SMS Consent Flow Example

This page documents how users provide explicit, organization-specific SMS consent on the Submittable platform. It is a faithful representation of the production opt-in experience and is published to support carrier compliance review.

Plain-language summary. Users may create a Submittable account without providing a phone number. Phone numbers, when provided, may be used for account recovery, identity verification, or SMS notifications. SMS messaging is only enabled when an organization supports SMS, and only after the user explicitly opts in via an unchecked checkbox tied to that specific organization. Consent is collected per organization. Users may use the platform without ever providing a phone number or receiving SMS messages.

Step 1 of 4 — Account Creation

Sign up does not collect a phone number

Users create an account using their name, email address, and password, and confirm ownership of their email address with a one-time code. No phone number is requested at signup, and no SMS messaging is mentioned.

By signing up, you agree to the platform's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy:

Step 2 of 4 — Organization Profile

Users land on an organization-specific profile

After signup, users access an organization-specific profile workspace. The example below shows the profile for Scholarship America Example organization. Each organization has its own profile and its own SMS configuration; SMS messaging only appears when the organization has SMS enabled.

Step 3 of 4 — Phone Number (Optional)

Phone number is optional and multi-purpose

Within the organization profile, the user may optionally add a phone number. The phone number field is not required to use the platform.

Phone Number (optional)

Your phone number may be used for account recovery, identity verification, or SMS notifications if enabled by this organization. SMS notifications are always optional. Providing a phone number does not opt you in to SMS messaging.

Phone verification is not consent

If the user enters a phone number and chooses to verify, a one-time code is sent to confirm ownership of the number. Successful verification establishes ownership only — it does not opt the user in to SMS messages.

One-Time Verification Code

Phone verified — SMS not enabled

Step 4 of 4 — SMS Consent

Explicit, organization-specific SMS opt-in

The SMS consent block is shown only when the organization has SMS enabled. The checkbox is unchecked by default and must be explicitly selected by the user. Consent is collected separately for each organization.

Valid outcomes: a user may have a phone and consent (SMS enabled), have a phone and no consent (no SMS), or no phone at all (no SMS). All three are supported. SMS preferences apply only to Scholarship America in this example; consent is collected separately for each organization that supports SMS.

Mobile messaging privacy

Submittable maintains a 10DLC-compliant privacy policy governing how mobile phone numbers, SMS consent records, and related messaging data are handled. The relevant clause is reproduced below for review and is also published in full at https://www.submittable.com/privacy.

Mobile Messaging and SMS Data. We do not sell, rent, or share mobile phone numbers, SMS consent records, or related messaging data with third parties, affiliates, or partners for their own marketing or promotional purposes. Mobile information is used solely to provide messaging services you request, including transactional, operational, or customer support communications. We may disclose this information to vendors and service providers that support message delivery and program administration, subject to contractual obligations requiring confidentiality, security safeguards, and restrictions on further use. Mobile messaging data is never disclosed to third parties for their independent advertising, marketing, or promotional activities. Excerpted from Submittable's Privacy Policy.

Opt-out and help behavior

STOP: Reply STOP at any time to immediately stop receiving SMS messages from the organization. The user is suppressed from further sends and the organization-scoped consent record is updated to opted-out.
HELP: Reply HELP for assistance. The user receives a reply with support contact information for the organization.
START: A user who previously opted out may re-subscribe by replying START or by re-checking the consent checkbox in their organization profile. Re-subscription is not automatic and always requires an explicit user action.

How phone numbers may be used

If a user chooses to provide a phone number, it may be used for any of the following purposes. Each is independent of the others, and the user controls which apply.

Account recovery — recovering access if the user is locked out of their account.
Identity verification — confirming the user's identity at signup or sensitive account actions.
SMS notifications — only when an organization supports SMS and only after the user explicitly opts in via the consent checkbox above.

Phone verification proves ownership of the number; it never grants permission to send SMS messages. SMS consent is always a separate, explicit action and is collected independently for each organization that supports SMS.

Sample SMS messages

The following are representative examples of the SMS messages an opted-in user may receive from an organization on Submittable. Messages always identify the sending organization.

Scholarship America: Your application has been received successfully.
Scholarship America: Reminder — your application deadline is in 3 days.
Scholarship America: Your application status has been updated.