AOL: ‘Mark Calendars’ for Mass Mailing Charge

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Internet giant America Online officially said it would begin charging a fee for mass emails sent to its Internet users late Tuesday, a move civil liberties groups have said will severely impede communication to millions of people. Officials at AOL have countered the new fee program will limit spam.

The new fees, scheduled to go into effect within the next 30 days, will charge between .05 and 1 cent per email message for mass distribution to AOL addresses. Yahoo also is considering imposing such a tax.

But while many acknowledge the fees will keep illegitimate businesses from spamming AOL customers, groups from the left-wing MoveOn.org to the decidedly right-wing Gun Owners of America have come out against the service.

In an open letter to AOL, Eli Pariser, executive director at MoveOn, said the email tax would give preferential access to people’s inboxes “while leaving people's friends, families and favorite causes wondering if their emails are being delivered at all. The Internet is a force for democracy and economic innovation only because it is open to all Internet users equally — we must not let it become an unleveled playing field.”

Pariser’s group, he said, would be charged thousands of dollars per week to email the several hundred thousand AOL users on the group’s mailing list.

A website setup to decry the tax, DearAol.com, includes a cornucopia of supporters such as Craigslist.org founder Craig Newmark and the Farm Workers of America. The groups on the site represent roughly 15 million people.

Larry Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America, has gone as far as to call for a boycott of AOL should the tax take effect.

Despite the opposition, AOL remains steadfast in its decision to impose the charges.

“Mark it on your calendars,” Nicholas Graham, an AOL spokesman, said Tuesday.

Legally, AOL has fairly solid legs to stand on. Courts have historically ruled that email providers are not held to the same level of accountability as a government institution, and consequently cannot face lawsuits for free speech violations.

The system to be used by AOL — and likely Yahoo in the coming months — was developed by Mountain View-based Goodmail Systems. Richard Gingras, CEO of the company, has said users will welcome the service once it goes into effect.

“Neither AOL nor Yahoo nor any other email provider would ever do anything to impede the way regular email is delivered without message fees or email taxes,” he said.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Ukrainian Content Creators on Hook for Nearly $10M in Back Taxes

Content creators in Ukraine owe the equivalent of $9.3 million in back taxes, according to the country's State Tax Service.

Eroutique Relaunches Site Through YourPaysitePartner

Eroutique has relaunched its official website through YourPaysitePartner (YPP).

Update: Pornhub Will Not Block Ohio, Despite AV Law

Pornhub parent company Aylo will not block access to its websites in Ohio, despite new state age verification rules that came into effect Sept. 30.

Pineapple Support, Pornhub to Host 'ADHD-Friendly' Support Group

Pineapple Support and Pornhub are hosting a free online support group for performers with ADHD.

Judge Dismisses Some Claims in 'Children of Pornhub' Trafficking Suit

A United States district judge on Friday dismissed some but not all claims against Aylo in a long-running case involving CSAM allegations featured in the influential 2020 New York Times article “The Children of Pornhub.”

FSC Sets Key Dates, Qualifiers for December Board of Directors Election

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) today announced key dates and qualifiers for its upcoming Board of Directors election.

RedGIFs Launches New 'Studio' Creator Platform

RedGIFs has launched its new Studio creator platform.

Arcom to Expand AV Enforcement to Smaller Adult Sites

The president of French media regulator Arcom revealed on Thursday that the agency plans to escalate its enforcement of age verification rules to include smaller adult sites, starting in late 2025 or early 2026.

AEBN Publishes Report on MILF, Cougar Trends

AEBN has published a report on MILF and Cougar categories from its straight theaters.

Pornhub to Shut Down Access in Arizona Over Age Verification

Aylo will geoblock Pornhub across Arizona starting Sept. 26, when the state’s age verification law, HB 2112, goes into effect.

Show More