Anti-spam company backflips over marketing

SpamArrest, the anti-spam company caught spamming, have back-flipped, apologising to recipients of their unsolicited advertisements.

They had previously defended their action as a legitimate marketing campaign, but after coming under fire from the press, anti-spam organisations and irate Internet users, they decided that spamming was perhaps not the best marketing approach they could use to sell their anti-spam product.

The company operates a challenge-response system used for sorting legitimate mail from spam; messages sent to SpamArrest clients require verification before delivery. The company had used the email addresses of people sending mail to their clients in their spamming campaign, in what some have described as a "ridiculous" and "ironic" action.

The apology was posted on the front page of the company's website overnight. It read: "Recently we have received some inquiries regarding a mailing we delivered to some verified users of SpamArrest.

"While this contact was completely covered by our privacy policy, our customers concerns come first.

"Because of this, SpamArrest has ceased sending such solicitation and will not send unsolicited bulk email again. SpamArrest apologises for any inconvenience this action may have caused anyone".

Advertisement

Talkback 5 comments

    Considering that there are reports of mailer daemons and mailing lists receiving this spam, what "verified customers"? The *only* "industry-accepted" practice is confirmed opt-in initiated by the receiver. What is this guy smAnonymous -- 18/02/03

    Considering that there are reports of mailer daemons and mailing lists receiving this spam, what "verified customers"?

    The *only* "industry-accepted" practice is confirmed opt-in initiated by the receiver. What is this guy smoking?

    How asine can you grt??????Anonymous -- 19/02/03

    How asine can you grt??????

    More companies need to hear from more potential customers that SPAMing their product offerings at us will NOT result in sales and revenue increases. That, and NEVER responding positively to SPAM, are the most practical ways to respond to SPAM thAnonymous -- 19/02/03

    More companies need to hear from more potential customers that SPAMing their product offerings at us will NOT result in sales and revenue increases.

    That, and NEVER responding positively to SPAM, are the most practical ways to respond to SPAM that I can see.

    They did not spam only their customers, they spammed everyone(?) who has sent a mail to any of their customers as well, even if that sender never replied to spamarrest. How should you know you had to check spamarrests privacy policy, then check with the pAnonymous -- 19/02/03

    They did not spam only their customers, they spammed everyone(?) who has sent a mail to any of their customers as well, even if that sender never replied to spamarrest. How should you know you had to check spamarrests privacy policy, then check with the person you where going to mail if they happens to be (happend to be by now, I hope) a spamarrest customer and so would let spamarrest challenge you, the sender, as well as harvesting your address for future spamming.....?

Add your opinion


Latest Videos

Blogs

  • Chris Duckett PayPal launches Aussie developer program
    PayPal announced the opening of its certification program for Australian developers today, making Australia the first country outside of the US to offer certification.
  • Array Cash cow in a BigTinCan?
    Around one third of Australia's telcos have shut their doors over time, but that isn't stopping new ventures hoping to chip away at carriers' mobile call bonanza. By fighting carriers at the smartphone rather than the home phone, could the latest two contenders be onto something big?
  • Array A third of the way to a zettabyte
    This week on Twisted Wire we look at how internet usage is changing in Australia and around the world. How are we meeting this demand and how is the cost structure changing for the service provider?
  • More blogs »

Tags

Back to top

Featured