13/05/2026
Spam compliance often slips into the background until it becomes a problem. In this case, over 370,000 emails were sent without a functional unsubscribe link, resulting in a penalty exceeding $700,000.
Many of the messages were framed as service updates but included promotional content. That was enough to bring them within the scope of the Spam Act. Once a message has a commercial element, it must include a working unsubscribe option. The classification depends on what the recipient receives, not how the message is labelled internally.
These risks sit inside everyday marketing activity - templates, automated emails, and mixed-purpose communications. When those boundaries aren’t clearly defined, small oversights can scale quickly.
To understand how email design decisions can lead to Spam Act breaches, read the full article by Tony Cordato from Cordato Partners, with Michael Field commentary from EvettField.
Read the full article here: https://ap1.hubs.ly/y0QHjs0