Want To Hit A Spamcop Hard?

A while back, a friend of mine copied a message to me thathad been sent to a list of SpamCops and others. I was theobject of the exercise to come. The subject line was, "We haveanother list owner here that [sic] needs to be educated."

Not much difference in the two statements, actually, for"educated" in this context means "business destroyed."

The Source Of This "Complaint"

I had distributed a brief article advising against requiringconfirmation of subscription requests. In it, I described theresults of two attempts at using them. In the first trial, 40%of new subscribers did not confirm. In the second, a longertrial, 37% failed to confirm.

I can't be certain this article triggered action, for I wasnever informed. But it was appended to the message received asmentioned above. It appears I was added to the "get-him" listbecause I recommend against requesting confirmation.

Radicalism Is Rising In Popularity

Sure, we've had some bad times in this country. WhenSenator Joe McCarthy got you up to the stand, you were guiltybefore you sat down. Since the early 80s, there has been anawesome increase in small, organized, targeted extremist groupswhich cram their views right down your throat.

Never mind they ignore your rights in doing so. Never mindyou may be seriously hurt, even destroyed, by their unilateralactions. Never mind they make the judgement of your guilt ina manner you can not contest. You are guilty. Period.

In "True Believer," Eric Hoffer years back clearly pointedout the dangers of such groups to democracy as we know it. Hisconcerns have proved to be justified, as have his predictionsabout such groups significantly reducing individual freedomover time.

SpamCops In Perspective

To put SpamCops into this category is absurd. They aretrivial. They hide behind false names, as others have done forcenturies behind masks and robes. They violate the very rulesthey claim to espouse. Compared to other forces at work in thiscountry, SpamCops and like minded people offer only a gnat sizedthreat in a hawk-filled sky.

With one real exception. On a single unjustified andunsupported claim, a webmaster can find his ISP and website shutdown without prior notice. And without recourse. For a smallbusiness just making it, this can amount to the "straw" thatbrings total collapse.

Small business people are the target. And SpamCops havebeen effective at doing vicious damage to many. The natureof the vicarious thrill they get in doing so escapes me.

This is real power. And it appears to be used for itsown sake. In all else, SpamCops are utter failures.

Impotent Phonies

They are powerless to prevent real spam. The junk overflowsour mailboxes, and we stand helpless before it. So do SpamCops.They can't shut down an ISP or a host owned by spammers. Orthose they sell their lists and services to.

So they've taken a giant step and essentially redefined spamas anything received you did not request. A target-richenvironment. Requests made, then forgotten, bring messagescalled spam.

I was pounded by SpamCops regards an article sent with myname on it. I pointed out the only way to get that article wasto send an email to an autoresponder address. I was ignored,of course. Their continuing innuendos and implied threats weredisturbing.

Two Giant Leaps

They took a giant step by taking advantage of specializedsoftware now available. It scans any document and automaticallysends their "spam" to every URL and email address found.Fascinating. I'm now a spammer because my work appears in anezine they have defined as spam. Nuts. This usually amountsto someone forgetting they subscribed.

Their latest step is even more absurd. You are now"spamming"with a 100% opt-in list if no confirmation is required. Whatin the world does confirmation have to do with unsolicitedbulk email?

My thanks-for-subscribing message includes URLs to thegoodies. And a URL that can be clicked to automaticallyunsubscribe.

When you open your front door to a knock, do you closeit and require another?

Facts About Subscriber Counts.

You're bound to lose a few list members along the way.Some choose to unsubscribe. More make a change in their emailaddress and do not think to subscribe again. Thus you willinevitably lose membership each month. Possibly 2% of yourlist.

So long as the number of new subscribers exceeds the numberlost each month, your list will continue to grow. But try aconfirmation request, and you may find the number of new membersdoes not replace those lost.

Now explain to me how I'm going to grow a business in suchfashion. And further, explain how SpamCops can decide that alist that doesn't require confirmation is sending spam. Thengo on and make it clear just what SpamCops intends to accomplishwith this demand. I don't think they know. They simply delightin hurting people.

So What's Next On The Agenda

Right. You guessed it. Content. If SpamCops can makeconfirmation indirectly the "law," what's to prevent them fromjudging the content of a given newsletter as unsuitable, andthus spam? Maybe a piece such as this one directed at the evildone by such a rag-tag bunch of low-lifes.

A scary thought to me. This would open a whole new worldof opportunity to destroy helpless individuals.

Fighting Back

Don't even think about it. If you are attacked by SpamCops,respond minimally and politely as required, and get on with yourbusiness.

These people absolutely thrive on conflict. They glow withinner "strength" in the heat of battle. They can amass an arrayof other right-thinkers against you.

Forget it, for it's a battle you can not win. It isimpossible to reason with irrationality.

Hitting Where It Hurts

However, you can now hit back. And in the right place.Their pocket book.

In a recent issue of her ezine, "The iCop Whistle Blower,"jl scott offered a neat piece about theabsurdities of SpamCops. She wrapped with a positive andpowerful suggestion. I want to do the same here.

Serious minded people are joining in a class action suitagainst these people. You can contribute information or chooseto participate. Here are some key links.

Victim Form - Explain How You've Been Hurt

Notes about how this all got started

Keep up on what is happening

In Closing ...

Here's a comment from jl scott. "I salute the people whoare determined to organize this class action suit. Clearly, ifwe don't do it ourselves, these wild-eyed lunatics will continueto hurt decent and ethical businesses."

I applaud her stand. Come join in; the water's fine.