Automatic/default Opt in on forms

Question

I've been struggling with something at work that I'm not really in the mood to argue about with anyone who has a say in changing it so I wanted to seek some feedback on the issue from people here.

We've gotten in the habit recently of checking the opt-in box on our forms that we build for clients. I'm not sure if it's always at the behest of the client, but it's been happening a lot lately. I guess I just have a few questions in an attempt to start the discussion. If this is too far off the beaten path, I'm not opposed to it being closed.

1. What do you as a programmer think of doing this?
2. As a user, what would your thoughts be on being confronted with a form that had the opt-in box checked by default?
3. If by chance there is a general feeling that this is not OK, what type of argument would you bring to someone higher up that has the power to make this stop?

My answers:

1. This makes me feel awkward every time I do it. I know I'm not the only one that frowns upon this practice.
2. As a user I'm not terribly inconvenienced by having to un-check the box on every form I see, but I find the process of filling out forms (a pain in and of itself) less annoying when I don't have to do that.
3. Don't have a clue on this one.

Like I said, if this isn't "programming related" enough, I won't be offended by it being closed.

Answer 1

This is specifically about customer information sharing, but I think the ideas apply more generally to opting-in versus -out.

If the ability to spend is the fuel that propels the economic engine, then consumers' trust and confidence in that engine is the lubricant. That trust would be best served by giving clear, active choices to consumers about the secondary sharing of their personal information - an opt-in approach.

Pre-checking the opt-in box is antithetical to true opting-in - the user's default, ignorant, choice is the non-action that results in being included - and I would classify it as nefarious. I've seen it, and I don't like it.

Answer 2

Well, it annoys me as well... But it's not illegal or immoral or unhealthy, so if a client asks for it, I guess you should comply. My advice to a client would be that they don't do this, because it is no great deal to tick a box, and at the potential cost of goodwill towards the client, why force the issue?

After all - it is supposed to be an opportunity to OPT IN, not an opportunity to OPT OUT...

However, that said, if that is all a website does, it generally wouldn't scare me off as a user/customer.

It really, really winds me up when you see a series of options, where one might say 'Tick her to sign up to our newsletter' and then next will say 'Tick here if you dont want us to share your details with selected third parties'. Usually, I'll grumble but will continue with my transaction, but plenty of times I've just abandoned the page if I felt it was too much.

What do you say to your colleagues? I would stress the fact that opting in is a trivial exercise for the user, whereas having to opt out will not engender much goodwill towards the client.

Will it work? Probably not, but at least you tried...