raleighnet.org

ClickZ has an extremely interesting article suggesting that major ISPs like AOL are (or are about to start) charging direct marketers for the right to mail into their networks.

I walk both sides of this fence on stuff like this. I am a marketer and I need to be able to get messages to people who want to receive them. I am a user of e-mail, and I jealously guard most of my e-mail addresses to reduce the amount of Spam I get. Even as a marketer, I hate, HATE, HATE Spammers because their bad behavior casts a negative light legitimate marketing efforts. If we can reverse the cost structures, then maybe we can make it uneconomically feasible for Spammers to Spam. Still, I am scared to hell and beyond about the idea that ISPs are going to start becoming gatekeepers to e-mail. That just reeks of negative consequences.