Here is a response from someone who got the message about the AOL petition.

Sharon

Sharon

that petition is based on a complete misunderstanding of what AOL and one
or two other e-mail providers are doing.  Here is what they are really
doing:
Normally, e-mail messages received by AOL members go through a spam
filter.  the charge is to allow businesses that want to make sure there
messages reach those to whom they are sending them to allow the messages
to bypass the spam filter on the user's account.  those who want this to
be done will have to register with AOL, pledge that they will only send
messages to those who have agreed to receive them, and, for doing this,
the messages will be marked so that those who receive them will know that
they are not spam.  Any of these groups can continue to send messages
without registering for free if they wish.  this is an important attempt
to allow users to receive messages from reputable businesses and
organizations, ensure that the messages are not mistakenly removed from
going to the inbox by the spam filter, and allow the user to know
immediately that the messages are legitimate and not spam.  There is no
way to know now how many businesses will use this service.  If it becomes
popular, and if other providers adopt this procedure, legitimate
businesses may again be able to communicate with recipients with the
recipients being assured that the messages are legitimate.  If the
hysterical yahoo who started this petition understood what he/she read in
news releases about this project, it would have been clear to the person
that this is not a mandatory program, that anyone who wants to can
continue to send any messages to anyone they choose, and that the only
people who will pay a small charge per piece of mail sent are legitimate
businesses who want to use the service to assure recipients that their
messages are not spam and are legitimate, not fraudulent messages.
Wouldn't it be nice if more people could understand what they read and not
set up hysterical, completely erroneous petitions to address problems
that don't exist?

gene

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