In its first major policy decision since launching last month, trade group Internet Direct Marketing Bureau announced this week that it is endorsing opt-in e-mail marketing. This makes IDMB (www.idmb.org) the first direct marketing trade group to endorse opt-in as opposed to opt-out e-mail marketing. The DMA has long said that “unsolicited doesn't necessarily mean unwanted” e-mail. Many Internet users, however, refer to all unsolicited marketing e-mail by its pejorative term “spam.” Under the opt-in method, Web-site visitors check a box to request information on a product or service of interest. “Our members are Internet-based companies, so they understand that a viable business model for direct marketing in this medium must respect the privacy needs of consumers,” said Paul Grand, CEO of Word of Net and head of IDMB's steering committee.
