Unsubscribe, or "master" email toggle

Floyd R Turbo

Well-known member
Maybe I missed it but there does not seem to be a one-click way to remove yourself from all methods of email notification. This confuses non-savvy users to the bejeesus belt.

They get one email and click the Unsubscribe link and think they are stopping all emails. But they don't - just that thread.

There are literally 5 or 6 places that control whether or not someone gets an email on the Account pages, and most of those just control "from that point forward".

For someone that just isn't involved anymore that wants to discontinue getting any messages, they have to unwatch all threads, unwatch all forums, and uncheck the Receive Site Mailings box. That will accomplish what they want but I get people all the time that just don't understand this and want me to "delete their account". We don't delete accounts with public content and people are just too short-spanned on attention to handle this on their own apparently.

Besides, for compliance, doesn't the "unsubscribe" button have to actually fully unsubscribe you from everything and essentially disable all emails?

What the Unsubscribe button needs to do, I think, is cause you to unwatch all threads and forums and uncheck site mailings.

But per the title, the other option would simply be a master "on/off" email toggle. If someone just wanted to stop the madness, one step does it. Uncheck "send me emails" and they no longer get any emails, at all, for anything.
 
Upvote 7
just tested that. Yup. Only applies to site mailings. You still get emails for anything else you are already watching. See what I mean? You would think that would do it, and if you are a newbie or just going by logic, "receive site mailings" -> unchecked = hey I just stopped mailings, but that's not right!

nevermind the clear statement below that "You will receive a copy of emails sent by the administrator to all members of the site." which if you understand exactly how a forum works, this makes sense. But we are dealing with people who are don't necessarily.
 
From a spam standpoint, there should be an option to completely remove yourself from any emails originating from a site. A single point to do that is the most common on most sites. So I support this.
 
I don't think it's as simple as that. There are (at least) 4 major sources of emails from a XenForo forum - admin email, notification of posting in a thread you've watched, notification of a PC, and notification of an alert. All 4 have their own switches, in various places.

Rather than a master switch, I'd recommend putting all of the existing switches in one spot, so a member can better understand the system and make the choices they really want. An "unsubscribe from email from all watched threads" button at this location would also be helpful.
 
I don't think it's as simple as that. There are (at least) 4 major sources of emails from a XenForo forum - admin email, notification of posting in a thread you've watched, notification of a PC, and notification of an alert. All 4 have their own switches, in various places.

Rather than a master switch, I'd recommend putting all of the existing switches in one spot, so a member can better understand the system and make the choices they really want. An "unsubscribe from email from all watched threads" button at this location would also be helpful.
I agree they should all be in one place. But, the inclusion of a master switch 'Unsubscribe from all email' wouldn't be difficult to implement. It could even appear on the same page as the individual switches you mention giving the user a better experience when trying to remove themselves from emails they don't want.
 
I agree they should all be in one place. But, the inclusion of a master switch 'Unsubscribe from all email' wouldn't be difficult to implement. It could even appear on the same page as the individual switches you mention giving the user a better experience when trying to remove themselves from emails they don't want.
Conceptually, I don't have a problem with a "master switch" as long as the granularity of the current system isn't lost. But there'd still be a need for an "unsubscribe from email from all watched threads" button unless you plan on building that functionality into the master switch.
 
An "unsubscribe from email from all watched threads" button at this location would also be helpful.
That would actually do it. Put that on the same page as the "receive site mailings" check box and the other check boxes for watch thread "and receive email".

While I get that someone might want to "stop all email" giving them a "kill switch" to stop 100% of forum generated email will likely lead to people clicking that thinking they are stopping an individual thing and not all site email, then someone will come back and say "why am I not getting email" to which I bring out the "you're stupid for not READING" hammer
 
I had considered that also, because a master "kill switch" would not necessarily affect the Mentions addons unless modified/developed to work with them specifically.
 
I just wish there was a link that could be included in emails that would either:

  • Unsubscribe users from all emails in one click; or
  • Send them to a custom unsubscribe page where they could toggle switches that subscribed/unsubscribed them from different kinds of emails.
I can't believe that this isn't part of the core or part of a custom add-on. It doesn't seem like it would be that hard to implement.
 
I just wish there was a link that could be included in emails that would either:

  • Unsubscribe users from all emails in one click; or
  • Send them to a custom unsubscribe page where they could toggle switches that subscribed/unsubscribed them from different kinds of emails.
I can't believe that this isn't part of the core or part of a custom add-on. It doesn't seem like it would be that hard to implement.
I think that whatever is done might also initiate a conversation with the user that clarifies what they just did. I can see the rationale behind not including this function in the first place being that people would click it thinking that they are doing something else, and they erroneously disconnect themselves from all activity and then wonder why afterwards.

Something like generating a conversation message that would go point-by-point telling them what they did and how it will affect their user experience. Or maybe something that generates a convo to the admin so they can follow up with them if they want to. I guess I see both sides of this issue but the point is that I think that not having a kill switch creates more issues than having one.
 
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