The golden rule
Don't be a jerk. Seriously, that covers about 95% of it. But since lawyers like specifics, here's what we mean.
This policy exists because
We share carrier infrastructure with every other SMS sender in Australia. When someone abuses SMS, it affects deliverability for everyone — including you. So we take this seriously, not because we enjoy rules, but because it keeps the service working well for everyone.
You must
- Only message people who expect it. The recipient should know who you are and why they're getting a text. If they'd be surprised to hear from you, don't send it.
- Comply with Australian spam laws. The Spam Act 2003 is the big one. If you're sending commercial messages, you need consent, identification, and an opt-out mechanism.
- Respect opt-outs. If someone asks you to stop messaging them, stop. Immediately. No "one more" follow-up.
- Keep your API keys secure. If a key is compromised, revoke it straight away and let us know.
You must not
- Send spam. Unsolicited bulk messaging, regardless of content, is not allowed. Full stop.
- Send illegal content. Anything that breaks Australian law, or the law of the country where your recipient is located.
- Phish or scam. No impersonating banks, government agencies, or anyone else. No fake urgency to trick people into clicking links or sharing information.
- Harass anyone. Threatening, abusive, or intimidating messages are grounds for immediate account termination.
- Send to numbers you've scraped or bought. If you didn't get the number directly from the person, don't message them.
- Overload the system. Don't flood the API with requests beyond reasonable use. If you need high volume, talk to us first.
- Circumvent limits. Creating multiple accounts to get around credit limits or rate limits is not on.
What happens if you break the rules
Depends on the severity:
- Honest mistake? We'll reach out and help you fix it. No dramas.
- Repeated issues? We may temporarily suspend your account until we sort it out.
- Deliberate abuse? Immediate account termination. No refund of credits. We may also report the activity to relevant authorities.
We'll always try to be fair and proportionate. If you think we've made a mistake, email us and we'll review it.
Reporting abuse
If you've received an unwanted SMS that you believe was sent through our service, or if you notice abuse, please let us know at hello@theitdept.au. We investigate every report.
Changes
We may update this policy as needed. We'll post changes here and update the date above.
Questions?
Not sure if something's okay? Just ask. hello@theitdept.au. We'd rather you check first than find out later.