By using this software, you agree to comply with our email permission policy, which is a requirement of our Terms of Use. Sending emails to addresses without proven permission is considered spam, which can put you at risk of having your account deactivated.
Review the scenarios below to determine if your mailing list is considered permission-based.
Acquisition Method | Permission Status | Explanation |
I bought/rented a list from a reputable broker. | No | You cannot use any third-party or purchased list. This is strictly prohibited, regardless of the broker's claims or whether the list was free. |
Everyone signed up through a form on my website/in my store. | Yes | This is clear, direct permission. Ensure you only send what you promised and maintain consistent communication so people don't forget they signed up. |
We sponsored a trade show and got a list of all attendees. | No | This is not explicit, direct permission from individuals for your company to email them. Trade show or conference attendee lists are not allowed. |
We sponsored a trade show, and people signed up at our booth for a newsletter. | Yes | These individuals specifically opted in to hear from you. Email them shortly after the event and mention their visit to your booth. |
This mailing list is a few years old, and I haven't emailed them in a year. | Maybe | If it's been over a year since you last emailed them, their permission is likely no longer valid. If it's been 6–12 months, send a simple reminder email asking them to unsubscribe if they are no longer interested. |
These are all paying customers (purchased within the last year). | Maybe | If they are current or recent customers (purchased within the last year), you are safe to assume an existing relationship. If it's been longer than a year, and you have not been emailing them regularly, you should not email them. |
These are customers from my gambling/adult/pharmaceutical site. | No | We do not allow the sending of gambling, adult, or pharmaceutical-related emails to maintain our platform's sender reputation, even for legitimate businesses. |
They bought something from my eBay/Amazon store. | No | Customers on these marketplaces expect transaction-related emails only. Their permission is not for general marketing. They must sign up directly for your newsletter to be included. |
They registered for my site/Wi-Fi and agreed to a hidden clause in the privacy policy. | No | Hiding consent in terms and conditions is not explicit opt-in. They must tick an empty checkbox specifically stating they want to receive your newsletter. |
We're an employment agency, and these are all of our job candidates/employers. | Maybe | You can email your own customers (the employers). Candidates require direct permission (verbal or electronic opt-in). A clause in their contract is not sufficient permission. |
They are in a member directory of my business/sports association. | No | Directory listings do not qualify as direct opt-in. You must receive explicit, direct permission from the individuals themselves to add them to your mailing list. |
We ran a competition, and these are all the people who entered. | No | If they provided an email just to win a prize, you can only email them about the competition. You do not have permission for marketing content unless the competition was specifically promoted as a sign-up for the newsletter. |
I'm emailing customers of my old company with my new company. | No | Permission is not transferable. Those people gave you permission in a specific context related to the old company. They did not sign up to hear about other businesses, even if you are involved. |
These people all contacted me through my website contact form. | No | Sending a question is not opt-in permission. Unless your contact form explicitly offers an option to join a mailing list and the user checks it, you do not have permission to add them to a recurring list. |
These are all my friends/colleagues/family members. | Maybe | While they are less likely to report you, you still need an agreed opt-in from them. Simply ask for their permission to add them to your list. |
They are followers/fans from LinkedIn/Facebook/social media. | No | A social media connection is not a direct opt-in. You cannot assume they want to be on your email list unless they explicitly ask to be added. |
They have all registered for my local/regional/national Political Organization. | Maybe | Our policy requires all contacts to have directly and explicitly opted in to hear from you. If they gave explicit permission during your specific campaign, this should be fine. We can review your signup forms during the approval process. Voter lists or lists from other party affiliates are not considered opt-in. |