IEEE Electronic Mail Policy
1.
Policy Responsibility and related documents
This policy is maintained
by the IEEE Information Technology Strategy Committee (ITSC). Revisions shall
be submitted to the Board of Directors for approval using the 30-day process
in accordance with IEEE Bylaw I-300.4(5) and if objections are raised, revisions
shall be brought to the Board for consideration at its next regularly scheduled
meeting. The IEEE Electronic Mail Policy along with documents that provide
additional guidance including the Email Acceptable Use Guidelines and
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) are located at http://eleccomm.ieee.org .
2.
Definitions
2.1. Email alias - The name
for an individual electronic mailbox or other entity such as an electronic mail
list. An email alias is made up of a name field and a domain (e.g., name
field@domain). Email sent to an email alias is forwarded to the electronic
address or mailbox of the individual or entity.
2.2. Personal email alias -
The name for an individual's electronic mail alias (e.g.,
i.lastname@ieee.org). Electronic mail sent to a personal electronic mail alias
is forwarded to the physical address (electronic mailbox) of the individual
(see email alias).
2.3. Personal email alias owner
- The recipient of an email alias for individual use.
2.4. Email list - A
collection of email addresses representing people or a specific group,
assembled and identified by a unique email alias (e.g., anou-2004@ieee.org). Any
information sent to this alias is distributed to all email addresses and/or email
aliases on the list.
2.5. Email list alias - The
unique name for a collection of email addresses and/or email aliases assembled
into a group (see email list).
2.6. Email list owner -
Person responsible for the maintenance and integrity of an individual email list.
2.7. Functional alias - An email
alias that represents an IEEE department, conference, entity, or other activity
(e.g., helpdesk@ieee.org, or list-owner-ITSC04@ieee.org), as opposed to an individual's name.
2.8. Network Etiquette
(Netiquette) - Tips and recommended practices for online communication.
3.
Policy, Disclaimers and Limitations
3.1. The policy of the IEEE
is to encourage and promote the responsible use of electronic communications in
the administrative, business and technical operations of the IEEE. It is also
the policy of the IEEE to respect the privacy of individual users, to use
commercially reasonable efforts to ensure the security, reliability and privacy
of the IEEE's systems and networks and to comply with all applicable laws. By
accepting or using an IEEE email alias or using an IEEE hosted email list, users
agree to abide by the procedures, acceptable use practices and network
etiquette contained herein. The IEEE reserves the right to modify this policy
at any time, for any reason deemed appropriate. The most up to date version of
the policy is maintained at http://eleccomm.ieee.org.
3.2. While the IEEE
promotes the privacy of individual email users consistent with its email
policies, the IEEE cannot guarantee the security or privacy of the IEEE's
systems and networks or the networks and systems of others. The IEEE may disclose
to government agencies or qualified entities information related to users email
use or personal email alias if it is required to do so by law or in the
good-faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) conform to the edicts
of the law or (b) protect or defend the rights or property of the IEEE or its
members.
3.3. The availability of email
and IEEE hosted email lists are provided on an "as is" and "as
available basis." The IEEE makes no representations or warranties,
expressed or implied, of any kind with respect to any IEEE-hosted email list or
the IEEE's provision or the use of email provided through the IEEE's servers
and expressly disclaims all representations and warranties, including, without
limitation, warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.
3.4. Neither the IEEE nor
any of its members, directors, employees or other representatives will be
liable for damages arising out of or in connection with the use of an IEEE email
alias or an IEEE-hosted email list, including, but not limited to,
misaddressed, lost or undelivered email messages even if advised of the
possibility thereof. Each user shall be solely responsible for his or her use
of email. This is a comprehensive limitation of liability that applies to all
damages of any kind, including, without limitation, indirect, incidental,
special and consequential damages, loss of data, income, profit or goodwill,
loss of or damage to property and claims of third parties.
3.5. Use of an assigned IEEE
email alias is a privilege, not a right. The IEEE reserves the right to
discontinue email alias or email list service, with or without warning, for any
reason including, but not limited to, violations of this policy. An IEEE email
alias does not authorize the recipient or user to represent the IEEE or to act
on behalf of the IEEE.
3.6. As a part of the
maintenance process, IEEE IT Department employees may have incidental contact
with email (or other digital transfers) passing through IEEE systems. Information
about such documents is held in confidence.
3.7. The IEEE Code of
Ethics applies to the use of IEEE email services.
4.
IEEE Email Aliases
4.1.
IEEE Personal Email Alias Service
4.1.1. An
IEEE email alias is a privilege available to IEEE members and staff
exclusively. Individuals who have not previously had this privilege revoked
are eligible to request an email alias. Upon receipt of a request for an email
alias, the IEEE shall evaluate such request and take appropriate action in
light of this policy and other factors deemed appropriate by the IEEE. Additionally,
the IEEE Computer Society and the IEEE Communications Society provide similar email
aliases (e.g., i.lastname@computer.org
and e.g., i.lastname@comsoc.org), consistent with this policy, to their Society
members, affiliates and staff. For purposes of this document, IEEE is used to
mean IEEE and the IEEE Societies noted in this paragraph.
