An Apology from Sony
I happen to subscribe to Weird Al's email updates, and I just got the following bizarre email from his list:
Sony Music is in the midst of transitioning to a new email service provider. Due to this switch over, an email meant for Kris Allen's list was mistakenly sent to Weird Al's list. We understand how valuable you are as a loyal member of Weird Al's email list. By no means was this an intentional act and we offer our deepest apologies.
Wait, they're assuring me that by no means was this an intentional act and they're offering their deepest apologies? Did Sony run over my dog in their SUV or something?*
Oddly enough, I do remember getting the Kris Allen email. I shrugged it off because I figured it was something I'd downloaded from NoiseTrade and then deleted.
But, really, it sort of says something about our culture that we have to deeply apologize for a mistakenly sent email. Apologize, yes. Deeply apologize, deny intentions, and assure us of our value, not so much. Methinks they doth protest too much.
Yes, we're sensitive to spam and invasion of privacy, and yes, as a developer, I've been on the other side of this phenomenon and can understand the absolute PR nightmare it can be. The only time I've ever been cursed out by a client is when I wrote an update that sent out a bunch of unexpected emails to their users. (Even then, that was because users weren't actually managing their data, but at least I should have checked it against production data first.)
Still, email can be the most flippant and least personal form of communication at our disposal. Heck, most of the messages that hit my personal email box aren't even sent out manually, they're either automated notifications or subscriptions. That people might flip out over a single stray email blows my mind.
This might be a good place to go back to reference David Dark via Slacktivist on the topic of offendedness.
* No, because I don't actually own a dog.
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