I am compelled to do a follow up on yesterday’s post (HP And Yahoo Want To Use Your Printer). After I finished writing a few more thoughts popped in to my head.

For the purpose of this post, we are going to call all advertising SPAM. It is all the same, they only difference is if you want it or not. Most of the time you don’t want it, but you do tolerate it.

In what ways do we receive SPAM?

1. By mail (to our residential or business addresses)

2. Fax

3. Telephone

4. Email

5. Mobile device

6. Television

7. Inkjet or laser printer (coming soon)

Despite any laws that have ever been enacted, SPAM is still a huge part of our lives. A law is either circumvented or a new way to deliver SPAM is created. The original SPAM receptacle is our mail box. Think of how much junk mail you get each day. Look at the other items listed above, how much SPAM do you get via those mediums each day?

Now comes the ePrintenabled printer. The latest and greatest SPAM delivery source. Think the laws that govern fax SPAMMING apply. Don’t be so sure. It scares me to think what I might see on my printer’s paper tray one day.

That aside, let’s assume HP has great intentions and wants to use this technology in the best possible way. They want to be able to deliver the information you want, directly to you. Think of it like a newspaper subscription (except who wants to print their own newspaper each day). Advertising creates a lot of revenue for these companies. Targeted advertising creates a ton of revenue for these companies. Think of the revenues Yahoo! and HP will generate by putting a page, with targeted advertising, on your printer’s paper tray every day. Millions? Billions?

Think of the revenues HP will generate while you print out these advertisements. You are providing the printer ink and the paper.

Let me know what you think about this. Thanks!