When I mentioned that I’d been added to a media contact directory without my knowledge or consent, he also said that I really should contact the company that included me, which of course I did months ago. I contacted HIM months ago, and have done so repeatedly, with no response until today.

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I have been deluged recently with unwanted email from PR organizations promoting health-related products and services through press releases. I suspect that it may be because I am in your database of media contacts.

I am a health blogger, but as a deliberate policy I do not promote any kind of non-information products. I also specialize in a narrow area and the releases I am receiving are not relevant to me. Many of them are also US-specific, and I am not in the US. As a citizen and resident of New Zealand, I believe I am covered by NZ law regarding unsolicited email, which makes it illegal to send me these emails without a specific opt-in on my part.

If I am in your database, please remove me. I would also suggest that you revise your policies, since I did not ask to be included, did not want to be included, and in fact state clearly on my website that I do not want this kind of contact.

If I am not in your database, my apologies – but if you have any kind of “do not mail” list, I would like to be on it.

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I received this reply:

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I just wanted to personally let you know that I removed your name and contact information from our database. Clients are responsible for refreshing their own media lists, so sometimes it takes a few days for the email to completely stop, but as of today all information has been completely deleted. I sincerely apologize for any irrelevant press releases or PR materials you received as a result of your listing with us, and I thank you for drawing our attention to this issue.

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“A few days” for the email to stop? It’s still coming from at least three firms. Name and shame:

1. (Most frequent, and from multiple individuals): 5WPR, according to their website the 5th largest independent PR firm in New York. I have repeatedly asked to be removed from their database. The spam keeps coming.

2. Time. Yes, THAT Time. The one with all the magazines. The one I’ve asked twice to remove me from their list, but who are still spamming me.

3. Trent and Company. Again, multiple individuals have mailed me irrelevant “story ideas”, and I have asked three times to be unsubscribed, but they’re still spamming me.

(None of them supplied opt-out links, of course.)

I’m going to start reporting them for spam in the hope that these large companies, whose business depends on getting into people’s inboxes, get blacklisted by ISPs as the spammers they are.