Magazine to newsletter

Destry · 2015-07-19 22:24:51

^{Textpattern, 1 Reciprocal Affection House, Meaningful Labor, The Internet.}

Ding! You can’t pull this off with the Chimp (it uses restricted fields for country, city, and zip), and you certainly want —at least minimally — a privacy statement somewhere to tick off the little boxes and cover your arse, but the actual street number can be slightly more (a-hem) entertaining.

The worst that can happen, I would think, is you’re kicked off the system, But only if someone is not getting their money due.

wavesource · 2015-07-19 22:30:49

The owner of the traffic is ultimately the generator, and that would be the domain owning the originating email address. Just like right now whoever owns and operates the TXP.com domain is responsible legally for the content of the forum discussions.

There should already be a privacy policy on TXP.com to cover forum activity and legals etc. If you don’t have one, then they are simple enough to throw up. I don’t see the problem unless the domain owner for TXP.com does not want to be listed publicly by name. Which is strange, as they are already liable for stuff going on here for years.

As a listmanager (I have Australian registered company and PO Box etc.) one could offer my details as contact for any list enquiries. I would also have some legal skin in the game, just like a hosting provider.

Mail Chimp et al just add another layer of governance to the chain and I’ve already stated that should be avoided on cost considerations alone.

I would probably suggest, if this went ahead, that whoever owns the domain operating the list, sets up the list address mailbox redirection (eg. newsletter@textpattern.com) as a redirect to a listmanager account on one of the servers I run, and I monitor that for manual removals etc. A second redirected address listmanager@textpattern.com would be set up as a contact route for enquiries etc. again to an account at my end. Or to whoever is proposed to have primary access. This allows for future changeover of list admin while retaining legals.

The list script itself resides on the TXP.com site – the list traffic is sent the SES account set up under the name of the domain owner but is paid for with my credit card until such a time someone else wants to do that or it is no longer used etc. etc.

And we can list my company address as the listmanager contact publicly on the TXP.com site for privacy/contact etc.

Whether one would need to list the domain owner’s name is moot – but if it came down to it, then you would just do that, eg.

John Doe – textpattern.com
List managed by {insert listmanger company name and address here}

I am not sure about EU law etc. but I believe that provided it’s set up as above, you could even forget about listing John Doe’s name as there is a legal chain from the domain name to the domain owner, and you are presenting another registered legal entity as having initial responsibility for contact and activity.

Last edited by wavesource (2015-07-19 22:32:06)

Destry · 2015-07-19 22:51:12

Yeah, so there’s some perspective between using a list service and hosting it yourself.

I’m not trying to discourage anything with Txp. I hope it works out.

At CSF we don’t have the luxury of hosting it ourself, nor would I want that responsibility, so that was my perspective, because that’s what I’m learning in that direction.

wavesource · 2015-07-19 23:18:19

I think it’s a valuable conversation to have, and you’re right, TXP sites with any ability to take user input require a privacy policy – here’s an example I have knocked up, please note the requirement to expose an email address at the bottom, presumably this would be a forward to a nominated forum moderator.

I have introduced the concept of the newsletter as well – this would be suitable just for TXP.com but can be adapted per domain. I believe this is a good thing to get started with right now, and just requires an extra page per main TXP site, just replace .domain for required extension, edit, throw up and add link in site footers. Job done.

Privacy Statement

Your privacy is important to us. To better protect your privacy Textpattern.domain provides this notice explaining our online information practices and the choices you can make about the way your information is collected and used. To make this notice easy to find, Textpattern.domain makes a link to it available on our homepage and at every point where personally identifiable information may be requested.

The Information Textpattern.domain Collects

This notice applies to all information collected or submitted on the Textpattern.domain web site. All information marked with an asterisk (*) is required for a particular service.

Our online bulleting board system requires us to set up your account for you before you are able to use it. All of the information collected for account creation is strictly confidential and only shared with permitted forum moderators. The types of personal information collected at these pages are:

Email address* possibly your name and any domain name information you may offer.

Your IP address may also be logged. IP addresses may be used in fraud prevention and/or to prosecute perpetrators of fraud or other abuses.

The Way Textpattern.domain Uses Information

Textpattern.domain uses the information you provide about yourself when providing online services. We do not share this information with outside parties except to the extent necessary to allow these online services to function correctly, for example, password resetting.

Textpattern.domain uses return email addresses to notify of forum activity if requested in your forum user account controls, and to send out information newsletters if you have indicated that you wish to receive these. All newsletters sent provide you with the ability to opt-out from receiving such newsletters. Such addresses are not used for any other purpose and are not shared with outside parties.

Information submitted to the Textpatter.domain websites may be used for promotion activity, educational purposes and re-used and shared with other affiliates of Textpattern.domain. In these cases, no personal information will be shared with outside parties and shared information will be strictly anonomised.

Information you submit on the Textpattern.domain web site will not be used for any other purpose.

The Textpattern.domain Commitment To Data Security:

To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, Textpattern.domain has put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information Textpattern.domain collects online.

How You Can Access Or Correct Your Information:

You can access all your personally identifiable information that Textpattern.domain collects online and maintains by logging in and clicking on your username in the Textpattern bulletin board and viewing your Profile. We use this procedure to better safeguard your information.

