A Word about Solicitations and Your Privacy

There are those who join Meetup.com to use it as a business networking tool. Though I admire the entrepreneurial spirit that motivates these individuals, I believe the email solicitation of business should be confined to the meetup groups with business as their focus. This is not such a group.

I do not approve of member emails being used for solicitations, nor do I provide member emails for that purpose. In fact, I don't provide them at all. This is a social group and I never want ANY of our members to feel uncomfortable or taken advantage of. The bi-monthly group emails I send out only go to members that are specifically signed up for the email list and I am not even able to see a member's email address myself unless he or she emails me directly.

That said, if you have been receiving solicitations from a member of this group, here?s what I suggest:

• Do not reply. The sender probably emailed you by clicking on the envelope icon next to your name or by sending to the entire list. As long as you do not reply, meetup.com protects your anonymity and the sender will not have your email address.
  
• Allow me to mediate. Please let me know if you receive an unwanted solicitation that you believe originated from our group. I will take it upon myself to approach the sender and ask him or her to refrain from this type of activity. A second incident will result in removal from the group.
  

If this kind of thing becomes a real, recurring problem on multiple fronts, I may need to make the group exclusive, and personally approve each person that wants to join. I?d rather not go there, because I like to think of us as a welcoming, friendly bunch.
I?d hate to lose any of our wonderful members over the abuse of email, so I urge you all to think before you send.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this.

-- Kristine