Thread: List sharing and spam... I'm fed up!!!

Lately I've been receiving a lot of belly dance email from people (teachers, vendors, etc etc) who I've never been associated with or signed up to join an email list. As opposed to many here on bhuz, I actually don't mind receiving some of these in my dance email... they keep me abreast of what's going on in the world outside my own circles. But lately is seems to be getting out of hand. These emails are no longer appearing in my dance email inbox but are somehow finding their way to my business and personal inboxes as well. This is where I draw the line.

I just received the same email from Nourhan Sharif in three different email accounts. I've taken classes and workshops with Yousry and I don't mind receiving such emails in my dance box... this is the email address I gave them. However, now they have somehow found two more email addresses for me and added them to their list. I never authorized email to these addresses... I have no idea where they got them. I can only assume they have been obtained via some sort of list share. This is where I draw the line!!

I don't mean to single out Nourhan. Egyptian Academy is not the only culprit. Many workshop teachers have somehow added me to their lists. What really bothers me is that these are all WELL-KNOWN teachers... not your typical fly-by-night Turkish costume importer spammer. I could name more big name teachers and musicians who have also fallen into this trend. Many seem to be out of the NYC area, so I'm not sure if NY dancers have started list sharing or what's going on. BUT IT NEEDS TO STOP!!

I am really disappointed in this sort of behavior from within our own community. I feel that it is unethical, unprofessional and a breach of my privacy.

Ok, rant over.

The few times I have sent out big announcements to email accounts...I get the emails specifically from a dancer/teachers website under the contact me link and use only the email found there. The way I look at it...having my own web site and allowing my email addresses to be known...is if a dancer/teacher is placing their info out there saying "contact me", it is an okay to do so with pertinent info. However, I do not agree with emails you submit for subscription to newsletters or for shopping on line to be used/sold/traded/or stolen.....totally unethical.

Originally Posted by Amaryllis

The few times I have sent out big announcements to email accounts...I get the emails specifically from a dancer/teachers website under the contact me link and use only the email found there. The way I look at it...having my own web site and allowing my email addresses to be known...is if a dancer/teacher is placing their info out there saying "contact me", it is an okay to do so with pertinent info.

I don't mind dance-related emails to my dance address. Rather, I'm bothered by the fact that these emails have somehow started appearing in my personal and business inboxes as well. For example, I have a hotmail account for personal email. I have had this address for years and some dancers out there have it and send email to it... that's ok; if I've given it them they can use it. This email acct is not on my website. But lately people I have NOT given this email acct to have gotten it somehow... I suspect through list sharing.

Another example is a yahoo acct I have. This email acct is solely used for consultant work I do -- non-dance related. I'm not sure how, but now this box is also getting bd spam.

Since sending an email is free to do, I'm sure these spammers don't know or care that they're sending me the same email multiple times. I would have thought that "big name" dancers would be above this sort of thing, but apparently they are not. .p:: ,m::

If they are being ethical, there should be an opt-out option in the email so that you can easy remove the two private addresses and leave the third one on their list (if you wanted). If they're NOT doing this, I think you should by all means suggest it to them. :)

And of course, if you have any of your emails listed on any web sites, they will eventually be picked up by spider bots and added to mass-mailing lists.

Well I know for me that I always put people on a BCC when I send out anything and advise them to tell me if they want to be removed. I too get tons of emails, but it dosnt bother me.

Mina

Maybe paypal? I have a dance account and a non-dance account, and occasionally buy dance-related things from my non-dance account (they're linked to different bank accounts & credit cards). I've had non-dance email addresses added to the seller's list after buying something that way.

What drives me crazy is when I get on the same list multiple times, and can never get the duplicate addresses removed. There are a couple of dancers in the area from whom I DO want to receive email (just not three copies) and who I've asked to be pruned several times, but it never happens. Then again, neither of them are famous for their reading comprehension...

I too hate getting spam in my inboxes (I've precious little time as is - and dealing w/ spam just wastes more).

Sometimes it might not be list sharing - but an email faux pas...
They send out an email to "their list" in either the Send To or Cc box, aallowing your email to be seen by everyone that gets the email. Some of those persons turn around and add your address to their list, and so on...

Which is one of the reasons I have my instructors place mass emails to students using the studio addy in the Send To box, and their class list in the BCc (blind carbon copy) section. Therefore, when a student receives the email they see only the email addy of the instructor, the studio and their own - but no others (even though it could be 25 or 100 on the entire list)