Legal Definitions - Canadian Anti-Spam Law of 2010: Introduction and Abbreviations

The Canadian Anti-Spam Law (CASL) is a law that was passed on December 15, 2010, to regulate certain activities that discourage reliance on electronic means of carrying out commercial activities. It was introduced by the Honorable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, to promote the efficiency and adaptability of the Canadian economy. The law aims to reduce unwanted electronic messages, such as spam, and protect Canadians from online threats.

The law was initially called "An Act to promote the efficiency and adaptability of the Canadian economy by regulating certain activities that discourage reliance on electronic means of carrying out commercial activities, and to amend the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Act, the Competition Act, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and the Telecommunications Act." It was also known as the "Fighting Internet and Wireless Spam Act" (FISA) and the "Electronic Commerce Protection Act" (ECPA) in previous versions.

The Canadian Department of Justice refers to the law under its long title, alphabetizing it under "E" (for "Efficiency") in its Table of Public Statutes and Responsible Ministers. However, the Canadian government officials and legal practitioners commonly refer to the law as CASL.

Examples of electronic messages that are regulated by CASL include:

• Emails sent for commercial purposes
• Text messages sent to promote a product or service
• Social media messages sent for commercial purposes
• Software downloads that install malware or spyware without the user's consent

These examples illustrate how CASL aims to protect Canadians from unwanted electronic messages and online threats. The law requires businesses to obtain consent from recipients before sending commercial electronic messages and to provide an easy way for recipients to unsubscribe from future messages. It also prohibits the installation of software without the user's consent.