The Economics of Spam and the Context and Aftermath of the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003

Overview

This paper reviews the background and the aftermath of the CAN-SPAM Act. The Act banned a variety of deceptive practices, but it also pre-empted the passage of stricter state laws that would have outlawed spam altogether. The nature of spam has changed since the passage of the Act. The most benign of the spammers have been reined in while those operating outside the law have grown ever more dangerous and malevolent.