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Prologue: For several years now, I have been actively submitting comments on proposed or pending anti-2A legislation via various pathways. Whenever possible, I include my retired military status with my "signature".* Maybe including my rank & service is a wasted effort, maybe not, but that's what I do and that's what has led to an interesting development.
Only since beginning to take advantage of the convenient online COMMENT buttons provided by some pro-gun rights organizations, have I started to receive totally 'unrelated' junk mail with my retired military rank in the address. My pro-2A activism is the only possible source of that info, and the recent onset is a clue that some organization (or some freelancing individual) involved in the online comments process has started to compile address lists and sell them to advertisers.
Why do I care? First, it's an abuse of privacy & trust. Second, it's an annoyance. Although advertisers within the 'our community' at least send me junk that I might be interested in, the 'outsiders' send me junk about whatever they happen to be interested in selling. **
So, here is my question: Has anyone else experienced similar advertising (email or snail mail) from 'outside' advertisers after submitting online comments to their elected representatives? And another question: What pro-gun rights group's convenient COMMENT button have you recently pushed?
* It is actually a whole separate topic whether or not elected representatives respect 'retired military' as a significant or credible demographic in their constituency. Let's not chase our tails on that one.
** A sudden influx of snail mail advertising certain products could be more than annoying. One hypothetical example: it could raise raise dangerous & unwarranted suspicion in the mind of some old man's bride of many years ("You tell me right now why we're suddenly getting junk mail about Caribbean Cruises and little blue pills?").
Only since beginning to take advantage of the convenient online COMMENT buttons provided by some pro-gun rights organizations, have I started to receive totally 'unrelated' junk mail with my retired military rank in the address. My pro-2A activism is the only possible source of that info, and the recent onset is a clue that some organization (or some freelancing individual) involved in the online comments process has started to compile address lists and sell them to advertisers.
Why do I care? First, it's an abuse of privacy & trust. Second, it's an annoyance. Although advertisers within the 'our community' at least send me junk that I might be interested in, the 'outsiders' send me junk about whatever they happen to be interested in selling. **
So, here is my question: Has anyone else experienced similar advertising (email or snail mail) from 'outside' advertisers after submitting online comments to their elected representatives? And another question: What pro-gun rights group's convenient COMMENT button have you recently pushed?
* It is actually a whole separate topic whether or not elected representatives respect 'retired military' as a significant or credible demographic in their constituency. Let's not chase our tails on that one.
** A sudden influx of snail mail advertising certain products could be more than annoying. One hypothetical example: it could raise raise dangerous & unwarranted suspicion in the mind of some old man's bride of many years ("You tell me right now why we're suddenly getting junk mail about Caribbean Cruises and little blue pills?").
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