Unsubscribe message at end of email

[coletheelder]

The Ward Executive Secretary sent an email to all adults today. I was a recipient of the message. At the end of the message, this statement appeared:

To un-subscribe from future email messages from ward or stake members follow https://lds.org/directory click on "My Family" then click on "Edit Profile" and remove your email address from your profile. If you are not a head of household you may ask your parent/guardian to edit your profile or you may also contact your ward clerk and ask him to remove your email address from MLS.

This statement works contrary to Step 4 of the Church's "Stake and Ward Emergency Planning Guide" as found in Provident Living: https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/c ... f?lang=eng.

That Planning Guide encourages the availability of email addresses in the event of emergencies. The lds.org Directory "Help for Ward members" describes Profile options that are available. The "Unsubscribe" statement at the end of email messages discourages the availability of email addresses for emergency planning purposes. I suggest that it is unnecessary to add "fuel to the fire" by including the "Unsubscribe" statement at the end of email messages.

Robert W Collester Jr
Ewa Beach 2nd Ward Emergency Response Coordinator
Waipahu Hawaii Stake

[lajackson]

I suggest that it is unnecessary to add "fuel to the fire" by including the "Unsubscribe" statement at the end of email messages.

While I personally share your feelings, I believe the unsubscribe statement is required by Federal U.S. law.

[coletheelder]

Please be more specific in your reply: you "believe the unsubscribe statement is required by Federal U.S. law"; or, is the wording of the statement actually required by Federal U.S. law?

[russellhltn]

While I'm not sure as the CAN-SPAM Act applies to the church, keep in mind that the church does need to make its systems compliant with all local laws in all areas.

[Mikerowaved]

Please be more specific in your reply: you "believe the unsubscribe statement is required by Federal U.S. law"; or, is the wording of the statement actually required by Federal U.S. law?

Please understand we are not lawyers and try to refrain from offering legal advice in the forum. With that said, the wording in the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 defines spam (or commercial messages) as “any electronic mail message the primary purpose of which is the commercial advertisement or promotion of a commercial product or service...” Unless someone is severely abusing the system, I don't see how the church's email offerings would fall into that category.

I occasionally do some bulk emailings for another non-profit group, and while not specifically required, I always provide a clear way of opting out of future messages as a courtesy to the recipient. I can't take responsibility for them missing important announcements if they choose this option, but I always respect their wishes.

[coletheelder]

I now appreciate the fact that a Federal code necessitates the need for an "opt-out" for emails of a commercial nature. Thank you for clarifying this issue.

However, the Church's current "opt-out" statement is quite lengthy and is "over-kill", in my opinion. There is a statement at the end of your reply that provides an example of a simple, alternative approach:
"So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location."

A similarly-worded statement could simply point member-users to their own lds.org profile if they wished to "opt-out" of Ward-related email messages, without a lengthy explanation of the subject as currently exists.

Respectfully,
Brother Robert W Collester Jr