override bulk email opt out

[AmericanRev2]

with other forum softwares there is the ability to override users bulk email setting and sent to them anyway

[ahc]

I don't see why this needs to be added since if a member opts out, that usually means they don't want to receive mail from you and can be a quick way to get your domain reported and blocked for spam.

[Joel R]

3 hours ago, GASR said:

I don't see why this needs to be added since if a member opts out, that usually means they don't want to receive mail from you and can be a quick way to get your domain reported and blocked for spam.

IPS had this setting up until 4.3.  

There are sometime critical board announcements for security, compliance, or general news that override the individual setting.  Whenever I sign up to a website, I always uncheck any email updates.  That's because I don't want marketing emails but I certainly wouldn't mind staying informed on major updates.  

 

[Cyboman]

I totally accept the argument, that members, that don't wish to receive emails, are honoured, and they shouldn't receive "regular transactional" or "advertisement emails". Even the argument, that it helps not being moved onto spamlists/black lists aso, counts

But actually there is a requirement for being able to address ALL members via bulk email in special situations:

• If you change your terms & conditions and this will require attention of ALL members as there might be changes to their
  # withdrawal accounts (affecting former credits that are already earned)
  # activity/inactivity status (what happens if they don't use their accounts anymore)
  # new community owners (announcing a community transfer and hence new contractors)
• If the community was compromised 
  # send important security advices
  # legally inform your members, which might be required by law
• aso

 

[bfarber]

1 hour ago, Joel R said:

IPS had this setting up until 4.3.  

Actually, the option was removed in 4.0.

[PoC2]

GDPR trumps all.

There is an option in ACP to require people to accept new terms/conditions when they've been updated.

[Joel R]

5 hours ago, Cyboman said:

I totally accept the argument, that members, that don't wish to receive emails, are honoured, and they shouldn't receive "regular transactional" or "advertisement emails". Even the argument, that it helps not being moved onto spamlists/black lists aso, counts

But actually there is a requirement for being able to address ALL members via bulk email in special situations:

• If you change your terms & conditions and this will require attention of ALL members as there might be changes to their
  # withdrawal accounts (affecting former credits that are already earned)
  # activity/inactivity status (what happens if they don't use their accounts anymore)
  # new community owners (announcing a community transfer and hence new contractors)
• If the community was compromised 
  # send important security advices
  # legally inform your members, which might be required by law
• aso

 

Exactly.  There are times when you need to send out a critical email to all members of the community.  

@Adriano Faria has a private plugin that I use, but I miss this feature from 3.x.  I'm very respectful of the emails that I do send out, but I believe some common sense checks (like confirming and recording an admin's override) could prevent abuse.  

[Cyboman]

To pool the ideas & results so far:

we request an option, to sendout emails to ALL members (ALL minus any banned accounts) for use in critical situations.

this event should be logged. and a warning given before being processed.

[Tom S.]

I don't see why giving the option for administrators to ignore the opt out setting is a bad thing. As others have pointed to above, it has its important use. If there is a security issue, how do I inform all my members about it? 

The only argument I can see to not having that option is to prevent administrators from "being bad/unethical" so to speak. However, I don't believe IPS should police the ethics of their clients at the expense of necessary features. If an administrator were to abuse that feature they would pay the price for it themselves in the long run. Besides, this doesn't really stop them as a simple script could just work through the database table changing all the opt outs to opt ins.

Am I missing another reason why this feature was discontinued? Otherwise, it's silly that it's missing.

[Adriano Faria]

On 7/16/2018 at 3:24 PM, Joel R said:

@Adriano Faria has a private plugin that I use, but I miss this feature from 3.x. 

I just submit the plugin to the marketplace (waiting to be approved):

Screenshots:

 

[AmericanRev2]

“choice” and you have “receive” twice

[ASI]

This needs to be brought back in. Many excellent reasons for admin to override such a preference as discussed above. It is not IPS's place to impose on their clients what they should or should not have or worse police them. There are many valid reasons to override and this option should be brought back and used at the discretion of the board admin. Getting many complaints from members missing out on critical announcements since most by default, myself included, opt out as a matter of habit.