Not that there aren't other threads, but I want this one to be specific to my case and up to date. I am starting a forum, and everyone knows how tough it is, particularly since it's a local and therefore very limited one. The main purpose of the site is to make a service available, that is the interactivity of a forum, to a group of people of a certain area and with a specific passion. There's a publicly available info list, including email addresses, for the purpose of being contacted I suppose. The webmaster/owner of that website maybe wasn't thinking of me notifying the new forum, but he doesn't have one, so it wouldn't compete. You know what I want to ask next, that is if sending an email to these people would be considered spam. Also, what laws would I have to look at, the ones where the servers are or what? My feeling is that a single email with an unsubscribe option would be fine, even though unsolicited. Please correct me if it's wrong. I could always send a postcard, but I don't have the resources right now, nor is the website expected to make profits, actually I would personally sponsor it to cover costs, hopefully not for long. Thanks for any input!
Spam = Unsolicited Email. Have the contact list subscribed to your forum? No! Is the list of emails an solicitation for emails? No! So what right have you to send to them? It would be spam, pure and simple.
I know that, otherwise I would not have asked, you have to admit that this isn't obtrusive as most spam, not that this would make it legal, but it's close to the borderline. So you suggest sending postcards or calling. Not only it would be expensive, but it also would bother me more, I don't know you or the people I am talking about. Anyway, any thoughts on the applicable laws?
I know what you are saying, I would prefer to receive spam inviting me to a local forum that asking me if I want to buy Viagra, but it is still considered spam and illegal in the US. I would go around the local area, put up posters, mabye even local radio/tv might be good?
Bother you more? How about each and everyone of those whom you email to? Don't they have to read, decide it is spam and trash it? Each person multiple by the time they need to thrash your spams. Aren't these their time too? Aren't you bothering them?
You are pretty aggressive, mate! No need to, since I am not a spammer and, as you noticed, I am willing to make sure I don't become one. I would expect a friendlier attitude. And you quoted my whole message, yet replied to it only in part. Spam bothers me too, but phone calls at dinner time looking to sell the most absurd goods or services are even worse. Or not? Anyway, I guess that I'll send a few cards and hope that they spread the word, I can barely afford those, forget posters and stuff...
I agree. The thing with email spam is it takes a fraction of a second to delete or it goes straight to my junk folder. But with phone calls telling my my postcode has won a £1,000,000 prize just as I sit down to eat with my family annoys me a hell of a lot more.
My apologies, but compare yourself with better candidates. Yes true that phone calls at dinner time is frustrating, do you need to compare yourself to them and say that look I am better?
Apologies accepted. I am just desperate to provide that service, I believe that the community would benefit and enjoy fit a lot, and I would too. I just don't have the money. Even if I find sponsors, that would be only after the website attracts traffic, but it won't if people don't know about it. Thanks anyway.