SPAM and musician's email lists

[Vicki]

Dear Australian Musicians

The new laws around Spam can affect you. You can get fined $1 million AUD for each unsolicited email that is sent out. That is for each recipient!

I receive quite a few email newsletters for gigs and clubs that I have never subscribed to so if I was really horrible I could report the blighters and they might get fined. Unsolicited marketing email is now against the law. If you are flogging anything, i.e. a gig or a CD and you send to someone who you hasn't confirmed that they want to receive it you can be penalised. Unless their email is in the puiblic domain i.e. has been publised and it is 'reasonable' that they might want to see the email you have sent them (have fun interpreting that one!)

Best practice in email: Don't use anyone else's lists, ever! If people have indicated they want to receive emails from you still make sure people can unsubscribe easily, and if they do unsubscribe ensure they get taken off the list.

These laws won't stop the spam in your mail box, unfortunately as it doesn't apply to anything generated overseas. Only 6% of spam recieved in Australia is generated here. The laws came into effect a few weeks ago.

[Gideon]

Shit. I just started sending out an email to approx 2000 recipients - then read this thread. I stopped it at 247. Hope we don't get executed for it. I think it is a bit ridiculous - although I do see the point. Therefore I will not continue.... let's hope this post helps me in court?

Back to spruiking then.

[aj]

Good thing you have $247 mil in the bank !

[Tim S]

What about the MFs who use the phone book and ring you up at dinner time to get you to come to a shonky financial seminar? Why won't someone legislate against that? It's far worse, in my opinion. Provided an email isn't actually going to destroy your computer, it seems only time-wasting and/or mildly disappointing - halfbent excepted, of course.

[a j]

Tim, the best solution for them is to waste their time right back :
Yes, that sounds most interesting ; do you mind waiting, I have someone at the door ?.....
(wait 3 minutes)
Sorry to keep you, I'll be with you in a minute...
(wait 5 minutes, hang up).

They don't ring back.

[Kenny]

Jeez, no wonder I find phoning you so bloody frustrating!

[Vicki]

They are bringing in lawas against cold calling too (i.e. ringing someone up cos their name is in the phonebook in the hope theat they are just about to purchase brick cladding etc.) but many companies are outsourcing call centres to India and other places so they will be exempt from the laws. Often when you ring an Aussie company nowadays you are speaking to someone overseas.

Gideon don't sweat about your emails, at present I understand they are sending out warnings first and prosecuting later!

[Gideon]

In that case....

[vicki]

so where's my email?

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