Help! I Get So Much Junk Email, Part 2: How to Manage Your Email Subscriptions

Managing email seems like a never ending task. If you want to make sure you get the email you want, and not the spam that you dont want, click here to read that article. This week, learn how to tell the companies you’ve given your email to how you want them to communicate with you.

Many online activities (shopping, social media, gaming, financial management, photo storage) require you to create a profile or online account. And creating an online account usually means giving an email address for notification purposes. Makes sense.  

1. Do you shop online? Some companies take the liberty of adding your email address to their mailing lists, and your inbox can become flooded with advertisements. Thanks to the CAN-SPAM Act, consumers have the right to unsubscribe from a mailing list at any time. So, if you don’t want emails from a particular company or group, don’t just delete them from your inbox. Unsubscribe by opening the email and scrolling to the bottom. Look carefully for a link that says “Unsubscribe” and click on it. You’ll usually be taken to a screen that asks you to confirm the request, and then POOF. You’re off the mailing list.

2. Another way to regain control over your inbox is to manage the email subscription preferences associated with your online account for a product, company or service. For example, say you enjoy using Pinterest, but you don’t want an email every time someone comments on your board. To fix this, open one of the emails from Pinterest and scroll to the bottom. Look carefully for a link that says “Manage your subscription” or “Change your email preferences” and click on it. You’ll be taken to a screen that will let you pick and choose the types of emails Pinterest will send you. (Note: image below is shown for a Pinterest account, but the process will be the same for managing email subscription options from almost any online profile/account).

Got a question? Ask it in the comments box below.