SELF-REMOVING EMAIL FOR RECIPIENT CONVENIENCE

摘要

Methods and systems provide email message originators (200) and distributors (222) with default control over message removal at a message recipient's location. For instance, a self-removing message (206) is designated as such by the message's originator, and a self-removal enhancement (208 or 210) is added to message content (212) such as advertising before the message is transmitted over a computer network toward recipients. At a given recipient's location, the message is automatically deleted without additional effort by the recipient, before or after being displayed, according to the originator's instructions unless they are overridden by the recipient. Messages may be automatically deleted in response to the arrival of a replacement message. ISPs and other message distributors may identify messages that should be self-removing, and make them self-removing if they are not. Thus, the burden of removing unsolicited email messages is transferred from recipients to the message's originators and/or distributors. Security of messages may also be enhanced.