The preponderance of passion over logic in discussions about unsolicited bulk email never ceases to amaze me. Even more amazing is the high proportion of intolerance and indignance to be found among Internet marketers. In my observation, as a group, we seem to be much more incensed by this subject than Internet users in general. Yet, a cardinal rule in marketing is to beware of assuming that one's personal opinions mirror those of the market. Ok, let's assume that all of this is true.
Low accuracy is acceptable, if that is all that can be reasonably achieved.
I submit the famous assertion by a Philadelphia retailer earlier this century that half of his advertising was wasted, he just didn't know which half. Today, if one could only claim to benefit from half of one's ad budget, one would not so cavalierly bandy this information about. Today, we are in a similar situation with the Internet. In any event, let us not fall into the trap of assuming that efficiency, technological upheaval and growing markets have anything remotely in common. They do not.