SurfControl's ‘scare marketing’

Filtering company riding wave of fear

By Lester Haines • Get more from this author

Posted in Letters, 21st April 2001 14:20 GMT

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Jim Salter has an interesting slant on the SurfControl phenomenon:

I just read your article regarding the boost in SurfControl software. You may not be aware of the recent legislation by the US government requiring filtering software for schools and libraries in order to get Federal funding. This funding is known as e-rate and can be from 50-90% of the cost of Internet service. For example, a T-1 is easily $900 or more per month. Under the e-rate program, I can get my school a T-1 Internet connection for $350 per month.

SurfControl and every other bastard filtering company is riding the "fear of funding loss" wave with scare marketing. This may be one reason the sales have jumped.

Interesting. Now, what about 'Echiii' - a man (?) clearly not happy in his work:

This program was created to give 'manglement' the illusion of control ... the truth about the world wide work place is that mediocrity is protected and incompetence is promoted... don't believe me ??? look at YOUR boss !!!

For obvious reasons, I make no comment.

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