[RTC List] Mistaken listserv mailing

[D A]

Since questions continue: There're a fair number of articles out there 
on Reunion's unsavory business practices. The LA Times wrote about it 
last month: 
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus16apr16,1,4041604,full.column  
Googling their URL will bring you plenty more. Most of what I've read 
indicates they ask for new members' email passwords, but there are some 
(unconfirmed) comments that suggest XSS harvesting of gmail contacts 
might be in effect.

Btw, Plaxo may be a legit service, but plenty of people got their 
introduction to it via their spamming of members' address books. They've 
since apologized and claim to have changed their ways but first 
impressions remain. (Google 'plaxo' 'spam' to find lots of discussion of 
their circa 2003-2006 advertising tactics.)

_D. Ni Faolain

M Welch wrote:
> Right, I also similarly wrote Libby, who is one of my favorite people, and got an apology.
>
> Larry, how does reunion.com get access to the address book. Do they install spyware, or does one upload the address book?
>
> Larry Goldberg wrote at 08:09 AM 5/29/2008:
>  
>   
>> PLEASE NOTE: I am sending this to the RTC list because I feel it's a  
>> matter for all concerned, but normally I would just respond privately.
>>
>> For what it's worth, I received one of these yesterday from Libby (who  
>> is a well-respected community member and very Internet-savvy).  I  
>> wrote to her directly and got an e-mail from her very quickly stating  
>> that the mailing was a mistake.  She signed up for Reunion.com and the  
>> system automatically sent a mailing to her entire address book upon a  
>> prompt to connect to friends.  For one thing, I think this is a  
>> disreputable and unprofessional process for any website to do, yet  
>> alone a commercial social networking website.  I was suckered into  
>> this site as well and it wasn't at all clear that this process (of e- 
>> mailing to your entire address book) would happen if you signed up.   
>> It was clearly an unknowing mistake on Libby's part to let this  
>> happen, but it should be a good lesson for all of us to avoid any  
>> website which may automatically e-mail to personal address lists.  We  
>> all need to be careful when we sign up for anything on the Internet  
>> and be especially careful with social networking sites which, in their  
>> attempt to be "helpful" can actually cause harm.
>>