Google implements stricter guidelines for bulk email senders

Google has announced a crackdown on senders of mass emails to Gmail users, signaling a shift towards stricter guidelines to combat spam and phishing. According to reports, Google will begin rejecting emails that do not meet the bulk sender guidelines, which are designed to safeguard Gmail users from unsolicited and potentially harmful messages.

Starting this month, bulk email senders (any email sender that sends close to 5,000 messages or more to personal Gmail accounts within a 24-hour period) failing to meet the requirements have been receiving temporary error codes on a percentage of their emails. These error codes serve as alerts, allowing senders to identify non-compliant traffic and take necessary actions to ensure compliance with the new guidelines. However, from April onwards, Google will start rejecting a portion of non-compliant email traffic, gradually increasing the rejection rate over time.

By June 1, 2024, bulk email senders must include a “clearly visible” unsubscribe link in promotional messages

One of the key requirements for bulk email senders is to facilitate an unsubscribe link for recipients. By June 1, 2024, senders must include a “clearly visible” unsubscribe link in the body of marketing and promotional messages, enabling recipients to opt out with a single click.

It’s important to note that these guidelines do not impact messages sent to Google Workspace accounts. Google defines a bulk sender as any entity sending 5,000 or more messages to personal Gmail accounts within a day, regardless of the sender’s primary domain. Notably, a personal Gmail account is an account that ends in “@gmail.com” or “@googlemail.com”. Once a sender meets this threshold, Gmail will permanently categorize them as a bulk sender.

Google’s decision to implement these stricter measures follows its October 2023 announcement, where it emphasized the importance of email validation in reducing the prevalence of unauthenticated messages and phishing scams. By requiring bulk senders to authenticate their emails, Google aims to close loopholes exploited by attackers and enhance trust in email communication.

Overall, Google’s efforts to tighten regulations for bulk email senders reflect its commitment to protecting Gmail users from spam, phishing, and other bad activities. As these new guidelines take effect, users can expect a relatively safer and more secure email experience on the platform.