SOCIAL CHALLENGES FOR DIRECT ELECTRONIC MARKETING

The paper revises current social responses to direct electronic marketing - primarily applicable legal regulations and other social response mechanisms. Available direct electronic marketing statistics, regulatory environment, as well as alternative social mechanisms (such as codes of conduct) are investigated in the European and Lithuanian context. Analysis focuses on the balance of social and entrepreneurial interests, and identifying best practices in regulating and adopting electronic direct marketing. The paper concludes that direct electronic marketing offers advantages to businesses and especially SMEs, however may also significantly compromise prominent social virtues, such as personal privacy. Analysis of the current regulatory environment in Lithuania demonstrates that it is unprepared to appropriately deal with the negative effects of the direct electronic marketing, while also being overly restrictive. Suggestions for realigning social values with the economic interests of the electronic marketers are provided. Overhaul of the regulation, as well as wider acceptance of non-legislative approaches is promoted.