Celebrating CASL's 2nd Anniversary: Some FAQs (Today: Basic Requirements)

As noted in a recent blog, Canada's anti-spam legislation, generally known as CASL, came into effect in large part on July 1, 2014.  We thought it would be helpful to remind people of some of CASL's key components. 

Today we will look at some background and key requirements in the form of frequently asked questions.  A good starting point is to remember that CASL regulates commercial electronic messages – electronic messages of a non‑commercial nature are not caught.  (Please keep in mind that there are many details not included in this overview and that, like most things in life, the specific needs depend on the specific facts.)

What is the main requirement under CASL?

As a starting point, it is important to remember that under CASL the basic rule, subject to a few exceptions, is that commercial electronic messages cannot be sent unless both the consent and content requirements are met.  We will elaborate on the details of those requirements in future blogs.