E-mail Ehtics

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Dillirium

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 16, 2004
Messages
439
I figure this question should go along the lines of webmastering. Kind of fits security too since it hits filters etc...

I was recently asked to setup a new mail server and setup a new domain to send out spam. (unsolicited e-mail). My boss and I both (the only 2 IT guys) showed our complete and total discomfort with sending out spam. We presented them w/ the legality reasons to not do it and things that could happen. We know how to "legally" send spam but I still don't want to do it. I find it very unethical in the position I'm in.

We suggested that if we're going to send out these sorts of newsletter/marketing e-mails. We should send them to only people who opt in. However they want to reach a broader base of people in our industry and throw e-mails at them.

Am I wrong to have such a deep hatred to this? I'm actually the one having to setup the e-mail server/domain to do this. What would you all do? Am I overreacting?

I'm just looking for 2cents from other administrators that have or haven't been presented w/ this job duty.


Thanks,
Dill
 
i dont get involved in it. i should mention if they setup a designated server for spam watch out its on on their main IP cause that can get blocked quick.

i wouldn't even do work for them, spam is a pain in the butt.
 
Get both of you to threaten to quit, leaving them without an IT staff at all. If they still don't give in, actually quit. You don't want to work for those losers, and with they way they are conducting business, they'll be out-of-business soon anyway.
 
That's just the thing. CANSPAM actually makes it legit. WTF were they thinking when they passed the law... They should of just said NO. To make it legit you just need to follow a couple criteria. Since it's a legit business we have an adddress and we just need to put the unsubsribe option in the e-mail....

The rest is just technical garbage that you set ont he server.. basically not relaying the mail from co to co..

We'd be hosting it ourselves so spam can be 100% legit. People can still choose to mark you as a spammer and add you to those anti-spam lists but it's legit none the less.

The law just pisses me off. I could of simply said sorry it's illegal to do that. We'd get fined etc.. Instead now I'm forced w/ just doing it because it's my job in fear that I could lose it if I said no... Kind of hard to find jobs around here too because all of the damn colleges ^-^

Maybe I should move to TX or something. *sigh*
 
thats like the guy who wanted me to order a replacement motherboard for his stolen laptop (he stole and hinted at it far too much). I told him that none in this shop was going to break the law for him and that he should go find someone else.

That and the laptop was too new and none of our supliers had it.
 
Riggght... and sex with underage kids might technically be legal overseas, but that doesn't make it OK. Would you ever do business with a spammer? I sure as hell wouldn't.
 
Go to work, do your job and set it up. Then go home and add it's IP to every spam filter database you can find.
 
I'd probably back away from the project or show them to the email opting options available to them. This way if people wanted to be removed it could be done.

I know of a few groups around that have been forcing emails out and they have called me to help them remove a few peeps from their 10,000+ email list.... they pay well for a 5 minute find and remove... but i still find it completely unethical and rude.
 
I guess it depends on the type of email marketing they are doing.

IMO theres nothing wrong with sending legitimate email marketing.

Obviously simple common sense will tell you that you will get a far better response from "warm" leads, i.e... someone who opt's in or may be expecting the email from you. So personally I would steer them torwards 'transactional' email marketing. This will get a far better response and will generally make you feel better.

Cold emailing people generally gets deleted before they even read it.
 
Being employed rocks.. Do your job. Advise them of the possible pitfalls of the action and keep moving. You personally wont be help liable.. Its not like they are asking you to hack into the DOD servers.
 
Fint said:
Riggght... and sex with underage kids might technically be legal overseas, but that doesn't make it OK. Would you ever do business with a spammer? I sure as hell wouldn't.
Click to expand...

:confused:

While I admire your conviction, in today's economy, few people have the option of who they do business with. Either you do business, or you start hating money.
 
BakedA|aska said:
:confused:

While I admire your conviction, in today's economy, few people have the option of who they do business with. Either you do business, or you start hating money.
Click to expand...

Thank god i'm in that few percent, i know a lot of people that have been fired because they made an ethicly correct decision and refused to screw a customer over, i was almost one of them at one point, lol.

Its good to stand up for what you believe in, but think really hard about it before you throw your job away.
 
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