When someone requests a subscription to a mailing list you are asked to reject or confirm (etc) - and if you reject you can send a reason note to the subscriber - and you could go the extra step of sending them an email asking why they want to subscribe ...
There are no spam messages getting into the list memberships - we monitor every list - spammers are just trying to subscribe which is filtered anyway (confirm).
So just delete suspect requests or send them an email asking why they want to subscribe - one came to me wanting to be part of the main TT list - that looked like it was from poland -and it was a planner in Council !!
Thank God I asked!!!
About the lists in general
You need to advertise the lists - that way people can subscribe - it has to say yes
Also, we are releasing some new tools soon that enable Austcom users to click to subscribe - which means you could lose a lot of subscriptions in your area -
You may still get to approve or reject - but as Austcom members or users - they have taken on obligations that prohibit spamming - so you are covered every which way
If they do spam - them you cut them out - you will know their address - is is easy
We have never had a spam messge get into the lists - not one - ever - that's what the confirm message is all about - they are tight as a ...
The idea of the listinfo page is so that people can automatically request to subscribe - you still have to confirm.
I understand about asking your list members if they know an email address because it might be spam - but it makes people jumpy about the list and there is no need to be - so best to just email the request and see what comes back - if they send a valid message - subscribe them - if not - end of story
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If you ask them to subscribe via a contact us page in your site - you will then have to open mailman and subscribe them anyway - and who keeps that address handy ? - it is another 3 or 5 steps of cut/paste from email to mailman and someone has to administer that - and that's creating an administrative burden for the future you will have to train people in - or I will have to do - so we would rather you let the list do it's job - so you can do other things - and those who come after you
please leave the settings as they were for all the above reasons - we get maybe 5 spam type requests a week across 20 odd mailing lists - which is totally insignificant. - it's part of our default settings - the communication tools have to be visible to the community - that's 'standard' as an Austcom strategy
Comment at austcom.org.au/contactus.html
Thanks
