As we all know merchants can be held accountable for the email practices of their affiliates. “The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has charged seven companies with violating anti-porn provisions of the CAN-SPAM Act as a result of activity by their marketing affiliates, the commission announced yesterday… Though the seven firms didn’t e-mail consumers directly, they operated affiliate marketing programs in which they paid others to send spam on their behalf, the FTC said… Under the CAN-SPAM Act, which became effective Jan. 1, 2004, companies are liable for illegal spam sent by their affiliates…” ClickZ: FTC Charges Seven Companies for Affiliate Spam