To the Editor:
I have recently had to use the spam filter on my BlitzMail because of companies sending e-mails to Dartmouth BlitzMail accounts. Luckily, my trusty spam filter sends most of these to a folder where they don't clog up my inbox.
Unfortunately, I am still finding my inbox with more spam than actual e-mails, which I find very obnoxious since I have a very slow Internet connection in my apartment, and am not on campus.
The spam I am referring to comes from your a cappella groups, your fundraiser groups, your frats, your undergraduate societies, etc. Did I sign up for any of these? No, they are filling up my inbox unsolicited. One e-mail a month from your group? I can handle that. But e-mailing me three times a week to remind me about your event is excessive. One e-mail to let me know about the event would be fine; if I want to go, I will e-mail you for more information or put it in my calendar.
I understand the need to get your message out and to let people know about events they might not otherwise be aware of, but there are better ways to do it. I have bulletin boards I monitor on blitz (which any COSO-recognized group can get) -- these don't clog my inbox and I am able to keep myself updated. There are bulletin boards in the dining halls and Collis I check out when I'm on campus; there are friends who will send me an e-mail inviting me to events BlitzMail, and there are blitz lists that people can choose to be on.
I propose that all Dartmouth groups use a freshmen list since first-years are new to campus and are still deciding what they want to join. For non-freshmen, however, use a bulletin or a blitz list that we can sign up for.
As it is, no matter how good your cause is, you're just becoming spam. Before I was content just to delete the spam, but the combination of my full inbox and the offensive subject lines meant to get my attention has driven me to publicly object. I don't want to open my inbox to find blitzes about beer, and I don't want to get e-mails about speed dating that exclude the gay and lesbian community (both of these are for nonprofit fundraisers, not fraternities).
These groups are losing any message they are trying to send by becoming offensive in order to gain attention -- in doing so, they fall into the category of spam. I realize that there are exceptions, but they are few. I'm tired of this and I bet I'm not the only one.
