Unwanted Commercial Electronic Mail

The Commission has adopted rules to protect consumers and businesses from unwanted electronic mail messages on wireless devices such as mobile phones. The Commission began this rulemaking process as directed by Congress in the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003 (CAN-SPAM Act).

Congress passed the CAN-SPAM Act to address the problem of unwanted commercial electronic mail messages. The CAN-SPAM Act requires the Federal Communications Commission to issue rules with regard to commercial e-mail and some text messages sent to wireless devices such as cell phones—not email in general. Specifically, section 14 of the CAN-SPAM Act requires the Commission to develop rules to protect consumers from “unwanted mobile service commercial messages.” 

Consumer Fact Sheet on FCC CAN-SPAM Rules

For more information on the CAN-SPAM requirements, see the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website, https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business.  For information on stopping spam in general, not just messages for wireless devices, see the FTC’s website www.ftc.gov/spam/.