Idio Magazine: A Social Spamming Experiment
Posted by Flick - 12/10/07 at 01:10:59 pm
A new website called Idio Magazine opened this week. It keeps track of the music you enjoy and offers you similar articles, videos, songs, photos, and blog posts.
The site is setup to look and feel like a real magazine. When you mouse to the page corners, they curl up. Clicking on them flips to the next page. It’s intriguing how the virtual feel of a real life magazine can draw you in.
Idiomag integrates with Last.fm, iLike, MOG, Mystrands, and Facebook. But here lies the problem: Idiomag integrates too well with these social websites.
Being a fan of Last.fm and regular contributor, I decided to test out Idiomag’s integration with Last.fm. Idiomag’s website said that allowing them to have access to your listening history would enable them to more accurately feed you music you enjoy. I decided to experiment with this in case I would decide to write about Idiomag later.
While I was filling in my username information, I checked a tick box. Unfortunately, I didn’t fully read what I was agreeing to, and assumed it was an “update me by email” option. What it really said was:
“Tell a select few of your friends about idiomag, based on their musical taste”.
After giving Idiomag access to my Last.fm account, I began receiving automated emails from Last.fm, informing me that people were posting in my Last.fm shoutbox. I clicked my way to Last.fm and saw that a friend had written two posts in my shoutbox:
“Since Stars are one you of your favourite artists, you should definitely read http://www.idiomag.com/peek/3922″
“You like Stars? You should check out http://www.idiomag.com/peek/3922″
At first I thought it was a personal message, but why would he have given me the same link twice with different text? Something didn’t quite look right.
Visiting my friend’s Last.fm pages, I discovered that I had been sending messages such as,“I (heart) www.idiomag.com”
Comments in my Last.fm shoutbox began to flood in. Friends were thanking me for sending me a link to Idiomag and how much they loved the website. Most of my friends shared they were signing up for an account with Idiomag because they enjoyed the website so much. All this gratitude for messages I didn’t actually send.
Here we have a beautiful looking website that seeds through your contacts to spam them. I hate spam. Especially when it is sent in my name.
As a blogger, my online reputation matters. A website bent on spamming your contacts damages the relationships you work hard to establish.
I’m not able to quote the reactions from fellow music bloggers, due to graphic language. We feel betrayed and used.
Idiomag responded to the music blogger community, saying:
Wow we’ve really screwed up here. Sorry.
Ok so here is what happened (just to be clear):
On sign-up, for those users who sign up with last.fm usernames, there is a tick-box which asks you if you will allow us to “tell a select few of your friends about idiomag, based on their musical taste”.
It’s now removed. Gone. And we would still be interested in hearing your suggestions and thoughts on the actual magazine - although we are aware they will be understandably rage-tinted. And feel free to also drop expletive-ridden cursings to feedback@idiomag.com
Puddlegum contacted Idiomag and asked them about this “feature”, and they replied:
Sorry about the shoutbox mistake. And it certainly was a mistake.
It was only meant to go to a couple of friends - after a clear opt-in.The “feature” has now been removed.
Sorry if we have spoilt it before it has even begun.
We all make mistakes. Without this “feature”, Idiomag seems like a great website to dive into. It doesn’t need spam to bring traffic, because the design will draw traffic as friends tell friends.
It was a great reminder to always make sure you look at what you’re agreeing to. I’ll never assume that I’m agreeing to an email update again.
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[...] came across this post - Idio <b>Magazine</b>: A Social Spamming Experiment - and thought it was worth sharing. I hope you find it interesting too and take the time to read [...]
Pingback by magazine subscriptions » Idio <b>Magazine</b>: A Social Spamming Experiment — October 12, 2007 #
Thanks for being understanding about our cock-up. Just to clarify - no one is in danger of accidently ticking this box any more, as we have removed it.
Hope you enjoy the site!
Comment by Andrew Davies — October 12, 2007 #
My first take was, “yeah sure it was a mistake” and then it changed to “wow, what a clever piece of marketing”.
