Tricked again by a subscriber

Oh bother! I clicked a subscriber by mistake thinking I would get product information about the store I was in. It was not the good free subscriber one can find in SL which is why I did not recognize it as a subscriber. Instead I accidentally subscribed to some FASHION NETWORK and even though the sign says you can unsubscribe from the kiosk at any time, there is no unsubscribe button on the HUD!! They even have a website but no information on unsubscribing: [REDACTED BUT I'LL LIST IT IF IT'S LEGAL TO DO SO]

I won't mention the store I was in because it appears that they were only network members and not the real owner of this thing. The actual store had some cool things.

{I no longer use subscribers because they can't be shut off (like group notices) and they're very difficult for members to unsubscribe from (unlike groups) without going back to the location (usually forgotten) or IMing the resident who owns it.}

I can't believe I made this silly mistake..probably because it doesn't have the interface that I'm used to seeing on SL subscribers.. It looks like an independent thing...and again...there is NO visible way to UNsubscribe in-world

EDIT: Warning to all about these subscriber kiosks in case you accidentally subscribe. To figure out how to unsubscribe (there is no HUD option to unsubscribe and it is not obvious at all on their website), one must go to their website, guess which page to pull up, and use your browser's SEARCH feature with the word "unsubscribe" or you'll never find it. Here are their instructions:
"You can unsubscribe using any of the kiosks all over SL — selecting a channel you are already subscribed to will unsubscribe you from it."

How on Earth would anyone subscribing in-world know the above? Methinks this is trickery which I assume is how they have 10,800 subscribers. Not quite sure how SL doesn't have a TOS about a subscriber that doesn't clearly give one the option to unsubscribe. I reitterate, this was NOT the excellent free subscriber one can get in SL...it has a clear option to unsubscribe.

EDIT: After going through the ridiculous procedure above to "unsubscribe," I received junk from this thing.

Can't you just mute the sending object, and/or whoever owns it, when it sends junk? I'd guess that most of the 10,800 subscribers have done the same.

It appears to be a NETWORK, i.e. it sends your name to several different content creators who then send out stuff. It doesn't appear that muting one sender will mute the rest. That's the evil beauty of this thing. I've muted the object itself. It remains to be seen if it works. I tend to doubt it will.

The fact remains that this type of spamming device - that has no evident way to unsubscribe - should be illegal in SL.

If I report the object for abuse, it reports the store owner, not the real people behind this device. I don't think the store owner is the really the one at fault here. The store owner has their OWN subscriber (the kind we all are used to) that has a clear unsubscribe option. This thing is totally beyond their control it appears, except for the fact that they put it out on display. They must be getting some kind of perk for doing so because I can't see the benefit in it except perhaps to drive TRAFFIC For the store - here we go again on the evils of using the silly traffic metric in search.

Oh. I was hoping that the spam all came from the same object, or at most several objects all owned by the same person, but of course it wouldn't have to work that way.
Spamming is against the ToS (sorry, too lazy to find the reference at the moment), so if it's really "spam" by Resi-team standards, an AR just might be effective.

On the other hand, even if Resi-team feels otherwise, you might be able to fold the network by starving it of merchants. That would require some concerted effort to convince those merchants that they're being muted by thousands of potential higher-end customers as a side-effect of belonging to a low-end spam syndicate. (I can think of a few blogs where postings to that effect might get some notice, too, but that might backfire when bottom-feeding merchants realize that spam is their métier.)

[Edit: Oh... reading the post again, I see that the object that sends the spam is apparently owned by the merchant, not the network. That's almost diabolical. There's a kind of unwritten rule of Resi-team that creators of an object aren't at fault, only the owners or users of the object. So in this case, that sucks: only the local pushers are likely to get caught, not the spam kingpin.]

Looks like 4.1 covers the ToS violation; however, I still feel bad about doing an AR which would list the merchant on it and not the creators of this device who appear to be the ones cleaning up with it.

Perhaps I should send a polite notecard to the merchant and see how the respond. However, the last time I sent a polite note card to a merchant (and the only time actually) they responded with rudeness and banning me from their store. LOL. You don't know how badly I'd love to name that place..LOL...but I won't..

I think it might be worth mentioning to the store owner that although you are enthusiastic about supporting his/her business you did have a problem with this one thing. I know it it were me I'd be grateful for that kind of feed back.

Every message from the subscription units tells you in the message where the device is at. And if it is one of the major players in the subscription market, all you have to do is click on the unit and select Unsubscribe.

What is the maker of the unit you are having a problem with?

There is no unsubscribe on the object or the HUD when clicked. See 1st post for the procedure I had to go through to find out how to "unsubscribe." It's not at all evident and that was obviously intended by the makers...

Because of the totally snotty reply and banning I received from another merchant to whom I sent a POLITE note card about a problem (the only time I've ever done it), I may have to do an AR In this case as much as I don't want to. If I send a note card and get banned, I won't be able to report the device. That other place that got snotty with me gets a lot of traffic, too. I'd love to name them but it's against my policy.

Hmm... once bitten twice shy. The merchandise has to be pretty good to make you still want to buy it after the the merchant has rudely and unjustly banned you...

Thank you, Kaimi. I'll take the high road and go that route for now and see what kind of reply I get. I just don't feel good about an AR at all...not my style.
I'm just not much on devices that grab your name for distribution lists to third parties that you do not know. It's the only device of its type I've seen in SL. There is enough junk mail and invasion of privacy in RL.

People should be able to control their in-world experience which is why groups can be turned off, subscribers have an unsubscribe feature, etc. This device attempts to remove that control and by doing so, attempts to make money by getting a whole bunch of merchants involved with it as a marketing tool. It's clearly a scheme.

