1. A method for permitting the sending of electronic mail (email), comprising: under control of a sender: accepting a recipient identifier; providing sender information along with a petition provider identifier to a recipient; under control of the recipient: providing the sender information to a petition provider identified by the petition provider identifier; accepting a petition from the petition provider; determining whether the petition is acceptable based on at least one of: 1) a sender identity verification method; 2) user input; and 3) third party information; and wherein if the petition is acceptable, the sender is permitted to send email to the recipient.