Getty Images violating US CAN-SPAM laws?
I find it interesting that a company which profits from legal system exploitation (at the cost of thousands of small-time webmasters) would send unsolicited commercial e-mail spam.
I never opted in to any Getty Images e-mail list. I do not know where they got my address. That does not even matter because the email alone broke several CAN-SPAM requirements listed by the FTC, such as “commercial email be identified as an advertisement and include the sender’s valid physical postal address.”
For proof, here is the full e-mail below. Getty Images should be careful next time as well as fire whoever was responsible for a) assembling their email list and b) ensuring CAN-SPAM compliance.
Wipe the drool from your mouth. Now you can license even
rights-managed quality images for a flat rate of $49 each*.
They’re 72 dpi. Perfect for the web. And they’re available across
all creative collections, including our premier offerings, as well
as news, sport, entertainment and archive.
This isn’t a sale or a limited offer. It’s forever. So get in there!
Buy one (or ten) now
http://corporate.gettyimages.com/marketing/m08/
webUseLanding/usa/landing.html
See this email in full color.
http://corporate.gettyimages.com/marketing/m08/
49image/usa/email.html
================================
*This pricing may not be combined with any other offers, discounts
or pricing agreements and does not include images from Image Source
or Arnold Newman Collection, or select editorial images.
If you do not want to receive further promotional information
from Getty Images, please send an email to unsubscribe@gettyimages.com
with ‘unsubscribe’ in the subject line.
Please note that unsubscribe requests must come from the email address
from which they were received.
================================
All contents © 2007 Getty Images, Inc. All rights reserved.
Having been caught in the the middle of this almighty mess because of one $20 image I legally licensed from a 3rd party that defaulted Getty persued me for costs and fees of near $2500.
As I am UK based I responded to their threats that US court action had absolutely no merit and I challenged them to bring it to a UK court for settlement. They didnt and summary judgement was granted in a US court which means the next time I set foot in the USA I will be arrested.
So much for the US legal system.
As far as I am concerned these fuckers are worse than the RIAA. As someone that used to frequently holiday in the USA and spend a huge amount of money in the US I now actively ensure that as best I can no product I buy comes from there.
And by huge I mean an annual budget of 8 or 9 zeros. My day job is to recommend budgeting for a multinational.
Comment by Anon — October 11, 2007 @ 8:03 pm