Put the lid on Quechup

In recent days, I've received a half dozen invitations to join Quechup (it gets no linkage because it deserves none), which is billed as "the social networking platform sweeping the globe." Turns out it the service is more like a cancer than a popular uprising, because it is spamming the address books of people who are fooled into joining.

I asked several of the people who invited me what was different about this social network, and the replies I received were all surprised and apologetic—no one had authorized a mailing to their friends and business contacts. Two examples of the responses:

Please ignore this invite. This is a nasty social network that has spammed everyone in my address book. I was invited by well-intentioned, trusted friends and now have inadvertently sent unsolicited invites to everyone in my address book. My apologies. I'm usually smarter than this.

spam Mitch - all spam, all the time - I did not send this or ok it to be sent...

Quechup is breaking several rules that should bind all the social networkers:

1.) Member data is the member's data, not the company's asset;

2.) Members should initiate invitations and other communication, because their relationships are on the line;

3.) Real value will spread without direct-marketing campaigns, which are no better than spam.

Cure this social cancer by saying "No" to Quechup.