On Wed, 26 Nov 2003, Eric S. Raymond wrote:
Daniel Feenberg <feenberg(_at_)nber(_dot_)org>:
(a) a mailto: URL with the property that sending
mail to it unsubscribes the sender.
Have any MUAs expressed plans to support (a)?
What, with an "unsubscrube" button? Not that I know of.
--
<a href="http://www.catb.org/~esr/";>Eric S. Raymond</a>
Recall that most (all?) MUAs that I am suppress headers except Subject:,
From: and To:, so that a list-unsubscribe header is invisible to the end
user unless they know the secret "display all headers" icon. Few do.
Note that when spam receipients forward spam to the FTC, the MUA deletes
the headers, so the spammer's lawyer can always reply to an action by the
FTC with the claim "list-unsubscribe" was in the headers, and neither the
FTC nor the initial complainaint will have any ability to cast doubt on
that claim, since MUAs don't save the headers unless "display all headers"
is set. Note that under long-standing US law and custom, the lawyer can
make this claim without asking the client if it is true or not, and
nothing need be sworn. It is still an effective defense unless substantial
evidence is provided controverting it.
If (a) is to be allowed, MUAs really have to come on board. Not all of
them, but at least one in reasonably wide use.
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