Stephen Rowles wrote:
> On 02/01/2010 02:51 AM, LinuxLearner wrote:
>>>> consent to give Facebook my email). This infuriates me, no end: it's
>>>>
>>> You misunderstand, possibly;
>>>
>>> Somebody, somewhere (doesn't matter who, or how they got the address),
>>> has your email addy stored at (say) GMail. That person decides to use
>>> the FB option to mail all their friends invites. You get one. FB don't
>>> send you a message then store the info and keep sending you stuff.
>>>
>> Oh yes oh yes they do ... I have had quite a number of people 'invite'
>> me to join facebook over the years ... I've never accepted any of those
>> offers ... Yet once a month/quarter/bi-annually {whatever}, I get
>> invites i.e. repeatedly (mentioning those persons) from FB, direct.
>>
>> I don't know, and don't care to know/care, HOW, exactly, FB got my email
>> (whether by direct input from a known party or via said known party(ies)
>> allowing FB to access e.g. their web-based address books ... I just
>> don't want SPAM, and FB *is* SPAMMING me, without comeback.
>>
>> Disgraceful conduct, which needs to be stopped, *immediately*.
>>
>
> There is comeback available. Via the data protection act.
The Data Protection Act is completely toothless; it takes thousands of
complaints before they ICO takes any serious action at all, and then
their idea of 'serious action' is to send a cease and desist order. I
know, I tried using their route over telephone SPAM; the company
concerned was a *repeat offender* (10,000's of unwanted 'silent' calls
made per month, harassing everyone (and distressing oldies)); they did
not have their licence removed, despite it being the second time they
had been dragged into court by the ICO. Toothless in the extreme.
Now, if we actually wanted this stuff to stop happening, a £100.00 fine
per email received, per person receiving, would get the desired result
(bankruptcy of companies that do this by way of policy), and fast. ;)
> It's easy, simply visit this link:
>
> http://www.ico.gov.uk/what_we_cover/data_protection/your_rights/preventing_unsolicited_marketing.aspx
>
> Open their PDF on "Unwanted marketing", scroll down to page 4. Write an
> email to facebook with the contents of the model letter on that page
> requiring them to stop processing your details for the purposes of
> direct marketing.
"The notice must be in writing and may be in the form of a letter. You
should ensure that the notice is dated. There is no particular form of
words that you need to use provided that you make clear the following:
* Your identity and the personal data to which you refer "
Oh great, so in order to stop a company from SPAMMING me I first have to
increase the value of the data they have on me by confirming they have
my identity down correctly (or worse, correcting it); not going to
happen. I'm not going to be part of the economic problem.
And how much do I get paid for all of this time I'm spending? Nada ...
How much value does FB continue to accrue for having all this data on
people that was collected *and used* without their consent?
The economics is all wrong, which is why the problem will persist.
> They are required under uk law to stop. If they do not then you can
> complain to the ICO and they will investigate.
And where's my compensation, for time spent and hassle? There is none.
> If you don't follow those steps, then under current UK law there is
> nothing you can do about it.
I disagree entirely. There are lots of things I can do about it, for
one, start sending unsolicited remailed email to them ... one a day, and
encourage everyone else to do the same, as but one example! ;) Until
the economics are *not* in their favour, because people make it so, they
will continue, and continue, and continue. :(
I would agree that it isn't great but using
> the data protection act will get results.
Didn't work for me the only time I tried use it. This wasn't entirely a
useless spend of time though:
http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/
But it was only when I changed numbers, and went ex-directory that
telephone SPAM stopped for good. ;)
It has worked for me on
> numerous occasions, I've even had a letter back from the ICO after they
> had to follow up on a company that decided to ignore my letter and I've
> never had any contact from that company again!
>
> I don't think the laws go far enough, I think it should be extended to
> include the right for you to have your data removed from companies
> systems, but unfortunately it doesn't. For now the DPA is a very good
> way of stopping reputable companies from spamming you,
I don't see a law that requires me to enforce it as a 'good' law at all.
The law should be written so that the companies do not do it in the
first place, or if they do, they have immediate economic, disastrous
consequences. That'll be the only way their fingers stop hitting send.
it won't stop
> illegal or dis-reputable companies but then no law would ;)
Which essentially means we obviously have a different view on whether FB
is a reputable company. In my experience, clearly, they are not.
Best,
LL
