ABA Provides Feedback on CAN-SPAM Rule

In a comment letter to the Federal Trade Commission today, the American Bankers Association urged the FTC not to impose any additional barriers on the ability of banks to use email to communicate with their customers. ABA submitted comments as part of the FTC’s decennial review of the CAN-SPAM rule, which restricts the sending of commercial emails by banks and other businesses.

ABA pointed out that many banks use email for educational purposes, as well as to inform or invite customers to events at the bank. Noting that many banks are uncertain whether educational emails and invitations fall under the CAN-SPAM rule, ABA asked FTC to clarify that these communications should not be considered commercial in nature — and should therefore fall outside the scope of the CAN-SPAM rule — because they provide benefits to the bank’s existing customers. For more information, contact ABA’s Jonathan Thessin.