When you express interest in a position, agencies have every right not to respond and ignore you.
However, have you noticed that often they ignore you, but have the nerve to add your email address to their mailing list, and you start receiving their referral offers…
It’s really pathetic, when they have obviously processed your application, and they don’t want to bother responding to it, but think it’s ok to keep your email to advertise their services.
If you do not want to follow up on an application, fine, again you don’t have to. But if you don’t want to help a candidate with their job search, please, don’t send them emails asking them to help recommend your company. This is so inappropriate!