Opt-in, opt-out, spam. What’​s the difference?

You can only opt out of what you opted into. Otherwise, it is spam.

Some of your emails may “feel” like “junk,” but that is just a company sending you information that has no interest to you.

However, a commercial message — one that markets a service or product to the masses or individual — is legal to send if the following are true:

  • it is sent to email address who has opted into the service
  • it includes both clear name and contact details of your business
  • and it provides a clear and free “opt out” link so that users can unsubscribe.

Any “remove from subscription” requests sent back to a business must be honored, and you will be removed from their mailing lists.

When a recipient receives unwanted emails (or text messages), according to the ‘CAN_SPAM’ laws, these are illegal.

By clicking the “spam” button; this information goes back to the Internet Service Providers (ISP), and can get the company sending the spam email in trouble.  At worst, if they receive too many spam notices, their IP address is blacklisted from that ISP making it difficult or impossible to send new messages to anyone.

To register on the DO NOT EMAIL list:

Consumers can register at the Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) consumer website: www.DMAchoice.org for a processing fee of $2, you can remain on the list for ten years. Registering online is the fastest way to see results. DMAchoice offers consumers a simple, step-by-step process that enables them to decide what mail they do and do not want.

In addition, DMAchoice online offers registration for DMA’s eMail Preference Service (reduce your unsolicited commercial email).

DO NOT CALL REGISTRY list:

The federal government’s National Do Not Call Registry is a free, easy way to reduce the telemarketing calls you receive. To register your phone number or to get information about the registry, visit www.donotcall.gov, or call 1-888-382-1222 from the phone number you want to register. You will get fewer telemarketing calls within 31 days. Telephone numbers on the registry will only be removed when they are disconnected and reassigned, or when you choose to remove a number from the registry.