AOL is attempting to clean up its anti-spam mess
AOL backs down after pay-for-email criticism
/v3-uk/news/1999765/aol-backs-pay-email-criticism
06 Mar 2006, Tom Sanders in California , V3
AOL has promised to grant safe passage through its spam filters to email messages from qualified not-for-profit organisations.
The ISP came under attack in February after announcing that it would allow commercial bulk email senders to pay for preferential anti-spam treatment through its Goodmail Certified Email system.
While organisations paying $3 to $4 per 1,000 emails would be offered guaranteed delivery, messages from regular senders would be routed through the firm's anti-spam filters, potentially labelling them as junk mail.
A group of over 50 not-for-profit organisations teamed up to protest against the plan, claiming that it created a two-tier internet where commercial organisations would receive preferential treatment over those that could not afford to pay.
Nearly 27,000 individuals have already signed an online petition on the group's DearAOL.com website.
AOL now aims to take away those doubts by offering not-for-profit organisations free access to the system.
"We want to make sure that not-for-profits which depend on timely communication with their members get all the privileges of this powerful medium, " said AOL 'postmaster' Charles Stiles in a statement.
"Our announcement today guarantees that every certified not-for-profit will get the same benefits as private sector companies that have decided to use Goodmail's Certified Email system."
Danny O'Brien, activism coordinator at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and one of the backers of the DealAOL.com website, told vnunet.com that AOL's decision is a step in the right direction, but fails to take away all concerns.
The adapted changes still exclude official not-for-profit organisations, warned O'Brien, and still provide AOL with an incentive to tighten its spam filtering criteria to drive sales of its guaranteed email delivery service.
"Our main worry is that it does not remove the key problem, which is the perverse incentives of the Goodmail scheme," O'Brien said in an email to vnunet.com, adding that he would like to continue the conversation with AOL.
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Do you agree?
aol & email charge
I haven't seen any change in my mail, sent or received. I check my Spam file, delete trash mail, etc... If I feel taken advantage of, I'll leave aol. In the meantime, there are other things to really worry about, like Big Brother . MM
Posted by Michele, 09 Mar 2006
AOL Charging
Well, I for one will not be sending email to anyone who uses AOL as an email service. If everyone did that AOL who be forced to drop this stupid system that probably won't work anyway.
Dump AOL! For that matter dump Microsoft too!
Posted by Rex Alfie Lee, 07 Mar 2006
Vote with your membership
Those readers who are AOL members can protest by leaving AOL
Posted by John, 06 Mar 2006
An excellent suggestion
An excellent suggestion by the previous correspondent.
Then perhaps the reason for the loss of revenue, might, just might, seep up to the 'top floor' through the layers of sychophants & lesser lackeys below. Who tend to cushion the 'power wielders', from the paying customers & users!
Posted by Alan Brown, 06 Mar 2006
Mel
I guess the "new spammer" just hacks into a nonprofit organization and sends his spam from there.
Posted by Michael, 15 Aug 2009