Complaint Feedback Loop Operational Recommendations
RFC 6449

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Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)                      J. Falk, Ed.
Request for Comments: 6449                       Messaging Anti-Abuse WG
Category: Informational                                    November 2011
ISSN: 2070-1721

          Complaint Feedback Loop Operational Recommendations

Abstract

   Complaint Feedback Loops similar to those described herein have
   existed for more than a decade, resulting in many de facto standards
   and best practices.  This document is an attempt to codify, and thus
   clarify, the ways that both providers and consumers of these feedback
   mechanisms intend to use the feedback, describing some already common
   industry practices.

   This document is the result of cooperative efforts within the
   Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group, a trade organization separate
   from the IETF.  The original MAAWG document upon which this document
   is based was published in April, 2010.  This document does not
   represent the consensus of the IETF; rather it is being published as
   an Informational RFC to make it widely available to the Internet
   community and simplify reference to this material from IETF work.

Status of This Memo

   This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is
   published for informational purposes.

   This document is a product of the Internet Engineering Task Force
   (IETF).  It has been approved for publication by the Internet
   Engineering Steering Group (IESG).  Not all documents approved by the
   IESG are a candidate for any level of Internet Standard; see Section
   2 of RFC 5741.

   Information about the current status of this document, any errata,
   and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at
   http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6449.

Falk                          Informational                     [Page 1]
RFC 6449                  CFBL Recommendations             November 2011

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2011 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors.  All rights reserved.

   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents
   (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of
   publication of this document.  Please review these documents
   carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect
   to this document.  Code Components extracted from this document must
   include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of
   the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as
   described in the Simplified BSD License.

   This document may not be modified, and derivative works of it may not
   be created, except to format it for publication as an RFC or to
   translate it into languages other than English.

Falk                          Informational                     [Page 2]
RFC 6449                  CFBL Recommendations             November 2011

Table of Contents

   1. Overview ........................................................4
   2. Glossary of Standard Terms ......................................5
   3. Mailbox Providers and Feedback Providers ........................9
      3.1. Benefits of Providing Feedback .............................9
      3.2. Collecting Complaints .....................................10
      3.3. Creating Reports ..........................................11
      3.4. Policy Concerns ...........................................11
           3.4.1. Privacy and Regulatory Compliance ..................11
           3.4.2. Terms of Use .......................................12
      3.5. Handling Requests to Receive Feedback .....................12
           3.5.1. Application Web Site ...............................13
           3.5.2. Saying No ..........................................14
           3.5.3. Automation .........................................14
      3.6. Ongoing Maintenance .......................................15
           3.6.1. IP Validation ......................................15
           3.6.2. Email Address Validation ...........................16
           3.6.3. Feedback Production Changes ........................16
   4. Feedback Consumers .............................................16
      4.1. Preparation ...............................................17
      4.2. What You'll Receive .......................................18
           4.2.1. Feedback Reports ...................................18
           4.2.2. Administrative Messages ............................18
           4.2.3. Report Cards .......................................18
      4.3. Handling Feedback Messages ................................19
           4.3.1. Unsubscription or Suppression ......................20
           4.3.2. Trending and Reporting .............................21
      4.4. Automatically Handling an Incoming Feedback Stream ........22