Read my blog.

[Coley]

A woman I'm not sure I could even describe as an acquaintance has subscribed me to her blog. She is a member of the church we attend, but I don't recall ever having as much as a conversation with her or saying hello in passing. We're friendly with her brother and SIL as they have kids who are DS's age.

The woman sends her weekly blog updates to an e-mail list. My e-mail address is on her list. I began receiving the updates a few weeks ago. I don't know how she could have gotten my e-mail address unless it was from church. Regardless, it strikes me as a bit unusual to send her personal blog to a list of people who may not know her. If I passed her in church, I'm not sure she would know my name.

At the bottom of the e-mails, she says that she will remove people from her e-mail list at their request. Considering that I didn't ask to be put on her e-mail list, it feels somewhat awkward to contact her to be removed. Isn't this what they call "spam"?

My questions are:

1) Is it a breach of techno-quette to subscribe people to one's personal blog without their consent? Is this spam?

2) Is it unusual to send one's personal blog to strangers? I don't know much about blogging, so I'm curious. Maybe she hopes to go viral?

3) Would I be rude for requesting to be unsubscribed to her updates? It isn't that I don't like her. I don't know her, so my interest level in her personal musings isn't high. I would be concerned about offending her and cutting off the possibility of getting to know her in the future.

4) If it came up, what is the polite response to the question, "Have you read my blog?" when you didn't ask to receive the blog and have not read it?

I know I have the options of sending her e-mails to spam or simply deleting the e-mails.

Thoughts?

[NyaChan]

1) I think it is rude to subscribe a stranger to your personal blog in this way:  Personal blog, to a stranger who is in your community, through an email address that they didn't give you, and without permission

2) It is unusual to do this.  I know people who will make their blog available on other websites or through social media to those who choose to look at it, but they don't arbitrarily sign people up.  I also know folks (and I'm actually going to post on this  ) who deliberately keep their blog away from the people they know.

3)  Not at all rude to unsubscribe  "Blogger,  I'm actually not sure how I got signed up to this email list.  Could you please take me off of it?"

4) "No, I have not.  Bean dip?" 

[lady_disdain]

1 - Yes and yes. If she was a business instead of a private individual, would you have any doubts that it was spam?
2- It depends on the blog. Some people write for themselves and close friends, others want to write to the world at large. If it is the second case, then bloggers often push their blog on facebook, twitter, other blogs, etc. However, a mailing list is highly unusual. All blogs I know have the option for you to subscribe to them, which makes a mailing list unnecessary since interested people can just press that little button. A mailing list seems aimed at people who don't want to subscribe, which makes it rude.
3- Not in the least, as long as you do it politely. "Please remove my name from your mailing list - my inbox is already so crowded! I can get notifications by subscribing." (yes, you can but that doesn't mean you will )
4- "No, I haven't. There are so many things I have to read that I just swamped", "No, I am dedicating my time to caring for the kids/work/business/church that I am behind on all my reading." (once again, she doesn't need to know that her blogs ranks just behind the cereal box in your reading priority)

[artk2002]

Spam

Go ahead and ask to be taken off. She was rude to subscribe you in the first place and has no right to get huffy if you ask to be taken off. You're not obligated to read anybody's writing at all.

[TheaterDiva1]

1. Yes, it's rude - that's spam.

2. Yes.  I had a blog once, and I'd post as a Facebook status "Hey - I updated my blog" along with a link, and it would show up in people's news feed, and if they were interested, they'd look, but I'd never put people on the spot by sending it to them directly.

3. No - in fact, she may not even find out.  I assume there's an "unsubscribe" link somewhere in the e-mail (usually at the bottom) - just click and poof! you're gone.  She may not notice.

4. All that comes to mind is a vague "Sorry - I didn't have a chance to read it." use that a few times and maybe she'll give up.

[MrTango]

Honestly, I wouldn't ask to be removed.  I'd just flag all emails from her as Spam and let your email filters do the work for you.

If she asks about her blog, you can say you haven't seen it (it would be true, since your spam filters are preventing it from reaching your inbox.)

[TheVapors]

My questions are:

1) Is it a breach of techno-quette to subscribe people to one's personal blog without their consent? Is this spam? Absolutely rude, and... sorta. My head filters spam as something that is more automated and corporate level, but you were still unwillingly subscribed. So, spam.

2) Is it unusual to send one's personal blog to strangers? I don't know much about blogging, so I'm curious. Maybe she hopes to go viral? Sadly, not unusual these days. Everyone thinks they have something soooo unique to say. I've found only a handful of blogs that actually use it as a journalism medium, and are, to me, interesting. The rest I've come across are just glorified diaries. Boring!

3) Would I be rude for requesting to be unsubscribed to her updates? It isn't that I don't like her. I don't know her, so my interest level in her personal musings isn't high. I would be concerned about offending her and cutting off the possibility of getting to know her in the future. Not rude at all. "Dear so&so, I'm not sure how you got my address as I never gave it out to you, but please remove me from your list. Thank you." Though, that might be a bit unnecessary. Perhaps, "Dear so & so, please remove this e-mail address from your list. Thanks!"

4) If it came up, what is the polite response to the question, "Have you read my blog?" when you didn't ask to receive the blog and have not read it? "No, I have not." My own response has been, "No, I don't read blogs." This is another reason I hate blogs or mass e-mails. So impersonal. If someone has something important to say to me, they can say it to me. I am not so dazzled by their life that I read their thoughts online with much interest. There are few personal blogs that do that for me.

