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

2026 XBIZ Honors Salutes Resilience Across the Online Adult Industry

The 2026 XBIZ Honors packed house Wednesday night, turning the Kimpton Everly Hotel’s Nichols Ballroom into a gala celebration of industry excellence.

Elevated X Adds CCBill Integration for Payment Processing

Elevated X has added CCBill integration for payment processing to its ELXNexus traffic management and affiliate program software.

Florida Congressman Files Latest Bill to Repeal Section 230

Rep. Jimmy Patronis of Florida has become the latest member of Congress to propose legislation that would repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects interactive computer services — including adult platforms — from liability for user-generated content.

Irish Parliamentary Committee Weighs Stricter AV Laws

The Irish national parliament’s Joint Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport met Wednesday to discuss regulation of online platforms and improving online safety, including calls for stricter age verification by adult sites.

Ofcom Issues Guidance on Age Check Placement for Adult Sites

U.K. media regulator Ofcom on Wednesday published its recommendations for where and how adult sites should deploy age checks as required for compliance with the Online Safety Act.

Tubes Booster Launches Web Hosting Solutions

Content hosting platform Tubes Booster has launched two new hosting solutions.

YourPaysitePartner Rebrands as Paysite.com

YourPaysitePartner has officially been rebranded as Paysite.com.

SWR Data Announces 2026 'State of Creator' Winter Report

Adult industry market research outfit SWR Data has announced that it will release data from its annual State of the Creator survey at an XBIZ LA workshop, taking place at the Kimpton Everly Hotel.

Holly Randall Launches Marketing Firm, Signs Stripchat Deal

Holly Randall has launched her new marketing firm, Holly Randall Agency, and signed the agency’s first deal with Stripchat.

2026 XBIZ Conference Speaker Lineup Announced

XBIZ is pleased to announce the release of the full speaker lineup for XBIZ 2026, the latest edition of North America’s largest adult industry conference, set to take place Jan. 12-15 at the Kimpton Everly Hotel in Hollywood.

Show More