Then I get this email from this girl saying she is willing to help me. I reply and say thank you. Since she is a local person, I asked if she wanted to help me with French through email or in person.
Then I get another email –sent to many people on her list. It says she will help people for $10 per person if the group is big enough. ..??
So what I did was, I then sent this email to everybody saying that this is spam and that they should not support spammers. I suggested that we start our own FREE French group. I also sent them a link to this better and free site: http://www.polyglot-learn-language.com
Anyway, in doing so, I also became a spammer …or was I? Was she spamming? What is your take on the ethics of this situation? Did I do something right or wrong?
No. You asked for it. “I sign up…”
So, check who you are dealing with.
What is your take on the ethics of this situation?
Did I do something right or wrong?
Probably neither.
On one hand, you assumed that the other people on the list were as put off as you were. They may have been very pleased to take a chance on this sort of assistance and would enjoy the email. Or not. The point is that’s their decision to make. Your email would then put them off.
On the other hand, you may have tipped off a few people that this sort of behavior is suspicious. For some, all it would take is one sour note and they would “see the light.”
You didn’t spam, but only you really know that. I’ll bet there are some people on the list who are wondering about you. They probably didn’t realise that you were on the list and were wondering how you got to them. If they read your note then they might understand. But it is not certain.
Some of my general rules:
Ask yourself, “How did they get my email address?”
Initially, everybody is a stranger on the net.
A few emails do not constitute a friend.
If they don’t have a storefront, I want to think twice about dealing with them.
Do I really need to send that scathing email?
Silence is more eloquent and effective. And safer.
There are more horse’s pah-toots than there are horses.