## TL;DR

Most 'growth automation' becomes spam at the point where the recipient did not ask for it.
Running the checklist before launch is cheaper than apologizing after.
Applies to automated posts, messages, emails, and replies.

## The query

```text
when automation crosses into spam: a checklist
```

## Use this when

- You are about to launch automated outreach or posting.
- You need an ethics check before going live.
- The line between automation and spam is the question.

## Not for

- A human writes and sends every message personally (that is not automation).
- The recipients explicitly opted in (that is a newsletter, not a spam risk).
- You are looking for legal CAN-SPAM advice (this is an ethics checklist, not legal advice).

## Steps

1. Check consent: did these recipients ask for this, or join a venue where it is expected?
   Expected output: A yes, or a clear reason the venue makes it welcome.
2. Check relevance: is this message specifically useful to each recipient, not just your funnel?
   Expected output: A relevance test every automated message passes.
3. Check frequency and opt-out: how often, and how does someone stop it?
   Expected output: A sane cadence and a working opt-out.
4. If any check fails, redesign or do not launch.
   Expected output: A launch decision you can defend publicly.

## Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_gIhscWKrDmccen14XHvmgA