Forcing mail... Illegal or just rude?

[symbolic]

Google couldn't answer my question today so I thought I'd post here instead...

Any form that is processed (eg. an online enquiry) can feature a check box to opt-in as a mail recipient (eg. for newsletters). Some clients have asked us to make this a required field or pre-check the box by default. We always talk them out of it because we believe it is bad practice to force people on to your mailing list.

So is it just rude? Or are there actually laws against it too?

RM

[jexley]

I don't know about laws, but I've always treated it as a BIG No-No.

And how is it Google FAILED to answer a question? Madness!

[heist]

double opt-in for the win!

[Vee]

Having a pre selected check box for mailing list confirmation is against the Aussie bulk email laws (rules?).

I don't have any references besides suggesting you start here

[Webolution]

Originally Posted by Vee

Having a pre selected check box for mailing list confirmation is against the Aussie bulk email laws (rules?).

The SPAM Act 2003 (on the ACMA site) is what Vee is referring to I assume. This is the place to start: http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_310296

More specifically, this part of the Act may help:

Can I use a pre-ticked boxes to obtain consent to send marketing messages?

No. Pre-checked tick boxes – for example, on a website where people can join a mailing list – are not an acceptable way of gaining consent. For express consent to exist, a person must actively and deliberately give consent to receiving commercial electronic messages, either by checking the tick box themselves or by giving consent in some other clear and transparent way (for example, typing their email address into the 'consent' field of a web form).

Cheers
Joel

[Ann.J]

No mails should be forced upon anyone deliberately. It is the recipient's choice . Infact forcing it can have more negative response than usual. The senders should bear this in mind. it will result in fairer results for them too

[danspace]

Its so refreshing when they don't pretick!

I would compare it to shoving a flyer in your customers hands everytime they purchased something & shoving it in their mailbox every month.

User experience goes further then the website