Opt-out
Encyclopedia
The term opt-out refers to several methods by which individuals can avoid receiving unsolicited product or service information. This ability is usually associated with direct marketing
campaigns such as telemarketing
, e-mail marketing
, or direct mail
. A list of those who have opted-out is called a Robinson list
.
In the UK, the Mailing Preference Service (MPS) composes the Robinson list.
to reduce the telemarketing calls consumers receive at home. Initially numbers listed on the registry were due to be kept for five years but will now remain on it permanently due to the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, which became law in February 2008.
The UK's Direct Marketing Association
operates an optout scheme through the Telephone Preference Service
. While the service will reduce unsolicited calls it does not stop solicited calls, market research calls, silent calls or overseas calls.
Canada's National Do Not Call List operates a optout list which allows consumers to register their wishes not to have telemarketing calls. Charities, newspapers, and pollsters are exempt although each of these is required to keep their own do not call list that consumers can be added to at their request.
Australia has a national Do Not Call Register. The Australian Communications and Media Authority
(the ACMA) is responsible for the register under the Do Not Call Register Act 2006. In order to be included on the register, a telephone number must be used or maintained primarily for private or domestic purposes, or exclusively for transmitting and/or receiving faxes. Government body numbers and emergency services numbers are also able to be entered on the register. Registration lasts for five years and numbers can be removed at any time.
, a clickable link
or "opt-out button" may be included to notify the sender that the recipient wishes to receive no further e-mails. While 95% of all unsolicited commercial e-mails with an unsubscribe feature indeed work in this manner, unscrupulous senders can also include a link that purports to unsubscribe a recipient; clicking the link or button confirms to the originator that the e-mail address
used was a valid one, opening the door for further unsolicited e-mail.
Spam filters provide a simpler way to filter email. They do not contact the originator. Most email readers allow received emails to be tagged as spam, and many provide word filters that block mail with distinctive phraseology in the address or subject fields. While it is tedious to set this up, and not completely effective, it does pay off in the long run.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act
(FCRA) permits creditors and insurers to use CRA information as a basis for sending unsolicited firm offers of credit or insurance, also known as prescreened solicitations, to consumers who meet certain criteria, but only within limits specified in the act. The FCRA also provides a mechanism by which consumers can elect not to receive such solicitations by directing CRAs to exclude their names and addresses from lists provided by these agencies for sending prescreened solicitations. Consumers who choose to have their names removed from lists used for prescreened solicitations may well still receive offers of credit or insurance by mail or telephone, but such offers will not be based on the credit records maintained by the CRAs.
Consumers are able to opt-out of receiving any offers from U.S. national credit bureaus.
Direct marketing
Direct marketing is a channel-agnostic form of advertising that allows businesses and nonprofits to communicate straight to the customer, with advertising techniques such as mobile messaging, email, interactive consumer websites, online display ads, fliers, catalog distribution, promotional...
campaigns such as telemarketing
Telemarketing
Telemarketing is a method of direct marketing in which a salesperson solicits prospective customers to buy products or services, either over the phone or through a subsequent face to face or Web conferencing appointment scheduled during the call.Telemarketing can also include recorded sales pitches...
, e-mail marketing
E-mail marketing
Email marketing is a form of direct marketing which uses email as a means of communicating commercial or fund-raising messages to an audience. In its broadest sense, every email sent to a potential or current customer could be considered email marketing...
, or direct mail
Direct mail
Advertising mail, also known as direct mail, junk mail, or admail, is the delivery of advertising material to recipients of postal mail. The delivery of advertising mail forms a large and growing service for many postal services, and direct-mail marketing forms a significant portion of the direct...
. A list of those who have opted-out is called a Robinson list
Robinson list
A Robinson list or Mail Preference Service list is an opt-out list of people who do not wish to receive marketing transmissions. The marketing can be via e-mail, postal mail, telephone, or fax. In each case, contact details will be placed on a blacklist...
.
In the UK, the Mailing Preference Service (MPS) composes the Robinson list.
Telemarketing
The U.S. Federal Government created the National Do Not Call RegistryUnited States National Do Not Call Registry
The National Do Not Call Registry is intended to give U.S. consumers an opportunity to limit the telemarketing calls they receive. To register by telephone , consumers may call 1-888-382-1222. The registry was set to begin in 2003, but a court challenge delayed its implementation until 2004. The...
to reduce the telemarketing calls consumers receive at home. Initially numbers listed on the registry were due to be kept for five years but will now remain on it permanently due to the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, which became law in February 2008.
