This an minimal, read-only version of the original Stop Junk Mail website.

Home Blogs Diary 2019 01

Campaign update

4th January 2019

People looking at this blog might be under the impression that the Stop Junk Mail campaign is pretty much dead. That's a fair conclusion – I'm neglecting my duties as anti-junk mail campaigner. I do hope to at least overhaul the website this year though.

Talking to tables and chairs

For about a decade I spend about 10 to 20 hours per week on the campaign. I followed any junk mail related news, wrote long articles about various issues, developed websites such as junkbuster.org.uk and tried to talk with the likes of Defra and the Direct Marketing Association about specific junk mail issues. I got fed up with the work after Defra refused to discuss why the Door-Drop Preference Service opt-out scheme had collapsed. They simply denied that the scheme had been abandoned even though anyone can observe it's as dead as a dodo, and I then got told by Rory Stewart OBE MP that, although I had asked him "interesting" questions Defra wouldn't provide any answers because "public funding is under extreme pressure".

I don't mind people with a different opinion on junk mail. I occasionally get an email from someone who is offended by something I've said on this website. Almost always that results in a frank but respectful discussion. The most notable example is a BNP member who contacted me to say that I was wrong to call BNP supporters "racist bigots" – it resulted in an interesting discussion and we agreed to disagree. The same doesn't happen with MPs who are members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. They simply lie in your face in order to avoid "interesting" but awkward questions.

There have been quite a few examples like that over the years. For many years the dishonesty of the junk mail industry and politicians motivated me but now I rather concentrate on other things. People like Rory Stewart can stick their OBE where it hurts.

The new year's resolution

The website has grown quite a bit over the years and has become unmaintainable. My plan is to replace the current site. It really just needs an updated guide to stamping out junk mail, with perhaps a few sections about specific issues such as the Door-Drop Preference Service. The blog, forum and various other sections can go.

I'm not sure if I'll continue to sell anti-junk mail stickers. I haven't ordered new stock for quite a while, mostly because it's surprisingly difficult to find a printer who can produce quality stickers. If you know a good printer, I'd like to know. Otherwise I'll probably close the shop as well. It would make the website much simpler (everything could be static content). The site would no longer have any funding but I don't mind that too much. The campaign has always been a hobby, and running the website isn't that expensive.

So there you go… there's still some live left in the campaign. If you got ideas or like to help relaunch the site, feel free to send me an email.

Last updated: 
4th January 2019
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