Re: legitimate unsolicited commercial e-mail vs spam

From: Bob Fertik <bob_at_i-progress.com>
Date: Sat 30 Oct 1999 11:03:04 -0400

DAVID ROSS WROTE:
> I am writing a paper taking the position that legitimate
> unsolicited commercial e-mail (e.g. business to business, or
> directed at website owners, complying with proposed/actual
> federal and/or state legislation, with easy removal from
> mailing list, etc) should be distinguished from "bad" spam
> (e.g. fake return addresses, pyramid plans, pornography,
> etc.), and should be permitted (if not actually encouraged).

Dear David,

I don't flame people as a matter of principle, but I will
make an exception in your case.

To wit: You are a moron.

Speaking as a marketing professional, there is no such thing
as "legitimate unsolicited commercial e-mail".

In other words, there is legimate opt-in e-mail, and there
is spam. There is no grey area in between.

Please do not try to create any, because you are obviously
too uniformed and ideologically blinded to do so
intelligently.

My email box is my private property. It is not the property
of the US Postal Service, like my snail mail box. I pay for
it and I own it. I alone decide who is allowed to deposit
material in it. If a marketer thinks he has the right to
violate my property, I will make him pay, either directly
(having his ISP service terminated) or by destroying his
reputation and brand equity.

Your legal and technical parameters are meaningless.

> business to business

My e-mail box serves both my business and personal
activities. There is no meaningful category of "business to
business".

> directed at website owners,

Why does creating a personal home page make one a legitimate
target for spam?

> complying with proposed/actual federal and/or state
> legislation,

Are you really a law student, or a grade schooler in
disguise? Have you not learned the difference between a
bill and a law? Most of the spam I receive claims to be in
compliance with a bill, not a law. What a farce! If your
law school has not taught you the difference, it should be
closed immediately.

Do everyone a favor and find some other area of law to screw
up.

Bob Fertik, Editor
i-Progress Report
Internet Advertising, Marketing, and Fundraising
www.i-progress.com/report
editor_at_i-progress.com
PO Box 20594, New York NY 10021
(917) 677-2540




Received on Sat Oct 30 1999 - 10:03:04 CDT