4.1.2. Requests
for a specific alias will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
4.1.3. It
is the responsibility of the IEEE personal email alias owner to maintain the
correct forwarding address. If an alias points to an invalid address, this
address will be disabled, and can only be re-established upon request.
4.1.4. If
membership or affiliate status expires and is not renewed, the IEEE may elect
to discontinue IEEE email alias service. Once an alias has been discontinued,
it may no longer be available.
4.1.5. Email
announcements to users will be sent via the email address provided by the user
for communications, consistent with the IEEE's privacy policy. The email
address provided by the user may or may not be the alias selected by the user.
The IEEE privacy policy is located at: http://www.ieee.org/portal/pages/about/documentation/copyright/privacy.html
The privilege of owning and using an assigned IEEE personal email
alias is not transferable. An IEEE email alias may not be sold or used for any
commercial venture.
The IEEE may implement tools to block viruses, "spam"
or other problematic content from being forwarded through IEEE's email aliases
and lists as a benefit to alias users.
4.1.8. The
creation of any new email domain for the purpose of establishing an IEEE
personal email alias service as a membership benefit requires the approval of
ITSC.
4.1.9. The
IEEE reserves the right to reject or terminate certain alias name choices
including, but not limited to, those that are deemed inappropriate, offensive,
or distasteful. The use of company names, trade names, and trademarks (e.g.,
IBM@ieee.org, JohnDoeInc@ieee.org) is prohibited.
4.2. Functional
Aliases
4.2.1. Authorized
staff can approve a functional alias within an established email domain (e.g.
@ieee.org, @computer.org, @comsoc.org) on behalf of an IEEE event (e.g.
conference) in compliance with established IEEE business practices, IEEE Policies
and Procedures, and established practices within the responsible functional
organization.
4.2.2. Functional
aliases may be directed to one mailbox or split among a work team.
5.
IEEE Email Lists
5.1. IEEE volunteers and
staff may request the creation of IEEE-hosted email lists. The purpose of the list
is subject to review and approval by the responsible entity or functional
organization in compliance with IEEE Bylaws, policies and procedures, business
practices, and this policy.
5.2. IEEE electronic
mailing lists are used solely for the purpose of conducting IEEE business.
5.3. Every email list must
have an owner.
5.4. IEEE email lists shall
not be used to send unsolicited commercial email commonly referred to as
"SPAM".
5.5. An IEEE email alias
owner may send email communications to those members and customers who have
requested to be contacted, as long as the response is specific to the content
of the communication requested.
5.6. IEEE email lists shall
not be sold or given to third parties.
5.7. IEEE email lists shall
not be used for IEEE electioneering unless explicitly established for this
purpose by IEEE.
5.8. Communications outside
of this policy, ITSC guidelines and those established by the list owner are not
authorized and may be deleted from relevant archives, and the initiator blocked
from further transmissions to the list.
5.9. Members of a mailing
list (e.g., standards working group) are permitted to remove themselves from a
mailing list at their own discretion, except as noted in 5.10.
5.10. For official IEEE business, IEEE volunteers,
staff, Society Affiliates and Standards Association members may automatically
be included on mailing lists used for official IEEE business (e.g.,
corp97-bod@ieee.org). Requests for removal from these lists shall be sent in
writing to the office of the IEEE Executive Director for further handling.
5.11. List communications should not be
considered private.
5.12. Extracts from the SAMIEEE database
of members who have specified interest in a specific area (society, section,
topic, etc.) can be used for announcements relevant to that member selection.
5.13. IEEE staff or volunteers must have
permission from the recipient to send information via email using lists which
were not created for a specific purpose. (e.g. extracts from the SAMIEEE
database). The staff or volunteer must provide a (or take advantage of an
existing) opt-in mechanism for receiving permission from the member or
customer. Direct email communications covered may include, but are not limited
to, the following:
5.13.1. Announcements regarding
changes to programs, services (e.g., subscription info, terms and conditions)
5.13.2. Fund-raising announcements
(e.g., Life Member Fund, IEEE Foundation, History Center)
5.13.3. New product promotions
(e.g., books, standards, merchandise, subscriptions)
5.13.4. Low cost/no cost inventory
reduction promotions (e.g., net warehouse sale)
5.13.5. Conference-related
announcements (e.g., registration, call for papers, special activities, tour
programs)
5.13.6. Newsletters
5.13.7. Surveys (e.g., IEEE member
survey, library survey, Society membership needs assessment)
5.14. Notwithstanding anything else in
this policy or the guidelines established by a list owner, the Executive
Director of the IEEE may approve limited mailings to select IEEE electronic
mailing lists that would otherwise violate this policy or a list's established
guidelines. The ITSC chair shall be notified of such use as soon as possible,
but no later than 48 hours after this approval.
6. Additional
internal IEEE policies apply to email use by IEEE staff.
