Okay, so I don’t get out much. For the last few days, I’ve been hard at work on a major white paper and haven’t left the house. I walk out today and see three newspapers in my driveway. Trouble is: I don’t subscribe to a newspaper. The reason I don’t subscribe to a newspaper is because I don’t want them in my driveway. I get my news via the Internet and a print newspaper is just more trash to throw away (or, in today’s ever-green world, put in the recycle bin).
Turns out this is a new “free service” of the Dallas Morning News. It’s called “Briefing” and they are delivering these things – mini newspapers – four days a week. They don’t ask you if you want it; they just start throwing it. If you happen to be out of town, they pile up, signaling to potential burglars that nobody is home.
Yes, you can stop the service by calling them or visiting their web site. But this should be an “opt in” matter; I shouldn’t have to take action to opt out. Call it what you like, to me it’s just spam in physical form. Thanks, but no thanks.