Topic: Email Filters

A discussion regarding inconsistent email delivery reveals that many subscribers are not receiving newsletters due to aggressive spam filters from Gmail and Outlook. Large email providers often require "bribes" or high fees from services like MailChimp to guarantee delivery. The technical challenges of maintaining a direct connection with an audience via email are explored, including the risk of high unsubscribe rates when sending follow-up messages.

A look into the daily labor required to produce the show reveals that the hosts work seven days a week, filtering hundreds of emails and evaluating news clips from global sources like DW and TRT. They credit "clip collectors" like Dave Ackerman and Neil Jones for their assistance. The hosts argue that the podcasting model fails when companies like Spotify try to treat it like traditional radio with large staffs.

The hosts reiterate the importance of proper email communication protocols for show producers. Due to a massive increase in volume, they request that subject lines be descriptive and specifically include the word "donation" when applicable. They emphasize that while they value all input, efficient filtering is necessary to manage the influx of information.

One of the hosts experienced a massive email bombing attack starting at 5:30 AM on show day, receiving over 20,000 emails within hours. The attack utilized a sophisticated script or bot that automatically signed the host's email address up for thousands of newsletters and e-commerce sites globally, including many Russian services. Technical mitigation involved changing MX records and implementing Bayesian filters to manage the influx of unverified subscriptions.

A study by the group IMGE found that major email providers like Google, Yahoo, and AOL disproportionately filtered right-leaning political newsletters into spam folders during the 2018 election cycle. The hosts discuss their own difficulties with email deliverability for the No Agenda newsletter and the "tax" of hiring mass email services to bypass blocks.

John C. Dvorak analyzes a significant drop in open rates for his newsletter, attributing the issue to Gmail's aggressive filtering algorithms. He shares technical tips for avoiding spam folders, such as avoiding all-caps in subject lines, minimizing exclamation marks, and never using the same link twice in a single email. The discussion emphasizes the risks of relying on free email services like Gmail for critical communications.

Despite the hype, current sex robot technology is described as "cringeworthy" due to rubbery facial movements and unrealistic speech. Comparisons are made to Disney's superior but still imperfect animatronics. A humorous suggestion is made that a truly useful AI doll would be one that could filter emails rather than provide sexual services.

Mark Perkel, a long-time expert in junk email filtering and operator of Ctyme.com, has announced he is battling stage 4 lung cancer. Perkel is seeking a successor to train and take over his specialized spam filtering business, which serves many non-profits and the EFF. The discussion also touches on the "extortionate" practices of some email security organizations like Spamhaus, contrasting them with Perkel's principled approach to email management.

The No Agenda newsletter experienced significant delivery failures despite being sent through MailChimp. Many subscribers, including those running private email servers without filters, reported never receiving the transmission. The hosts investigate whether the issue stems from ISP-level blocking or a failure within the MailChimp platform itself.

AT&T wins a $3 billion government contract for "Einstein 3A," an enhanced cybersecurity service for .gov websites. The hosts express outrage that the multi-billion dollar project appears to consist of basic email filtering and "sinkholing" features that are already available in open-source software. They characterize the contract as a massive waste of taxpayer money for "installing Norton" on government servers.

A decline in newsletter open rates is attributed to changes in Gmail and Hotmail spam filtering algorithms implemented around July 4th. The hosts speculate that using bulleted lists in emails triggers spam flags, resulting in a 20% drop in engagement. They recommend using independent email providers like Mark Burkell's service to avoid the restrictions of centralized systems.

Low open rates for the No Agenda newsletter suggest that Gmail and Hotmail have implemented more aggressive spam filtering. Speculation arises that Google changed its algorithms, affecting mailing lists and independent servers. The hosts contrast the filtering of their newsletter with the abundance of commercial spam from retailers like Neiman Marcus and Motley Fool that successfully reaches the primary inbox.

The hosts identify the ".science" top-level domain (TLD) as a primary source of internet spam. They describe finding thousands of junk emails in their inboxes originating from this TLD, covering topics from "sharp minds" to "copperware." They recommend that listeners block the entire TLD to significantly reduce spam volume.

A humorous incident is recounted regarding a No Agenda newsletter with the subject line "Your Best Analysis." On iPhones and Gmail, the subject line was truncated to "Your Best Anal," leading to jokes about high open rates and bypassing spam filters despite the suggestive phrasing.

Technical difficulties with the No Agenda newsletter are attributed to Google's aggressive spam filtering and "promotions" tab logic. A new scalable email template resulted in a significant drop in open rates, leading to a discussion on how major tech platforms control information consumption. Listeners are encouraged to whitelist specific email addresses to bypass these filters.

John C. Dvorak discusses technical issues with his email server, including the mysterious deletion of his alias files. He also complains about aggressive spam filters that blacklisted the word "nipples," preventing a listener from sending a story about a "Dr. Oz" show producer's strange request for a guest.

The hosts process a long list of listener donations, birthday wishes, and "karma" requests for various personal milestones. A technical discussion ensues regarding the use of hashtags in email subject lines, which may be causing messages to be flagged as spam. One host explains the complexities of running a private mail server and the aggressive blocking policies of providers like AOL.

The No Agenda newsletter faces delivery issues as Google and Yahoo divert messages to spam and promotions folders. Testing reveals that even confirmation emails for new subscribers are being flagged as spam by Yahoo, leading to suspicions of a "bribe system" for whitelisting. The hosts discuss StrongView, formerly StrongMail, and the difficulty of reaching audiences when reliant on major tech company filters.

The hosts discuss improvements in email spam filtering and the upcoming 500th episode of the show. They conclude the broadcast with a reminder of the "value for value" model and sign off from Austin and Silicon Valley.

An investigation into why the show's newsletter was flagged as spam by Google reveals that disabling MailChimp's click-tracking links caused the discrepancy. The hosts advise listeners to use RSS feeds for show notes to avoid the unreliability of broken email systems.