Overview
An electronic communications policy outlines the guidelines and procedures that your organization will use when it communicates with customers or members through bulk emails or text messages. It aims to assure your clients that communications are respectful, compliant with relevant regulations, and aligned with your organization's values.
Sample electronic communications policy
For your convenience, we have provided sample wording for an Electronic Communications policy below.
Disclaimer: This is only a template and should not serve as a substitute for legal advice. You must adapt any template to include the unique details and policies of your organization.
Consent
[Your Organization Name] will only send mass emails or text messages to customers or members who have provided explicit consent to receive such communications. Consent may be obtained through opt-in forms, account settings, or other consent mechanisms.
Content
Communications sent to customers or members will be clear, relevant, and respectful. They will provide value to recipients and adhere to [Your Organization Name]'s brand standards and messaging guidelines.
Frequency
The frequency of mass emails or text messages will be reasonable and aligned with the expectations of customers or members.
Opt-Out Mechanism
Recipients will be provided with a clear and easy-to-use mechanism to opt out of receiving further communications. Opt-out requests will be promptly processed, and recipients will be removed from future messaging lists.
Data Protection
Customer contact information used for mass emails or text messages will be handled in accordance with [Your Organization Name]'s privacy policy and relevant data protection regulations. Contact lists will be securely maintained and protected from unauthorized access or misuse.
Compliance
All mass emails or text messages will comply with applicable laws and regulations governing electronic communications, including but not limited to the CAN-SPAM Act and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).
Sample informed consent document
View our sample Informed Consent document. You can adapt it for use with text (SMS) messaging and/or email communications.
Where to publish your communications policy
There are multiple ways to post and share your policy with your members and website users.
View the articles below for step-by-step instructions on each:
- Upload your policy using the Files feature of your account
- Create a Policy Center for your website and add an Electronic Communications Policy page
- Add links to your electronic communications policy in your website footer
- Create a consent field with a link to your electronic communications policy
Laws and regulations for electronic communications
Use the links below to learn more about laws that may affect your organization.
- United States - TCPA
- United States - CAN-SPAM Act
- United States - ECPA
- European Union - GDPR*
- Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)
*For a deeper dive on GDPR, view our article, Making your website GDPR compliant.
