Mailing Lists

[Guest Dan]

What is your policy on mailing lists? My current host allows opt-in mailing lists. Is there a limit to the number of emails that can be sent out on one day? Is it a requirement to use mailman?

[surefire]

This is my own research and I am a member, not a moderator at this forum or a support rep... although I'm available if Bill needs the help.

 

You can find the Acceptable Use Policy at

http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/web-hosting-aup.html

 

Electronic Mail

 

Certain TotalChoice Hosting accounts give you the ability to send and receive electronic mail. Misuse of electronic mail may result in termination of service. The following examples are non-exclusive and are provided for your guidance.

 

You may not use your account to send unsolicited bulk or commercial messages ("spam"). This includes, but is not limited to, bulk mailing of commercial advertising, informational announcements, charity requests, petitions for signatures, and political or religious tracts. Such messages may only be sent to those who have explicitly requested it.

 

You may not use your account to collect responses from unsolicited bulk or commercial e-mail sent from accounts with other providers. Forging, altering or removing electronic mail headers is prohibited.

 

Here is my personal interpretation :

 

If your list is truly opt-in... then you should have no problems.

If you are operating in a manner that's honest... you should have no problem.

If you give recipients a way to remove themselves from ALL future mailings... you should have no problem.

 

And basically, you should avoid actions/business tactics that would cause you embarrassment if the details of your actions were made public in this forum, the newspaper, to your clients, etc...

 

Please don't take that last comment as preaching... that's acutally a good acid test that has served me well over the years.

 

In practice, I have a site with a rapidly growing subscriber base. Every now and then I'll send out information that is relevant, fresh, and mostly non-commercial.

 

I don't think anyone has a problem with opt-in. The problem arises when several complaints are directed to TCH that indicate a member is sending email to folks that do not want to receive the information.

 

Hope this helps clarify.

 

I'm also hoping that by giving you a response, that this topic will get a bump and get some more replies.

 

PS - It is not a requirement to use mailman. I have my own mysql powered mailing list. To the best of my knowledge, TCH doesn't care what scripts you install on your site, as long as they are safe, and within the confines of the AUP.

[bethohio3]

I do use mailman, but my lists are small and *completely* opt-in and easy for people to permanently remove themselves. (Although noone does--the 'umbrella' mailing list has its roots in a Usenet newsgroup and we've been together for more than 12 years)

 

BUT, having said that--I think Surefile has a good take on it--if you send out emails that people complain about as spam, TCH is going to pull your account. Period.

 

I get lots of opt-in email--but it isn't spam. If you're going to use mailing lists at TCH, you need to make sure that the email you send out fits into that category.

 

One definition from spam is "bulk email from a stranger". "(To clarify the terms, "bulk" means a mass mailing, even if the individual messages are different, and a stranger is somebody you've never initiated personal interaction with.) " (A Spam Definition Page)

 

As for numbers of email sent, that'll have to wait for a guru to answer. There are bandwidth limits, of course (as any reputable company has)--but nothing will get noticed as much as complaints from receivers of email or people on the same ISP who are blocked because email from that ISP has been reported as spam.

 

 

--Beth