This program is open to iCop Members ONLY.  After a review of emailing procedures, and if they qualify, they may display our certified "We Do Not Spam" seal on their web site(s).

Each certification seal has a verification page.  Seals are linked to their individual page, which shows the member's status.

iCop charges a ONE-TIME application fee of $199.95 for Email Certification.  Not yearly - ONE TIME!  Participation will remain in effect for as long as the seal holder remains an iCop member and remains in compliance with the iCop email certification guidelines..

iCop reviews each seal holders Privacy Statement, their emailing practices, their subscription practices and to provide ongoing monitoring.

We DO NOT CHARGE "LICENSE FEES!" The "license fee" is the certified sender's iCop membership.


Our Definition of Spam

For certification purposes, spam is simply, unsolicited bulk email (UBE).

iCop certified senders must make clear disclosure of the intended use of an email address at the point of collection.

In any event, they MUST have at least express consent PRIOR to sending email messages in bulk.

"Bulk" is defined as the sending the same message or any version of the same message to over 10 recipients in a 24 hour period.


A FEW SIMPLE RULES:

CAN-SPAM compliance alone will NOT get an iCop member accepted into this program.  The iCop Email Certification Program requires a recipient's express consent BEFORE any commercial email is sent.

"Express" requires proper prior disclosure without use of a pre-ticked box. "Consent" means at a minimum single opt-in with a confirmation notice for a bona fide newsletter publication, providing subscriptions are by a web panel and verified express consent, i.e., double opt-in for any e-mail subscriptions, third party shared leads and subscriptions to a commercial mailing list.

Third party sharing must include verified express consent. Any purchased or shared leads may be sent ONE message asking the recipient to give explicit consent to receive commercial email directly from your company. If they do not give that consent, they are no longer considered a viable address for certified senders to use.

"Passive" acceptance, such as a pre-checked box is NOT acceptable for consent  The individual must affirmatively check a box in order to receive third party emails.  Senders are not allowed to rely solely on an unsubscribe link.

An unsubscribe link must be included in all messages to certified senders' mailing lists. The senders name and address must also be included in all messages to their mailing lists.


THE BASICS

• Prior express consent
• Opt-in for in-house mailings.
• Opt-in for 3rd party mailings
• 3rd party sharing must have verified express consent
• Clear and conspicuous notice describing terms of subscription
• Easy to use, responsive, unsubscribe links
• Privacy Policy stating email practices

MORE DETAIL:

At the point of collection for email addresses, the certified sender provides:

User controls, including:

• Consent for receiving any commercial or promotional email
• Access management permitting users to update stored personal information or the ability to have it changed by the certified sender

Disclosures on any page collecting email addresses and in the privacy statement regarding:

• The nature and frequency of email messages the certified sender will be sending
• Whether receiving commercial/promotional email is a condition of receiving a service
• Any sharing of email addresses with third parties other than service providers

An unsubscribe link MUST be included in all list email that is:

• Clear, conspicuous, and easily understood.
• Easy to use - As close to a 'one-click' process, such as selecting a URL, as possible
• Effective within three (3) days
• Functional for 30 days following the sending of the message
• Unsubscribe requests must never expire
• Flexible in processing requests via alternate media (telephone, email or postal mail)

A complaint resolution process, providing:

• Comprehensive contact information for appropriate Web site employees
• A link to the iCop Reports Page for third-party dispute resolution

Mail infrastructure and technology accountability:

• To reliably process bounces and other replies, bounces may not exceed 10% of all messages sent
• Outbound email servers must have valid reverse DNS entries
• Must maintain accurate Whois database information
• Due diligence to ensure that clear and conspicuous notice was provided, and relevant consent obtained, if email addresses were obtained from a third party prior to obtaining verified express consent

ONGOING MONITOR SERVICE

iCop provides ongoing monitoring of seal holders' email practices.  Each seal holder's web site is checked on a random basis for the correct content in the Privacy Policy and at the point of collection of email addresses.


SPAM COMPLAINTS

iCop provides a Dispute Resolution Service.  Complaints are taken on our "Reports" page.

We monitor complaint rates and note the frequency and severity of the complaints received at iCop.  Should certified members exceed pre-determined thresholds they will be suspended pending investigation.