What are BRM playing at?

[Guest ShildonShunter]

Hi call me old fashioned but I get the BRM magazine every month from my local newsagent i like to feel the magazine in ones hand. Would not even consider buying a digital magazine.

[Guest]

Good grief - all this angst over an unwanted email. Really? Top tip below...

 

[rab]

There is a simple answer to this problem.

If you're not happy with the link between

RMWeb and BRM - close your RMWeb account.

[Phil Parker]

Good Christ....another thread descending into overly paranoid bo*l**ks.

People need to lighten up, there are far more important things in life to be concerned with. I pity RMWEB mods these days, I bet you all have a mini brick wall on your desks to bang your heads against.

 

Here's mine:

 

and they are real 1:72 scale bricks from a wargames supplier! I need to stick that wall back together now. Anyone got a trowel?

 

In the last week on my main email address I have received 250 odd "promotional emails" including one I actually opened from the mighty Tesco

 

Its really not that much of a problem to mass delete them every now and then; its almost fun in a way!

 

So I'm not the only one who enjoys rapidly deleting unwanted e-mails. It's cathartic.

 

Just to try to cheer up those in charge of this great forum let me say that I do enjoy and buy Garden Rail.

 

Sensible fellow. A quality mag. Glad you are enjoying it, there are some great features coming up too - and profits from GR also help support RMweb, that's the joy of a group of magazines.

 

Hi call me old fashioned but I get the BRM magazine every month from my local newsagent i like to feel the magazine in ones hand. Would not even consider buying a digital magazine.

 

Not just you, I like a paper mag too but can appreciate the reasons for going digital as there is stuff we can't do on paper and obviously it's cheaper to distribute. That said, if Warners didn't believe in paper, they wouldn't have just had a planning application in for an extension to the print plant building approved. Paper isn't going anywhere for a while!

[Oldddudders]

I get very, very few unsolicited emails. So occasionally receiving a World of Railways one is no hardship. And, hey, some of the links can be variously informative, entertaining or both. I have no idea why people resent Warners. Obviously it must be something about them being commercial - daring to make money from our hobby. Unlike Hornby, Bachmann, Peco, Hattons, Bauer Media et al. None of whom, AFAIK, provides a free forum with a membership well into five figures and the wealth of experience and knowledge that offers.

 

I have very little idea what the hysteria surrounding Zuckerberg or the new legislation is about. I see my personal data - bank details maybe excepted - as incredibly uninteresting. It appears that I do, truly, live in a universe parallel to some others.

[ruggedpeak]

I never mentioned email lists in my post and i'm fully aware of what GPDR is about.   The "Opt out" thing is being killed off by legislation precisely because many people don't neceessarilty realise what they are doing, especilaly when confronted with miles of legal small print deliberately designed to defraud them of their personal data and opt out options deliberately hidden as deeply as possible within control settings. The fact that the legislation is being changed is recognition of the fact that what was gojng on was theft and needed to be stopped. Many members on here will have been members long before BRM had anything to do with this site and may not have been paying attention when the change, and its consequences, happened .  I personally don't have a problem with emails from BRM but I can see why others might.   "I'm a small fish so the legislation doesn't apply to me" has never been a legally recognised defence.

You've made several false accusations, starting with theft. Here's the definition of theft in the England & Wales:

 

"A person is guilty of theft if he dishonestly appropriates property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it; and “thief” and “steal” shall be construed accordingly."

 

I look forward to your explanation of how an email address constitutes "property" as defined in the legislation, and how selling it on "permanently deprives the other". If it does not meet those tests and the other things stated above it ain't theft.

 

 

You also refer to fraud. Which offence under the Fraud Act 2006 were you referring to? Hiding things in small print isn't fraud.

 

If you are going to make hyperbolic unsubstantiated and false accusations perhaps have some idea what you are talking about? The legitimate sale of email addresses does not constitute either criminal offences you refer to, but is governed by completely different legislation. Perhaps an apology is in order? That and a basic course in UK criminal and libel law.

 

Off to read Traction magazine and eat chocolate

[jonny777]

I get very, very few unsolicited emails. So occasionally receiving a World of Railways one is no hardship. And, hey, some of the links can be variously informative, entertaining or both. I have no idea why people resent Warners. Obviously it must be something about them being commercial - daring to make money from our hobby. Unlike Hornby, Bachmann, Peco, Hattons, Bauer Media et al. None of whom, AFAIK, provides a free forum with a membership well into five figures and the wealth of experience and knowledge that offers.

 

I have very little idea what the hysteria surrounding Zuckerberg or the new legislation is about. I see my personal data - bank details maybe excepted - as incredibly uninteresting. It appears that I do, truly, live in a universe parallel to some others.

