Epsilon releases guidelines for e-mailing in Hong Kong market

Epsilon International, the global operations division of Epsilon, has released a set of recommendations to help e-mail marketers comply with Hong Kong's Unsolicited Electronic Messages Ordinance and Regulation, which took effect earlier this month.

Epsilon compares Hong Kong's Unsolicited Messages Ordinance and Regulation to the United States' Can-Spam Act that contains many similar provisions.

While important distinctions exist, marketers who are compliant with Can-Spam requirements may already have practices in place to address some of Hong Kong's new requirements, including e nsuring that all commercial e-mail messages provide recipients with a convenient way to opt out of future commercial e-mail messages; quickly and effectively honoring opt-out requests; and including senders' identity and contact information in every commercial e-mail message.

There are some requirements that are unique to the new Hong Kong e-mail regulations, including commercial e-mail messages' opt-out instructions must be displayed in English and Chinese, except where the recipient has already communicated a language preference; senders' contact information must include a working telephone number; and recipients may initiate legal proceedings against senders who violate the regulations when the violation causes loss or damage.