[LINK] Request to Qantas to Keep Offering Plain Text Email

[Dr Bob Jansen]

I assumed that their desire to move to HTML formatted email was to 
include such tracking cookies. I also will be resetting my 'preference' 
to text. I have also set Thunderbird to display messages as simple text.

bobj


On 8/11/12 3:49 PM, Greg Taylor wrote:
> There's worse.
>
> There's an identifying tracking image in the message so they can monitor whether you read it, and when, and where.
>
> Greg
>
> On 2012/11/08 11:55 AM, Tom Worthington wrote:
>> On 07/11/12 19:48, Justin Hyams, Executive Manager, Qantas Frequent
>> Flyer emailed me to say:
>>
>>> Our records show that you are receiving emails from us in text-only
>>> format. This means that your emails appear with no formatting,
>>> colour or images. ...
>> Yes, my preferred email format is plain text, with no formatting, colour
>> or images.
>>
>>> We'd like to advise that on 22 November, 2012 we will automatically
>>> update your preferred email format to HTML. ...
>> No, please don't change to sending me HTML formatted email, as I find
>> them harder to read. Please send simple, short text messages with a link
>> to details on the web.
>>
>> My Spam filter detected the excessive formatting in the email you sent
>> me and placed it in the junk mail folder. If you send messages with even
>> more images and formatting it is likely the Spam filter will delete them
>> without my ever seeing them. Even if I get the messages it will be
>> difficult to discern the useful information content from the clutter of
>> the images and formatting.
>>
>>> ... receive from us will look more like a web page ...
>> If you send out poor quality messages, in addition to a loss of business
>> due to messages not being readable, you may also be in contravening
>> Australian law. The Disability Discrimination Act requires you to
>> provide services to people with a disability, including those with
>> limited eyesight. If your messages rely on colour and images which some
>> people can't see, then some people will not be able to read them and you
>> will be acting unlawfully: http://www.w3.org/WAI/bcase/socog-case-study
>>
>> There are well established guidelines for designing web pages to make
>> the easily readable and I suggest you apply these to your HTML formatted
>> email. However, it would be even better if you were to continue to give
>> customers, such as me, who want plain text messages, that option:
>> http://humanrights.gov.au/disability_rights/standards/www_3/www_3.html
>>
>> ps: Apart from your email format, there are problems with other Qantas
>> communication. I was unable to renew my Qantas club membership as I did
>> not know what corporate code to enter. Qantas did not reply to my query.
>>
>> Unfortunately as the return address on your message was "do not reply" I
>> did not know how to contact you and so have posted this to the Internet,
>> in the hope someone will pass it on to Qantas.
>>
>>
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-- 
---------------
Dr Bob Jansen
Turtle Lane Studios Pty Ltd
PO Box 26, Erskineville NSW 2043, Australia
Email: bob.jansen at turtlelane.com.au
Skype: bobjtls
Phone: +61 414 297 448
http://www.turtlelane.com.au

In line with the Australian anti-spam legislation, if you wish to receive no further email from me, please send me an email with the subject "No Spam"