Your SPAM compliance obligations when using RiTA

Note: This article is for information only and should not be construed as specific advice or relied upon in lieu of appropriate professional advice. Cotality recommends that all users of the RiTA platform seek their own legal advice to ensure compliance with the laws applicable to their commercial communications and specific circumstances.

At Cotality, we are committed to helping you communicate in line with Australian SPAM and privacy laws.

Your compliance responsibilities

While RiTA messages are being sent by Cotality on your behalf using the RiTA platform, compliance with all statutory requirements remains your responsibility as the authorised sender.

As the authorised sender, you must ensure that SMS and email messages sent using the RiTA platform comply with the Spam Laws, including making sure that for your commercial electronic messages:

• the recipient has consented to the sending of that message (and consent has not been withdrawn);
• the message contains a clear opt-out option; and
• the message identifies you/your agency as the sender, and contains accurate contact details for you/your agency.

We suggest you regularly review:

• all your active SMS and email templates and content within RiTA to ensure they are SPAM compliant; and
• your processes to ensure you honour (within 5 business days) unsubscribes updated in your CRM from RiTA for all direct marketing from your agency.

A compliance checkbox is included in relevant sections within RiTA, reminding you to review your messages to ensure they are compliant with privacy and spam laws, before you send to any of your contacts.

For more information about SPAM compliance, click here: Avoid sending spam | ACMA

RiTA Templates

Clear Opt-Out Instructions

Default message templates within RiTA include direct opt-out language so that recipients have clear instructions about how to stop receiving messages . For example:

“To stop receiving messages from us, reply ‘STOP’.”

We suggest you take this opportunity to check that you are using the current templates in RiTA and that all your active SMS and email templates and content within RiTA are SPAM compliant.

Sign-Off Blocks

Default sign-off signature templates within RiTA for SMS and email include:

• identification of you/your agency as the authorised sender of the message; and
• your contact details/the contact details of your agency.

If you are sending on behalf of an agency, typically your agency contact details should be included.

RiTA template sign offs

• SMS: Kind Regards, {{agency.ritaName}}, on behalf of {{user.firstName}} {{user.lastName}}, {{agency.name}} - ph: {{agency.phoneNumber}}
• Email: Kind Regards, {{user.firstName}} {{user.lastName}} {{agency.name}}
  Contact {{user.firstName}} {{user.lastName}} on {{user.mobile}} Contact {{agency.name}} on {{agency.phoneNumber}} 

As default opt-out language and sign off blocks are updated over time, we recommend you regularly review the opt-out wording and sign off blocks in your account to verify they are utilising the most updated default wording and that all your active SMS and email templates and content within RiTA are SPAM compliant.

Need Help? 

If you have questions or need assistance updating your templates, please contact Customer Care.