WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Five pornography companies have agreed to pay $1.16 million in fines for sending "spam" e-mail without a warning that it contains sexually explicit material, U.S. regulators said on Wednesday.
Three other businesses also face lawsuits for sending improperly labeled e-mail, the Federal Trade Commission said.
Marketers also must ensure that the messages don't contain graphic sexual images when they are first opened up.
The companies targeted in the crackdown didn't actually send out the messages but are still liable because they hired others to do so, the FTC said.
According to the FTC, BangBros.com Inc. of Florida agreed to pay $650,000; MD Media of Michigan will pay $238,743, and APC Entertainment Inc. of Florida will pay $220,000. Pure Marketing Solutions and Internet Matrix Technology together will pay $50,000 to settle the charges.
The companies also agreed to allow the FTC to monitor their operations to make sure they comply with existing laws.
Three other companies also face lawsuits for improper labeling: TJ Web Productions, based in Nevada; Cyberheat Inc. of Arizona; and Impulse Media, of Washington State.
Microsoft Corp. helped in the investigation, the FTC said.
http://today.reuters.com/sponsoredby...CH-SPAM-DC.XML
Three other businesses also face lawsuits for sending improperly labeled e-mail, the Federal Trade Commission said.
Marketers also must ensure that the messages don't contain graphic sexual images when they are first opened up.
The companies targeted in the crackdown didn't actually send out the messages but are still liable because they hired others to do so, the FTC said.
According to the FTC, BangBros.com Inc. of Florida agreed to pay $650,000; MD Media of Michigan will pay $238,743, and APC Entertainment Inc. of Florida will pay $220,000. Pure Marketing Solutions and Internet Matrix Technology together will pay $50,000 to settle the charges.
The companies also agreed to allow the FTC to monitor their operations to make sure they comply with existing laws.
Three other companies also face lawsuits for improper labeling: TJ Web Productions, based in Nevada; Cyberheat Inc. of Arizona; and Impulse Media, of Washington State.
Microsoft Corp. helped in the investigation, the FTC said.
http://today.reuters.com/sponsoredby...CH-SPAM-DC.XML
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