The moniker "spam" for unsolicited and often indiscriminate electronic communications to multiple mailing lists, individuals, or newsgroups derives from a famous sketch in the British television comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus. However, these days spam is no joke. It is a scourge on modern communications. Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation1 (CASL) will be coming into force in three stages over the next four years: - on July 1, 2014, the majority of CASL including provisions relating to commercial electronic messages (CEMs), will come into force;
- on January 15, 2015, provisions relating to the unsolicited installation of computer programs and cookies will come into force; and
- on January 1, 2017, provisions relating to private rights of action under CASL will come into force
What does this mean for you? - Businesses and other organizations (including Crown Corporations when engaged in commercial activity), as well as individuals will need to comply with CASL when sending commercial electronic messages.
- There are steps that you may be able to take now to help ensure your compliance after CASL comes into force; that you cannot take after CASL comes into effect.
To What Does CASL apply? - What is a Commercial Electronic Message (CEM)? CASL regulates the sending of CEMs. A CEM is a message sent by email, text, or via social network with its purpose or one of its purposes being to encourage participation in a commercial activity. This purpose can be gleaned from the content of the message, information on a website that is linked to in the message, or contact information provided in the message. |