A National 'Do Not Email' List: Solution to POS Marketing Spam or Scammer Honeypot?

The digital age has brought convenience but also a deluge of unwanted communication, particularly marketing emails following nearly every transaction. One Hacker News user voiced a common frustration: the proliferation of follow-up marketing emails from a myriad of sources like restaurants, bars, parking apps, and ticketing systems, especially when cashless transactions make providing an email almost unavoidable. A single evening out can reportedly lead to 6-12 new marketing emails the next day, with unclear opt-out mechanisms during the point of sale.

The user, feeling that current regulations like the CAN-SPAM act are not effectively enforced or addressing the "network effects" of this widespread practice, posed a question to the community: How could a national "do not email" list be implemented to allow users to opt out of automatic marketing enrollment during these transactions?

The Double-Edged Sword of a Public List

A prominent counter-argument quickly emerged, drawing parallels to the existing national "do not call" list. A commenter pointed out that such a centralized list of emails could, paradoxically, become a valuable resource for malicious actors:

• Target for Scammers: Just as the "do not call" list is often ignored by illegitimate callers, a "do not email" list could be harvested by phishers and spammers who have no intention of respecting the opt-outs. These entities operate outside the law and would see such a list as a curated collection of active email addresses.

Alternative Paths to Email Sanity

While the idea of a single opt-out list is appealing, the discussion also touched on other potential solutions to combat the unwanted email flood:

• Stronger Regulation and Enforcement: One suggestion was to push for more robust federal laws or regulatory rules, potentially enforced by an agency like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This approach would focus on holding businesses accountable for unsolicited marketing communications.
• Enhanced Spam Filtering: Another avenue is to rely on and advocate for more aggressive and intelligent spam filtering technologies. This places the solution more on the technical side, empowering email providers and users to better manage their inboxes.

The conversation underscores a desire for greater control over personal data and communication. While a national "do not email" list presents an intuitive solution, its potential for misuse necessitates careful consideration of alternative or complementary strategies, including stricter legal frameworks and advanced technological defenses.