
3 malware – the installation of computer programs without consent that result in phishing4, pharming5 and/or spyware6 (section 8);
4 fraud – the making of deceptive representations online, including representations on websites and in CEM addresses (section 75);
5 harvesting – the use of computer systems to collect electronic addresses without consent (section 82(2)); and
6 privacy invasions – the unauthorized access to a computer system to collect personal information without consent (section 82(3)).
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The anti-spam portion #1, in plain terms:
Do not send a commercial electronic Message [ CEMs ] without:
- The recipient’s consent (express or implied)*
- The inclusion of an unsubscribe mechanism*
*Unless a specific exception applies
The fines for a single instance of contravention can be yup to 1Mil and $10 mil for Corporations. Note that directors and can be held personally responsible.
Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation
From CRTC website
The CRTC is committed to reducing the harmful effects of spam and related threats to electronic commerce and is working towards a safer and more secure online marketplace.
Canada’s new anti-spam legislation will better protect Canadians while ensuring that businesses can continue to compete in the global marketplace.
There are 3 simple rules to follow when sending CEMs:
- Consent You must have expressed or implied consent to send a message.
- Identification You must clearly and simply identify yourselves and anyone else on whose behalf the message is sent. (Company name and full name for additional senders)
- Unsubscribe In every message you send, you must provide a way for recipients to unsubscribe from receiving messages in the future.
We will be posting updated info as we find out more.. Would like your networking group to hear about it at your next meeting?
Email me to book the Anti-Spam Laws Canada Talk