MI-CCGS-L Archives

From: Jack LaPeer <>
Subject: [MI-CCGS-L] Message from the List Administrator
Date: Sat, 03 Jun 2000 11:35:31 -0400

Hi MI-CCGS Listers,

Sometime back, I "posted" and updated subscriber list for the benefit of
our members-subscribers. After doing so, I received a couple of private
emails from other list administrators suggesting that this may not be a
prudent thing to do. It was pointed out to me that any email "posted" to
most any mail list is truly not private and can be viewed or read by
non-subscribers as well as subscribers. It doesn't matter if the list is
"closed" like this one or "open" like many others AND you don't even need
to be a subscriber.

It's true, in most cases, that you need to subscribe to a mail list to send
mail to the list and thus be a full participant, but if you know how to do
it, you can get copies sent to you that you can read. In 99% of the cases
this is not a problem, but there are a few unsavory characters who are
after email addresses, not genealogy! And these addresses can end up in
the hands of junk emailers which can be a nusiance to say the least. So,
why should I risk helping them out by "posting" an updated subscriber list
containing email addresses?

Whether or not this has already occurred is impossible to tell since junk
emailers can get addresses by other means, too. In my opinion, the risk
outweights the benefits, especially since there are other, less risky, ways
to inform our MI-CCGS subscribers of other subscribers names and addresses.
Our society's newsletter could be one or private email could be another.
As I understand it, private email is much less likely to be intercepted by
one of these unsavory types.

In short, listers, I've decided not to post an updated list here anymore,
but this is not my "final answer". Before doing so, I want to poll our
current 42 subscribers for your comments. You may email this list
(preferrable) or me privately at <>. One last thing,
by bringing this issue up, there is NO implication meant whatsoever that a
subscriber to this list is one of these characters. Remember it was
pointed out to me that there is a way that NON-SUBSCRIBERS can READ this
(and other) list mail, including this message. The risk is low, but do the
benefits of publishing a subscriber list exceed the risk? What's your
thoughts?

Jack LaPeer

This thread:

• [MI-CCGS-L] Message from the List Administrator by Jack LaPeer <>