THE LAW OF PHYSICS IS WRONG
by Theresa Cahill 
Copyright 2003 
All Rights Reserved


One law of physics tells us that for every action
there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Well I'm here to tell you that, in the case of the
internet, that is all wrong.

There is nothing "equal" about the reactions of
internet users!

You know what I mean if you've ever, for example,
received an email from a friend (who received their
email from a friend of a friend...) telling you
"you may have a vir*us on your computer." These
emails generally include instructions on how to
remove some vital piece of necessary programming
from your operating system - something no sensible
person would ever do without investigating first.

Then... a few minutes or hours later, you get a 
second email, only this one is an apology. Your
friend is embarassed but willing to admit that
he/she was duped and now has in his/her possession
proof that the above WAS all "just a hoax."

In the meantime, the first email caused a "gut
reaction." The receivers of the first initial
email, again without investigation, freaked out
and, wanting to make sure THEIR friends didn't
suffer a similar fate, emailed a whole new set
of internet users to "watch out!"

They of course mailed their friends, who mailed
their friends, who... you get the idea.

So I have proof positive that the law of 
reactionary physics as the scientists perceive it
is all wrong!
 
There is NO "equal reaction" on the internet - it
escalates all out of proportion quickly, easily,
efficiently.

TAKING A LOOK AT CURRENT EVENTS:

We are once again at that stage. The latest
"out of proportion" action/reaction is the
internet's response to the "anti-sp*am" laws
going before the courts.

Normal, rational people in all walks of life
with internet mailing lists are "reacting"
perhaps totally out of proportion to this
current state of affairs.

Now, don't get me wrong - there is legislation
in the works to try to do something about all
this junk we ALL are getting!

Bully for them, but if they'd done their own
homework, the legislators would realize that 
a huge portion of this JUNK comes out of Asia, 
from isps with absolutely NO INTEREST in 
operating in an ethical fashion. These isps are 
so well hidden that no amount of legislation from 
all the countries in the universe is going to
make an iota of difference.

So while legislators react to lobbyists - without
a hope of really ever making a difference - we've
got the "regular Joe" online also over-reacting.

He or she thinks they are "doing the right thing"
by conforming to laws that don't even exist yet.

And, in reality, these laws may never come to pass.
Already challenges are being made through legal
channels. These challenges may hold off any
decision for years to come.

Any sane person knows these attempts to make
new laws will not work, but like anything it
will takes years or decades of tying up the courts
before anyone is going to admit it.

So are you going to just "react from the gut"
on this latest one - without researching, 
without considering the fact that you may have
ALWAYS been doing business the right and ethical
way... without being told?

If you HAVE been collecting names and emails,
and if they come with an isp identifier even
better - you've been doing it right all along.

The newest step to cover ones..., ah, you know,
is to add a disclaimer at your signup site,
and inside each mailing, that you run ads.

These ads can be anything from programs you
yourself are promoting to your downline, to
the ezine publisher who runs his/her own ads
and those of their subscribers.

Just be sure to tell would-be signer-uppers 
that they will be getting ads from you and
their fellow downliners/subscribers/affiliates
if applicable.

That really covers it. Existing lists are
people who've always been given numerous
opportunities to leave that list at any
given time. Duh, they know they've been
getting ads... right?

Now just add in the "ad disclaimer" and
be sure to always have the "click here
to re*move yourself" link in all your
mailings.

There, you are in essence "compliant."

I am not an attorney, and I'll be the first
person to say things may change and evolve
over time, but that is why doing your own 
homework is so vital - regardless of the
latest happenings online.

More research - less "gut reaction." Don't 
rely on "what you've heard."

Be sensible, do YOUR OWN homework, apply
what you learn, and make adjustments if
needed. But don't destroy what you've built.

Adapt then react... with a proportional
response.

=========================================

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Theresa Cahill is the owner of My Wizard Ads
(http://www.mywizardads.com) and Quick N Easy Ads
(http://www.quickneasyads.com), and has just
released two fr*ee reports for newbies and 
not-so-newbies. "Just the Basics... Please"
and "How to Get the Most from Your Subscriptions"
in pdf format http://www.mywizardads.com/basics.html
Grab your free-to-distribute copies now!