A MyBroadband member recently received unsolicited email from Edgars Club for a travel offer, using an address he specifically created for Discovery.<\/p>\n
When he asked\u00a0Discovery about the spam, and how Edgars got the email address, the company said\u00a0a third-party error had caused the problem.<\/p>\n
\u201cSubscribers to our email newsletter who submitted their email addresses to enter a competition had their competition entry details mistakenly compromised by our publishing partner with a single third party,\u201d said Discovery.<\/p>\n
The company said both the publisher and the third party have deleted the email addresses.<\/p>\n
\u201cClient confidentiality is absolutely paramount to us, so we have taken strong corrective action and have implemented the appropriate measures to ensure this does not happen again.”<\/p>\n
While Discovery didn\u2019t name its publishing partner or the third party, John Brown Media did confirm its partnership with Discovery and Edgars on the two affected campaigns.<\/p>\n
It said\u00a0the breach happened because of a competition that was being run on behalf of Edgars Club for a travel offer, with\u00a0the prize donated by Discovery.<\/p>\n
Competition entrants\u2019 details were shared with an unnamed third party. John Brown Media stressed that only the competition entries were shared, and not Discovery\u2019s client database.<\/p>\n
They were immediately alerted, the list was destroyed by the third party, and a letter of assurance was sent to Discovery confirming that the list would not be used again.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe deal with blue-chip clients and it would be highly unprofessional and unethical to share clients’ databases,\u201d said John Brown Media.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn fact, we do not manage any of our clients\u2019 databases.”<\/p>\n
The compromised list which was destroyed was generated from competition entries.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have put measures in place to ensure this does not happen again.”<\/p>\n
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