5 ms·

Less than a fifth of a penny per spam message. This will not act as a deterrent.

by dave4420 3y ago

maccard 3y ago
This is the UK. The goal here is a slap on the wrist to tell them to not do it again, with the goal of compliance with the rules.
- djtango 3y ago
  Yeah but a £5 charge per spam email would also ensure good compliance.
asah 3y ago
Regulators typically start with a small fine and then if the behavior continues, fines and penalties increase exponentially. Having worked inside a number of companies who've received fines, the ones that intend to continue operating change their behavior immediately and install controls to avoid this escalation path. The obvious exception is when the behavior change creates an existential threat to the core business model, i.e. the company literally cannot change its behavior.
- plagiarist 3y ago
  But we could have an actually punitive first fine to deter other companies from trying their luck at ignoring the law.
- kevincox 3y ago
  This just incentivizes companies to do this behaviour until their first warning. If you want companies to follow the rules from the get-go you better make sure that your first fine makes them regret ignoring the rules. If you make the incentives to ignore the rules until they get caught the first time then companies will do that. HelloFresh got huge numbers of subscribers based on this strategy for pennies. Even if they stop now the next competitor will do the same thing until they get the first fine. It's like saying that your first murder should just result in a warning or a token fine. This basically gives everyone one "free" murder and it would be a waste not to use it. (Moral issues aside of course)
  - asah 3y ago
    Agreed, i.e. * IF * we want companies to follow the rules... but so far, society (certainly American society...) does not seem to actually want companies to always follow the rules... sigh...

5 ms·

Less than a fifth of a penny per spam message. This will not act as a deterrent.

by dave4420 3y ago

Less than a fifth of a penny per spam message. This will not act as a deterrent.

maccard 3y ago
This is the UK. The goal here is a slap on the wrist to tell them to not do it again, with the goal of compliance with the rules.
- djtango 3y ago
  Yeah but a £5 charge per spam email would also ensure good compliance.
asah 3y ago
Regulators typically start with a small fine and then if the behavior continues, fines and penalties increase exponentially. Having worked inside a number of companies who've received fines, the ones that intend to continue operating change their behavior immediately and install controls to avoid this escalation path. The obvious exception is when the behavior change creates an existential threat to the core business model, i.e. the company literally cannot change its behavior.
- plagiarist 3y ago
  But we could have an actually punitive first fine to deter other companies from trying their luck at ignoring the law.
- kevincox 3y ago
  This just incentivizes companies to do this behaviour until their first warning. If you want companies to follow the rules from the get-go you better make sure that your first fine makes them regret ignoring the rules. If you make the incentives to ignore the rules until they get caught the first time then companies will do that. HelloFresh got huge numbers of subscribers based on this strategy for pennies. Even if they stop now the next competitor will do the same thing until they get the first fine. It's like saying that your first murder should just result in a warning or a token fine. This basically gives everyone one "free" murder and it would be a waste not to use it. (Moral issues aside of course)
  - asah 3y ago
    Agreed, i.e. * IF * we want companies to follow the rules... but so far, society (certainly American society...) does not seem to actually want companies to always follow the rules... sigh...