I know I have the options of sending her e-mails to spam or simply deleting the e-mails.

Thoughts? I am anti-public diary. Which is what many blogs I've seen are. No. No thank you. Those are my thoughts.

[Coley]

Thanks, everyone, for your input. I'm still debating whether to request to be unsubscribed or to send her to my spam folder. Unfortunately, there isn't an automated "unsubscribe" feature in this case.

[Coley]

My questions are:

1) Is it a breach of techno-quette to subscribe people to one's personal blog without their consent? Is this spam? Absolutely rude, and... sorta. My head filters spam as something that is more automated and corporate level, but you were still unwillingly subscribed. So, spam.

2) Is it unusual to send one's personal blog to strangers? I don't know much about blogging, so I'm curious. Maybe she hopes to go viral? Sadly, not unusual these days. Everyone thinks they have something soooo unique to say. I've found only a handful of blogs that actually use it as a journalism medium, and are, to me, interesting. The rest I've come across are just glorified diaries. Boring!

3) Would I be rude for requesting to be unsubscribed to her updates? It isn't that I don't like her. I don't know her, so my interest level in her personal musings isn't high. I would be concerned about offending her and cutting off the possibility of getting to know her in the future. Not rude at all. "Dear so&so, I'm not sure how you got my address as I never gave it out to you, but please remove me from your list. Thank you." Though, that might be a bit unnecessary. Perhaps, "Dear so & so, please remove this e-mail address from your list. Thanks!"

4) If it came up, what is the polite response to the question, "Have you read my blog?" when you didn't ask to receive the blog and have not read it? "No, I have not." My own response has been, "No, I don't read blogs." This is another reason I hate blogs or mass e-mails. So impersonal. If someone has something important to say to me, they can say it to me. I am not so dazzled by their life that I read their thoughts online with much interest. There are few personal blogs that do that for me.

I know I have the options of sending her e-mails to spam or simply deleting the e-mails.

Thoughts? I am anti-public diary. Which is what many blogs I've seen are. No. No thank you. Those are my thoughts.

I had to chuckle at this characterization because it describes the blog I'm receiving precisely. I won't give the exact title, but it's basically random topics that the blogger finds to be fascinating. So, I'm unwillingly receiving musings from someone I don't know about things she thinks are important.

[O'Dell]

Yes she was rude.

No it would not be at all rude to ask to be taken off the list.

Hit reply "Please take me off your email list." That's it. No explanations or reasons.

Speak to the minister or someone else in authority at your church about her harvesting emails from the church roster.

[Mikayla]

I would unsubscribe, mainly for the reason O'Dell mentioned ^.   I agree you should talk to the minister, because this is not an appropriate use of church emails, but if for some reason you're hesitant to do that, go with second best and unsubscribe.  When you send her to spam, she isn't being given any kind of message that she crossed a line here.

And if she asks about it, be direct, because now she is really being presumptuous.  Gently remind her that putting someone on a mailing list without their knowledge or approval is spamming that person, and she may want to find a way to get permission first.

[LEMon]

My only reason to ask to unsubscribe that I haven't seen mentioned would be my concern that, since she didn't have much respect for asking permission to email me, she might pass my email on to someone else.

[Coley]

My only reason to ask to unsubscribe that I haven't seen mentioned would be my concern that, since she didn't have much respect for asking permission to email me, she might pass my email on to someone else.

That's a good point. I hadn't considered that.

[Margo]

My questions are:

1) Is it a breach of techno-quette to subscribe people to one's personal blog without their consent? Is this spam?

Yes. Signing somone up to any kind of mailing list without their consent is rude. (double if she sents it out by using 'cc' not 'bcc' and therefore 'gives' your e-mail address to eveyone else on the list as well

2) Is it unusual to send one's personal blog to strangers? I don't know much about blogging, so I'm curious. Maybe she hopes to go viral?

Yes. It's fine to let people know - I have a blog, and I usually tweet a link when I put up a new post, but that simply says it is there, it is not directed to anyone in particular. Specifically sending it to someone would be odd unless (a) they have asked, and you are mailing a link or (b) it's in a professional/semi-professional situation - where you are effectively applying for a job and want to show your work, which doesn't seem to be the case here

3) Would I be rude for requesting to be unsubscribed to her updates? It isn't that I don't like her. I don't know her, so my interest level in her personal musings isn't high. I would be concerned about offending her and cutting off the possibility of getting to know her in the future.

Not at all.  It is is a 'please mail me and I'll remove you then I think something in the e-mail saying  'I seem to have been accidentally subscribed, please unsubscribe me' is fine. It's a face-saving opportunity for her is you attribute it to a mistake but I don't think something bluner, saying I did not not sign up for this, please remove me immediately,would be in any way rude. She is way over the line 

4) If it came up, what is the polite response to the question, "Have you read my blog?" when you didn't ask to receive the blog and have not read it?

No. (it's a complete sentance!) Or, if you want to be a little more concilatory, 'no, I don't really have time. and then change the subject. If she pushes, then I don't think it is out of order to suggest to her that she not keep asking as it could seem pushy (which is a little gentler than telling her she *is* being pushy! Or even to tell her that you did not ask to be subscribed to her bog and are not reading it. I personally would reserve that for if she was very pushy and was not backing off with the bean dipping.

I endorse the suggestions to speak to the minisiter if you think she has used the church's records, as that's inappropriate (and possibly illegal and/or in breach of the church's own policy)

(edited for typos and to add final paragraph)