I just got an email saying I had been added to
Google Groups The_Pond. I've read about it
here, of course, but had *elected* not to join.
Maybe later, but not right now.

Someone, apparently , added me
to the list without asking my permission. Here's
the part I find even more offensive:

"The owner of the group has set your subscription type as "Email", meaning
that
you'll receive a copy of every message posted to the group as they are
posted."

So instead of dealing with spam in a newsgroup,
*that I go to*, I'll get to deal with some unknown
number of *emails* - not my choice to go to, but
that fill my mailbox.

I have a dial-up line (not much choice about that out
in the country) and things are slow enough as it is
without someone adding me to their list WITHOUT
MY PERMISSION. Yes, I unsubscribed immediately.
That's not the point.

I'll stick with newsgroups, thanks, and the next
person who adds me to a mail list without my
permission will deal with Google Groups staff
(I'll report abuse).

Gail
near San Antonio TX Zone 8