I'd already paid for it... Smart merchant.

I agree this thing sounds like a menace. I guess I'm kind of assuming that the shop owner doesn't realize that it can make the experience at her place significantly less pleasant. I hope the second person you attempt to give useful feedback to doesn't turn out to be to a second jerk.

If it were me I'd be giving you free merchandise for pointing this out to me. (And I have received free merchandise from other shop owners when I've let them know about problems I noticed in their stores.)

Which subscription system was it? And there is no HUD - there may be a blue box popup, but if you do not use the correct words, how is one supposed to assist?

The reason I am asking is that your message is bashing *every* subscription system out there - which isn't very nice.

This sounds like the DSN network and the 'channel' is one of the categories. I was able to successfully unsubscribe from a couple of channels via one of the kiosk, but I do not remember the exact steps -- though if it is the DSN network, it seemed very clear when I did it.

I'm calling you out on that accusation.

I have clearly delineated this device from the "subscriber" systems we are familiar with. In every way, I have tried to separate this device from those in quite explicit terms and pointing out the differences such as 1. no unsubscribe option 2. not controlled by the shop because your information goes to third parties. This is unlike any "subscriber" in SL. I can't make it any more clear. I've been quite clear how it works and why it's not a subscriber as we all think of them.

I refuse to name the offending item because it's not my style to blacklist everyone associated with THIS device by naming the device itself. Then you'll say "You've managed to bash every merchant who uses this system." So NO, I will not take the bait and name it//////. And yes, it's not a HUD..it's a blue popup which has NO unsubscribe option...my bad for using the wrong nomenclature...

Please learn to read. I never said that you managed to bash every merchant that uses this system, I said


Which is very different. Also, you give features you say are missing, and say that clearly delineates that from every other subscription system - no, that just means they may not be there, or that you are missing seeing them.

There is no bait here - just an attempt to figure out what system you are having a problem with and assist in that. It is clear from this post if yours at least that reading comprehension is suspect.

Thanks for the replies everyone. The device has been ARed with clear instructions as to why I think the shop owner is NOT at fault, since it appears they do not control the functionality of the device or what (or whose) content it sends out..
I don't think they had any idea that the device requires a visit to an outside website to get the "secret" unsubscribe instructions and that the unsubscribe instructions and functionality (which steps to take to unsubscribe or any "unsubscribe" option on the pop up) is intentionally omitted in-world.

I did some more research on this company and they charge the merchant an up-front fee to use this device. (Why am I not suprised?)
For any merchants who have been misled into paying these people to use this device, let me just point out that this company has attempted to create "value" out of nothing as an excuse to take your money so they can "sell it" to other merchants and take their money, too. But what do I know...

Thanks again everyone for the replies I'm on holiday

It sounds like you hooked up to the DSN. I could be wrong because DSN requires a bit more than a misclick to get signed up with....but it is a great system, if you got it accidentally just IM the creators and they will remove you. Or you can follow the instructions they send every time they send out a sample item. If it is DSN, I mean.

PS: if it is DSN, you need to click then choose the channel you wish to join (for whatever type of samples you would like to receive). To unsubscribe from that channel, you simply need to click it again.

The device mentioned seems to be one of our "Designer Showcase Network" (DSN) kiosks. It is an opt-in network, which connects content creators and potential customers in a way that subscribers sign up for one or many channels, and get a maximum of one(!) promotional sample per channel from a randomly selected designer per day. Subscription is free - and indeed designers are required to buy a Starter Kit for a one time fee of 390 L$.

Instructions how to unsubscribe are given to you upon signing up, and with every delivery you get from the network. You can unsubscribe anytime from any kiosk - not only from the one you subscribed. The unsubscribe-process is clearly outlined - if you care to read the instructions!

There have been some accusations about the network in this discussion, and also some badmouthing that it is intended to rip off designers. Please allow me to mention that the DSN got a very amazing reception both from designers as well as from subscribers. Numerous blogposts have featured the network so far, and outlined it as an effective marketing tool, and a true alternative to the abundance of hunts going on in SL. In fact for the designers the network gives all available metrics, telling the designers exactly how effective it is for them.

At the time of writing this comment, the DSN has well over 300 participating content creators, well over 10,000 opted in subcribers and has generated well over 1,500,000 individual deliveries. Complete information, full documentation, a full list of kiosks, a full list of participating designers, unsubscribe information (again), names of the operators and full contact information can be found at http://cleverthings.info/dsn/lang/en/about-dsn/

We have been in contact with Ian via IM and cleared the issue up. I should mention that in IM he has been much more cooperative than in the posts in this thread.

If you have any more questions about the DSN, its legitimateness, potential ToS issues or any other question, please feel free to IM or email me.

Thank you!

If the "offending" network is the DSN, I can only agree with Peter. Any opted-in subscriber can easily unsubscribe from the network from any kiosk in world by clicking on the kiosk and then on the category he wants to unsubscribe for.

This much overreaction over something that's basically giving out free stuff is a tad excessive.

Sounds like a HIPPO vend thing I got caught with about a year ago. If it is, you can go to HIPPO's HQ inworld. There are a bunch of subscribomatic things inside. Sorry, I'm not inworld now and can't be more specific. One (or maybe more) of those machines allows you to unsubscribe from HIPPO vendors. And good damn riddance, I say.

Just wanted to put in a little word here that I think the DSN totally rocks. It's like getting little Christmas presents every day.

If indeed the device under discussion here is the DSN, and it provides a clear process to unsubscribe as described, it's not spam at all, and this was all just a big misunderstanding.

Just had to toss in my two cents, just because you decided to go click happy and not read up into things and how to handle it when first signing up - don't go ARing something because you just decided to not pay attention. :\