On Fri, Nov 19, 2004 at 02:34:10PM -0000, Duncan Smith wrote:
> I'm particularly interested in the legality of auto generating (corporate)
> email addresses. You know the thing where I know your first name and
> surname, and therefore a machine can have an educated guess as to your email
> address if the company domain is known too.
>
> Duncan Smith works for iCompli, therefore his email address is probably
> [log in to unmask], or [log in to unmask] etc etc.
>
> At an emotional level, there are of course many reasons why this is not best
> practice email marketing; but that's not my concern (in this thread at
> least!).
>
> I'm interested in the legality (DPA/PECR obviously) and whether or not there
> is a particular breach that prevents this type of email appending. Breach
Whatever the DPA aspects you need to check out
http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2003/20032426.htm
of which para 22 states
(3) A person may send or instigate the sending of electronic mail for the
purposes of direct marketing where -
(a) that person has obtained the contact details of the recipient of
that electronic mail in the course of the sale or negotiations for the
sale of a product or service to that recipient;
and then imposes further conditions.
Its hard to see how guessed at contact details could be construed as
having been obtained in the above manner. You'd need to check this
out with a legal expert.
As another poster has pointed out there are other consequences of spamming
whatever the legalities.
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