Ummm Constant, you scared me

[Lysis]

I just got a scare in my email after I was chatting with a CC friend. I shared contact info with a fellow writer. Is that not allowed? I know it's an automated message, but are writers not allowed to share private emails? Honestly, CC is probably the one place I take my account seriously, so my heart skipped a beat.

[Debbi]

Lys,

I got one of those warnings when I gave a fellow writer my personal email address so he could send me his article as an attachment to review (since there's no way to attach a file in CC email). It was a shock but nothing ever came of it.

[BarryDavidson]

The filters catch certain words or symbols in the body of the messages. While I'm not 100% sure on the TOS (haven't read it in a while), I can see a reason for the messages you received from a business standpoint. I call it the CYA (cover your a**) clause. CC does have some writers who are also buyers. Imagine the legal ramifications of allowing anyone on the site to share contact information. Let's say that you sent an article to a fellow writer (this same thing happens in the recording industry), and somewhere down the line that writer writes a similar piece. Or, even worse, that writer uses it on another site. From a true legal standpoint the person who uses the article is at fault (in the case of the latter), but that's not how the American legal system works anymore. In the previous example, it's usually just a matter of that writer getting an idea for a new angle on that subject.

In either case, a lawyer will go after CC because it's likely they have more money than the writer in question. Even if nothing ever comes of it, nothing on the internet ever goes away. Just the mere mention of possible litigation, or whispers of CC "allowing" this type of behavior, will have a negative impact on attracting new writers and customers.

[Ed]

Authors have been asked not to share contact information through our system.

http://www.constant-content.com/forum/v ... lit#p32948
Thank you,
Ed

[Lysis]

bah...sorry. Wasn't even thinking about it. I just shared my info with my friend. Sorry.

Barry, yeah, I understand the legal issue. It was a harmless conversation of "Hey, if CC goes down again, here's my email to chat while we wait for it to come back." Now that you point it out, I understand. I wasn't even thinking about it until I received the message. Hindsight is 20/20

Sorry Constant!

[Constant]

Every time an automated email gets sent out that warns of inappropriate contact information being shared through the message system, its logged and we check the message out. If we see that its a error, or is clearly an innocent not meant to solicit work outside of the system we ignore it and don't bother pursuing it. Like big brother, we are watching. Jokes. Just be responsible and respect the fact that we are trying to preserve the integrity of the site and maintain the quality that brings in the customers.

David