Liberal activist group Moveon.org has launched a petition against AOL’s implementation of Goodmail’s CertifiedEmail program and is urging members to try and convince AOL to scrap it.
Under AOL’s scheme, e-mailers can pay Goodmail an unspecified fraction or a cent per e-mail to have their e-mail certified and guaranteed to be delivered with graphics and links intact.
“Charities, small businesses, civic organizing groups, and even families with mailing lists will inevitably be left with inferior Internet service unless they are willing to pay the ‘email tax’ to AOL,” said Moveon.org in a letter to members. “We need to stop AOL immediately so other email hosts know that following AOL's lead would be a mistake.”
The letter went to Moveon.org’s 3 million members last week and reportedly generated some 200,000 signatures.
Moveon.org relies heavily on e-mail to communicate with and motivate its members into action.
“AOL is one of the biggest email hosts in the world—if we stop them from unleashing this threat to the Internet, others will know not to try it,” said the letter to members. “AOL's proposed pay-to-send system is the first step down the slippery slope toward dividing the Internet into two classes of users—those who get preferential treatment and those who are left behind.”
The organization reportedly plans to hold a press conference Tuesday to announce partners in the effort. Moveon.org claims it has conservative allies in this fight as well as its liberal constituency.
