Can-Spam Act Not Yet Effective, Study Asserts

DENVER – Only one in six pornographic unsolicited emails complied with a new Federal Trade Commission rule regarding the labeling of pornographic spam, according to network security firm MX Logic.

The Denver-based company said that the FTC rule, which went into effect May 19, has been flouted.

The law requires all unsolicited email with sexually oriented content to bear the label "SEXUALLY-EXPLICIT" in the subject line.

"Fighting spam is an enormous challenge – one that requires a multi-pronged solution,” MX Logic spokesman Scott Chasin told XBiz. “In addition to enforceable anti-spam laws, winning the war on spam will require the continued deployment of robust email defense technology.”

Chasin also said it would take meaningful industry cooperation and the empowerment of users to stop spam and other email threats.

MX Logic scanned a sampling of 12,000 pornographic messages during the first seven days the FTC began requiring the label and found that only 15.3 percent of the porn spam was properly labeled.

The Can-Spam Act (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing) requires that unsolicited commercial email senders ensure that the "from" line clearly reflects the sender's identity; that it includes a subject line text consistent with message content; that it includes the advertiser's valid postal address; and that it contains a working opt-out mechanism as a way for the consumer to decline to receive further commercial email from the sender.

Later this month, the FTC is expected to issue a report on the advisability of creating a "Do Not Email" registry, much like the existing "Do Not Call" registry for telemarketing.

Copyright © 2026 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

FSC Talks Age Verification on Capitol Hill

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a blog post detailing the organization's talks on age verification on Capitol Hill in Washington.

FTC Warns PayPal, Stripe, Visa, Mastercard Against Debanking

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson sent letters on Thursday to the CEOs of PayPal, Stripe, Visa and Mastercard, warning them against debanking practices — including denying access to services due to a customer’s lawful business activities.

AEBN Publishes Report on Ejaculate Trends

AEBN has published a report on ejaculate categories from its straight and gay theaters.

Chaturbate to Hold 'CB15' Creator Retreat in Arizona

Chaturbate will hold its CB15 creator retreat in Scottsdale from April 20-23.

EU Cites 4 Adult Sites for AV Breaches

The European Commission has preliminarily found PornHub, Stripchat, XNXX and XVideos to be in breach of Digital Services Act provisions intended to shield minors from adult content.

ProDx Health Joins SextPanther as New Testing Partner

ProDx Health has joined SextPanther as its new testing partner.

Kazumi Guests on Chaturbate's 'Sex Tales' Podcast

Kazumi is the latest guest on Chaturbate’s “Sex Tales” podcast, hosted by Melissa Stratton and Vanniall, and streaming on the company’s “Camming Life” YouTube channel.

WIFEY Publishes 'Hotwife Paradox' Report

Vixen Media Group studio imprint WIFEY has published a report on the hotwife lifestyle.

Pineapple Support Partners with Better Life Science's 'STD Hero'

Pineapple Support has partnered with Better Life Science brand STD Hero.

Brazil Sets Enforcement Timeline for New AV Rules

Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) on Friday published a timeline outlining planned steps for monitoring and enforcing age verification under the country’s Digital Statute for Children and Adolescents (Digital ECA), which took effect Tuesday.

Show More