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07 Apr 2011

Anti-social networks Email

I've belonged to LinkedIn for a long time, long enough to have collected over 500 connections, all to people I at least sort of know. It's sometimes useful. So why am I about ready to block all their mail as spam?

Because I get a lot of mail like this:


From: Dennis Wirthmann via LinkedIn <member@linkedin.com>
Reply-To: Dennis Wirthmann <dennis.wirthmann@googlemail.com>
To: John Levine <update@abuse.net>
Subject: Einladung in mein Netzwerk bei LinkedIn

LinkedIn
------------Dennis Wirthmann requested to add you as a connection on LinkedIn:
John,
Ich möchte Sie zu meinem beruflichen Netzwerk auf LinkedIn hinzufügen.
Dennis
Accept invitation from Dennis Wirthmann [LINK]

I do not know this guy, and he does not know me. (I don't speak German, either.) He just joined LinkedIn, and he apparently has one of my role addresses in his address book, which he let Linkedin scrape and blast out invitations.

I can say no, and tell them it was spam, and I won't get any more invitations from him. But the next guy who has that address will do the same thing, because there's no way to tell them to stop. I get more of this than I get legitimate mail related to the addresss on my account.

So here's a tip: if you send out bulk mail, even delightful friendly warm fuzzy bulk mail which you claim isn't bulk mail because each one is a lovingly hand crafted invitation from one of your users, you really, always, need to provide a way for people to tell you to stop. Because if you don't stop it at your end, they will stop it at theirs.


posted at: 23:12 :: permanent link to this entry :: 4 comments
posted at: 23:12 :: permanent link to this entry :: 4 comments

comments...        (Jump to the end to add your own comment)


The Dutch tell-a-friend regulation (described here http://www.spamresource.com/2010/03/note-on-dutch-tell-friend-regulation.html) is pretty good IMO but you're right the emails really should contain a 'never email me on this address' link.

(by Martijn Grooten 08 Apr 2011 06:46)



Some hours ago I checked the latest batch of about 150 new LinkedIn connections of my 30 connections (IETF week, folks were busy). With one exception not really interesting, but no big deal, I read these updates as feed, not as mails.

Often your updates with new blog entries are the only really interesting "network updates", I'm curious how you arranged that. Don't tell, I want to figure it out alone. Of course I read your blog now directly and don't need the LinkedIn updates for this purpose anymore - but it helped.

Having said that - what happens if you open "edit profile", click on "contact settings", and select "only introductions" instead of "introductions PLUS InMail"? Would that block unwanted invitations, or would it only block any InMail by paying LinkedIn members? BTW, the LinkedIn support does answer if you report a problem - I'm less sure about actually solving reported problems, but you could try it before you give up.

(by Frank 14 Apr 2011 22:30)



Amen, brother! Amen...

(by Rob Szarka 16 Apr 2011 10:40)


My E-Mail Adress for public
Hi John,

i do not know you and the invitation from LinkedIn come not from me! Sorry...

Please remove my Name and personal E-Mail Adress from your site. THX

Regards, Dennis

(by Dennis 16 Mar 2022 10:41)


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Who is this guy?

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Other blogs

CAUCE
It turns out you don’t need a license to hunt for spam.
5 days ago

A keen grasp of the obvious
Italian Apple Cake
563 days ago

Related sites

Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial E-mail

Network Abuse Clearinghouse



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