UPDATED
In my ongoing effort to understand the value of the social-networking arena, I was signing up for the Spoke service. On the registration screen I found a check-box that said, “Check here to receive information, such as alerts, tips, and service updates, that highlight the value of Spoke. You may configure these options any time after registration.” I unchecked it, preferring not to receive even well-meaning spam.
But I was returned to the same screen, and in bright red letters I was told: “To complete registration, you must receive Spoke e-mails including alerts and service updates. If you do not agree to this, you will not be able to complete registration.”
So what’s the point of having the check-box in the first place if I have no alternative? Apparently I can change this after registration, but the intent seems to be to force an “opt-in” — an insistence that I agree to something I don’t want — and then permit me to opt out later. It’s not a genuine opt-in system.
There’s a better way: Accept my choice. Then, on the very next screen, urge me to sign up for what Spoke considers valuable information. If I do, that’s real opt in.
UPDATE: See Spoke’s reply: They’ve changed the system.
Posted by: Dirk on October 2, 2004 09:44 AM
Hehe, reminds me of some women I know. They ask “A or B?” but you know that chosing B is not really an option 🙂
Seriously, I guess it’s just one of those misunderstanding between boss, project manager and coder.
Posted by: Ted Feuerbach on October 2, 2004 10:37 AM
Setting it up that way gives those that opted in the impression that they actually had a choice. Only those that try to opt out find out that they have been given no real choice.
I was about to make a purchase from Buy.com about a week ago and filled out their registration form. The next page was a draconian user agreement. I wasn’t going to agree to it so I left the site without checking the box (their choices were agree or leave the site). They set up an account anyway and kept all my personal information. Sleazy, sleazy.
Posted by: Fazal Majid on October 2, 2004 10:50 AM
The website www.mailinator.com is perfect for this kind of situation.
Posted by: jeff on October 2, 2004 01:16 PM
That’s what WeatherBug does. You uncheck the box that asks you if you want to install that useless MySearch toolbar into your browser, and then it still installs it. You then get even with them by uninstalling WeatherBug!
Posted by: Jojo on October 2, 2004 03:44 PM
I ran into something similar when I manually downloaded and installed Shockwave from Macromedia. At the end of the install, it had a checkbox for installing the Yahoo toolbar. I unchecked it and clicked finish or whatever. It then restarted at the beginning og the install, so I went through it again. Same prompt came up for the Yahoo toolbar. I again unchecked it and it again returned to the beginning of the install. I cancelled out of it and Shockwave is installed OK. Pretty sad for Macromedia to do this crap. I sent them a nasty email so maybe they have removed this stupidity by now. Otherwise, there are probably a whole lot of dumb AOL users running the Yahoo toolbar…
Posted by: Craig Weiler on October 2, 2004 09:42 AM
You know, there’s just nothing to do except move on. Spam is just too disagreeable. I agree on the need for a real opt-out and if they’re not going to give it to me, then Hasta la vista, Baby. They’ll learn.
The unintended consequence of this corporate behavior is to pre-screen and lose the more educated and savvy users. Their loss.