unsubscribe

[Ian Eiloart]

On 21 May 2012, at 12:49, Adam Tauno Williams wrote:
> On Mon, 2012-05-21 at 11:32 +0000, Ian Eiloart wrote:
>> On 18 May 2012, at 14:45, Adrian Kovacs wrote
>> Using the mechansims described in the List-Unsubscribe header:
>> List-Unsubscribe: 	
>> Having said that, European Union countries usually require that the
>> mechanisms be easy to use. In my view, that means that they should be
>> described in the message footer (not hidden in a header). The more
>> obvious paths from the URLs listed in the footer require cyrus.edu
>> accounts for unsubscription.
> 
> This behavior has been *standard* for decades.  A good mail client even
> provides an option - I view a message from the Cyrus list in Evolution
> and Message -> Maillist -> Unsubscribe is right there as an option.
> 
> You are using Exchange [ + Outlook? ];  so I'm pretty sure that option
> is there on your screen somewhere.

Apple Mail, actually. But, it doesn't matter. Neither displays the List-Unsubscribe header by default, or presents the unsubscribe options. And, I doubt that most users would find the option in a menu; it would have to be displayed as a button in the default display. Ideally, such a button would be displayed with the message headers.

As long as most users don't have easy access to the List-Unsubscribe header (Outlook, Apple Mail, etc), then the List-Unsubscribe header can't satisfy the legal requirements of the UK, and most EU countries: that marketing (and this list markets Cyrus mail - at least in the meaning of the legislation) emails must carry an easy to use address for unsubscribing.

> 
>> The argument that list members ought to be able to find the
>> List-Unsubscribe header because they're email professionals doesn't
>> wash.
> 
> You mail client should recognize the presence of this header and provide
> an option.  

Yes, that would be nice. Unfortunately, the most popular clients don't.

>  And looking at message headers is hardly a 'profession'
> level action.


I'm afraid it is. I'm forever having to teach people that there are more than four headers in an email. Most people just don't know the others are there.

-- 
Ian Eiloart
Postmaster, University of Sussex
+44 (0) 1273 87-3148