Why isn't this data used to do something for good, rather than for what we can safely presume to be evil? For instance, I'm sure we could use this data to track down every evil junkmailing sub-human "direct mail marketing" moron, publicize their contact info, and let's see how they like getting nothing but poop in their mailboxes?
There is a rather inflammatory statement from the Postmaster General in the story about the demise of Outbox. “You mentioned making the service better for our customers; but the American citizens aren’t our customers—about 400 junk mailers are our customers. Your service hurts our ability to serve those customers.”
http://www.insidesources.com/outbox-vs-usps-how-the-post-off...
Since the USPS is only the instrument, giving all the postal covers to the FBI, I say let the FBI/CIA/NSA/NRO have a shot at the direct marketeers. Those organizations have demonstrated a willingness to "deviate" from the usual behaviors in the defense of Truth, Justice and The American Way. They're just the sort of folks you'd want to "handle" the Direct Marketing Association.
It's always amusing to hear people complaining about the USPS putting junk mailers before the rest of us. The reason the USPS does that is because we forced them to. If you take a public service and turn it into a for-profit corporation, you shouldn't be surprised when it starts looking out for the interests of those it can make the biggest profits off of.
It is supposed to be used when you are receiving sexually oriented mail that you consider to be offensive. However, the USPS does not have the right to decide if something you consider to be sexually orientated and offensive is or is not in fact sexual in nature, or offensive (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowan_v._U.S._Post_Office_Dept. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibitory_Order).
Personally, I consider credit card offers to be sexually obscene.
The USPS and junkmailers are friends. They are losing money delivering legitimate mail. Their profits come from junk mail.
The USPS is the largest spammer in the world. Which makes it ironic that all the college hippies are groaning and crying that it might go under. We should just get rid of the pony express.
These are the fuckholes that killed Outbox, after all.
Printed matter, flyers, circulars, advertising.
Newsletters, bulletins, and catalogs.
Small parcels."
(via http://pe.usps.com/businessmail101/classes/standard.htm)
USPS Q2 FY2014 Revenue from Standard Mail: 4,228,705
USPS Q2 FY2014 Total Revenue: 16,732,651
(via http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/financials/revenue-pieces-w...)
Junk mail accounts for a quarter of USPS revenue. I don't suppose the USPS wants to encourage harassment of junk mailers.
Most people who actually send junk mail to us are via agency, and these people are small business owners.
Also, some junk mail are delivered via cheap labor, actually walking to people's home and drop off (local supermarket for example), not via USPS. So that's another "direct mail marketing" and yet a lot of people enjoy them!
I just throw junk mail away. My philosophy is that as long as they don't kill me I am giving these small business owner the opportunity to grow.
The only kind of junk mail I don't want to receive is the annual yellow page book.
If you don't want junk mail, you can opt out of nearly all of it here: https://www.dmachoice.org
Wait, that wouldn't work because nobody wants this junk.
This seems an awfully inconsequential thing to get worked up about.
That's the point of public communications.
Maybe because that would expose this program to the public, thereby raising opposition (as might happen now).
Why do you presume them to be doing evil, and why do you not consider breaking up organised crime and catching attempted murderers as good?