What is the current status and relevance of the NJABL email blacklist?

Summary

The consensus across various email marketing experts, documentation sources, and community discussions is that the NJABL (Not Just Another Black List) email blacklist is no longer relevant or effective for email deliverability. While it was significant in the past, issues with data quality, lack of updates, and maintenance have led to its decline and eventual obsolescence. Major blocklist providers no longer include NJABL, and experts advise against using it due to the risk of false positives and the availability of more accurate, actively maintained alternatives. The appearance of A records recently does not change the overall recommendation to disregard NJABL.

Key findings

  • Obsolete and Irrelevant: NJABL is no longer actively maintained or considered relevant by major blocklist providers and email experts.
  • Data Quality Issues: The data in NJABL is outdated and unreliable, leading to potential false positives.
  • Better Alternatives Exist: More accurate and actively maintained blocklists are available for email filtering.
  • Historical Significance Only: NJABL's primary value is historical, as it was once a notable DNSBL.

Key considerations

  • Do Not Use NJABL: Avoid using NJABL due to its outdated status and potential for causing deliverability issues.
  • Prioritize Active Blocklists: Focus on using actively maintained and reputable blocklists for email filtering.
  • Regularly Review Blocklists: Regularly evaluate and update blocklist usage to ensure relevance, accuracy, and effectiveness.

What email marketers say
9Marketer opinions

The NJABL (Not Just Another Black List) email blacklist, while significant in the past, is now largely considered obsolete. It was initially a useful DNSBL project, but due to issues with data quality, lack of updates, and maintenance problems, it declined over time. Experts and marketers advise against using NJABL, citing the risk of false positives and the availability of more accurate, actively maintained blocklists. While its A records may have reappeared recently, the consensus is that NJABL is no longer relevant for current spam filtering practices.

Key opinions

  • Obsolete Status: NJABL is no longer actively maintained or considered relevant for modern spam filtering.
  • Historical Significance: NJABL was once a useful DNSBL but suffered from data quality and maintenance issues.
  • Outdated Data: The data in NJABL is outdated, making it ineffective and potentially harmful due to false positives.
  • Better Alternatives: More accurate and actively maintained blocklists are available, making NJABL unnecessary.

Key considerations

  • Avoid Using NJABL: Using NJABL can lead to deliverability issues and is not recommended.
  • Focus on Active Lists: Email senders should focus on utilizing actively maintained and reputable blocklists.
  • Evaluate Blocklist Relevance: Regularly evaluate the relevance and accuracy of blocklists used for spam filtering.
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks recalls that NJABL stands for *N*ot *J*ust *A*nother *B*lack *L*ist.

May 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that the NJABL blocklist shuttered years ago and provides a link to a web archive showing it shutdown over a decade ago. They also note that A records popped back up on the domain this week after 10 years without DNS records.

July 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from DNSQueries says that whilst NJABL may have been useful at some point, it appears to no longer be active so should not be used.

October 2023 - DNSQueries
Marketer view

Email marketer from MXToolbox shares that NJABL is no longer maintained and should be ignored. Using it can lead to deliverability issues with legitimate email.

February 2023 - MXToolbox
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks remembers the NJABL blocklist but hasn't seen it in years.

October 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackExchange advises against using outdated blocklists like NJABL due to the risk of false positives and the availability of more up-to-date and maintained lists.

July 2024 - StackExchange
Marketer view

Email marketer from Usenet Group explains that NJABL was useful in its early days but became less effective over time due to outdated data and maintenance issues. Other lists became more reliable.

September 2022 - Usenet Group
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit remembers NJABL as one of the older blocklists. It suggests that it is likely obsolete now due to lack of updates and the presence of more modern, accurate lists.

October 2023 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Spamhaus Forum explains that NJABL was a DNS blacklist project primarily run by Bob Stock. It was initially useful, but issues with data quality and updates led to its decline. It experienced several outages and eventually was discontinued.

October 2023 - Spamhaus Forum

What the experts say
2Expert opinions

Experts agree that NJABL, while historically significant, is no longer relevant for email deliverability. The consensus is that its lack of updates and maintenance renders it obsolete. Relying on outdated lists like NJABL can lead to false positives, negatively impacting deliverability. Focusing on actively maintained blocklists is the recommended approach.

Key opinions

  • Obsolete: NJABL is no longer relevant due to lack of updates and maintenance.
  • False Positives: Using NJABL can lead to false positives, hindering deliverability.
  • Focus on Actively Maintained Lists: It's crucial to use current, actively maintained blocklists.

Key considerations

  • Avoid NJABL: Refrain from using NJABL due to its outdated status.
  • Prioritize Current Lists: Prioritize actively maintained blocklists for accurate spam filtering.
  • Regularly Review: Regularly review and update blocklist usage to ensure relevance and accuracy.
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise emphasizes the importance of using current blocklists. She highlights that relying on outdated lists like NJABL can lead to false positives and negatively impact deliverability.

July 2021 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains that NJABL was significant in its time but is no longer relevant due to a lack of updates and maintenance. He recommends focusing on actively maintained blocklists.

October 2022 - Spam Resource

What the documentation says
3Technical articles

Email deliverability documentation indicates that NJABL is no longer actively used or considered relevant by major blocklist providers like Spamhaus and MultiRBL. While mailradar provides historical context, it doesn't reflect the current status. The overall consensus is that NJABL is outdated and not a trustworthy source for modern spam filtering.

Key findings

  • Not in Major Blocklists: Spamhaus and MultiRBL do not include NJABL in their blocklists.
  • Not Actively Maintained: Documentation suggests that NJABL is no longer actively maintained.
  • Historical Context Only: Some sources provide historical context, but lack current status information.

Key considerations

  • Do Not Rely on NJABL: Avoid relying on NJABL for email deliverability decisions.
  • Use Current Blocklists: Use actively maintained and reputable blocklists for spam filtering.
  • Evaluate Blocklist Relevance: Regularly evaluate the relevance and trustworthiness of blocklists.
Technical article

Documentation from Spamhaus explains that NJABL is not currently included in their blocklists, suggesting that it's no longer actively maintained or considered relevant for modern spam filtering.

December 2024 - Spamhaus
Technical article

Documentation from MultiRBL indicates that NJABL is no longer a part of their combined RBL (Real-time Blackhole List) services, meaning it's not considered an active or trustworthy source.

May 2022 - MultiRBL.valli.org
Technical article

Documentation from mailradar explains NJABL (Not Just Another BlackList) was an early DNSBL that aimed to block spam. However, this source doesn't provide current status, only historical context.

January 2022 - mailradar.com