by Robert Gillis
Published in the Boston City Paper 4/2007

KEYWORDS: America Online, AOL, AOL customer service, AOL customer service problem, AOL dissatisfaction, bulk email policy, customer service, ISP

So after my AOL account was recently “secured” (SHUT OFF) yet again, and I spent AN HOUR with a tech getting it reinstated AGAIN, I received this canned mail from AOL:

Thank you for choosing AOL. To protect AOL members from unwanted junk e-mail (also known as "spam"), AOL encourages members to report it to the Community Action Team. The Community Action Team promptly secures the account sending the junk e-mail.

The reason AOL takes this action is because, in many cases, accounts used to send bulk e-mail are compromised: Somebody has stolen the account password and is using the screen name without the knowledge or consent of the account holder. By bumping the account offline and scrambling the passwords, AOL can re-secure the account. This prompts the member to contact AOL, which allows us to provide you with helpful hints on how to keep your account secure in the future!

We understand that taking these actions may inconvenience some of our members. However, we think you will agree that regaining security of your AOL account, and the personal information it contains, is top priority.

Inconvenience? That’s one word for it. The rest are unprintable on my family-friendly blog.

As a board member and webmaster of the Foxboro Jaycees, I often need to send out a "mass email" to the Jaycee Chapter informing them of changes, upcoming community service events, manpower requests, and so on.

The Foxboro Jaycees are part of the Junior Chamber, a not-for-profit worldwide community service organization.

Of the mere 58 email addresses on my current email list (not even half of the group), ALL of these people have asked me to include them on the list. NONE of the emails are unsolicited. I am not peddling Oxycontin, Viagra, or sex videos. I am mass-emailing one of the greatest community service groups in the world a requested email. And what happens every time?

My account is "secured." Shut off.

Then I have to deal with an AOL tech who has CLEARLY not reviewed my file (because as a 10 year member this has happened to me a LOT). Each time I get the same canned responses and a reminder of the AOL bulk email policy against unsolicited email. Each time I try to explain that this is important email, not unsolicited, providing vital information to the Jaycee chapter, and each time I get the same inane questions and canned responses.

One tech told me to create a mailing group, so I did that. The result? My account was secured. AGAIN.

I tried breaking the mails into small groups. The result? My account was secured. AGAIN.

If everyone on the planet didn't use my AOL email address I would drop it in a flash. I am unbelievably fed up with AOL.

Oh, I could apply to be on the AOL “Whitelist,” which according to the requirements page, “…protects mail originating from whitelisted IP Addresses from some, but not all, of AOL’s proprietary processes for protecting its Members and its network from unsolicited bulk email.”

I love the “some, but not all” part.

"All such email must be All RFC compliant.” (no idea what that means but I have a good suggestion. Again, family friendly blog but you get the idea).

There are 6 Technical Requirements, 5 E-mail Formatting Requirements (my personal favorite being, “Bulk mailings must specifically state how the AOL members' e-mail addresses were obtained and must indicate the frequency of the mailing. Such details as the date and time when the e-mail address was obtained along with the IP address of the subscriber and the web site they visited to sign-up must be made available to AOL upon request.”)

Do I need a sworn affdivit from each chapter member acknowledging that it’s OK for me to send them emails about the playground cleanup?

And finally, there are 6 Policy and Procedural Requirements. And after ALL that, I acknowledge (or am expected to acknowledge) : ”…that nothing herein requires AOL to deliver mail originating from a whitelisted list.”

So, follow all our AOL requirements, and depending on our mood, we'll maybe think about sending your email.

While I applaud AOL for making it hard for people to send constant unsoliticted bulk email, there SHOULD be a reasonable, easier process for valid exceptions to the policy. There should be a listserv option, or perhaps, as in my case, when the member of 10 years who sends to the same non-profit organization list every month, maybe, just maybe, some exceptions can be made? Instead of some knee-jerk automatic “shut him off, he’s a spammer” switch? Especially when the member has REPEATEDLY attempted to explain the purpose of the email and that it isn't spam?

Yeah, right.

Anyway, I sent AOL this note:

Although your policy is sound, I have two issues with it:

The emails I am sending are NOT unsolicited but requested by the Foxboro Jaycees as a way of informing the chapter quickly of news. I have repeatedly told you this.

After the account is "secured" I speak with an AOL rep to get it unsecured, explain that the account was NOT compromised and the emails are NOT unsolicited, and yet you still "secure me" every time.

Your policy needs to be revised to include valid exceptions such as mine.

Until them, I will not send your so-called "bulk emails" because I am tired of my account being locked and having to deal with the canned responses of your tech team who don't take the time to review my account and see that I have been complaining about this FOR YEARS.

In truth, I don't even know why I am bothering to send this--it's not like it will make a difference to you.

Think I'll get a response? I doubt it.

[* Update 9/2008: I NEVER received a response. ]

So I stop sending the mass-emails. Not like what I was sending out was important to the COMMUNITY SERVICE group.

Thanks a million, AOL, for being so security-conscious/paranoid that you don't bother to RESEARCH THAT THE SAME MEMBER HAS MADE THE SAME VALID REQUEST FOR YEARS. Thanks for not bothering to make exceptions for obvious situations when the same member reports REPEATEDLY that the messages are solicited, valid, needed, and benefit a COMMUNITY SERVICE group and the community at large.

Thanks a million AOL.

Oh--and to anyone out there considering AOL, may I suggest--SOMEONE ELSE?