Magazines and "opting out"

[minnikin1]

We bought a subscription to "Hobby Farms" magazine after reading about it on another thread and we really liked it.

BUT- when my first bill came and I read the fine print, I was shocked to see their privacy policy. They will sell your name unless YOU write a letter to some OTHER company, and request otherwise.

So, a customer gives them their business, and they reward them with an obnoxious inconvenience like this? After hiding it in the fine print?
(Electric companies get away with BS policies like this, because consumers have few alternatives, but a magazine?)
I REFUSED to let them treat us this way. I cancelled my subscription and told them why.

I was just wondering, does anyone know if Countryside has a similar "policy"?

Has anyone else ever refused to do business with a company for this?

[minnikin1]

Nobody knows the Countryside privacy policy?
I couldn't find it on their website

[LisaInN.Idaho]

I've taken to buying magazines on the newstands because the subscription departments are so obnoxious. As soon as you subscribe, it seems that they start sending you notices that you need to resubscribe...and calling too.

[Pony]

I'm not sure about Countryside's policy, but they don't inundate me with renewal requests nor have I ever gotten anything because of my subscription to them.

When I subscribe to a magazine, I put a weird middle initial in my name and keep track of what initial I used where. That way, if I start to get some weird "somebody sold my name" mailings, I know who did it.

Pony!

[Chas in Me]

It's just part of doing business in this "brave new world"

[Beltane]

I don't believe Countryside sells their mailing lists or anything...at least I have never gotten any junk mail or anything from them. I think they are one of the few. I sometimes change my name just a bit to see if I can tell where the junk mail is coming from.