08-22-2003, 12:00 AM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Spam, Pornography, MPEG, and You
There's a very interesting thread going on over at Brighthand that I think is worth reading. It's about a company who offers a free piece of software, but unbeknownst to many people (myself included), they're selling the email addresses to another company. That other company then turned around and send out an ad for an adult service. Quite the sordid tale! You'll have to go read the thread to see who the companies are that I'm talking about.
My two cents: if you're releasing a freeware application, either make it truly free (no strings attached), or be up-front about the fact that you're going to use the email addresses that you're collecting in a mailing list. There's nothing wrong with profiting from your work as a developer, but don't do it in a sneaky fashion. Be up front with your users, and keep their respect.
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08-22-2003, 12:41 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,264
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We started discussing the same issue here http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/foru...hlight=#152446
But they got much further with it, plus got the two companies involved. Pretty interesting. My only problem with the mailing was that it could have been sent to minors.
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08-22-2003, 12:51 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 59
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Be smarter then them!
Not that I am paranoid, but I always give a "fictitious" address when I sign-up for anything. In other words, if I sign up for Foo Company at FooCo.com I create a nice little address called [email protected]. The mail gets dumped into a big bucket where I can see it. If I find that they sell the address and/or do naughty things with my address, I just have that address redirected back to the company.
All is fair in love and war.
-Michael
ps. This is not fool-proof... but it is fun to see who is good and who is bad.
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08-22-2003, 01:03 AM
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,998
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I was initially surprised at how mild the reaction seemed to be. I was quite surprised at this action. It's hard enough to protect children without worrying about "legitimate" businesses. Perhaps I'm overly sensitive as a soon-to-be father, but I find this distressing. It's analogous to someone standing in a mall handing out Penthouse magazines to people as they walk by, regardless as age.
Perhaps it's the fact that the majority of us here are of age. Or maybe I'm just a fuddy-duddy. :?
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08-22-2003, 01:06 AM
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Mystic
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,911
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Re: Be smarter then them!
Quote:
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Originally Posted by mjhamson
Not that I am paranoid, but I always give a "fictitious" address when I sign-up for anything.
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I've been using [email protected] for years. I feel sorry if that really is someones address. I'm not paranoid, I just don't like spam.
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08-22-2003, 01:07 AM
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Mystic
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,911
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by JR
Perhaps it's the fact that the majority of us here are of age. Or maybe I'm just a fuddy-duddy. :?
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No your not a fuddy-duddy. I am young and I feel the same way as you.
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08-22-2003, 01:10 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 405
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Re: Be smarter then them!
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Originally Posted by dean_shan
Quote:
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Originally Posted by mjhamson
Not that I am paranoid, but I always give a "fictitious" address when I sign-up for anything.
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I've been using [email protected] for years. I feel sorry if that really is someones address. I'm not paranoid, I just don't like spam. |
No way that works in real terms of practicality. Today's sites have a password sent to the email address. So if you really don't have an email addy [email protected], it would be virtually impossible to sign up for anything today.
Let me add, the federal government really needs to somehow step up to the plate and create some kind of "do-not-spam" list, similar to the "do-not-call" list that was set-up. This could help prevent some spammers from sending spam, but it would only be a half-half solution. Many spammers spam from different countries, and i'm afraid no one will be stop them until email hosts step up and destroy their fake, and often re-directed accounts.
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08-22-2003, 01:25 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,162
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Re: Be smarter then them!
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Originally Posted by Fzara
Let me add, the federal government really needs to somehow step up to the plate and create some kind of "do-not-spam" list, similar to the "do-not-call" list that was set-up. This could help prevent some spammers from sending spam, but it would only be a half-half solution. Many spammers spam from different countries, and i'm afraid no one will be stop them until email hosts step up and destroy their fake, and often re-directed accounts.
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I saw an article talking about this and the reason why people aren't in favor of that solution is they say that if the spammers aren't going to pay attention to opt-outs, why would they pay attention to a list?
I personally still think that the selling and transferring of personal information between two companies should be illegal without your explicit consent.
I also think that there should be a legally mandated Opt-in only policy for having customer contacted. So the customer has to specifically say they want to be contacted by that ONE company in order for that company to send you an email.
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08-22-2003, 01:29 AM
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2000 Posts And This is All I Get?
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,017
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I am basically fine if people are sending 'regular' advertisements to my hotmail account, I can just click the 'delete' button, but when they start sending adult advertisements ... that's when the line is drawn. I personally hate those organ enlargement ads. And lately, they came at big numbers. Blocking them are useless, coz they are from dummy emails. Getting annoying. Someone should ddos those email spammer.
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08-22-2003, 01:33 AM
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Theorist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 300
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The first few months of using the Internet I didn't know that much and I made the mistake a couple of times to give my real Email Address when I was signing up to various sites... The amount of Spam I still got from that account is unconceivable...
Of course many years later I am aware of the whole issue and I never give my true Email Address but to trusted sources only...
Thankfully I have many email addresses and I do not receive any spam at all. Only my original Email Address is condemned with Spam...
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