(Direct Newsline)—Three leading advertising trade groups, including the Direct Marketing Association, have agreed on guidelines for use of e-mail.

Designed to improve the standing of legitimate mailers, the guidelines were also endorsed by the American Association of Advertising Agencies and the Association of National Advertisers.

It is not yet known whether the self-regulatory measures will be enough to satisfy anti-spam advocates. However, the practices are mandatory for DMA members.

“Violators will get kicked out” after failing to correct the problems, said DMA spokesperson Louis Mastria.

The guidelines are:

• The subject line of an e-mail must be honest and not misleading.

• Senders should include a valid return e-mail address and physical address. Firms should also use their company or brand names in their domain addresses and throughout the messages.

• The e-mail should identify the sender and the subject at the beginning.

• All commercial e-mail should provide consumers with a clear electronic option to opt out. And it must be easy to use.

• A company with multiple affiliates should offer notice and opt out for each separate brand, or those that the consumer is likely to perceive.

• Firms should not acquire e-mail addresses surreptitiously through robots, spiders and other automated mechanisms that trawl the Web without the consumer’s consent. Marketers are also prohibited from using dictionary attacks or other mechanisms for fabricating e-mail addresses without providing notice and choice.

• Opt-out requests must be honored in a reliable and prompt way. “Remove means remove,” the groups said.

• E-mail lists should not be shared with third parties unless consumers have been given notice and choice. That includes other brands and subsidiaries within the same parent company.

• A commercial e-mail should contain the sender’s privacy policy—in the body of the message or via a link.

“Spam is a huge problem for legitimate advertisers—not the Viagra guys, but businesses that consumers want to hear from,” Mastria said. “They are getting lost in all the spam.”

Three leading advertising trade groups, including the Direct Marketing Association, have agreed on guidelines for use of e-mail.

Designed to improve the standing of legitimate mailers, the guidelines were also endorsed by the American Association of Advertising Agencies and the Association of National Advertisers.

It is not yet known whether the self-regulatory measures will be enough to satisfy anti-spam advocates. However, the practices are mandatory for DMA members.

“Violators will get kicked out” after failing to correct the problems, said DMA spokesperson Louis Mastria.

The guidelines are:

*The subject line of an e-mail must be honest and not misleading.

*Senders should include a valid return e-mail address and physical address. Firms should also use their company or brand names in their domain address and throughout the message.

*The e-mail should identify the sender and the subject at the beginning.

*All commercial e-mail should provide consumers with a clear electronic option to opt out. And it must be easy to use.

*A company with multiple affiliates should offer notice and opt-out for each separate brand, or those that the consumer is likely to perceive.

*Firms should not acquire e-mail addresses surreptitiously through robots, spiders and other automated mechanisms without the consumer’s consent. Marketers are also prohibited from using dictionary attacks or other mechanisms for fabricating e-mail addresses without providing notice and choice.

*Opt-out requests must be honored in a reliable and prompt way. “Remove means remove,” the groups said.

*E-mail lists should not be shared with third parties unless consumers have been given notice and choice. That includes other brands and subsidiaries within the same parent company.

*A commercial e-mail should contain the sender’s privacy policy