Are mailtrackers rude?

amother

Mon, Dec 11 2023, 2:00 am

Such as mailtrack etc. They tell you if someone opened an email you sent. It feels a bit invasive to me, but so many people have it that it makes me wonder if it's the norm these days. There is a line on the bottom of the email saying it's tracked by Mailtrack (unless you take the time to delete it), but I doubt most people notice it. What are your thoughts on it? Would you feel like your privacy was invaded if someone tracked if and when you opened an email they sent you?

amother

Rose

Mon, Dec 11 2023, 2:03 am

Are we talking about business emails, personal emails or marketing emails? My response depends on that. For personal emails I’d be a bit creeped out.

amother

Mon, Dec 11 2023, 2:10 am

amother Rose wrote:

Are we talking about business emails, personal emails or marketing emails? My response depends on that. For personal emails I’d be a bit creeped out.

I'm referring to personal emails.

Brit in Israel

Mon, Dec 11 2023, 3:33 am

I think it is horrible, if you need to know the message was received give a call and don't send an email!
The ones that say that this email is tracked have the free version. You can pay for premium which doesn't say it and gives more information. If I remember correctly including of you forward the email, how many times it has been open and I'm sure alot more.

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Dec 11 2023, 4:01 am

FYI there are ways around it and it's not necessarily accurate.
I once knew someone was tracking emails and I couldn't stand the notion. I proved to that person that I was opening emails and it wasn't recording it on the tracking end. I got the last laugh.

amother

Slateblue

Mon, Dec 11 2023, 6:15 am

For personal reasons, it's creepy. I don't love fhat businesses do it, but I would probably just stop reading emails from a sender if they were trying to track personal messages.

amother

Mon, Dec 11 2023, 6:40 am

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

I am aware of this. I was questioning whether it bothers people though. I see that at least some people find it offensive.

amother

Winterberry

Mon, Dec 11 2023, 6:55 am

I have an older family member who does it. That person isn't so clued in to societal norms and probably wouldn't care anyway. We get many emails that are filled with political opinion, unwanted advice, and other information that is mostly interesting only to this person. Trying to be respectful since this comes of loneliness and boredom, so I open and immediately delete (although some of those programs also note your click through rate). For a non business setting, this feels a bit needy. Younger people text or What's App, so I generally don't expect a response from them.

HonesttoGod

Mon, Dec 11 2023, 7:53 am

I find it creepy for personal.
And for business just plain aggressive.
But for marketing I understand it - it’s a metrics thing to see what works etc.
still kinda rude I just understand its use more.

jflower

Mon, Dec 11 2023, 9:21 am

How is mail tracker worse than WhatsApp letting you know if your post has been read?

B'Syata D'Shmya

Mon, Dec 11 2023, 9:30 am

From personal experience your email to me could have been received, opened and NOT READ...so what? Track all you want.
If I want to know that an important email was delivered I add : "Please acknowledge receipt of this email". Always works.

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Dec 11 2023, 10:17 am

jflower wrote:

How is mail tracker worse than WhatsApp letting you know if your post has been read?

You can turn that off

amother

Sienna

Mon, Dec 11 2023, 10:21 am

jflower wrote:

How is mail tracker worse than WhatsApp letting you know if your post has been read?

Whatsapp has it so only if you allow it can you see it from others. So you can turn it off on your end, no one can see your status and also then not see anyone else's (even if they are turned on).

amother

Mintcream

Tue, Dec 12 2023, 12:21 am

I use it for business purposes (bulk mailing campaigns). I avoid looking at individual opens though, just the stats to get an idea of numbers. It feels intrusive to me to be checking who opened what when.

zaq

Tue, Dec 12 2023, 1:00 pm

I would definitely feel invaded if I received a personal email that was being tracked, and it might negatively affect my attitude towards that person.

amother

Hydrangea

Tue, Dec 12 2023, 1:46 pm

jflower wrote:

How is mail tracker worse than WhatsApp letting you know if your post has been read?

Because in WhatsApp it's a default behavior, and it's for casual messages that are meant to be instant and expected to usually be responded to as soon as they are read. Email is more formal, not meant to be instant, and it would be an active choice to track.