On Wed, 19 Mar 2003 12:20:59 -0500, you wrote: >-- Delivered via SpamCon Foundation DEA: http://dea.spamcon.org >-- Replies will be sent to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >-- Additional Info: http://dea.spamcon.org/i/?v=936026 > >I have been having a rather spirited discussion in another forum. I >mentioned that a couple of years ago, we began sending out quarterly news >letters to an affinity group (about 800 executives). I know all of these >people personally. I see almost all of them at least once a year and and >either meet or have telephone contact with most of them far more >frequently. Nobody ever opted in. Nobody has ever asked to be removed. >While nothing is being sold, it does further the corporate image so it is >commercial email and it is unsolicited. Yet, I have a hard time accepting >that this is no different from the anonymous, untraceable mailers who want >to enlarge my penis, sell me Viagra or entice me to view "Three Teenage >Virgins, Two Goats and a Python in the Frat House." > >I am amazed at the level of vitriol this inspired. Help me out here folks. >What do you think?
Welp, you're making what is a very common mistake. You're measuring spam on the context of content. In that comparison, you might be correct in saying that, because your e-mail communications are apparently devoid of virgins, goats and frat houses (in whatever combination one might choose), they are not spam. The problem is this. Spam is about _consent_, not _content_. You're the one e-mailing, they're the one receiving. If they haven't asked for it before you sent it, you presumed consent. That is spam. If content dictated spamminess, then prOn spam wouldn't be spam - because somewhere, there must surely be some person who, upon receiving the "Three Teenage Virgins, Two Goats and a Python in the Frat House" spam, exclaims a shout of pure goaty-virginal glee in thanks, because they *want* the content, therefore it isn't spam. However, an e-bill from the phone company, which I asked for but don't necessarily *want*, is spam? Reductio ad absurdam. Spam is about consent, not content. Cost-shifting to the receipient happens, no matter what the content of the mail being send and recived is. Hope that helps, Ted _______________________________________________ spamcon-general mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.spamcon.org/mailman/listinfo/spamcon-general#subscribers Subscribe, unsubscribe, etc: Use the URL above or send "help" in body of message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Contact administrator: [EMAIL PROTECTED]