 

 

With respect, you may find your personal data as incredibly uninteresting, but a criminal looking for ways to create a false identity will not. With your personal details he/she can take out loans in your name, using your address. Once the money has been moved to his/her bank account and no repayments are forthcoming - guess where the banks will come looking for the money? You may plead genuine ignorance, but will that cut any ice when they have all your details plus a forged signature? 

 

Me, paranoid? Maybe, but better safe than sorry. 

[Free At Last]

Why some have this thing over personal details being taken I can't get my head around. If when signing up to a website it asks for your mothers maiden name, your dogs name, your grannies lovers name, your date of birth, what school you went to, etc. etc. just put anything, it doesn't matter.

I'd like to see what criminals are getting out of some of the non-existing profiles I have set up. If a bank gives a loan out based on them, more fool them.

I get stuff sent to the email address's I create, I look at some, click on some even, some of them are of interest.

Don't give your personal details if it bothers you that much.

Edited May 20, 2018 by Free At Last

[chris p bacon]

With respect, you may find your personal data as incredibly uninteresting, but a criminal looking for ways to create a false identity will not. With your personal details he/she can take out loans in your name, using your address. Once the money has been moved to his/her bank account and no repayments are forthcoming - guess where the banks will come looking for the money? You may plead genuine ignorance, but will that cut any ice when they have all your details plus a forged signature? 

 

Me, paranoid? Maybe, but better safe than sorry. 

 

 

You'd probably be better off if you didn't use the internet at all if you're that paranoid.   Do you seriously think that a magazine publishing company holding an email address could open you up to a scam of your bank account. 

 

Just set up an email account that you can use for subs etc, Warners (& Mortons Media for Railway Mag) have had my details for subs & payment for 20 years and apart from an email a month (which has some interesting items) I get no more than I signed up for.  . . .and I sleep soundly.

[jonny777]

You'd probably be better off if you didn't use the internet at all if you're that paranoid.   Do you seriously think that a magazine publishing company holding an email address could open you up to a scam of your bank account. 

 

 

 

 

No, but that was not the point that I was replying to. 

 

However, lets not let the truth get in the way of point scoring; just take a few minutes to read this - https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ID

[Ruston]

 

I got the same offer by email but decided not to take it up as BRM isn’t really to my taste. Must say I feel a little guilty about enjoying free use of the forum knowing that it is extremely unlikely that I will ever take out a subscription to BRM. I am grateful to Warners for providing this forum.

 

 

No need to feel guilty about using the forum. You're right, it costs us a lot of money to keep the website up-and-running and the advertising revenue doesn't get anywhere near to us breaking even. But, RMweb is good for the hobby which is good for everyone within in.

 

We do have some exciting plans for the future though...

 

In light of that comment, do these plans involve paying to use this forum?

 

I can't get this thing to add the appropriate quote from Andy Y but he has mentioned something about the possibility of  magazine subscribers getting some kind of forum advantage over non subscribers and I'm wondering if that's what it is.

 

[Andy Y]

When we are ready we will fill you in but I would like to offer more to those who do pay.

[BlueLightning]

When we are ready we will fill you in but I would like to offer more to those who do pay.

 

And as someone who doesn't buy BRM (or any other magazine) I say that sounds like a great idea!!!

 

My mind cannot keep focus on a traditional magazine format, so unless there is something that can physically help me modelling I won't buy it, but if you are adding features to RMWeb for people who subscribe depending on what they are, you may get my money that way!!! and I'm sure their must be others!

 

Gary

 

PS. I also find the delete button works better than b*tching about it on a forum paid for by those exact advertisements!!

[Bergmann]

I am German and had no English lessons in the school. Thanks to modern translation, I can nowadays also use texts in languages ​​foreign to me. Unfortunately, I can not use this electronic support for paper magazines or electronic magazines. However, this forum is so worthwhile I would not buy a magazine for me, which I can read so very arduous. By a post on Facebook, I would attentively on the Cakebox Challenge, could inform me in the forum and now build a Cakebox Modell.Dabei I prefer online media and maybe this is also possible sometime with national language support, of course I am also willing to pay for it.

[LBRJ]

I have always been of the opinion that "Sites of Interest" (no sniggering at the back  there!) are worthy of having a small monthly contribution / subscription to directly support them.

[Oldddudders]

I have always been of the opinion that "Sites of Interest" (no sniggering at the back  there!) are worthy of having a small monthly contribution / subscription to directly support them.

