[Asrg] can a single posting to a subscription list qualify as spam

[Dave Crocker <dhc at dcrocker.net>]

der Mouse wrote:
> > > [...]
> > I think you just spammed us.
>
> I don't.  It may have been inappropriate, it may have been abusive, but
> it wasn't bulk (at least, assuming that, as it appears, only one
> message was sent, to our list), and thus couldn't have been spam.


Assuming that we do not want to define spam as "whatever I don't want", then 
let's try to use this example to consider criteria:

1. This mailing list has a purpose.  Does the purpose include soliciting 
sales of any products?  If it does not then the posting certainly qualified 
as "unsolicited".

2. The mailing went to an unknown number multiple recipients, so it 
certainly qualified as "bulk". Saying it wasn't seems quite odd to me. 
Spammers have often used various "fan-out" services, so I do not see that 
the original message's having only one address that of the mailing list -- 
makes any difference.

3. The mailing was sent without concern that particular individuals receive 
it. This is an common characteristic (and maybe requirement0 of spam that I 
find interesting.

So if the posting was not spam, why not?

d/
--

Dave Crocker
Brandenburg InternetWorking
<http://bbiw.net>

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