How To Contact Us:

Should you have other questions or concerns about these privacy policies, please contact us at {expose email address here}

bici · 2015-07-19 23:42:14

Dumb question, but if the Foundation is registered in the USA or AU is the EU law even worth worrying about?

wavesource · 2015-07-19 23:52:18

Nope – just have to comply with requirements dependent on country of registration.

Destry · 2015-07-20 00:30:13

wavesource wrote #293513:

Nope – just have to comply with requirements dependent on country of registration.

I’m not sure that’s true. The ToS for MC, for example, which is server tech in the US, says even if your not targeting EEA subscribers, you still need to comply with EEA regulations IF EU residents can access your system. So to me that sounds like it does matter if your list is internationally open. A privacy policy generally addresses the EEA requirements though.

As for settling legal disputes, however, that takes place in your resident country according to local laws.

Last edited by Destry (2015-07-20 00:37:27)

wavesource · 2015-07-20 00:40:38

I would expand my answer and say that international compliance generally is a requirement and good operators will always pay heed to those, eg. in Australia we have the Spam Act 2003 which as you can imagine outlines similar requirements for spam activity as expected in EU and other Western countries.

I think if you get to the level of corporate activity where groups or organisations are attempting to leverage advantage due to legal differences between international realms then sure, you will have the EU slapping down Microsoft, for example, for bundling software to advantage their own business case over local competition rules.

And these are genuine questions re governance and compliance that would need to be answered when TXP devs are looking at matters at that level.

But in the context of the discussion here, mailing list and now privacy statements, it’s not as arcane, and there is no barrier to moving forward with these limited and well-delineated activities under current circumstances provided we meet those simple operational criteria IMHO.

Last edited by wavesource (2015-07-20 00:41:54)

Destry · 2015-07-20 00:51:29

wavesource wrote #293515:

there is no barrier to moving forward with these limited and well-delineated activities under current circumstances provided we meet those simple operational criteria IMHO.

I agree. This is what my cohorts at CSF have collectively decided as well. If we address the necessary privacy statement part and live up to it by doing no evil, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about.

Destry · 2015-07-20 10:26:51

wavesource wrote #293510:

…here’s an example I have knocked up … edit, throw up and add link in site footers.

…this would be suitable just for TXP.com but can be adapted per domain. I believe this is a good thing to get started with right now, and just requires an extra page per main TXP site, just replace .domain for required extensionJob done.

Thank you for doing this, David! If you don’t mind, I’ll be using a version of this for CSF’s draft privacy policy.

One thought about needing one of these for each domain… That redundancy can be skirted by adding an opening section — Definition of Terms — to a single privacy doc that defines “Us” (Textpattern), “You” (users of the “Website”), and “Website” (all web properties/domains/systems owned and supplied by “Us”). Then you simply point to the “Privacy Policy” location from all footer locations and web forms and maintain a single policy source over time.

Typically that definition of terms is what comes at the head of a ToS, which may also be needed at some point, but Txp could probably get away with writing the Privacy policy this way and it would be fine.

Last edited by Destry (2015-07-20 10:30:05)

wavesource · 2015-07-20 21:05:45

By all means, use it wherever and however you want.

Destry · 2015-07-23 00:25:23

Turns out Txp has a Privacy Policy. Last touched in 2013, that’s pretty recent. ;)

You’d never know there was one in .com since a prominent link to it is missing in the footer. But low and behold, there it is in the forum footer.

The policy mentions a Textpattern newsletter? I think there’s some tightening up needing done there.

Destry · 2015-09-30 11:47:37

/ Waves to wavesource. /

I, for one, have not forgot your offer to help with a newsletter. The time will eventually come, I’m sure. I hope you’ll still be aboard by then.

It’s just a guess on my part, but there probably won’t be serious focus on a newsletter until after .com relaunches. Once that’s done, which will iron out a number of hanging content issues, it will be a lot easier to begin broadcasting — and know what to say. It will also help when 4.6 is released, but that’s not as much of an inhibitor because hyping 4.6 is part of what a newsletter can do. The website, though… Yeah, that needs attention.

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#136 2015-07-19 22:24:51

Re: Magazine to newsletter

#137 2015-07-19 22:30:49

Re: Magazine to newsletter

#138 2015-07-19 22:51:12

Re: Magazine to newsletter

#139 2015-07-19 23:18:19

Re: Magazine to newsletter

Privacy Statement

The Information Textpattern.domain Collects

The Way Textpattern.domain Uses Information

The Textpattern.domain Commitment To Data Security:

How You Can Access Or Correct Your Information:

How To Contact Us:

#140 2015-07-19 23:42:14

Re: Magazine to newsletter

#141 2015-07-19 23:52:18

Re: Magazine to newsletter

#142 2015-07-20 00:30:13

Re: Magazine to newsletter

wavesource wrote #293513:

#143 2015-07-20 00:40:38

Re: Magazine to newsletter

#144 2015-07-20 00:51:29

Re: Magazine to newsletter

wavesource wrote #293515:

#145 2015-07-20 10:26:51

Re: Magazine to newsletter

wavesource wrote #293510:

#146 2015-07-20 21:05:45

Re: Magazine to newsletter

#147 2015-07-23 00:25:23

Re: Magazine to newsletter

#148 2015-09-30 11:47:37

Re: Magazine to newsletter

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