Re: Is it spam if it's targeted?

From: Michael Martinez <Michael_at_xenite.org>
Date: Wed 01 Nov 2000 19:03:25 -0500

MARK PEPER <mark_at_hirerocket.com> WROTE:
> We did an email campaign to a very targeted group. Our
> response was great. 13% of the group came back to our
> site and over 5% did exactly what we wanted them to do.
>
> I know there is a lot of controversy about spamming.
> My question is: Would this be considered spamming?

TO WHICH BRAD JENSEN <brad_at_elstore.com> REPLIED:
> Tell your ISP in no uncertain terms that you are not
> spamming.

This is very bad advice. As the majority of replies to
original inquiry show, enough people recognize it as
spamming to show that it IS spamming. The definition
of unsolicited commercial email is self-evident, and
the ISP's terms of service or acceptable usage policy
undoubtedly spell out the conditions under which bulk
email may be sent out.

Since the company still as its account, they got off
lightly. The ISP is the first, last, and sole arbiter
of what its contractually bound to accept from its
customers, and anyone who signs up with an ISP who
forbids spam had better listen.

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Received on Wed Nov 01 2000 - 18:03:25 CST