Slashdot Mirror
Is Flixster Using Deceptive Viral Practices?
Talaria writes "The social networking movie review site Flixster is requesting their users' AOL, Gmail, Yahoo and Hotmail passwords, and then using them to access users' address books and send 'invitations' to join Flixster, making them appear to come from the user. The password prompt screen includes the ISP's logo right next to the password prompt. Rather than hiding this little 'feature,' Flixster brags about it in an interview after receiving $2 million in venture funding earlier this year." American Venture Magazine notes: "...such practices are becoming increasingly... common as new and even established web sites look to attract visitors without expensive marketing campaigns and a hefty advertising budget."
The article makes it sound that way but it's not the case. They do prompt you to select which contacts to send an email to.
sms.ac did exactly the same thing; but didn't ask permission to email people. Whilst you'd think people would know better even Joi Ito got caught by this, what's worse is they spammed before the signup process was complete. Joi immediately quit using the service and blogged a public apology, referring to sms.ac as spammers. Next thing you know they sent him a cease and desist demanding Joi stopped calling them spammers.