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The Shady Business Practices of Classmates.com
eldavojohn writes ""Some of your classmates are trying to contact you!" reads one e-mail. Attempts to remove yourself from the mailing list may only result in more mailings from the site of ill repute. Well, Ars Techica brings us news of a suit against Classmates.com. You don't need to look far for anti-classmates.com sentiment spreading like wild fire across the tubes." Good next target: ads that say "you've already won" some expensive toy.
That's true for MySpace, but not for Facebook. Sounds like you're basing your opinion on Facebook on MySpace.
Go check out Facebook. You might be surprised. Virtually everyone I know with a computer uses Facebook - more than half of my friends on FB are over 25.
We found a bill on our credit card statement from some company. We called them, and they claimed that we signed up through Classmates.com. We never actually received ANYTHING from this company except a charge on our credit card. No emails, no snail mails, no services, nothing. Classmates tried to claim that by clicking some button, my wife was authorizing them to send her credit card information to this 3rd party. Anybody else think that a single-click, deceptively labeled, is adequate for disclosing credit card information? If there IS a class-action lawsuit against them, I want in on it. No joke.
"I've never seen such an ad"
how about the "you're the site's 2,000,000th visitor. click here for your prize!" banner ads? Funny thing... several of these sites I have been the 2 millionth visitor every time I visit for the past month, and no matter which computer or internet connection I use I still am the 2M'th visiitor.
I especially like seeing the ads for dating sites where they stole users profile pictures to use them as examples of who is in your area that "wants to meet you". Funny thing; I travel alot on business. There is one very memorable user picture that I have seen "in my area" as I surf from hotels all over the eastern half of the country, every time she is in my city. At least some of those sites have started putting disclaimers of "photos are for illustrative purposes only" in fine print. Better but still not good.
This reminds me of one of the dating sites where a whistleblower came out a while back telling the story of how they were instructed by management to watch for expiring accounts, and when someone appeared ready to drop off the system they would send an email from a bogus user account feigning interest in the member. This would prompt the member to renew for fear of losing contact with this possible newfound love. Once the account was renewed the customer service person would stop corresponding with the person because the bait was taken and they had their money.
And I too have received those classmates emails. too bad I was a social outcast for the most part and those I see with classmates accounts generally I dont care about (and they probably dont remember me anyway). Luckilly I am smart enough to know better so I just ignore them.
Besides, now that I think back, I remember being a gold member and getting "you have a new message" email from the system and not finding anything in my inbox. I cant remember what the help desk's response was, or if there even was one when I asked about it.