A mailing list is a collection of names and addresses used by an individual or an organization to send material to multiple recipients. The term is often extended to include the people subscribed to such a list, so the group of subscribers is referred to as "the mailing list", or simply "the list".

At least two quite different types of mailing lists can be defined: the first one is closer to the literal sense, where a "mailing list" of people is used as a recipient for newsletters, periodicals or advertising. Traditionally this was done through the postal system, but with the rise of e-mail, the electronic mailing list became popular. A British pillar box The postal system is a system by which written documents typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages containing other matter, are delivered to destinations around the world. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Electronic mailing lists are a special usage of e-mail that allows for widespread distribution of information to many Internet users. ...

When similar or identical material is sent out to all subscribers on a mailing-list, it is often referred to as a mailshot or blast. A list for such use can also be referred to as a distribution list. This page is a candidate for speedy deletion, because: it is a very short article with litte or no context If you disagree with its speedy deletion, please explain why on its talk page or at Wikipedia:Speedy deletions. ... Electronic mailing lists are a special usage of email that allows for widespread distribution of information to many Internet users. ...

In legitimate (non-spam) mailing lists, the individual can subscribe or unsubscribe themselves.

Mailing lists are often rented or sold. If rented, the renter agrees to use the mailing list for only contractually agreed-upon times. The mailing list owner typically enforces this by "salting" the mailing list with fake addresses and creates new salts for each time the list is rented. Unscrupulous renters may attempt to bypass salts by renting several lists and merging them to find the common, valid addresses. Mailing list brokers exist to help organizations rent their lists. For some organizations, such as specialized niche publications or charitable groups, their lists may be some of their most valuable assets, and mailing list brokers help them maximize the value of their lists. A list broker buys and sells lists of customers addresses. ...

See also

• Netiquette
• Usenet
• Newsletter
• Electronic mailing list
• Distribution list