Many businesses use email marketing campaigns to connect with customers or potential customers. But random emails and text messages can get you into trouble, if you don’t know the rules in various markets.
On July 1, 2014, Canada enacted anti-spam legislation (CASL) designed to protect Canadians’ electronic transmissions while ensuring Canadian businesses could remain competitive in the global marketplace.
In short, CASL prohibits the:
- Sending of commercial electronic messages without the recipient’s consent (permission), including messages to email addresses, social networking accounts, and text messages to cellular phones,
- Alteration of transmission data in an electronic message which results in the message being delivered to a different destination without express consent,
- Installation of computer programs without the express consent of the owner of the computer system or its agent, such as an authorized employee,
- Use of false or misleading representations online in the promotion of products or services,
- Collection of personal information through accessing a computer system in violation of federal law (e.g. the Criminal Code of Canada), and
- Collection of electronic addresses via computer programs or use of such addresses without permission (address harvesting).
You can find more information about CASL on the Government of Canada’s website, including details on how to ensure your marketing campaigns are CASL compliant.