FYI: The Federal Communications Commission published new rules Friday barring all companies and individuals, including nonprofits, from sending unsolicited fax advertisements, including those going to organization members and colleagues with which there is an “established business relationship.” Companies have until August 25 to solicit written permission from fax recipients. After that date, recipients of unsolicited faxes can sue the sender for up to $1,500 and the FCC can levy fines as high as $11,000 per violation, according to the Independent Sector, a think tank that tracks the nonprofit industry. Independent Sector is lobbying the FCC to delay the rule’s implementation, arguing that it needs to be more narrowly tailored. As written, groups would be unable to send things like membership renewals and announcements for events with registration fees without first obtaining permission. [7/29/03]