Consent
The unsubscribe link: the one button every newsletter is supposed to have
Why it exists, what the rules say in the big markets, and why hiding it costs more than keeping it.
An unsubscribe link looks like a courtesy. It is also the feature that stops people from pressing "report spam", which is the signal that does the most damage to a sender.
What the rules say, roughly
- United States: the CAN-SPAM Act requires a working opt-out in commercial email, honoured within ten business days.
- European Union and UK: marketing email generally needs consent, and every message must let people withdraw it.
- Gmail and Yahoo: bulk senders need a one-click unsubscribe header as well as a visible link.
What a good link does
- Names the address it applies to, and the sender it stops.
- Takes one click, or one confirmation, with no login and no survey.
- Works for every list the person is on, or says clearly which list it covers.
What email59 does
- Transactional mail gets a link that identifies the recipient and the sender, unless the content already has an unsubscribe link.
- Every email carries a line saying it is system generated and that replies are not read.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check the rules for the countries your readers live in.