Comments on: A Standard I Would Use: Auto Unsubscribe http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/08/standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe Thinking the unthinkable, pondering the imponderable, effing the ineffable and scruting the inscrutable Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:20:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: André http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/08/standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe.html#comment-2412 André Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:05:45 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/08/a-standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe.html#comment-2412 How did the good old Usenet implement that? How did the good old Usenet implement that?

]]> By: Bart Hanssens http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/08/standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe.html#comment-2408 Bart Hanssens Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:58:03 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/08/a-standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe.html#comment-2408 Actually (somewhat) personalised newsfeeds would be a better model instead of emails.<br /><br />Just pull the news once a day from the vendor's website(s) using your favorite aggregator, and "unsubscribe" or "suspend" if you don't want to get the updates anymore... Actually (somewhat) personalised newsfeeds would be a better model instead of emails.

Just pull the news once a day from the vendor's website(s) using your favorite aggregator, and "unsubscribe" or "suspend" if you don't want to get the updates anymore…

]]> By: Rob http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/08/standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe.html#comment-2407 Rob Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:05:59 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/08/a-standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe.html#comment-2407 I'm thinking here of lists that I arguably belong to, either because I opted in, or because I did business with the sender at some time. I'm not concerned with spam, deception and so on. <br /><br />It is more a question of how can we make it easier for users to unsubscribe in those situations. What conventions can we have to help automate a process that both parties wish to have available?<br /><br />It sounds like some attempts have already been made in this area. I'm thinking here of lists that I arguably belong to, either because I opted in, or because I did business with the sender at some time. I'm not concerned with spam, deception and so on.

It is more a question of how can we make it easier for users to unsubscribe in those situations. What conventions can we have to help automate a process that both parties wish to have available?

It sounds like some attempts have already been made in this area.

]]> By: Gary McGath http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/08/standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe.html#comment-2405 Gary McGath Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:20:15 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/08/a-standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe.html#comment-2405 The term "unsubscribe" implies that I have subscribed. If I haven't, it's spam. When spammers include an "unsubscribe" feature, it really means "This sucker has confirmed receipt of mail."<br /><br />I do, however, implement auto-boycott of spammers. The term "unsubscribe" implies that I have subscribed. If I haven't, it's spam. When spammers include an "unsubscribe" feature, it really means "This sucker has confirmed receipt of mail."

I do, however, implement auto-boycott of spammers.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/08/standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe.html#comment-2404 Anonymous Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:08:32 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/08/a-standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe.html#comment-2404 http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/unsubscribing-made-easy.html http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/unsubscribing-made-easy.html

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/08/standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe.html#comment-2403 Anonymous Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:29:34 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/08/a-standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe.html#comment-2403 Pete Austin said:<br /><br />Probably the closest thing to a public standard is to reply with "unsubscribe" in the subject.<br /><br />The immediate problem with a REST API is that email is implemented via a special-purpose mail-server and not a Webserver. Bots for spam, or MTAs (Mail Transfer Agents) for legitimate bulk email. Neither of these is really equipped to run a Website. So you're probably actually talking about a standard API onto the mailer's click-through servers. I'll give this some thought. <br /><br />@derek Legitimate senders do want you to unsubscribe, because the alternatives are worse. Either you use a "report as spam" button (which damages reputation), or you blackhole the emails with a mail rule (which wastes everyone's resources). Pete Austin said:

Probably the closest thing to a public standard is to reply with "unsubscribe" in the subject.

The immediate problem with a REST API is that email is implemented via a special-purpose mail-server and not a Webserver. Bots for spam, or MTAs (Mail Transfer Agents) for legitimate bulk email. Neither of these is really equipped to run a Website. So you're probably actually talking about a standard API onto the mailer's click-through servers. I'll give this some thought.

@derek Legitimate senders do want you to unsubscribe, because the alternatives are worse. Either you use a "report as spam" button (which damages reputation), or you blackhole the emails with a mail rule (which wastes everyone's resources).

]]> By: Luis Villa http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/08/standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe.html#comment-2402 Luis Villa Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:10:37 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/08/a-standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe.html#comment-2402 List-Unsubscribe Header aka RFC 2369. Commentary on it here: http://blog.deliverability.com/2009/07/gmail-adds-list-unsubscribe-feature-but-does-google-know-when-a-best-practice-can-turn-evil.html List-Unsubscribe Header aka RFC 2369. Commentary on it here: http://blog.deliverability.com/2009/07/gmail-adds-list-unsubscribe-feature-but-does-google-know-when-a-best-practice-can-turn-evil.html

]]> By: derek http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/08/standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe.html#comment-2400 derek Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:11:03 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/08/a-standard-i-would-use-auto-unsubscribe.html#comment-2400 You misunderstand the model.<br /><br />The sender doesn't WANT you to unsubscribe. They have a vested interest in keeping the process as complicated as legally permitted. There are standards for mailing list headers (the List-* headers) one of which is about unsubscription, but at the end of the day, none of the bulk-mailers care because they don't make money off of you if you unsubscribe. You misunderstand the model.

The sender doesn't WANT you to unsubscribe. They have a vested interest in keeping the process as complicated as legally permitted. There are standards for mailing list headers (the List-* headers) one of which is about unsubscription, but at the end of the day, none of the bulk-mailers care because they don't make money off of you if you unsubscribe.

]]>