Our optional filter allows members to control unwanted e-mail solicitations by diverting junk e-mail to a separate folder, which members may check or ignore. Simply turn your filter ON, or use the handy filter tools to increase performance.

Filter Tools

• Basic Filter: Just turn it on and it goes to work, diverting an average 80% of your junk e-mail to your own junk e-mail folder.
• [NEW!] Address Tool: Enter your e-mail address. If the incoming e-mail is NOT addressed specifically to you, it is diverted! Up to 99% effective. Basic filter must be ON.
• Whitelist Tool: Always ALLOW specific e-mail through (from addresses you specify). Basic filter must be ON.
• Blocklist Tool: Always BLOCK specific e-mail (from addresses you specify). Basic filter must be ON.

You may use any combination of Tools when the Basic Filter is ON.

The Whitelist and Blocklist tools allow you to customize your filter. The Whitelist overrides the Blocklist, which provides greater power and control over your junk e-mail.

Your Junkmail Folder is where all email earmarked as SPAM, etc. may be viewed. Currently, email filters are about 80% effective, and sometimes they mark mail as SPAM even though it is something you wanted to get. This is the reason for providing you web-based access to check your junkmail, so you can look and see if anything you wanted is in there.

See below for a description of SPAM (junk email) and more on our current approach to it.

ALL JUNKMAIL OVER 15 DAYS OLD IS REMOVED DAILY. This is to prevent mass accumulation of unwanted email that affects mail server performance.

FILTER CONTROL. You may turn your filter on or off, and access the various filter tools, HERE. You will be prompted for your username and password.

	Help
		Help and information for new users of our web-based e-mail program.

	Log In to Junkmail Folder
		Log in to your Northcoast Internet junkmail box.

WHAT IS SPAM?
SPAM (unsolicited, unwanted junk email) is an unfortunate occurance. Marketers worldwide are constantly inundating our and every other Internet Service Provider's members with unwanted solicitations. We personally get them as well, and we typically do not like them. In fact, it is part of Internet culture (except for the ones who do it) to detest SPAM.

Our only recourse (until now) has been to 'block' any traffic from that set of IP (Internet Protocol) Addresses. The problem with that is then all the other people (the friendly non-spammers) on that network can no longer contact anyone at Northcoast.

For example, if a Northcoast Internet user Spammed the Compuserve network, then Compuserve _could_ choose to block all traffic from the Northcoast Internet network. But then you and I could not e-mail our friends at Compuserve anymore.

There are more Spammers than ever, competing for an ever-increasing pool of Internet shoppers. It will get worse (on every system) before it gets better, and not likely without some type of regulation.

If any Spam does get through, our advice would be to just throw them out (like you do with postal junkmail). We would also advise you not to reply to any of these sending-Spam addresses, even if they say things like "To un-subscribe, write to us...". The reason for that is that when they spam they may send it to everyone (not knowing your username, just your '@northcoast.com'). But if you reply (to un-subscribe), then they have your exact e-mail address and then the Spam can _really_ begin.

Further, if you ever belonged to a National ISP, they may have sold your name to marketers. Northcoast Internet will NEVER release your name or username or anything else. Not without a court order. That is our promise, and one that we have lived by since the beginning. As much as is in our control, your privacy is safe with us. We do not sell lists, we have not and will not sell your private info to anyone. Period.

You may turn your own filter on and off at will, using this filter ON/OFF link.

ALL FILTERED ACCOUNTS have 24/7 access to their SPAM DIRECTORY.

ALL MEMBERS may edit their filter options at will, via a web interface.

ALL MEMBERS ARE SET TO DEFAULT SETTING 'FILTER ON' AND MUST GO TO THE WEB SITE TO CHANGE IT IF THEY WANT TO.