If someone throws a rock through your window with a note attached, it doesn't so much matter what the note says. That's because the amount of money spent to send out mass messages is born by internet service providers, and, in turn, by the consumers who pay for those services. Though Missouri's new law is considered good news for consumers, suing a UCE sender will not be simple. First, in order to file suit, the recipient must know who sent the e-mail. Oftentimes, spam senders deliberately hide their identity.
Lawsuits can also run up against state constitutions.
Court cases in California and Washington are now under appeal because the sender claims that state law cannot cover this type of interstate commerce. Whether or not Missouri's law is susceptible to this argument remains to be seen. Due to these difficulties, those who study or advocate for anti-spam laws are skeptical about the efficiency of state laws. While the immediate effect on consumers and UCE senders is dubious, state laws are vital as testing grounds for this uncharted field of law. Missouri is the 18th state to pass a law regulating UCE's, pending federal regulation.