Unwanted Email
Using the university's computers or network to send electronic mail chain letters or any other form of unsolicited and unwanted correspondence is not an appropriate use of these facilities.
Many people who send such messages do not understand how much of an intrusion they are. Email "spam" messages are often deliberately sent without regard to the problems they cause.
Your response to unwanted messages depends upon whether the message is from within the UW or from outside.
Unwanted Email From Outside The UW, Including Spam
You may receive unwanted email from many different sources such as commercial solicitations, worthy causes, and mis-directed email. You have several choices on how to respond:
- Delete the message from your Inbox without replying. It is often pointless to reply to junk email (spam) asking to be taken off their list. The reply-to address may be bogus or you may actually provoke more email by showing that your email address is a real one.
- Reputable companies usually offer an email address or Web site through which you can turn on or off their informational email messages. When you register a product you have just purchased, for example, you may be added to their marketing email list. Check the message itself for instructions on how to get off the list or go to the company's Web site.
- If the email is obviously a misaddressed personal message, a courteous reply would probably be appreciated.
Washington state has laws relating to junk email.
When junk email is consistently coming from the same address, the UW's Email Delivery Manager, available through MyUW or the Manage Your UW NetID Resources page, may be helpful.
Unwanted Email From Someone At the UW
If you receive unwanted email messages from anyone at the UW (faculty, staff, or student):
- Reply to the sender that you would prefer to not receive any further messages.
- If the messages continue, and if you feel strongly about the inappropriateness of the messages, forward them to help@u.washington.edu with a brief explanation.
Complaints will be investigated by university authorities and persons engaging in this form of harassment will be subject to university discipline.
