Subject: Any RFCs describing mailing list subscription practice?

From: Ross Finlayson <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 09 Jul 2000 17:18:32 -0700

Do we have any RFCs (or even I-Ds) that describe the preferred '3-way 
handshake' method for validating a request to subscribe to a mailing list - 
i.e., to first send back - to the requester's source email address - a 
"please confirm your subscription" response message (preferably containing 
a random token), and then add the address to the mailing list *only if* the 
user responds to this second message?

I am constantly fighting with clueless (or lazy, or opportunistic) mailing 
list operators who insist on adding bogus email addresses - containing my 
domain name - to their mailing lists, without first confirming their 
validity.  It would be nice if there were an IETF document that I could 
point them at.

	Ross.

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From: "Donald E. Eastlake 3rd" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 09 Jul 2000 23:04:19 -0400

As far as I know, there is no such IETF document.  The only even
vaguely related RFCs I know of are 2369 and 1211.  Standardizing list
processor commands has proven to be very controversial.  But a BCP
supporting use of a mail loop to confirm subscription would be a good
thing and should be doable...

Thanks,
Donald

From:  Ross Finlayson <[email-masked]>
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Date:  Sun, 09 Jul 2000 17:18:32 -0700
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