About E-mail Addresses and Privacy
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We hope that you find the time you spend in Microsoft's community Web sites to be useful and fun. To ensure that everyone has the best possible experience, we've established a few guidelines. Please take a moment to read them, and thank you for participating in a Microsoft community.
About E-mail Addresses and Privacy
Reducing Spam Associated with Posting to Online Communities: Due to a recent increase in "spam" (unsolicited junk mail, including advertisements and sometimes malicious mail containing viruses) sent to posters in newsgroups, Microsoft advises that newsgroup and community participants* should consider avoiding posting to newsgroups, chats, or other public forums using their real email address. Microsoft is also committed to continuing to address the issue of spam from a technological perspective.
To help avoid receiving unwanted messages (spam) in your regular e-mail account, you may not want to include your regular e-mail address when you post a question or reply to a post in a discussion group or other public forum. Instead you may want to do one of the following:
| • | Use a modified e-mail address Use a different version of your e-mail address that others will understand, but that spam tools can't automatically pick up. For example, if your actual e-mail address is "anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com", consider using a modified e-mail address such as: "anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com.invalid", "anonymous@REMOVE_CAPS_AND_INVALIDdiscussions.microsoft.com.invalid", or "anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com.NO_SPAM". In this case, the spam tools will send mail to an invalid e-mail address, and others will know to exclude the extra terms when they send you e-mail. When you post a question or reply to a discussion group, just enter your modified e-mail address in the appropriate box. |
| • | Use a secondary e-mail account: Set up or use an e-mail account that is separate from your primary account for posting to discussion groups. When you post a question or reply to a discussion group, use your secondary account as your e-mail address. |
*MSDN subscribers (excluding Library), TechNet Plus subscribers and Software Assurance customers should use a unique no-spam newsgroup alias for each program. Users should use their program-specific unique no-spam newsgroup alias within the specific newsgroups for the designated program. You should also follow your respective program guidelines to assure that your posts are recognized. For more specific information, visit the following:
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What to do if you are already getting e-mail spam: If you posted your real e-mail alias to a public location (or even if you haven't), you may already be getting unwanted or malicious mail sent to your e-mail address. You may want to consider using this tips for reducing or managing the spam:
| • | Set up filters that assist in blocking junk e-mail:
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| • | Use an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that uses technology to help filters junk e-mail. Some ISPs use technology to help filter junk e-mail before it reaches your inbox. Check with your ISP to see what services they provide. MSN 8®, Microsoft's subscription Internet access and content service, uses tools from Brightmail and Microsoft-developed filters that assist in blocking spam at the mail server. For more information, see MSN 8Use MSN8® resources to help reduce junk e-mail. |
| • | Avoid replying to the sender. Messages you receive may include instructions (such as to reply with REMOVE in the subject line) on how to remove yourself from future mailings from the individual or organization. Unfortunately, many senders include these instructions in order to try to confirm that they've reached a working e-mail address, not to remove you from mailings. Unless you are unsubscribing from a mail distribution list that you signed up for or you know the message sender, the best practice is to discard these messages without responding. |
| • | Report junk e-mail senders. |
| • | Most ISPs and e-mail services have a complaint address to help eliminate junk e-mail from their systems. If you get unwanted mail, the sender's address will show the ISP name after the at sign (@). Forward the junk e-mail to the ISP's complaint address. |
| • | Forward any deceptive or unwanted e-mail to the FTC at uce@ftc.gov |
See related articles:
What Microsoft is doing about spam:
Microsoft's Approach to Address the Spam Problem for Customers
Tips for setting up junk mail filters and reporting abuse:
Tips for Reducing and Managing Junk E-Mail
How Outlook 2003 helps block junk e-mail messages, including tips for customizing filter and settings:
Help Prevent Junk E-Mail Messages with Outlook 2003
FTC recommendations:
Review the FTC's tips for fighting spam