How great to jump start a site this way and then say, ‘Oh, sorry didn’t mean to do that.’
I hate those lengthy legalese agreements and often find myself only scanning them. Thanks for the reminder of just how foolish that might turn out to be.
Comment by Michele — October 15, 2007 #
don’t give your last.fm password to other sites. duh.
Comment by me — October 15, 2007 #
Hey, that website is obviously a spam trap.
what could be the missing letter they took out of their two word name to get the portmanteau “idio”-mag ?
I’m guessing : ‘t’.
Comment by B. Schneier — October 15, 2007 #
I’m interested in seeing what Idio Magazin looks like but, I’m not willing to sign up for fear of spam. Maybe they should post some samples of what’s inside?
Comment by Anon — October 15, 2007 #
as pointed out in the article and in the comments, there is no spam-trap. for a few days we had an opt-in to invite your friends (like every other site on the planet), but we have removed that now, so you can’t even accidently get spammed.
hope you enjoy the site
Comment by Andrew — October 15, 2007 #
well i think its pretty cool. and i certainly didn’t get any spam!
Comment by Liana — October 15, 2007 #
dumb.
Comment by hoel — October 15, 2007 #
It is even mentioned in a Lenny Kravitx song:
‘what I really wanna know is, are you (heart) an idiomag’
That’s awesomes, and I am going to look at it right now. Anybody who gets chain mail invites, luv ya.
Comment by Curtis-au-Tomat — October 15, 2007 #
I simply lurve this site and dont know of any other like it on the http://www. And as for that spamming thing it’s obviously a genuine mistake - wehn last did you get spammed - write to them - get a reply apologising AND amending their website???? Like um never.
I think the whole idea is fabulous -all my music and news about my favourite bands and musicians in one site AND all done for me so that i dont have to go hunting - pure genius!
Comment by michael — October 15, 2007 #
“Idio” rhymes with “Captain Klo”
Comment by Sune Beck — October 15, 2007 #
I think the whole idea is fabulous -all my music and news about my favourite bands and musicians in one site (wealthymen.zu5.net ) AND all done for me so that i dont have to go hunting - pure genius!
Comment by Tiffany — October 16, 2007 #
I personally love Idiomag, the concept, the look and feel, it’s all brilliant!
Comment by James — October 16, 2007 #
Personally I think this is a bit of a glitch. Annoying though this whole spamming thing was, the benefits that idiomag bring, in terms of daily personalised content, all in one place, and in such a cool interface, far outweigh any problems that they might have had.
P.S. Regarding B. Schneier’s ‘idiot’ thing above; this joke is seriously old hat now ‘B’, I’m afraid. It’s been done to death elsewhere…
Comment by Charles Hoggins-Morus — October 16, 2007 #
Weeeeell, can’t we all calm down a bit a get along? As we say in Denmark: “Only a thief thinks everyone steals” -
Someone said; “it is a great reminder to read what one agrees to” - well said!
Now, we got an explanation and an apology - they learnt their lesson and changed their behaviour, we had a good reminder. So now, I wish Idiomag all the best in the future and I for one will keep a keen eye on these guys - they came up with a great mag here!
Me likes!
Comment by King Olav — October 16, 2007 #
[...] » Idio Magazine: A Social Spamming Experiment :: Puddlegum :: Fascinating idea. (tags: thenewreader publishing) [...]
Pingback by links for 2007-10-17 at The New Reader — October 16, 2007 #
I signed up for idiomag recently using my las.fm sign in and didnt get spammed. They obviously have changed it, good on them i say! Great site too!
Comment by Sam — October 19, 2007 #
[...] read more | digg story [...]
Pingback by Music TrollyeBus » Blog Archive » Idio Magazine: A Social Spamming Experiment — October 28, 2007 #
[...] So far, this would not be considered social spamming. However, you can go over the line: check out this example featuring Idio Magazine. Note that Idio corrected the problem and did so with humor and [...]
Pingback by Phoenomi - Surfing the Longtail » Blog Archive » Automatic viral marketing, not social spamming — October 31, 2007 #