[Chapter-delegates] Event sponsorship and GDPR

[Christine Saegesser]

Dear Michiel, 

Thank you very much for this feedback. This is helpful to have as we further develop our community communication strategy. 

With my very best wishes, 

Christine

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Internet Society (ISOC)
Christine Saegesser Baethge
Senior Manager Global Chapter Development
Website: www.InternetSociety.org
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> On 26 Feb 2018, at 19:57, Michiel Leenaars <michiel at staff.isoc.nl> wrote:
> 
> Hi Christine,
> 
> thanks for reaching out. I'm very interested in the work of the OTA,
> and any not-for-profit events we are affiliated with as Internet
> Society. However, I think you will agree that the wording of the mail
> read entirely like an advertorial for this particular event from
> RSA/Dell. 
> 
> Noting again the distrust that particular company raised
> around the world when they took millions of dollars in payments from an
> aggressive state actor to sell compromised technology to other
> governments as well as other victims, I would take some more distant
> approach towards endorsing them. 
> 
> E.g. the title was "Special Offer for Members: RSA Discount"
> and the background on OTA you mention only came after a generic
> marketing email text:
> 
>> The next RSA Conference will take place in San Francisco from 16 to
>> 20 April 2018. This conference offers a unique opportunity to learn
>> new information about security approaches, discover the latest
>> technology and meet security leaders and pioneers.
> 
> My mail was not meant as a judgment, but as feedback that from our
> chapter we do not appreciate email to our members that contains this
> kind of uncritical marketing language - at least not clearly isolated
> from 'normal' messages. So the suggestion I made was that it would make
> sense to create a separate opt-in list for this, because indeed the
> sender and context of a message do really matter. A mailing list with
> marketing messages is different from a community list. 
> 
> I personally do not feel completely comfortable endorsing RSA or its
> event to the wider internet community. However, offering as many
> discounts as we can is fine, in an isolated context that is. I'm sure
> that some members and companies will appreciate such a list.
> 
> Best,
> Michiel