The UK's Direct Marketing Association
Direct Marketing Association
Direct Marketing Associations are national trade organizations that seek to advance all forms of direct marketing.- International Federation of Direct Marketing Associations :...
operates an optout scheme through the Telephone Preference Service
Telephone Preference Service
The Telephone Preference Service is a UK opt-out telephone list that is intended to prevent telemarketing calls to those who do not wish to receive them. The list is administered on behalf of Ofcom by the British direct marketing industry, who also run the Mailing Preference Service and Fax...
. While the service will reduce unsolicited calls it does not stop solicited calls, market research calls, silent calls or overseas calls.
Canada's National Do Not Call List operates a optout list which allows consumers to register their wishes not to have telemarketing calls. Charities, newspapers, and pollsters are exempt although each of these is required to keep their own do not call list that consumers can be added to at their request.
Australia has a national Do Not Call Register. The Australian Communications and Media Authority
Australian Communications and Media Authority
The Australian Communications and Media Authority is an Australian government statutory authority within the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy portfolio...
(the ACMA) is responsible for the register under the Do Not Call Register Act 2006. In order to be included on the register, a telephone number must be used or maintained primarily for private or domestic purposes, or exclusively for transmitting and/or receiving faxes. Government body numbers and emergency services numbers are also able to be entered on the register. Registration lasts for five years and numbers can be removed at any time.
E-mail marketing
In e-mail marketingE-mail marketing
Email marketing is a form of direct marketing which uses email as a means of communicating commercial or fund-raising messages to an audience. In its broadest sense, every email sent to a potential or current customer could be considered email marketing...
, a clickable link
Hyperlink
In computing, a hyperlink is a reference to data that the reader can directly follow, or that is followed automatically. A hyperlink points to a whole document or to a specific element within a document. Hypertext is text with hyperlinks...
or "opt-out button" may be included to notify the sender that the recipient wishes to receive no further e-mails. While 95% of all unsolicited commercial e-mails with an unsubscribe feature indeed work in this manner, unscrupulous senders can also include a link that purports to unsubscribe a recipient; clicking the link or button confirms to the originator that the e-mail address
E-mail address
An email address identifies an email box to which email messages are delivered. An example format of an email address is lewis@example.net which is read as lewis at example dot net...
used was a valid one, opening the door for further unsolicited e-mail.
Spam filters provide a simpler way to filter email. They do not contact the originator. Most email readers allow received emails to be tagged as spam, and many provide word filters that block mail with distinctive phraseology in the address or subject fields. While it is tedious to set this up, and not completely effective, it does pay off in the long run.
Credit card offers
Each year American consumers receive several billion written offers of credit or insurance they did not request. In many cases, the senders have prescreened the recipients for creditworthiness and suitability using consumer credit records in the files of consumer reporting agencies.The Fair Credit Reporting Act
Fair Credit Reporting Act
The Fair Credit Reporting Act is a United States federal law that regulates the collection, dissemination, and use of consumer information, including consumer credit information. Along with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act , it forms the base of consumer credit rights in the United States...
(FCRA) permits creditors and insurers to use CRA information as a basis for sending unsolicited firm offers of credit or insurance, also known as prescreened solicitations, to consumers who meet certain criteria, but only within limits specified in the act. The FCRA also provides a mechanism by which consumers can elect not to receive such solicitations by directing CRAs to exclude their names and addresses from lists provided by these agencies for sending prescreened solicitations. Consumers who choose to have their names removed from lists used for prescreened solicitations may well still receive offers of credit or insurance by mail or telephone, but such offers will not be based on the credit records maintained by the CRAs.
Consumers are able to opt-out of receiving any offers from U.S. national credit bureaus.
Unsolicited direct marketing mail (aka "junk mail")
In the U.S, the Direct Marketing Association's (DMA) Mail Preference Service provides an opt-out service. The consumer's name is added to a "delete" file which is made available to direct-mail marketers. This process does not cover opting out of Bulk Mail also known as Standard mail or Current Resident Mail, which will require opting out on a company by company basis. There is no charge to register online but there is a $1 charge to register by regular mail. There is another service to stop mail to deceased people. Registration will not stop mailings from organizations that are not registered with the DMA. DirectMail.com offers a similar serviceSee also
- Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 is a law in the United Kingdom which made it unlawful to, amongst other things, transmit an automated recorded message for direct marketing purposes via a telephone, without prior consent of the subscriber.This is somewhat similar to the...
- Robinson listRobinson listA Robinson list or Mail Preference Service list is an opt-out list of people who do not wish to receive marketing transmissions. The marketing can be via e-mail, postal mail, telephone, or fax. In each case, contact details will be placed on a blacklist...
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