Is your favorite blogger a dirty, rotten thief?

I hate thieves. Being taken advantage of and deceived are things that fail to make me all warm and happy inside. That's why I didn't enjoy getting spammed by a fellow blogger who stole my email address.

I recently commented on someone's blog for the first time. Within a few days I received a spammy promotional pitch from the blogger. I didn't sign up for his email list and I responded to the note, asking him to remove me from his list. His response? By commenting I was bound by his comment policy and agreed to opt into his newsletter. 

I checked out his commenting policy and there was nothing that said by commenting I agreed to opt into mailings. Nothing. Was his response an intentional lie? Hmmm. I emailed him again and once more asked to be removed from his distribution list (since there was no way to remove myself). He said there was no list; it was a plug in. He went on to say I was the first person to ever complain about it.

I asked yet a third time to be removed from his distribution list. He finally said he'd "try" to remove me. Never, not once, apologizing for the situation. Did he really think forcing me to be on his list was winning me over? Is it smart to make someone ask three times to be removed from your list? Is that the way to create meaningful online relationships? As far as I'm concerned, Mr. Spammy McUnethical stole my email address and used it without my permission. Dirty, rotten thief.

Those of us who have blogs are sometimes privy to people's email addresses. Depending on the commenting system and the way a commenter chooses to log in to comment, email addresses may be visible to the blog owner. I've seen many of my commenters' email addresses when they leave comments and, you know what? I don't collect them, sell them, or do anything unethical with them. I delete them. It's someone's private information and I take that seriously. My mama didn't raise a thief.

But, apparently, some bloggers out there are a little fast and loose with your private information. Beware. And, most of all, don't put up with it. If someone betrays your trust, move on. If you condone their lapse in ethics, you enable them to continue. Data theft is no different than property theft.

What do you think? Even if it was in the commenting policy (which is was not), does that mean a person can never ask to be removed from someone's distribution list? Isn't the whole point of having email lists to help strengthen the bond with your community, not alienate it? Is it alright for a blogger to use your personal information any way they choose? Have you ever been the victim of data theft?

Is email marketing dead?

Ben and Jerry's has decided to do something that many companies are too afraid to do. It is dumping its email marketing efforts.

This month, the popular ice cream maker distributed its very last e-newsletter and has decided to engage with customers exclusively through social media. Many are touting the decision as smart; whereas others say the move is premature.

I don't know about you, but the last time I read an e-newsletter all the way through was probably 2005. Although the medium was effective at one time, I simply don't have the time for it anymore. Besides, I just see those kinds of emails as clutter. More "stuff" clogging up my inbox to sort through and delete. And, frankly, email is the last place I go to these days. The majority of my personal and professional dealings take place on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

One of the things I love most about social media platforms is that the content is short and digestible. And, it lives somewhere else (e.g. a Facebook page, a Twitter feed, etc.) which means no "housekeeping" for me.

Now I know that last part is what companies traditionally don't like. They want you to have to see it. But the new world order dictates that people will willingly consume advertising for products and services that interest them. That means catching up with a friend on Facebook and then visiting a company's Facebook page is no big deal. People are happy and willing to do that. What they're not willing to do, however, is to read a series of long articles touting how great your business is. That's so 20th century.

Besides, if you look at the stats, social media is the future of advertising. On Twitter, for example, 42% of users use the platform to learn about products and services. If your company is not represented (and engaging with current and potential customers!), you're missing out. 

So, what do you think? Is Ben and Jerry's just the first of many big companies to make the big move and dump email marketing? Or it is a shortsighted effort that the company will come to regret?