I’m a teacher and a newbie marketer in New York City. I’ve created a number of websites I’d like to share with other teachers. Over the past five months I’ve collected 280,000 email addresses of teachers in all 50 states by hand, by visiting school webpages where the addresses were
available publicly.
I’d like to send email to them about my websites, just so they could use them in class. I have mailman available on my email server, so they can opt out. I’d also include my contact information so they could call me if they have questions or problems about the website.
I’m not actually selling anything, and the advertising on the site barely pays for the hosting costs. It’s just to let teachers know about these sites so they could use them in class.
Would I be legally okay in sending them messages? Since I’m a real person, there’s no selling, I provide contact information, and an opt out, am I legally okay in doing this?
January 26th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
you said
Over the past five months I’ve collected 280,000 email addresses of teachers in all 50 states by hand, by visiting school webpages where the addresses were
available publicly.
this is a tricky one
although the addresses are publicly displayed
still bottom line they, i assume have not requested any kind of info
this is still considered spam
i would make them aware they can opt out
also if people truely want future info from you have them send you mail saying so
that is not spam