[epub] Are Publishers destroying Their Own Trustworthiness?

["Thomas Bihl" <tbihl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

From: "Thomas Bihl" <tbihl@bizjunction.com>

Hi Folks,

At the risk of receiving several nastygrams I would like to pose
a question to other publishers.

I think that most would agree that privacy on the net is an
important issue and the assurance of privacy to your 
customers/clients is a major enticement for folks to freely
give you their name and e-mail address.  Perhaps even 
requesting additional information or your newsletter, again
because you have assured them of your concern for their
privacy.  Oh yea, and that your list is strictly opt in.  No
one is added without their permission.  Good heavens, we
don't want any spam complaints - right?  Gosh, I do hate to
mention that ugly word - spam.
 
I have a page that outlines my privacy policy as well as 
a statement at each place someone can enter their e-mail
address. Basically, my policy states that a person's e-mail
address or other information is NOT SHARED with anyone
else.  I can assure you or anyone else that is exactly how 
a subscriber's information is treated, unless of course they
give permission or it's required by valid, legal process.

I have been having e-mail problems with my hosting company
but all e-mail addresses were deleted prior to sending the log
to them so they could determine what was wrong.

Now, I feel fairly confident that most, if not all, other publishers
have similar privacy statements on their sites.

So my question is this - 1.  Have you violated your own statement
if you give your list to another publisher because you feel their 
content is well worth reading.  You of course let your subscribers 
know that this is happening and to expect an e-mail welcoming 
them to the new newsletter.  Whoa!  Wait just a cotton picken 
minute!  Seems to me there are two wrongs here and that don't 
make it right.

One - sharing a client's e-mail address without that client's 
permission.

Two - The new list owner adding people to their list without 
the permission of the folks on that list.

Now the person has to go to the trouble of unsubscribing
from a newsletter list that he did not ask to be on to start with.

Sooo....   Whose credibility suffers here?  The publisher who
shared the list when he said he wouldn't?  To be sure. The 
publisher who added the person to a list unrequested?  Oh yea,
I would think so.   Perhaps all publishers?   I submit that folks
who have this happen to them will will tend to be wary of trusting  
other publishers. 

I believe that, we, as publishers, and business people owe it
to our customers/clients to be totally honest with them.  What 
you sow, so shall you reap!

The reason I bring this up here is that I have had this occur to
me, by otherwise reputable publishers and two articles I read
in "talkBiz" by Paul Myers within the past couple of weeks.

Paul goes into this recurring problem in much more detail
that I have here.

But to go on, should we think about changing our privacy 
statements to read  on the sign up pages - We respect
your privacy and will not share your address with anyone
except when we can trade and get more subscribers on 
our list and at the same time provide you with another 
newsletter you did not ask for but we believe it has great 
content and will compliment what we're sending?

Wadda ya think?  Will the above disclaimer work?  By golly, 
this should cause people to flock to subscribe to your 
information or newsletter - don'tcha think?  Hmmm..  Don't
think I'd hold my breath to even maintain numbers let alone
increase them.

You pretty well know my position and I have described the 
problem - Since this seems to be occurring more, I am 
curious as to what other publishers think.

Thanks, 
Thomas Bihl
http://www.bizjunction.com 
Subscribe to Business People Weekly
mailto:bpw@bizjunction.com?Subject=Subscribe

--------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------

  Hey Freelancers:  Find your next project through JobSwarm!  
  You can even make $$$ in your sleep by referring friends.
<a href=" http://clickme.onelist.com/ad/jobswarm1 ">Click Here</a>

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Epub is sponsored by http://New-List.com/
Subscribe to New-List: mailto:join-new-list@new-list.com

To subscribe to Epub, mailto:epub-subscribe@onelist.com
To unsubscribe, mailto:epub-unsubscribe@onelist.com
Digest version: mailto:epub-digest@onelist.com
Epub archives: http://EzineSeek.com/archives/