---
id: CON-PFM-NOT-006
name: Communication Protection
feature: FEAT-PFM-NOT-07
product_area: platform
module: notifications
revision: 1
status: superseded
product_intent: proposed
implementation_evidence: observed
source_sha:
  services-platform: ad3f6a6582843008ed0f5a17b131878d15829af1
  react-console: baf6dae382d6f41dce976c7f848667ccc37e076f
definition: >-
  A retained, superseded grouping for the protective and sender-related facets
  now described within Association Communication.
owned_by: MOD-PFM-NOT
synonyms:
  - do-not-mail list
  - suppression list
  - sending domain
not_to_be_confused_with:
  - 'A contact’s communication preferences or opt-out, which CRM owns'
  - 'Member consent for marketing, which CRM and Marketing own'
facets:
  - name: Address suppression
    meaning: >-
      Permanent bounce, complaint or staff action creates a workspace
      do-not-send entry released only with a reason.
    used_for: Protect recipients and sender reputation.
  - name: Demonstration addressing
    meaning: Reserved domains cannot receive delivery in any environment.
    used_for: Prevent sample addresses from becoming provider sends.
  - name: Nonproduction policy
    meaning: >-
      Test mailboxes and explicitly permitted addresses or domains are the only
      nonproduction destinations.
    used_for: >-
      Constrain test delivery without claiming that all permitted recipients are
      synthetic.
  - name: Association sender
    meaning: >-
      A workspace setting records address or domain strategy, DNS instructions
      and provider verification.
    used_for: Use association identity when it can send.
  - name: Fallback address
    meaning: >-
      Rhythm's shared sender remains available until workspace identity is
      verified.
    used_for: Continue eligible delivery while DNS verification is pending.
  - name: Account capacity
    meaning: >-
      Separate lane rate budgets and a Marketing quota pause reserve capacity
      for transactional traffic.
    used_for: Control bulk sending without guaranteeing workspace fairness.
  - name: Feedback correlation
    meaning: >-
      Provider configuration and message tags identify the workspace and message
      in reports.
    used_for: Associate asynchronous feedback with retained history.
relationships:
  - to: CON-PFM-NOT-005
    statement: >-
      Recipient protection withholds prohibited primary and copy destinations
      and retains the decision reason.
    provenance: test
    source: >-
      services-platform:modules/communications/tests/integration/services/dispatch/reserved-domain-suppression.integration.spec.js#withholds
      its message with the reserved-domain reason, so the history says why it
      was not sent
  - to: CON-PFM-NOT-004
    statement: >-
      Fixed template copies undergo the same recipient-protection checks as
      primary addresses.
    provenance: test
    source: >-
      services-platform:modules/communications/tests/integration/services/dispatch/template-copies.integration.spec.js#never
      copies a suppressed address
lifecycle:
  - state: pending
    meaning: >-
      Provider verification has not completed and the shared sender remains
      available.
    how_it_changes: Provisioning prepares the requested identity.
  - state: verified
    meaning: Provider verification permits use of the association address.
    how_it_changes: A refresh records usable provider verification.
  - state: failed
    meaning: >-
      No required identity can send and a provider failure requires attention;
      shared sending remains available.
    how_it_changes: Verification refresh observes the provider failure.
  - state: suppressed
    meaning: Recipient policy withholds the address under an active suppression entry.
    how_it_changes: >-
      Bounce, complaint or manual suppression activates it; deliberate release
      ends it.
acted_on_by:
  - CAP-PFM-NOT-018
  - CAP-PFM-NOT-020
visible_to:
  - ACT-PFM-028
  - ACT-PFM-031
evidence:
  - >-
    Pinned evidence inventory 1:
    services-platform:modules/communications/tests/integration/services/dispatch/reserved-domain-suppression.integration.spec.js;
    services-platform:modules/communications/tests/integration/services/dispatch/template-copies.integration.spec.js
supersedes: []
---

# Communication Protection

## What It Is

This retained concept previously grouped recipient protection, sender verification and shared sending capacity. The examination folds that grouping into Association Communication because these facets determine whether and how a message can be delivered. Its permanent identity remains available for earlier references, but it is superseded as an active planning concept.

The retained record does not create another home for communication rules. Address withholding, sender provisioning and capacity control are described by the communication capabilities and the active communication concept. Readers following earlier links should continue there for the current product model and its unresolved questions.

## What It Is Not

The superseded grouping is not a separate outcome, feature or approval. Its existence does not confirm the later Marketing or caller-rendered extensions. It also supplies no guarantee that retry is exactly once, every allowed test address is synthetic, or a shared provider identity belongs exclusively to one workspace.

## How It Is Used

The current communication outcome checks primary recipients and copies, suppresses unsafe addresses and chooses a verified sender or fallback. Operators can refresh provider verification and release suppression with a reason. Those operations change communication records and therefore remain part of the delivery outcome. Earlier links to this record are historical navigation rather than a second specification of those operations.

## Its Facets

**Address suppression.** Permanent bounce, complaint or staff action creates a workspace do-not-send entry released only with a reason. Protect recipients and sender reputation.

**Demonstration addressing.** Reserved domains cannot receive delivery in any environment. Prevent sample addresses from becoming provider sends.

**Nonproduction policy.** Test mailboxes and explicitly permitted addresses or domains are the only nonproduction destinations. Constrain test delivery without claiming that all permitted recipients are synthetic.

**Association sender.** A workspace setting records address or domain strategy, DNS instructions and provider verification. Use association identity when it can send.

**Fallback address.** Rhythm's shared sender remains available until workspace identity is verified. Continue eligible delivery while DNS verification is pending.

**Account capacity.** Separate lane rate budgets and a Marketing quota pause reserve capacity for transactional traffic. Control bulk sending without guaranteeing workspace fairness.

**Feedback correlation.** Provider configuration and message tags identify the workspace and message in reports. Associate asynchronous feedback with retained history.

## How It Relates

Association Communication is the active home for these facets. Templates contribute fixed copy destinations, and the delivery outcome evaluates them under recipient protection. Message history records withheld reasons and provider feedback. No additional active concept is needed to express those relationships.

## What It Could Become

The product should use the active communication concept when planning protection, sender ownership and account capacity. Andrew should resolve the shared-identity deletion risk and the acceptable ambiguity policy before design assumes stronger guarantees. This retained record should remain superseded so earlier references continue to resolve without creating parallel rule ownership.