AOL is so stupid when it comes to trying to block SPAM. When AOL users get an email, they can click a 'This is SPAM' button and essentially report the email as SPAM. Then, AOL keeps track of these complaints against the sender. Once it reaches a certain threshold, you're basically blacklisted. Even emails which have links to your domain can be rejected. We're talking overzealous moves here.

So, I'm sending out some newsletters which I do for work on occassion. We notice a lot of bounces back from AOL. Turns out, we're being blocked (again). So, I call them up to see what's up. Late last year I went through a process to be whitelisted with them, which apparantly I have to do every 6 months. So, I re-applied, but still have this issue to deal with.

I explain to the girl on the phone that them blocking us effects business. And, we don't SPAM. Which, we don't. Everything you get from us is legit. Order notifications, receipts and those e-commercy things. And, newsletters which provide you with links to opt-out of. Well, she can't do a thing aside make a ticket. She said she can't even talk to the people she's making a ticket for. I asked to speak to them, and she said she can't, and I can't. But, at least a ticket was made.

A few days later I get an email in broken English saying the block will be removed and I should "clean [my] email list". I don't know what the hell that means. See, people put themselves on the list by becoming users. How can I clean that up? It made no sense, but whatever, I was being unblocked. I was also put on a feedback loop, which essentially sends me a copy of emails which people are reporting as SPAM. This should prove useful, since I can now make sure these email addesses get off the newsletter list (since somehow clicking an AOL button is easier than clicking a link to opt-out), and investigate what people are making as SPAM.

One or two came in from newsletters. Ok, so you don't want the newsletter.. opt out! It's not hard to do. You can even send an angry email saying "STOP SENDING ME THESE!" and we'll do it for you while you get your rocks off using ALL CAPS at someone just doing their job, and who isn't SPAMing you in the first place.

But, then here was the kicker. A few came in for emails which are Want Agents. A Want Agent is something that you initiate. It's essentially when you tell our system what you want, and when the system gets what you want added to it, it emails you. You want a German pressing of Styx's Mr. Roboto on 7" vinyl? Well, we'll email you when someone adds it to our catalog. It's 100% requested by the user to be done AND you can email an address to remove the Agent, or do it on the website (as explained on the email itself).

I called AOL back. I explained that I'm a little concerned that people can actually REQUEST to get email, then mark it as SPAM, then collectively blacklist our site. The response was that when I get the emails from the feedback loop, I should remove those emails from whatever mailings are being sent. I said "Well, but the damage is done already.. they already reported the email, and you guys already counted it against us. I have no way to be pro-active." No answer. Then, I add "Plus, you guys strip the email address it's being sent to!" Which, they do. Luckily, I add it to the headers on the way out, so I do know the address. But, still stupid to tell me to remove addresses which they make efforts to strip out of feedback loop emails.

I think this is all pretty stupid. They allow their users (which, frankly, aren't the collective bright bulbs of the internet world) to effect companies in this way. There is obviously no quality control of what people are reporting. It's like the Wild West of SPAM reporting. We're not sending you emails on "V 1 A G 4 R /\" or selling you home loans. We're sending thing which you requested. And you say it's SPAM, likely hoping it will just filter into your SPAM box, but your moronic ISP uses the information to use against companies sending email.

It's total crap. They say you break the TOS, but they have no frikkin clue if you really did or not.

Oh, and Yahoo!.. don't get me started on Yahoo! You can't even call them! You have to email them, then they (at least from my experience) ask 100 questions and for "more information", even when you've outlined the situation pretty crystal clear with logs, sendmail sessions, examples, IPs, times, etc... Then, they don't help you and when you, a few weeks later, have the same issue and try to restart the dialog, they don't have your past email history and you have to start ALL OVER AGAIN!

Here's what you can do people. If you use AOL, don't. Get a real ISP for Christs sake. Comcast, Road Runner, Verizon.. whomever! The internet isn't hard to get around.. you don't need the Playskool look of AOL and their crappy service.

Thanks for listening.. AOL you and your email policies suck.