|
BestPrac.Org
Stop Spam : Best Practice in Email
Spam Prevention and Eradication
Principles of Best Practice -
Ezine & Mailing List Publishers:
Summary
E-zines and Newsletters need to protect their own reputations by protecting themselves from being mistaken for spam by spam filters or human recipients.
Similarly, due to the influence they may have on large recipient bases, Ezine and Newsletter Publishers are in a strong position to assist the anti spam cause by demonstrating policies and conduct which are beyond reproach, showing not just legal but more importantly an ethical position in list management as an example to others.
|
| Ref # |
Principle or Proposed Principle
|
| MLP001 |
Ezine & Mailing List Publishers should ensure that the only email addresses on their mailing lists are from people who have knowingly and willingly subscribed, via either a confirmed-opt-in (sometimes referred to as 'double-opt-in') process or a paid subscription process. |
| MLP002 |
Ezine & Mailing List Publishers should ensure that every mail-out includes easy to follow instructions by which subscribers may unsubscribe. Other than in the case of time-expired paid subscriptions, a confirmed-(double)-unsubscribe procedure is highly advised. |
| MLP003 |
Ezine & Mailing List Publishers, in the case of "first leg replies" to both new subscriptions and unsubscribe requests, should automatically supply the recipient of such "first leg replies" with as much detail as practical of the server log details of the origin of the subscribe/unsubscribe request, including (but not limited to) the originating IP number, its rDNS, and the timestamp details. |
| MLP004 |
Ezine & Mailing List Publishers should maintain in a readily accessible and easy to find place on their websites a detailed Privacy Policy, which (among other things) guarantees that the email addresses and other personal details of subscribers will never be used for any other purpose than that for which the subscriber knowingly and willingly subscribed, and that the email addresses and other personal details of subscribers will never be sold, given, rented or in any way exchanged or traded with any other party (except where sold as an integral component of the Ezine or Mailing List Publisher's business as a going concern). |
| MLP005 |
Ezine & Mailing List Publishers should ensure that, in the publishing of their e-zines or other publications, the email addresses of contributors to discussions or other such interactions are not publicly disclosed. Where the nature of the publication is such that feedback "off-list" to contributors is encouraged, Ezine & Mailing List Publishers should implement a time-limited email redirection service, so that "off-list" feedback can occur for a period of, for example, 30 days, without disclosing the email address of the contributor. |
| MLP006 |
Ezine & Mailing List Publishers should not include "web-bugs" or any other form of tracking device that identifies which subscribers have opened the email. In like manner, while the measurement of basic "click-through" rates on email links is acceptable, measurement of them in such a way which specifically identifies the subscriber should not be done - unless the subscriber is clearly made aware immediately prior to each and every such click that such tracking is taking place. |
| MLP007 |
Where an ezine or mailing list accepts paid advertisements within it's publication, the publisher should conduct "due diligence" on all intending advertisers to ensure, to the best of their reasonable abilities, that:
- a) The advertiser does not have a known history of spamming or other forms of net abuse; and
- b) The advertiser is promoting a legitimate product or service, not in violation of the Terms of Service of their own, or the Publication's own, service providers, and not of a type which may reasonably be suspected of falling within a category listed by the US Federal Trade Commission as a "Top Ten Dot Con".
|
| MLP008 |
Ezine & Mailing List Publishers should ensure that, in addition to abiding by these Principles of Best Practice, they also comply with all Federal, State or Other anti spam laws & statutes in their jurisdiction, as well as the jurisdiction of the mailing server through which their publication is sent. |
| MLP009 |
|
| MLP010 |
|
| MLP011 |
|
| MLP012 |
|
|
|
|