Randy - this was spam *from* IB. There were carsdirect.com links in the email that sent us to travelzoo.

It's actually not really a data privacy issue, but just another degradation of the FT experience, as far as I can tell.

Same here.

It's not a privacy issue? I got the emails too and was definitely worried. The FlyerTalk Privacy Policy states...
A WhoIs for ibtraveldeals.com notes the following...
Registrant:
Internet Brands Inc
909 N Sepulveda Blvd
El Segundo, California 90245
United States

Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com)
Domain Name: IBTRAVELDEALS.COM
Created on: 07-Sep-07
Expires on: 08-Sep-08
Last Updated on: 07-Sep-07

Administrative Contact:
Knapp, Matthew [email protected]
Internet Brands Inc
909 N Sepulveda Blvd
El Segundo, California 90245
United States
13102805223 Fax --

Technical Contact:
Knapp, Matthew [email protected]
Internet Brands Inc
909 N Sepulveda Blvd
El Segundo, California 90245
United States
13102805223

Oh wow... that's not good.

I and several others I have been in contact with received the SPAM messages from IB yesterday. We recieved bounces for the opt-out last evening. We posted about the problem on FT. Instead of fixing the problem, instead of stopping the mailing, and instead of saying anything here, IB seems to have continued to let its servers spew forth messages to more FT members. I find it rather difficult to believe they have not yet either stopped sending the messages or fixed their opt-out address.

Why not just click 'mark as spam' in your email program and get back to talking points and miles!? @:-)

My opinion:

IB is a business and, as such, has to both protect its investment and to profit from it. To do so, it must ensure that it keeps the overwhelming majority of the heavy posters happy (as they provide the material that gives FT its value) while at the same time reaching them with advertising offers (as that is how it makes its profits).

My suggestions:

1. Members continue to post about problematic situations (viruses, SPAM which can not be unsubscribed from, tasteless ads, etc.) If we do not, we can not be certain that IB is even aware of the problems -- a situation which is not good for either it or us.

2. Members accept that fact that IB is in business to make money and not object to reasonable attempts by it to use the database for this.

3. IB work as quickly as possible to fix the problems cited in paragraph # 1. If this means a temporary suspension of all advertising, so be it. Once the problems are solved, advertising can resume. It is better for IB to lose money on a short term basis than to risk alienating the heavy posters who provide the content which gives FT its value.

Randy and I have had our differences of opinions over the years, and neither of us has been shy about discussing them, but it would be idiotic of me not to recognize the time, money, and effort he put into building FlyerTalk. He well deserves every penny that he was able to get from its sale and I would be the last person in the world to hold that against him.

IB, in turn, having paid that money to Randy deserves the opportunity to recoup it and profit from its investment. Moreover, if it does not, it will eventually decide to cut its losses and shut FT down.

That would not be a happy event for anyone. Not for IB. Not for FlyerTalkers. Not even for Randy -- who despite having received payment for FlyerTalk still has a heavy emotional involvement in it.

This is going to require IB and FTers to work together and to be willing to compromise.

I think that sums it up nicely. FT has constantly evolved. Some of us remember the days before the current plethora of forums. The days before moderation and moderators. The days before OMNI. The days before Pudding Guy.

IB's ownership of of FT is going to cause more evolution and change.

No need to get upset about it! Just roll with the changes!!! ^

IB admits to me about the TravelZoo! mailing which they will post to on this thread, but if we were to consider our "trusted" members who post things like this "And most of the mailings relate to penny stocks or organ enlargement." it gets completely strange as those posting the header seems only related to the TravelZoo! snafu, not this other type stuff which does not seem to be verified yet. I would think that leaves it open to trying to get to the bottom of this, assuming that everything any member has posted here is true.

As for disappointment, i doubt anyone is more disappointed than I. We've spent years building up an expected environment and from that investment of trust, i hate to see it changed - for any reason.

Actually I do consider it SPAM as it was not directly sent from FlyerTalk and that is who the current privacy policy was written from and to. The confusing part is a single member on this thread is saying that they received similar emails that included "And most of the mailings relate to penny stocks or organ enlargement.". No one else seems to be reporting this and that is the focus of our research since we regard this as far more serious.

While i have no control of these issues, i can certainly let others know I am not pleased and work toward getting these things corrected–for now and well into the future.

Randy, and what about the porn and trojan attacks for the past several weeks?

We've not even heard an apology. The ads are still coming, even after complaints from the first attacks.

I'm sure this is NOT what you expected to see happen to Flyertalk.

Well, personally, I think you're going further than your obligation to us when you characterize it that way, and that's pretty honorable.

Thanks.

I am VERY glad to see this. Regarding the unsubstantiated allegations above, I know a few members whose subscription addresses were never given out to anyone but FT. These address have so far only received the TravelZoo SPAM and nothing else.

i know, which is why this is puzzling to me. The other member is well-known in the AA board to be a proponent of only posting factual and true items and as such we are taking him/her for their word, though as you say, these other addresses have so far received only the TravelZoo SPAM. But nonetheless, we continue our research and am awaiting for IB to post something.

I am also glad to see the post quoted above. The email that I use for FT dealings is strictly for FT and to date the only email in that box is the ibtraveldeals SPAM message.

Dan

I assume you are referring to me, and I will be glad to send you the next offending email which will doubtless arrive in a few minutes. I have not looked at the headers, but will do so at the next opportunity. All I know to be "factual and true" is that (1) I have never used my dedicated FT email address for any other purpose and (2) the SPAM that I refer to started arriving shortly after IB's acquisition of FT. If this is indeed an unhappy coincidence, I apologize for the harsh tone of my earlier post. However, an alternative explanation escapes me.