Tell AOL To Drop Its Pay-To-Send Email Plan

**RealitY** · 03-08-2006, 08:19 AM

[news=http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/9946/logo25xm.gif]We're extremely troubled by AOL's plan to introduce a pay-to-send email system that will guarantee access to AOL customers' inboxes for senders who pay $0.0025 per mail to escape anti-spam filters. Last week, we helped assemble a coalition to persuade AOL to drop this misguided scheme.

Our worry is that AOL is trying to sell preferred access to something that it does not own -- its members inboxes -- and creating a delivery charge to email senders. The system creates a perverse incentive for AOL to lower the benefits of free email delivery and let its spam filters languish, encouraging senders to switch to the for-pay alternative. The company's first steps confirmed this, as they declared (then hurriedly denied) that they would be dropping their Enhanced Whitelist, a free service for trusted email senders.

One might trust that the market will eventually sort this out: rewarding ISPs that do not sell access to their users' inboxes and that work to improve deliverability for everyone, not just senders who pay. But the market speaks slowly -- in the meantime, this system will push small speakers into a choice of paying or not being sure that their messages are getting through to their members. And recipients often won't know what mail they are not receiving, making it difficult for the market to work.

Many AOL users have significant impediments to moving away from their provider, with its proprietary and closed software. Meanwhile, other mail providers, like Yahoo!, are already eyeing the revenue opportunities of pay-to-send. Microsoft's Bonded Sender is actually worse in many ways.

Since AOL's members are also the members of the nonprofits and other groups that would be hurt by this program, we thought it should hear from them. That's why we pulled together a diverse coalition of email senders to oppose AOL's pay-to-send system. Over fifty groups with nearly 15 million members joined with us, including Free Press, the U.S. Humane Society, the Gun Owners of America, MoveOn.org, RightMarch.com, the AFL-CIO, and Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility. Around 30,000 individuals have signed our petition, including Tim O'Reilly, Michael Geist and Chris Pirillo.

Earlier today, AOL made its first concessions in this battle. We're sure that, with your support, it will make more. If you'd like to help, visit Dear AOL, and help us help AOL avoid making a terrible mistake.

Take Action, and Sign our Letter:
http://www.dearaol.com/

AOL Announces it is Dropping its Whitelist:
http://www.the-dma.org/cgi/dispnewss...icle=4405+++++

Our Deep Link on AOL's system:
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/004398.php

Source: http://www.eff.org[/news]

**Busyman** · 03-08-2006, 09:09 AM

I hope they do not drop it and lose tons of customers.

**buddy2006** · 03-08-2006, 09:32 AM

vote with your feet and move to another free one.
Never liked AOL anyway - they spamming gits - ive had loads of their cds rammed though my letterbox and in magazines.

**Busyman** · 03-08-2006, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by buddy2006

vote with your feet and move to another free one.
Never liked AOL anyway - they spamming gits - ive had loads of their cds rammed though my letterbox and in magazines.

You have to admit that the metal tins they sometimes used made excellent joint holders.

**abu_has_the_power** · 03-08-2006, 02:31 PM

aol sucks balls. retarded american families use it cuz they're stupid

**Busyman** · 03-08-2006, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by abu_has_the_power

aol sucks balls. retarded american families use it cuz they're stupid

I agree somewhat but most folks started off with an AOL account.

Those same people probably use the internet occasionally and have never ventured past AOL's own content.

Having an AOL account NOW is very stupid since (at least around here) many can get DSL for $15 a month.

AOL costs $24 a month.

This goes with that "shopping" stuff that everyone else thinks is gay. Folks that have AOL just never bother to price check something better.

That and/or they want to keep their email address.

Why don't they just chuck AOL and send their new email address out to everyone?

**DRACOJOE2** · 03-11-2006, 03:39 PM

Well AOL does suck but if you happen to have a large mailing list it is worth the money. I was what they call white listed for about 6 years. We had a mailing list with with around 8500 peeps on it. So to get on the white list ya have so send to a large group of names and get Tos'ed and have your account suspended for spamming. Then call em up and explain that ya have a mailing list and need to be able to do that. They tell ya to wait about a week and then have at it. With a 16 meg attachment size limit times 1000 email limit in the inbox something like that would be wonderfull to use thier servers for sending music if a person wanted to. Just a thought for all the AOL haters.

**asmithz** · 03-11-2006, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by DRACOJOE2

Well AOL does suck but if you happen to have a large mailing list it is worth the money. I was what they call white listed for about 6 years. We had a mailing list with with around 8500 peeps on it. So to get on the white list ya have so send to a large group of names and get Tos'ed and have your account suspended for spamming. Then call em up and explain that ya have a mailing list and need to be able to do that. They tell ya to wait about a week and then have at it. With a 16 meg attachment size limit times 1000 email limit in the inbox something like that would be wonderfull to use thier servers for sending music if a person wanted to. Just a thought for all the AOL haters.

That is so terrible... your saying that you had to do all that, get limits on your account, just so you dont get anymore spam.