Which is really where RMweb began, with Andy Y running it in his spare time, at his own cost. So periodically a hat would be passed around, and some - but apparently by no means all - of us would drop a few coppers in it, to defray server charges etc. Then Warners stepped in, gave Andy a salary, stabilised the site, enabled expansion of facilities in all directions, and the place became mildly commercialised. But we members pay not a penny. Suits me.

[Pteremy]

I am glad someone mentioned the demise of Military Modelling as it is a salutary experience. As a subscriber all you got was a letter from the publisher with the final edition telling you that you would be receiving a different magazine next month. Nothing about the magazine itself suggested that it was the final one. And the website was switched off a few days later, even though it appeared to be due to stay live until the end of the month (i.e. May). I have no idea what has happened to the content. It may yet appear on the website of the magazine that MM has merged with, but the runes are not good. That website's most recent content was dated 2014!

 

I will see what arrives in the post before cancelling my subscription. But I can't say that I have much goodwill towards the publishers. And the way I have been treated as an existing customer is several orders of magnitude more annoying than a misplaced email shot - which I can just ignore and delete.

[chris p bacon]

Which is really where RMweb began, with Andy Y running it in his spare time, at his own cost. So periodically a hat would be passed around, and some - but apparently by no means all - of us would drop a few coppers in it, to defray server charges etc. Then Warners stepped in, gave Andy a salary, stabilised the site, enabled expansion of facilities in all directions, and the place became mildly commercialised. But we members pay not a penny. Suits me.

 

 

Yes, and I remember the "I don't need to pay as my contributions to the forum of my expertise is worth more than I'm getting out of it" replies as well.

 

When we had the hat passed around I worked out that it was worth a mag subscription + to me for all I got out of it, at the time I had subs to 2 modelling mags which were BRM & MRJ so I added the cost together and sent that off. Warners buying it actually made it cheaper for me.

[SteveCole]

I am a long time subscriber to BRM mag digital edition. From April edition I am unable to access full screen of the monthly video on my iPad. I have reported it each time to pocket mags who have been unable to resolve issue.

Can this be sorted?

 

It's a problem that Pocketmags are aware of but their time is being spent on GDPR - despite the world knowing it has been coming, they are apparently playing catch-up. Until it's sorted, I'd recommend you click on the Youtube logo within the video screen and watch it that way.

[SteveCole]

You can consider yourselves lucky to have received such a generous offer.

As I live in Canada I don't appear qualify for a free issue of anything never mind B.R.M....

So be grateful!

 

Hi,

 

You should qualify for this. It's digital so there are no geographic restrictions. Any problems, email us at brm@warnersgroup.co.uk

[SteveCole]

If I have this correct then RMWeb has provided my data to a third party BRM. BRM has used that data to involve me in an unsolicited marketing campaign for which I have not given my explicit consent. I wonder what the data commissioner will have to say if they try this after 25 May.

 

RMweb and BRM are part of the same company that provides this website to 100,000+ modellers (at a great deal of cost). Whilst the RMweb email list includes opt-in and opt-out preferences, it doesn't fully comply with GDPR to a level that we, as a company, are happy with. We take GDPR extremely seriously, which is why from May 20th all emails to the RMweb list have stopped. 

 

If you're registered on World-of-Railways for BRM E-Newsletters and communication this fully complies with GDPR.

[SteveCole]

What I fail to understand, is why I have to register with World Of Railways in order to get a free download of BRM when my email details (and presumably my name and address) have been on the BRM database for years?

 

Maybe there is a genuine but 'commercial in confidence' reason for this; but being a cynic I do find it rather odd. 

 

If you've already registered, log-in and then click on the link and follow the instructions. 

[SteveCole]

I've been trying to unsubscribe from the BRM/Warners emails, as I have with every GDPR offer recently.

 

My comment about the misuse of the word 'your' in the footer has been actioned, how do I know? Because I'm still getting the emails...

 

Email brm@warnersgroup.co.uk and I'll look into why this hasn't been actioned.

[chris p bacon]

RMweb and BRM are part of the same company that provides this website to 100,000+ modellers (at a great deal of cost). Whilst the RMweb email list includes opt-in and opt-out preferences, it doesn't fully comply with GDPR to a level that we, as a company, are happy with. We take GDPR extremely seriously, which is why from May 20th all emails to the RMweb list have stopped. 

 

If you're registered on World-of-Railways for BRM E-Newsletters and communication this fully complies with GDPR.

 

 

If I'm getting the WoR emails I'm guessing they'll continue (I'd like them)

 

if not how do I check ?

[SteveCole]

If I'm getting the WoR emails I'm guessing they'll continue (I'd like them)

 

if not how do I check ?

 

Yes, if you're currently getting WoR emails you will continue to do so.