Comments on: Who is listening?

By: richardf

richardf — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:22:34 +0000

Hmmm… interesting… forgot about the tracking of images embedded into email messages and have just gone and turned it off. Now trying to figure out what other methods people might employ to track delivery and then we’ll add in ‘turn off tracking’ option filter in out MTA for our email users.

In the right area knowing who/when your email is read is good… in the wrong its bad. So I’ll live without the good in order not to have the bad! Perhaps you can help us defeat this problem that we would see as invasive.

In snail mail ‘recorded delivery’ is the exception rather than the rule and you can look at the envelope to decide IF you want to receive it or not. With email this happens under the hood and it concerns me a lot.

By: Pete

Pete — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:44:42 +0000

If we’re open about what is going on, we actually appreciate the ability to (somewhat) know who is reading the message, etc.

If you and I are having a face to face conversation, or I’m sitting in your office… I know whether you are paying attention or not. In an atmosphere of grace and mutual respect, these new tools enable us to know (within limits) who we are connecting with, and who may not be connecting at all. That can be a Good Thing.

By: gvolkhardt

gvolkhardt — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:42:08 +0000

I use a similar product to your MailChimp and love the reliability of delivery. That was my main motivation in going to this type of technology. The reporting is great, as you say. But it’s a little scary. I can see who opens what, who clicks on what, etc. I’m sure the average recipient doesn’t understand how the software tracks their actions. I could tell them, but that would scare people away. Some are savvy enough to not enable the pictures so they don’t get tracked–but not many. For now, I’ve chosen to just not open the reports that tell me specifics about a given person. Not a final solution, just a personal resolution to not do something simply because I could. For example, I could look up the names of everyone who clicks on the “Donate Now” button, and follow up with them. Is that ethical? I suppose it would be if I told them why I was contacting them. I guess I’d rather not have the information since the person that clicked that button probably had no idea I would know about it. Reactions?

By: Pete

Pete — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 04:24:13 +0000

We’ll add much more about specific technologies over time. We want to maintain a balance of tech and other kinds of material.

We’re starting slow, partly to give time to shake out niggly bugs in this blog system. It will build up over time!

By: Joseph B Fischer

Joseph B Fischer — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:28:07 +0000

Yes, these great technologies should be used for Kingdom purposes.

Please write in more detail about which applications you recommend and how they are being used successfully.

Skype is great for free video and voice communication. Well, free for us in the US. In many countries Internet access is still billed by the minute. But it is still less expensive than an international phone call. Some of my friends even use Skype video conferencing from an Internet Cafe.

When emailing from Mail Chimp, perhaps you could include a notice that you are using graphics in the email to track if people are interested enough to open the message. Now I turn on graphics in my Yahoo Email when I get a message from you, so that Mail Chimp will know that I opened it.

-Joseph