Re: Email / Spam / Lists / orgs | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Fred H Olson (fholsoncohousing.org) | |
Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2008 08:54:57 -0700 (PDT) |
On Tue, 8 Apr 2008 Eris Weaver wrote: > I have a slightly different take on this. > Publishing your contact information in ANY publicly-accessible directory > - online or print - opens you up to receiving communications from whoever > finds you in that directory. That's why we do it, right? So people can > find us? Hopefully anyone pulling contact info from the Coho/US or FIC > directories will be using it for purposes related to community. I think the purpose of listing email addresses is to contact selected communities, not to send them all unsolicited email (spam). But, a bit like porn, spam is hard to define closely. Suppose I sent 1) an ad about a product that rhymes with Niagra ALMOST all addresses in the cohousing directory? Spam? yes. How about these variants of this scenario? 2) about a cohousing unit for rent. Spam? probably (imho) 3) about a cohousing event to 5 addresses sender thinks are likely to be interested. Spam? no 4) like 3) but to 25 people. Spam? 5) 75 people Spam? 6) 90% of " 7) 99% yes (imho) 8) 99% repeatedly definitely yes. Clearly some mailing are more egregious than others and where the boundary is drawn is not clear cut. > But it > would be naive to think that just publishing the above disclaimer would > stop anyone who really wanted to use the contact info there. I think a "disclaimer" would stop some but clearly not all inappropriate mail. It would also deny the excuse that "I did not know it was inappropriate". > I recently sent out a mailer and email about a workshop I am teaching > that would be of interest to cohousers and other communitarians. I > have paid advertising on the Coho/US website and elsewhere, and also > posted it to cohousing-l. I also used the directories to identify > communities in the geographic area where the workshop will be held. > Was that spam? > Was that a mis-use of the directories? In that grey area. Depends on on how many addresses / how large a geographic area and then it's still a judgement call. Given that I know you to some extent via email, I'd give you the benefit of the doubt (after looking at the numbers :) . > Or just using a common marketing technique? Clearly it is a "common marketing technique" but that does not make it acceptable. BTW I routinely delete lots of spam and might decide not to attend an event or check out an interesting product if I found out about via Spam. I dont like to deal with people who Spam; what other "shortcuts" might they take in their dealings. Fred -- Fred H. Olson Minneapolis,MN 55411 USA (near north Mpls) Communications for Justice -- Free, superior listserv's w/o ads: http://justcomm.org My Link Pg: http://fholson.cohousing.org 612-588-9532 (7am-10pm CST/CDT) Email: fholson at cohousing.org
- Re: Email / Spam / Lists / orgs, (continued)
- Re: Email / Spam / Lists / orgs Catya Belfer-Shevett, April 9 2008
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Re: Email / Spam / Lists / orgs Eris Weaver, April 8 2008
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What is the purpose of this list? Rob Sandelin, April 9 2008
- Re: What is the purpose of this list? maryvk, April 9 2008
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What is the purpose of this list? Rob Sandelin, April 9 2008
- Re: Email / Spam / Lists / orgs Fred H Olson, April 9 2008
- Re: Email / Spam / Lists / orgs Sharon Villines, April 9 2008
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