FC: Mailblocks changes privacy policy, won't spam customers

From: Declan McCullagh (declanat_private)
Date: Tue Mar 25 2003 - 10:41:15 PST

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    My understanding from a fellow journalist who spoke to the company 
    yesterday is that Mailblocks accidentally placed an old placeholder version 
    of their
    privacy policy when they put the new site up yesterday. They planned to fix 
    it Monday evening, and apparently they have.
    
    Previous Politech message:
    
    "Will new 'spam reduction' service result in... more spam?"
    http://www.politechbot.com/p-04580.html
    
    -Declan
    
    ---
    
    Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 00:59:56 -0700 (MST)
    From: Ray Finch <babylonat_private>
    To: Declan McCullagh <declanat_private>
    Subject: Re: FC: Will new "spam reduction" service result in... more spam?
    
    Declan,
    
    Hi.
    
    Although I don't use the Mailblocks service nor am I associated with it in
    any way, I thought I would point out some descrepencies.
    
    Mr. Maus's e-mail is dated March 24th.  Mailblockes Privacy Policy (at
    https://app1.mailblocks.com/register.htm, then click on "privacy policy
    here") is dated March 17 - a good six days earlier..
    
    None of the paragraphs about the Privacy Policy or TOS in your last
    posting match anything in the Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service
    currently on the Mailblocks web site with the possible expection of the
    following paragraph:
    
       "Subject to applicable law, we reserve the right to release information
        concerning any visitor or member when that visitor or member is in
        violation of our Terms of Service or other published guidelines, is
        partaking (or is reasonably suspected of partaking) in any illegal
        activity, in response to civil subpoenas and discovery requests, to
        protect the interests of Mailblocks, our members or others, and as
        otherwise permitted or required by law."
    
    Which looks like an edited version of of the paragraph in your last
    posting that talked about releasing personal information to third parties.
    
    Perhaps the Mailblaocks people read your posting and "updated" their
    Privacy Policy and TOS agreements (and didn't bother to update the "Last
    revised" section), I don't know.  One thing is for sure, although I
    wouldn't use Mailblocks service, the poisting you just put up does not
    match what is currently on the Mailblocks website.
    
    Regards,
    
    
    Ray Finch
    
    ---
    
    Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 10:32:39 -0800
    To: declanat_private
    From: Kevin Murphy <kevin.murphyat_private>
    Subject: Re: FC: Will new "spam reduction" service result in... more
       spam?
    
    http://www.mailblocks.com/helplet/privacy-policy.htm
    
    It's now been subtly changed.
    
    
    
    
    
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