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The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) is applying the “Guidelines for Sending Special E-mail, etc.” (hereinafter, “Guidelines”), which it decided on in November 2008 with the goal of suitably adjusting the transmission of special e-mail, etc.
The “Working Group for Study of How to Deal with Unsolicited E-mail” has been established in the “Study group on examining issues around ICT services from the user perspective” since September 2010, and a “Proposal concerning How to Deal with Unsolicited E-mail” was compiled in July 2011.
An appeal for opinions on the plan for reform of the Guidelines based on this Proposal was held from July 22 to August 22, 2011, and four opinions were received. These opinions are officially announced herein along with the views of the MIC and the revision of the Guidelines that have been made by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) and Consumer Affairs Agency.
1. Results from appeal for opinions
Please note that the submitted opinions will be published in the “Reports and documents” area of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) website (http://www.soumu.go.jp) and in the “Public comment” section of e-Gov (http://www.e-gov.go.jp), the electronic coordinated government contact website.
2. Published documents
Attachment 1: Views on Opinions Received in Appeal for Opinions on “Plan for Reform of Guidelines for Sending Special E-mail, etc.”
Attachment 2: Guidelines for Sending Special E-mail, etc.
Attachment 3: New-Old Comparison Table of Reforms in Guidelines for Sending Special E-mail, etc.
3. Main guideline reforms
The main points of reform in these Guidelines are as follows.
(1) Addition of examples of inappropriate acquisition of consent
Specification of inappropriate acquisition of consent, etc., such as cases when acquiring consent where it may be written that “advertising/publicity e-mails will be sent from related websites” yet the term “related sites” does not enable the other party's notification of consent to be specified.
(2) Addition of desirable methods for prevention of erroneous consent
Specification of desirability of display of end-user's advertising/publicity e-mail transmission consent status on final confirmation screen in order to prevent erroneous consent due to end-user's failure to notice written instructions concerning advertising/publicity e-mail transmission.
(3) Addition of recommendation for double opt-in when changing e-mail addresses, etc.
Specification of recommendation for double opt-in when changing e-mail addresses, etc., from perspective of preventing consent given by means of identity fraud.
(4) Addition of points to remember when adopting on by default
Specification of desirability of warning notice in location easily recognizable by end-users when on by default is adopted and checkboxes are established in places that end-users do not normally browse.
(5) Addition of examples of easy and convenient opt-outs
Specification of schemes as examples of easy and convenient opt-out methods, i.e. by enabling easy and convenient opt-outs with opt-out screens displayed after clicking URLs published in the body of advertisement/publicity e-mails for opt-out notification.
(6) Addition of specific screen examples
Addition of examples of desirable consent acquisition screens, etc. to promote end-users' understanding of the Guidelines.
4. Schedule
Based on these Guidelines, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) and Consumer Affairs Agency will appropriately implement countermeasures against unsolicited e-mail.
Related documents, etc.
○ Appeal for Opinions on Plan for Reform of Guidelines for Sending Special E-mail, etc. (July 21, 2011)
○ Research Society Examining ICT Service Problems based on End User Opinions - “Proposal concerning How to Deal with Unsolicited E-mail” (July 21, 2011)
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For further information about this press release, please fill in the inquiry form and submit it to MIC on the website
https://www.soumu.go.jp/common/english_opinions.html
International Policy Division,
Global ICT Strategy Bureau, MIC
TEL: +81 3 5253 5374 / FAX: +81 3 5253 5924 |
