Process by which email addresses which bounce and email adresses of users who complain loud and long about being spammed are removed. Not a substitute for proper list management.
The process of removing email addresses from a mailing list at the request of individuals. This leaves a clean list of people who do not mind receiving messages. This may require the cooperation of ISPs to forward email complaints to companies.
Removing email addresses from a mailing list, after receiving opt-out requests.
When you complain about a mailing list that you never signed up for in the first place, and the admins simply remove you from the list rather than terminating the list entirely, they are "listwashers".
The process of removing email addresses from a mailing list at the request of the recipients - usually, addresses removed are those who have complained - rather than deleting a list in its entirety. This allows spammers to continue to spam with a minimum of complaints. Listwashing often requires the complicity of the spammer's service provider, who will forward email addresses of complainers on to the spammer.
Listwashing is the process through which individual entries in mailing lists are removed. These mailing lists typically contain e-mail addresses or phone numbers of those that have not voluntarily subscribed. An entry is removed from the list after a complaint is received.