Consumers and businesses wishing to reduce the amount of unsolicited commercial e-mail received can sign up with the Direct Marketing Association's (The DMA) e-Mail Preference Service (e-MPS). A special Web site, www.e-mps.org, has been created where consumers and businesses can register their e-mail addresses. Direct marketing associations in eight other countries also have agreed to use this service.

As part of the "Privacy Promise to American Consumers," which went into effect on July 1, 1999, all DMA members that use unsolicited commercial e-mail will be required to use e-MPS. However, all marketers, not just DMA members, are encouraged to use the service before prospecting online for consumers. The service will delete the Internet addresses of those individuals who do not want to receive such solicitations, however, marketers do not have to remove the e-mail addresses of their own customers or of those individuals who have contacted them requesting information.

"e-MPS will not totally eliminate all unsolicited commercial e-mail, but can become an important part of the overall solution," said H. Robert Wientzen, president and CEO, The DMA. "The Internet will be an increasingly important means of conducting business, and e-MPS will help ensure that commercial e-mail remains a viable communications tool in the marketing process." Wientzen also noted that targeted, rather than bulk, unsolicited commercial e-mail can evolve as a responsible marketing medium, if it is relevant and from trusted organizations. There is no charge to consumers or businesses to register an address on e-MPS.

Direct marketing associations in eight other countries, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Finland, Great Britain, Ireland, The Netherlands, and New Zealand also have already agreed to participate in the program, and other countries are expected to join in its use. In addition to English, it is planned for e-MPS to be available in several languages, including Dutch, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese and French. "The Internet knows no national boundaries, which is why it makes sense for organizations in other countries to participate in this program and promote it to their constituencies," Wientzen said.

The DMA designed the service to meet the needs of the International Federation of Direct Marketing Associations (IFDMA) for a global e-mail opt out service without country borders. The organization's primary goal is to urge the adoption of meaningful self-regulatory industry practices globally.

The Direct Marketing Association (The DMA) is the largest trade association for businesses interested in interactive and database marketing, with nearly 4,600 member companies from the United States and 53 other nations. Founded in 1917, its members include direct marketers from every business segment as well as the non-profit and electronic marketing sectors. Included are catalogers, Internet retailers and service providers, financial services providers, book and magazine publishers, book and music clubs, retail stores, industrial manufacturers and a host of other vertical segments including the service industries that support them. The DMA acquired the Internet Alliance in 1999 and the Association for Interactive Media in 1998, thus creating the largest trade association for businesses on the Internet.

How to remove your name from mailing lists.
Most people enjoy receiving information in the mail about subjects that interest them or products and services they may need or want. Some consumers, however, would like to receive less advertising mail at home. Mail Preference Service (MPS) is designed to assist those consumers in decreasing the amount of national non-profit or commercial mail they receive at home.
http://www.the-dma.org/consumers/offmailinglist.html

How to get your name off telemarketing lists.
Many people enjoy receiving information about products or services in their homes over the telephone. However, some consumers would like to receive fewer telephone marketing calls at home. The Telephone Preference Service (TPS), a do-not-call service, is a free service to assist those consumers in decreasing the number of national commercial calls received at home.
http://www.the-dma.org/consumers/offtelephonelist.html

For more information you can visit the Direct Marketing Association, DMA's Web site.