The email your organization sends through the Email Marketing Service, or using a domain name registered with RescueGroups.org, or an email sent from an organization using our Website Service or the free hostname from RescueGroups.org is responsible for compliance with the RescueGroups.org Spam Email Policy.
These guidelines were meant to keep organizations in compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act. The CAN-SPAM Act doesn’t apply just to bulk email. It covers all commercial messages. That means that email sent from your organization's email address must be in compliance.
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What is spam email?
RescueGroups.org defines spam email as any email message that the recipient did not "confirm opt-in (COI)" to receive the message. COI ensures that addresses added to a mailing list are added legitimately and with the owner's permission.
Spam involves sending unsolicited bulk email to people who did not agree to receive email. You may have received an email from a business that tells you that you are subscribed unless you take action to stop the email subscription. This is "opt out" and not opt-in. COI involves the recipient clicking a link in a confirmation email to confirm they are willing to be added to a subscription list.
How do I comply with RescueGroups.org spam email policy?
To help you ensure that you comply with our policy about spam email, follow these guidelines:
- Confirm that each recipient is COI
- When sending bulk email, ensure that you have instructions for changing subscription options
- Use your organization's contact information (email address and mailing address) on every email message
- Process any unsubscribe messages immediately
What if RescueGroups.org gets a complaint about our email?
When RescueGroups.org receives a complaint about one of our organizations concerning spam email, our Security department investigates. We may ask you to provide information about the email in question, documentation of the COI status of the recipient, or to answer any questions that may help us resolve the complaint.
What is the penalty for violation of the policy?
We make every effort to thoroughly investigate any complaint, however, if your organization is found to be in violation of this policy, the following may occur:
- Suspension of your account
- Suspension of your domain name
- Cancellation of services, domain names, or your account
Laws and guidelines are in place to regulate the sending of spam email. All of the vendors for RescueGroups.org enforce a strict spam policy, which applies to our clients.
The penalties for violations of spam policies may affect more than just your organization.
Third-party websites and vendors such as domain registrars, data center hosting sites, and adoption sites may have their own policies, and RescueGroups.org has no input into their decisions concerning potential spam violations nor any control over their decisions. Their penalties may include suspension or cancellation of services. Should a data center hosting site decide against a RescueGroups.org organization using RescueGroup.org domain, email, or website, all RescueGroups.org clients may lose services. Please remember to contact our support staff if you have any questions.
I need more guidance
If you don't understand or are uncertain whether a campaign you want to send is in compliance, please contact our support staff for help.
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