America Online's offer of free third-party email accreditation services has not curbed the efforts of advocacy and nonprofit groups protesting AOL's use of Goodmail CertifiedEmail, writes DM News (via MediaBuyerPlanner). "The biggest problem all along with pay-to-send isn't that nonprofits will have to pay," said Danny O'Brien, Electronic Frontier Foundation activism coordinator in San Francisco.

"The problem is the perverse incentives of AOL getting paid to deliver some categories of email," O'Brien said. The foundation, MoveOn.org and other groups have organized the protest against AOL's "email tax." So far, 450 groups have joined the protest, as well as 30,000 individuals who have signed a petition against AOL's use of Goodmail.

AOL spokesperson Nicholas Graham said the compay's offer "has generated a huge amount of support and goodwill" from nonprofits. He added the company will "move forward on two fronts: to implement our not-for-profit email plan, and to implement CertifiedEmail on behalf of our members' safety and security."